Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 remains a demanding title, and the data for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B570 provides a clear picture of its capabilities. This combination produces playable frame rates primarily at 1080p, with performance scaling that reveals the GPU as the dominant constraint across most settings. The benchmark results show a system that can handle the game’s world at lower presets, but struggles to maintain smooth motion at higher resolutions and quality levels.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep performance drop as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 76 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 56 FPS, a 26% reduction. At 4K, the Low preset yields just 37 FPS, which is roughly half of the 1080p performance. This scaling pattern indicates that the rendering load is expanding faster than the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth can accommodate.

The trend continues across other settings. With High settings, the average frame rate falls from 41 FPS at 1080p to 31 FPS at 1440p, and then to 20 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that the Arc B570’s 10 GB memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the asset loads and shading complexity at that resolution. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is consistent, but the jump from 1440p to 4K is more severe, indicating that the GPU is hitting a hard limit.

What does this imply about the limiting component? The CPU, with 6 cores and 12 threads running at up to 4.40 GHz boost, does not appear to be the bottleneck. If the processor were the constraint, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between resolutions, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant. Instead, the dramatic scaling points squarely at the GPU. The Arc B570’s 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not enough to drive 4K in this title at playable speeds.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (76 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) is 37 FPS. At 4K, the difference narrows to 18 FPS (37 vs 19). This compression at higher resolutions is a classic sign of GPU saturation—when the pixel fill rate becomes the primary limit, the cost of higher-quality shading and effects becomes relatively smaller compared to the raw pixel throughput.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570’s specifications are central to interpreting these results. The GPU has a 2500 MHz base and boost clock, which is a modest frequency for modern cards. More importantly, its memory configuration of 10 GB GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus yields 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Cyberpunk 2077, a game known for large, detailed environments and high-resolution textures, this bandwidth and capacity are likely the primary constraints at higher settings.

Looking at the measured FPS, the GPU’s role as the bottleneck is evident. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 56 FPS, which is the same as the 1440p Low result. This suggests that the GPU is being stressed equally by either more pixels or more complex shading. The 4K Medium result of 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS, shows that the GPU cannot maintain smooth frame pacing, likely due to memory pressure or compute shader overhead.

The GPU’s benchmark scores provide additional context. Its Passmark G3D score of 14195 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2649 place it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. This is a mid-range position, and the Cyberpunk 2077 results align with that standing. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, has an average score of 20534, just 0.1% ahead of the Arc B570’s 20556 average. This indicates that the B570’s raw compute is competitive with that mobile part, but the desktop RTX 3070 would likely perform differently due to power and thermal headroom.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is a specific concern. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 19 FPS, and at 4K High it is 20 FPS. These low results suggest that the GPU is not just compute-limited but also potentially memory-limited, as 10 GB may be insufficient for the highest texture quality at that resolution. The fact that Low settings at 4K yield 37 FPS, which is nearly double the Ultra result, supports the theory that reducing texture and shadow quality significantly relieves the memory subsystem.

FAQ

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so much when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The data shows a consistent halving of performance. At Low settings, 1080p yields 76 FPS while 4K yields 37 FPS. This is because the Arc B570’s 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 380.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are overwhelmed by the fourfold increase in pixel count, making the GPU the primary limiting factor.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F holding back the GPU?

A: No, the CPU does not appear to be the constraint. The FPS scaling with resolution is steep, which indicates a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were limited, the frame rate would be more consistent across resolutions. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads with a 4.40 GHz boost clock are sufficient for this workload, as evidenced by the 76 FPS result at 1080p Low.

Q: What is the playable experience at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS. This is marginally playable but will experience stutters in busy scenes. The Low preset at 1440p averages 56 FPS, which is smoother. The High and Ultra presets, at 31 and 29 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a fluid experience.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its closest rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The Arc B570’s average benchmark score is 20556, which places it slightly behind the Intel Arc A750 (20582, -0.1%) and marginally ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, 0.1%). This suggests the B570 is competitive with those parts in synthetic tests, but the game-specific results will vary.

Q: Why does the 4K Medium preset have a minimum FPS of 23?

A: The minimum FPS of 23 at 4K Medium indicates significant frame time spikes. This is likely due to the GPU hitting memory bandwidth limits or processing complex draw calls. The average of 27 FPS is already low, but the minimum shows that the experience would feel inconsistent and stuttery.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at any resolution?

A: The Ultra preset yields 39 FPS at 1080p, which is the only resolution where it approaches playability. At 1440p it drops to 29 FPS, and at 4K it is 19 FPS. The data suggests that Ultra is only viable at 1080p, and even then, the frame rate is not high enough for fast-paced action.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 76 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 64 FPS, indicating a stable experience with occasional dips. The High preset averages 41 FPS, which is playable but with noticeable drops in heavy scenes. The Ultra preset averages 39 FPS, which is on the edge of playability, and the minimum FPS data is not available, suggesting potential instability.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance declines across the board. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, matching the 1080p Medium score. The Medium preset averages 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, which is a wider variance than at 1080p. The High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 29 FPS, both of which are below the comfort threshold for a game like this.

At 3840x2160, the results are mostly below playable. The Low preset averages 37 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 30 FPS. The Medium preset averages 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 FPS, showing that frame times are inconsistent. The High preset averages 20 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 19 FPS, making both unplayable in practice. The data shows a clear linear degradation from Low to Ultra at each resolution, but the absolute numbers at 4K are all too low for a smooth experience.

The pattern across all resolutions is that the difference between Medium and High is smaller than the difference between Low and Medium. For example, at 1080p, the jump from Low (76 FPS) to Medium (56 FPS) is a 20 FPS drop, while the jump from Medium to High (41 FPS) is a 15 FPS drop. This suggests that the Medium preset provides a good balance of visual quality and performance, as the additional cost of High settings yields diminishing returns.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset depends on the resolution target. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the best choice for a balance of visual quality and performance, averaging 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS. This provides a smooth experience without the CPU or GPU being overly stressed. The Low preset, at 76 FPS, is the best for high-refresh-rate monitors, but sacrifices significant visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is recommended if frame rate is the priority, as it averages 56 FPS. The Medium preset, at 42 FPS, is acceptable for slower-paced exploration but will struggle in combat sequences. The High and Ultra presets should be avoided at 1440p, as they dip below 31 FPS, which is below the threshold for a responsive feel.

At 3840x2160, the data indicates that the game is not comfortably playable at any preset. The Low preset, at 37 FPS, is the only option that approaches playability, but it will still feel sluggish. Users targeting 4K should consider this combo unsuitable for Cyberpunk 2077, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a stable 30 FPS.

In general, the Medium preset at 1080p appears to be the sweet spot for this hardware combination. It delivers a playable frame rate while retaining enough visual detail to appreciate the game’s art direction. The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings, as dropping to 1080p Medium provides a much better experience than 1440p High.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F’s role in this combination is to provide a stable foundation for the GPU. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it has enough parallelism to feed the Arc B570 without becoming a bottleneck. Its boost clock of 4.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded performance is strong, which is important for the game’s main game logic and physics threads. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680, place it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating a capable mid-range part.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 76 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would require a strong CPU to maintain. If the 12400F were insufficient, we would see this number drop closer to the 4K results. Instead, the FPS scales consistently with resolution, which is a signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, has an average score of 19047, which is essentially identical (0% delta), confirming that the 12400F is performing as expected for its class.

The CPU’s memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 could influence performance, but the data does not specify which type was used. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache is sufficient for the game’s working set, and the lack of a bottleneck in the FPS data suggests that memory latency or bandwidth is not a concern. The CPU’s 65W TDP and 10 nm process also indicate that it can sustain its boost clocks during gaming without thermal throttling, which is critical for consistent frame delivery.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2316 out of 2920 tested combos for Cyberpunk 2077. This places it in the bottom 21% of all configurations, which is a notable result given the individual components’ mid-range standings. The GPU’s 65th percentile and CPU’s 73rd percentile suggest that this combo should perform better, but the game’s specific demands on the GPU’s memory and compute resources drag the ranking down.

This low rank is primarily due to the 4K results, which are poor, and the lack of high refresh rate performance at 1080p. The combo’s best result, 76 FPS at 1080p Low, is respectable, but many other combos will exceed 100 FPS at that setting. The rank indicates that this system is suited for 1080p gaming at medium settings, but it is not competitive with higher-end builds for this title.

Comparing to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the Arc B570 is nearly identical in average benchmark score to the Intel Arc A750 (-0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% delta). However, the A750 is a desktop card with potentially better cooling and power delivery, which could yield higher sustained clocks in a real system. The RTX 3070 Mobile is a laptop part, so its performance is constrained by thermal limits. This suggests that the B570 is in the right performance class, but the Cyberpunk 2077 results are still low due to its specific memory configuration.

The combo rank of 2316 is a stark reminder that raw benchmark scores do not always translate to game performance. The Arc B570’s 10 GB VRAM and 160-bit bus are bottlenecks in this title, which favors larger memory pools and higher bandwidth. The 4K results, where the combo averages 19-37 FPS, are the primary drag on its rank. For users seeking a better Cyberpunk 2077 experience, the data implies that a GPU with more memory and bandwidth, or a lower resolution target, is necessary.