Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, is not kind to this particular pairing. The measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the Intel Arc B390 show a system that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at most settings, with the integrated GPU acting as the primary bottleneck. The data indicates a combination that is only viable at lower resolutions and settings, and even then, the experience is far from smooth.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and predictable decline as resolution increases, but the pattern reveals more than just a simple scaling curve. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 89 FPS, which drops to 60 FPS at 2560x1440 (a 32.6% reduction) and further to 34 FPS at 3840x2160 (a 43.3% reduction from 1440p). This steep drop-off from 1080p to 4K is characteristic of a system where the graphics processor is severely overburdened, as the number of pixels it must render quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

Looking at the High preset, the pattern continues: 54 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p (a 33.3% reduction), and 21 FPS at 4K (a 41.7% reduction from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings is telling. It indicates that the limiting factor is not the CPU or memory bandwidth, but rather the raw pixel throughput of the Intel Arc B390. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU workload scales with resolution.

The data also shows that even at the lowest resolution tested, 1920x1080, the system only achieves 89 FPS on Low settings. This is not a high-refresh-rate experience. The fact that the frame rate nearly doubles from High (54 FPS) to Low (89 FPS) at 1080p suggests that the GPU is heavily dependent on the graphical load. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear, but the consistent halving of performance from Low to Ultra at each resolution points to a GPU that is simply out of its depth. For context, the Intel Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which are entry-level parts from a bygone era. This is a component that is not designed for high-resolution gaming.

The 4K numbers are particularly telling. At 3840x2160, even the Medium preset only yields 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30. This is not a playable experience for a fast-paced FPS like Evolve. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst-case scenario, producing a 14 FPS average, which is effectively a slideshow. The conclusion from the resolution scaling data is clear: this combo is only suitable for 1080p gaming, and even then, only at lower settings. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is not the issue; the integrated Arc B390 graphics are the definitive limiting factor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and part of the Panther Lake generation. Its performance, or lack thereof, is the single most important factor in this combo's gaming results. The GPU's benchmark data is sparse, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This score places it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, and GeForce GT 710. This is a clear indication that the Arc B390 is not a gaming-oriented part; it is designed for basic display output and light workloads, not for rendering a modern FPS.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock seems capable on paper, the fact that it is an IGP with a 80 W TDP and no dedicated memory means it must rely on system memory. The memory configuration is listed as "System Shared" for size, type, bus width, and the bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a critical weakness. Unlike a dedicated graphics card with its own high-speed VRAM, the Arc B390 shares the system's DDR5 memory bandwidth, which is a bottleneck for texture loading and frame buffer operations. The CPU's memory support is DDR5 with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, but this is shared between the CPU cores and the GPU, further limiting the graphics performance.

The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. However, these features are irrelevant when the raw processing power is insufficient. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, but these figures do not translate into playable frame rates in Evolve. The FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, which is a modest number for a modern GPU, even an integrated one.

The measured FPS data for the GPU's role is more important than its theoretical specs. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate on High settings is 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target most gamers consider smooth. On Medium settings, it improves to 69 FPS, but the minimum FPS is 59, showing that there are noticeable dips. Only on Low settings does the system achieve a comfortable 89 FPS average. This demonstrates that the GPU's performance headroom is extremely limited. The Arc B390 is not a capable gaming GPU, and the data shows that it is holding back the entire system. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a high-end CPU (96th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 84003), but it is paired with a GPU that is in the 9th percentile. This massive imbalance is the root cause of the poor gaming performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 1080p with a stable 60 FPS?

A: The measured data shows that at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 69, but the minimum FPS is 59. This means the frame rate can dip below 60, so a perfectly stable 60 FPS is not guaranteed on Medium. On Low settings, the average is 89 FPS, which provides more headroom, but the High preset only averages 54 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system in Evolve?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can achieve frame rates that are close to playable. At 2560x1440, the best average FPS is 60 on Low settings, which is marginal. At 3840x2160, all settings produce average frame rates below 35 FPS, which is not suitable for a FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus the reason for the low frame rates?

A: No. The CPU benchmarks are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51731 and a Passmark multithread score of 60860, placing it at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The bottleneck is the Intel Arc B390 integrated GPU, which is at the 9th percentile of all GPUs and has a single 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% slower). This shows that the Arc B390 is in the same performance class as these very old, low-end dedicated GPUs.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset produces an average of 60 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces an average of 25 FPS. This is a 140% increase in performance from Ultra to Low, showing how much the GPU struggles with higher graphical fidelity.

Q: Does the combo's performance in Evolve match its overall benchmark ranking?

A: No. The combo ranks 2530 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve, which is in the bottom 12% of all systems. This is significantly worse than what the CPU's individual 96th percentile ranking would suggest, reinforcing that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear roadmap for which settings to use in Evolve. The goal is to achieve a playable frame rate, ideally at or above 60 FPS, without sacrificing too much visual quality. Given the GPU's limitations, the settings recommendations vary significantly by resolution.

At 1920x1080, the only resolution where this combo is viable, the Low preset is the safest choice. It produces an average of 89 FPS, which provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and ensures a responsive experience. The Medium preset also yields a playable average of 69 FPS, but the minimum of 59 FPS means there will be occasional dips below 60, which can be noticeable in a fast-paced FPS. The High preset, with an average of 54 FPS, is not recommended for competitive play, as it will feel sluggish. The Ultra preset, at 37 FPS average, should be avoided entirely. For a balanced experience, Medium is the highest setting that is consistently playable, but Low is the only preset that guarantees a smooth frame rate without drops.

At 2560x1440, the situation is much more difficult. The Low preset is the only one that achieves an average of 60 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, and the High preset to 36 FPS. The Ultra preset is unplayable at 25 FPS. If you must play at 1440p, Low settings are the only option, and even then, the 60 FPS average is likely to have dips. For most players, stepping down to 1080p with Medium or Low settings will provide a better overall experience.

At 3840x2160, there is no viable preset. The Low preset averages 34 FPS, the Medium averages 26 FPS, the High averages 21 FPS, and the Ultra averages 14 FPS. None of these are playable for an FPS. The recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combo.

In summary, the best experience is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which offers the highest average FPS of 89 and the most stable frame pacing. If you prefer slightly better visuals, the Medium preset is acceptable, but you must accept occasional frame rate dips to the high 50s. For this specific game and this specific combo, sacrificing visual fidelity for frame rate is the correct strategy.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo's performance in Evolve is poor, and its ranking reflects that. The combo rank is 2530 out of 2872 tested combos, placing it in the 12th percentile of all systems tested for this game. This is a very low ranking, and it confirms that the system is not suitable for Evolve. To understand why, we must look at the individual components.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus CPU is a top-tier processor. Its average benchmark score is 84003, which is 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (0.2% faster), the AMD EPYC 4584PX (1.1% faster), the AMD EPYC 9135 (1.2% faster), and the AMD EPYC 7F72 (1.3% slower). This puts the 290K Plus in elite company. It has 24 cores and 24 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. In a CPU-bound game, this processor would be a top performer.

However, the Intel Arc B390 GPU is the exact opposite. Its average benchmark score is a mere 1482, which is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% faster). These are all extremely low-end parts. The GPU's performance is so weak that it completely negates the CPU's strength.

The ranking in Evolve is a direct result of this massive imbalance. A system with a top-tier CPU and a bottom-tier GPU will always perform poorly in GPU-bound games like Evolve. The combo's rank of 2530 out of 2872 is not a reflection of the CPU, but rather proof of how severely the GPU limits the system. If the same CPU were paired with a dedicated mid-range or high-end graphics card, the ranking would be dramatically higher. As it stands, this combo is not recommended for Evolve or any other demanding game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + Intel Arc B390 in Evolve, as provided by the benchmark database.

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 89 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 69 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS.
• High settings: 54 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 37 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 60 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS.
• High settings: 36 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 25 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 34 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 26 FPS average, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS.
• High settings: 21 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 14 FPS average.

The data is clear. The only scenario where the average FPS exceeds 60 is at 1080p with Low settings (89 FPS). At 1080p Medium, the average is 69 FPS, but the minimum drops to 59. At 1440p, only Low settings reach 60 FPS, and at 4K, no setting reaches even 35 FPS. The minimum FPS values are only provided for the Medium settings, but they show a significant drop from the average, indicating frame pacing issues. For example, at 1080p Medium, the average is 69, but the minimum is 59, a 14.5% dip. At 1440p Medium, the average is 46, but the minimum is 39, a 15.2% dip. At 4K Medium, the average is 26, but the minimum is 22, a 15.4% dip. This consistent pattern of dips suggests that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent performance even in less demanding scenes.

Ultimately, the measured FPS data shows that this combo is only capable of a smooth gaming experience at 1080p with the Low preset. Every other combination of resolution and settings results in frame rates that are either below 60 FPS or have significant dips. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a powerful CPU, but it is completely hamstrung by the Intel Arc B390 integrated GPU. This is a system for productivity and light workloads, not for gaming.