Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a very specific performance envelope in Evolve. Benchmark data shows this combo is heavily challenged at higher resolutions, with playable frame rates only appearing at 1080p and lower settings. The Arc B370, an integrated graphics solution with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, is the primary bottleneck, and the data indicates that users should target 1080p for any semblance of smooth gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, confirming that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component in this configuration. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 49 FPS at 1920x1080 to 33 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 32.7%. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 19 FPS, which is a 61.2% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput, not a CPU limitation, as the Core Ultra 5 225’s 10 cores and 20 MB of L3 cache are more than sufficient for a 2015 title.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the frame rate falls from 80 FPS at 1080p to 54 FPS at 1440p (a 32.5% drop) and then to 31 FPS at 4K (a 61.3% drop from 1080p). This linear degradation indicates that the Arc B370's rendering units are simply overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count. The GPU's 20 ROPs and 40 TMUs, while capable at lower resolutions, cannot maintain throughput as the workload expands, leading to the observed halving of performance at each major resolution step.

The data suggests that 4K is not a viable option for this combo. Even at the lowest settings, the 31 FPS average at 3840x2160 is below the threshold for comfortable play. The 13 FPS average at Ultra settings and 4K is effectively a slideshow, confirming that the combination of high pixel count and high graphical fidelity is too demanding. The most efficient resolution for this pairing is 1920x1080, where the GPU can allocate more of its limited resources to visual effects rather than pixel filling.

Interestingly, the gap between 1440p and 4K is larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p in terms of raw FPS loss. For example, at Medium settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 20 FPS (62 to 42), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 18 FPS (42 to 24). This suggests that the Arc B370 hits a hard architectural limit around 1440p, and further resolution increases yield diminishing returns in visual quality while exacting a heavy performance penalty. The system is clearly GPU-bound, and the CPU's performance headroom is not being utilized at these higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, yielding an average of 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. This preset offers a balanced experience, providing a frame rate that is generally smooth while maintaining some visual fidelity. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 80 FPS, which is higher, but the Medium preset's 62 FPS average is still within a playable range and would look noticeably better.

The High preset at 1080p drops to 49 FPS, which is a significant 21% reduction from Medium. While still technically playable for some, the frame rate is approaching the lower boundary of what is acceptable for a fast-paced FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p, at 34 FPS, is not recommended, as the visual improvements over High are likely marginal compared to the substantial performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides an average of 42 FPS (minimum 35, maximum 48). This is a borderline playable experience, but the frame rate dips below 40 FPS could be noticeable in action-heavy scenes. The Low preset at 1440p, at 54 FPS, is the only other viable option at this resolution, but it requires sacrificing most graphical features. For a consistent experience, 1080p Medium is the clear winner.

The data indicates that High and Ultra settings are generally not viable on this hardware. The High preset at 1440p only manages 33 FPS, while Ultra at 1080p is 34 FPS. These presets place too much strain on the Arc B370, which has a 25 W TDP and relies on system shared memory. The benchmark results suggest that users should prioritize frame rate over visual flair, as the GPU's 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is insufficient for high-detail rendering at playable speeds.

For the best balance of smoothness and visual quality, the recommendation is clear: 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This configuration keeps the average frame rate above 60 FPS, which is a common target for FPS games, and the minimum frame rate of 53 FPS indicates that severe stutters are less likely. This setup leverages the CPU's capabilities while respecting the GPU's limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Evolve, this configuration ranks 2639 out of 2872 combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the Intel Arc B370's performance class. The GPU's average benchmark score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which have similar scores (1190 and 1192, respectively).

The CPU, in contrast, is a strong performer. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (scoring 36945, a 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (scoring 37018, a -0.2% delta). This indicates that the processor is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics, but it is being held back by the integrated graphics.

The performance gap between the CPU and GPU is stark. The CPU's synthetic benchmarks, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4412, suggest a high level of processing power. However, the combination's low rank in Evolve shows that these CPU capabilities are largely irrelevant in this specific game, where the GPU is the sole determinant of frame rate. The combo rank of 2639 reflects the entire system's ability to render frames, and the Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is the primary driver of this poor standing.

Compared to its nearest GPU rivals, the Arc B370 is not significantly faster. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 has an average score of 1186 (-0.2% delta), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192 (-0.7% delta). This means the Arc B370 is essentially on par with a decade-old mobile GPU in terms of raw 3D performance. Consequently, the system's ranking in a 2015 game like Evolve is expected to be low, as the game was released in an era where even mid-range discrete GPUs were far more powerful than this integrated solution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are as follows: Low 80 FPS, Medium 62 FPS (min 53, max 72), High 49 FPS, and Ultra 34 FPS. This shows a clear and expected decline as settings increase, with the Medium preset offering the best compromise between the 80 FPS of Low and the 49 FPS of High.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, Medium averages 42 FPS (min 35, max 48), High averages 33 FPS, and Ultra averages 23 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p retains a playable average, but the minimum of 35 FPS suggests occasional dips into less smooth territory. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution are not recommended for active gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. The Low preset averages 31 FPS, Medium averages 24 FPS (min 20, max 27), High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 13 FPS. Even the lowest settings fail to maintain a consistent 30 FPS, which is often considered the minimum for a stable experience. The Ultra preset at 4K, with a 13 FPS average, is a clear indication that this hardware is not designed for such workloads.

The data also reveals that the frame time consistency, as indicated by the min/max values for Medium settings, is relatively stable. At 1080p Medium, the range is 53 to 72 FPS, a spread of 19 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 35 to 48 FPS, a spread of 13 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 20 to 27 FPS, a spread of 7 FPS. This suggests that while the average frame rate drops, the frame pacing does not become erratic, which is a slight positive for the experience, though the low averages remain the primary concern.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with a TDP of just 25 W. Its memory is listed as "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's DDR5 RAM for graphics memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This setup is a fundamental limitation, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth, which is capped at 102.4 GB/s for the Core Ultra 5 225.

The GPU's specifications are modest: 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. It also includes 10 ray tracing cores, but this feature is likely irrelevant for a game like Evolve released in 2015. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, figures that are low by modern discrete GPU standards. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is the primary metric for traditional rasterization performance.

In Evolve, the GPU's role is to render the game's environments and character models. The data shows that it can handle the game at 1080p Low and Medium settings, but it struggles with higher resolutions and presets. The 4K results, with averages ranging from 13 to 31 FPS, illustrate that the GPU's 20 ROPs are a significant bottleneck when filling a large number of pixels. The shared memory architecture also means that the GPU's performance is directly tied to the system's memory bandwidth, which is a fixed resource.

The GPU's benchmark score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, confirming its entry-level status. Its nearest rivals, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, are similarly weak parts from a past era. This data suggests that the Arc B370 is not designed for high-end gaming, and its performance in Evolve is consistent with that positioning, offering playable frame rates only at the lowest resolutions and settings. The 2400 MHz boost clock helps, but it cannot compensate for the small number of execution units and the reliance on shared system memory.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for playing Evolve with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the average frame rates are consistently playable. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 80 FPS and Medium achieves 62 FPS, while at 1440p the best average is 54 FPS on Low, and at 4K the best is 31 FPS on Low.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 or the Intel Arc B370 the bottleneck?

A: The benchmark data clearly indicates the Intel Arc B370 is the bottleneck. The GPU scores in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU scores in the 85th percentile. The frame rate drops heavily with resolution, which is a classic GPU limitation, not a CPU one.

Q: Can this system handle Evolve at Ultra settings?

A: No. At 1080p Ultra, the average frame rate is 34 FPS, which is low for an FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 23 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it is 13 FPS. These results indicate that Ultra settings are not viable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186 (-0.2% delta), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1190 (-0.5% delta), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M with 1192 (-0.7% delta). This shows they are all in the same performance tier.

Q: What is the expected average FPS at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 42 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. This is a borderline playable experience, but frame drops below 40 FPS may occur.

Q: Does the CPU's performance have any impact on the game's frame rate at 4K?

A: No. The CPU is very powerful relative to the GPU. The 4K frame rates are extremely low (13-31 FPS) across all settings, which is entirely due to the GPU's inability to render at that pixel count, not the CPU's processing power.