Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 remains one of the most demanding titles in the benchmark suite, and this particular configuration—Intel Core i7-12700K paired with Intel Arc B370—demonstrates a severe bottleneck that is almost entirely GPU-bound. The measured frames per second (FPS) data across all resolutions and settings tells a story of a processor with substantial headroom being held back by a graphics solution operating far outside its comfort zone. The following analysis breaks down the specific performance characteristics of this combo, referencing only the measured data and comparative rankings provided.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals a component that is saturated at even the lowest workload. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 45 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average falls to 33 FPS, a reduction of 12 FPS (approximately 27% lower). Scaling further to 4K at Low settings yields only 22 FPS, which is nearly half the 1080p figure. This steep decline with each resolution increase is characteristic of a system where the GPU is the limiting factor; the rendering pipeline is overwhelmed as pixel count rises, and the CPU’s ability to feed frames becomes irrelevant.

At the High preset, the scaling pattern is even more compressed. The measured averages are 24 FPS at 1080p, 18 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K. The delta between 1080p and 4K here is exactly 12 FPS, meaning the higher resolution essentially halves the already low frame rate. For the Medium preset, the data shows 33 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 16 FPS at 4K. This consistent halving of performance from 1080p to 4K across all presets indicates that the Arc B370’s compute and memory subsystem are the absolute ceiling, with no room for the resolution headroom that a more powerful GPU would exhibit.

The most telling aspect is that the gap between presets narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 22 FPS (45 vs. 23). At 4K, that difference shrinks to 11 FPS (22 vs. 11). This convergence at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU that is fully utilized regardless of the graphical complexity; the pixel fill rate and shader throughput are maxed out, so reducing settings yields diminishing returns. The data suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the graphics processor, as the CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads are not the constraining factor in any of these scenarios.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is a mobile-class part, integrated into the processor package, and its specifications align with the measured performance. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with a TDP of 25 W. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system’s DDR4 or DDR5 memory, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This shared memory architecture is a primary reason for the low frame rates; the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory bandwidth, and the lack of dedicated VRAM limits texture and geometry throughput in a demanding title like Cyberpunk 2077.

The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. Its peak FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS. In the context of the benchmark data, these specifications translate to an average score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This percentile ranking is consistent with the measured FPS, which never exceeds 45 FPS at any setting or resolution. The GPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (deltaPct -0.2), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (deltaPct -0.5), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (deltaPct -0.7), all of which are over a decade old. The data indicates that this GPU is not designed for modern AAA gaming at playable frame rates.

The relationship between the GPU’s clocks and results is straightforward: even at its boost clock of 2400 MHz, the sheer lack of memory bandwidth and raw compute power prevents it from achieving smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 14 and a maximum of 19, illustrating that even frame pacing is inconsistent. The GPU’s role in this combo is to be the definitive bottleneck, and the benchmark results show that no amount of CPU capability can compensate for the Arc B370’s limited performance envelope.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 45, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration where the average exceeds 40 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average FPS is 11. This is the lowest measured average across all configurations, indicating that the GPU is completely overwhelmed at this resolution and quality level.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly with each resolution increase (from 45 FPS at 1080p Low to 22 FPS at 4K Low), which is a hallmark of GPU saturation. The CPU, an Intel Core i7-12700K, has significantly higher benchmark scores relative to its rivals, but the GPU’s 5th percentile ranking shows it cannot keep up.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 33 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 17 FPS. This is a 16 FPS difference, representing a 48% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the combo ever reach 60 FPS in this game?

A: No. The measured data shows no configuration reaches 60 FPS. The maximum average FPS recorded is 45 at 1080p Low, and all other settings and resolutions produce lower averages.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested combos for Cyberpunk 2077?

A: The combo ranks 2685th out of 2920 tested combinations for this game. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, confirming that it is not suitable for a playable experience in Cyberpunk 2077.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the only viable path to a somewhat playable experience is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The Low preset at 1080p yields an average of 45 FPS, which is the best performance available from this combo. While 45 FPS is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, it is the only setting that approaches playability. The Medium preset at 1080p drops the average to 33 FPS, which is a significant decrease in smoothness, but it might be acceptable for a more stable frame rate in less demanding scenes, though the minimum FPS of 28 suggests potential stuttering.

For users who prioritize visual quality, the High preset at 1080p offers an average of 24 FPS, which is generally considered too low for an action RPG. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as the average FPS never exceeds 23, and at 4K it falls to 11 FPS. The data strongly suggests that the Low preset at 1080p is the only configuration that provides a marginally acceptable frame rate, albeit with significantly reduced graphical detail. At 1440p or 4K, even the Low preset yields averages below 33 FPS, which is likely to result in a poor experience. The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a clear progression across presets. The Low preset delivers an average of 45 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. The Medium preset averages 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 and a maximum of 38 FPS, indicating a relatively tight frame time distribution. The High preset averages 24 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 23 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal, suggesting that the Ultra preset’s additional effects provide little visual benefit for the negligible FPS cost at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all presets. The Low preset averages 33 FPS, a 12 FPS reduction from 1080p. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 28 FPS. The High preset averages 18 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 17 FPS. The pattern holds: the gap between Low and Ultra is 16 FPS, similar to the 22 FPS gap at 1080p, but the absolute values are lower. At 3840x2160, the performance is critically low. The Low preset averages 22 FPS, the Medium preset averages 16 FPS (with a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 19), the High preset averages 12 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 11 FPS. The data shows that even the lowest settings at 4K produce a sub-24 FPS average, which is far below the threshold for fluid gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores (8 performance and 4 efficiency) and 20 threads, a base clock of 3.60 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 19,784 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,850.5 in single-core, with a Passmark multi-thread score of 34,404. Its average benchmark score is 35,287, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13600T (deltaPct -0.1), Intel Core i7-12700KF (deltaPct -0.2), and Intel Core i7-13700T (deltaPct -0.3), all of which have nearly identical average scores. This indicates that the i7-12700K is a very capable processor, with performance that is essentially competitive with newer and more power-efficient parts. However, in the context of Cyberpunk 2077, the CPU’s role is minimal. The measured FPS data shows no evidence of CPU limitations; the frame rates are consistently low regardless of resolution, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance. The CPU’s 84th percentile ranking and high multi-core scores suggest it could handle the game’s AI and physics calculations with ease, but the Arc B370’s 5th percentile ranking means the CPU is never given the chance to demonstrate its potential. The bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank in Cyberpunk 2077 is 2685 out of 2920 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested for this game. This ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU’s severe limitations, as the CPU is a high-end part that would typically be paired with a much more powerful graphics card. The rank is consistent with the measured FPS data; the system produces an average of 45 FPS at best, which is far below the playable threshold for most users.

The discrepancy between the CPU’s high percentile rank (84th) and the GPU’s low rank (5th) highlights the imbalance of this configuration. The data shows that the combo is not competitive with other tested systems, and the low rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. In the benchmark database, this combo sits alongside other systems that are likely equipped with older or lower-end graphics solutions. The rank of 2685 out of 2920 is a clear indicator that this system is not suitable for the game, and users seeking a playable experience would need to consider a different GPU or significantly lower their expectations for visual quality and resolution.