Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and Intel Arc B390 combination presents a stark study in bottlenecking. The Ryzen 5 2600 is a proven 6-core, 12-thread processor from 2018, while the Arc B390 is a modern integrated graphics solution built on Intel’s Xe3-LPG architecture. The benchmark data for Evolve reveals a system where the GPU is decisively the limiting factor, struggling to maintain playable frame rates even at modest resolutions. This analysis explores the measured FPS data, the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU, and the implications of the pairing’s low ranking among tested configurations.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Evolve?*

A: The combo ranks 2530 out of 2872 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom percentile of all tested systems, indicating it performs worse than the vast majority of other pairings in this game.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved by this system?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 89 FPS, which was achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration in the measured data that approaches high-refresh-rate territory.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B390’s average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482. This places it just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, and 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, which scores 1446.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 89 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, produces an average of only 37 FPS. This represents a significant drop of 52 FPS, or roughly 58%, when moving from the lowest to the highest graphical settings.

Q: What is the CPU's processor generation and architecture?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is from the 2000 series, built on the Zen+ (Pinnacle Ridge) architecture. It is manufactured on a 12 nm process node and uses the AMD Socket AM4.

Q: Is there a measured frame rate for the Ultra preset at 4K?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset, the system achieves an average of 14 FPS. This is the lowest performance point recorded in the entire data set and is well below the threshold for comfortable playability.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. It features a 16 MB shared L3 cache. In the context of Evolve, a game released in early 2015, the CPU’s role is to handle the game's simulation, AI, and physics logic. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 2600 is more than capable of feeding the Arc B390 with enough data to keep it busy. The CPU's PassMark multithread score is 13160, and its single-thread score is 2239, which are respectable numbers for a desktop processor.

The benchmark results in Evolve show a clear pattern of GPU limitation. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 89 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 60 FPS. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect a much smaller frame rate difference between these two resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain relatively constant. The significant drop indicates that the GPU is struggling to keep up with the increased pixel count. The CPU is waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames.

This conclusion is further supported by the CPU's benchmark percentile. The Ryzen 5 2600 sits in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it performs better than 75% of processors in synthetic tests. For instance, its average benchmark score of 21484 is nearly identical to that of the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, which scores 21440, a difference of only 0.2%. This indicates that the processor is a mid-to-upper tier part. In a balanced system, this CPU would not be the cause of sub-30 FPS frame rates. The fact that the system struggles so much points directly to the integrated GPU as the performance ceiling.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities at different settings and resolutions. The primary goal for a playable experience with this combo is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The data indicates that the Low settings preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience, and even then, only at 1080p.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 89 FPS. This is the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS barrier. The Medium preset drops to an average of 69 FPS, which is still playable but with a significant reduction in visual quality. The High preset falls to 54 FPS, which may feel less smooth. The Ultra preset, at 37 FPS, is not recommended for any fast-paced gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more difficult. The Low preset produces an average of 60 FPS, which is just at the edge of playability. Medium drops to 46 FPS, and High and Ultra produce 36 and 25 FPS respectively. Stepping up to 3840x2160, even the Low preset only manages an average of 34 FPS. Medium and High drop to 26 and 21 FPS, respectively, while Ultra is unplayable at 14 FPS.

For the best balance of playability and visual quality, the data suggests using the Low preset at 1920x1080. This is the only setting that fully utilizes the system's potential. For users who wish to play at a higher resolution, the Low preset at 1440p is the only option that maintains a 60 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1080p is a compromise for users who accept a lower frame rate in exchange for better visuals, but the performance data strongly favors the Low preset for a consistent and responsive experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame field places this system at 2530 out of 2872 total tested combos. This is a very low ranking, putting it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested for Evolve. This poor standing is almost entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B390. The GPU’s percentile vs all GPUs is a mere 9, meaning it performs better than only 9% of all graphics cards in its synthetic benchmark.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are all older, entry-level NVIDIA parts. Its average 3DMark score of 1482 is within 2.7% of the GeForce GT 710, which scores 1443. This comparison classifies the Arc B390's performance level. While the Ryzen 5 2600 is a competent CPU, its performance cannot compensate for the severe limitations of the integrated GPU. The result is a system that is fundamentally unbalanced for gaming, as the CPU’s capabilities are completely bottlenecked by the GPU’s inability to render frames quickly.

This ranking confirms how important the GPU is in a gaming system. A strong CPU paired with a very weak GPU will result in a poor gaming experience. The data from the 3DMark benchmark and the in-game FPS measurements are consistent, painting a picture of a GPU that is only suitable for very light gaming workloads at low resolutions and settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) built on the Xe3-LPG architecture with a 3 nm process. Its role in Evolve is to handle all the rendering tasks, including geometry, textures, and shaders. The GPU’s specifications reveal its limitations. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 raster output units (ROPs). It also features 12 ray tracing cores.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. Its FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS. However, the most critical specification is its memory. The Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. Its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it shares the main system memory bus. This is a significant disadvantage, as it must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

This shared memory architecture has a profound impact on performance. The measured FPS data shows that the system struggles even at 1080p with High settings, achieving only 54 FPS. The synthetic benchmark data reinforces this. The Arc B390's average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. It is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, a GPU from a previous era. This performance level is simply insufficient for demanding modern games like Evolve at higher resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at how the system performs across different resolutions and settings. The data shows a consistent pattern: performance is heavily dependent on both resolution and graphical settings.

1920x1080:

• Low: 89 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average (minimum 59, maximum 79)
• High: 54 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

At 1080p, the system is usable at Low and Medium settings. The Low preset is the only one that provides a high level of smoothness, while Medium is acceptable.

2560x1440:

• Low: 60 FPS average
• Medium: 46 FPS average (minimum 39, maximum 53)
• High: 36 FPS average
• Ultra: 25 FPS average

At 1440p, the system's performance drops significantly. The Low preset is just at the threshold of playability at 60 FPS. The Medium preset is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not suitable for smooth gameplay.

3840x2160:

• Low: 34 FPS average
• Medium: 26 FPS average (minimum 22, maximum 30)
• High: 21 FPS average
• Ultra: 14 FPS average

At 4K, the system is not capable of delivering a playable experience at any setting. The frame rates are consistently below 35 FPS, with the Ultra preset being nearly a slideshow at 14 FPS. The data for Medium presets at all resolutions shows a consistent frame time, with the minimum and maximum frames being roughly equidistant from the average, suggesting a stable, though low, level of performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data from 1080p to 4K illustrates a classic GPU bottleneck. When the resolution is increased, the demand on the GPU's pixel processing capabilities grows exponentially. This is evident in the performance scaling of the Low preset. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 89 to 60, a decrease of about 33%. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops further from 60 to 34, another 43% decrease.

This scaling pattern is the signature of a GPU that is saturated. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; if it were, the frame rates would remain relatively stable across resolutions, as the CPU's workload is primarily determined by game logic, not pixel count. Instead, we see that the higher the resolution, the harder the GPU has to work, and the more its performance degrades.

The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, dropping from 37 FPS at 1080p to 25 FPS at 1440p and finally to 14 FPS at 4K. This consistent degradation across all settings confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary constraint in this system. The data strongly implies that to get any sort of playable performance from this combo, one must minimize the GPU's workload by using a low resolution and low graphical settings. The system's inability to handle higher resolutions is a direct consequence of the Arc B390's limited processing power and its reliance on shared system memory.