Fortnite

Fortnite on the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and Intel Arc B390 combo presents a clear picture of a system where the integrated graphics solution is the definitive bottleneck. The data shows a configuration that can handle the game at lower resolutions and settings, but which struggles significantly as graphical demands increase. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on how the system scales across resolutions, where it excels in settings, and the specific roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and revealing. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 115 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, the average falls to 73 FPS, a reduction of 42 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average plummets to 39 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities are being saturated as pixel count increases. The frame rate is not just dipping; it is declining at a rate that outpaces the linear increase in pixel count, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The trend continues across all settings. For High settings, the average FPS goes from 63 at 1080p, to 40 at 1440p, and finally to 21 at 4K. This represents a 67% drop in performance from 1080p to 4K. The data suggests that the integrated graphics unit lacks the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth—given its "System Shared" memory—to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The system is heavily constrained by the GPU, and the CPU's potential is left untapped in these scenarios.

The most telling data point is the performance at 4K Ultra. The system manages only 14 FPS on average, making the game effectively unplayable. This is a 65% drop from the already low 41 FPS at 1080p Ultra. The scaling from 1440p Ultra (26 FPS) to 4K Ultra (14 FPS) shows a 46% performance loss. These numbers confirm that the Intel Arc B390 is not a viable option for 4K gaming in Fortnite, and even 1440p presents significant challenges at higher presets. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with a playable frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 115 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth, competitive gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 81 FPS, which is still highly playable and offers a significant visual upgrade over Low. The High preset at 63 FPS is the boundary for a 60 FPS experience, but the Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS, which may feel less fluid in fast-paced combat.

For users with 2560x1440 monitors, the Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 73 FPS. The Medium preset at 51 FPS is playable but may have noticeable dips in demanding scenes. High and Ultra at 1440p, with averages of 40 FPS and 26 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a competitive Battle Royale title where reaction time is critical.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets are suitable for serious play. The Low preset's 39 FPS average is the only one that approaches playability, but it is still below the 60 FPS target most players prefer. Medium, High, and Ultra at 4K are all below 30 FPS, rendering the game unresponsive. The data strongly suggests that 1080p with Low or Medium settings is the sweet spot for this hardware combination, offering the best mix of performance and visual quality without compromising the gameplay experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance limiter in this configuration. Its benchmark score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low score, and the nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463, are all legacy or entry-level parts. The deltaPct values show that the Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX, indicating that its raw graphics processing power is extremely limited.

This low compute capability is reflected in the Fortnite results. The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG, and it operates with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. While the clock speed is respectable, the sheer number of execution units is insufficient for demanding workloads. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning the GPU relies on the system's main memory for both storage and bandwidth, which is "System Dependent." This setup is a significant handicap, as it introduces latency and bandwidth limitations that a dedicated VRAM solution would not have.

The GPU's specifications, including 1536 shading units and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, are not enough to handle Fortnite's visual effects at higher resolutions. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS are modest figures. The data confirms that the Arc B390 is designed for basic tasks and light gaming, and Fortnite at high settings is beyond its capabilities. The 3DMark score of 1482, combined with a 9th percentile ranking, underscores the fact that this GPU is positioned at the very bottom of the performance spectrum.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Fortnite with this hardware?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the most suitable resolution. At this resolution, the system achieves an average of 115 FPS on Low and 81 FPS on Medium settings, which provides a smooth and responsive experience. Higher resolutions result in significant frame rate drops.

Q: Can this system handle Fortnite at 4K resolution?

A: No. The measured results show that at 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 39 FPS on Low, 27 FPS on Medium, 21 FPS on High, and 14 FPS on Ultra. These frame rates are too low for a playable experience, especially in a competitive game.

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

A: The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, making the Arc B390 1.3% faster. It is also 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M (1460) and 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446). These are all very low-performing GPUs.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 115 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This represents a 74 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a significant performance cost that this system cannot comfortably handle.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck for this system in Fortnite?

A: The data strongly points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The frame rates drop dramatically with increased resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU's performance is not the limiting factor in the higher resolution tests.

Q: What is the average frame rate on Medium settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system produces an average of 51 FPS. The minimum recorded frame rate is 44 FPS and the maximum is 59 FPS, indicating some variability in performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is a capable processor that provides a solid foundation for this system. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 12,735 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,852 points in single-core. Its Geekbench scores are 13,413 for multi-core and 2,521 for single-core. These scores place the CPU in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it is a strong performer for general and gaming tasks.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is close. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and 0.4% faster than the Intel Core i9-11900KF, while being 0.3% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS. This shows that the Ryzen 5 7600 is competitive with other high-end processors. However, in Fortnite, this CPU power is largely untapped. The frame rates are almost entirely dictated by the GPU's ability to render frames, not the CPU's ability to feed it data.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system hits 115 FPS, which is a high frame rate that requires a decent CPU to handle game logic and draw calls. The Ryzen 5 7600, with its 12 threads and 32 MB of shared L3 cache, is more than sufficient for this task. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this configuration; the data suggests that with a more powerful GPU, the Ryzen 5 7600 could push much higher frame rates in Fortnite.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and Intel Arc B390 combination in Fortnite.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average 115 FPS
• Medium: Average 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS
• High: Average 63 FPS
• Ultra: Average 41 FPS

At 1080p, the system delivers its best performance. The jump from Low to Medium is a 34 FPS drop, which is a significant cost for the visual upgrade. The High preset still maintains a playable 63 FPS, but Ultra falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average 73 FPS
• Medium: Average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS
• High: Average 40 FPS
• Ultra: Average 26 FPS

At 1440p, the performance takes a clear hit. The Low preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset's average of 51 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not suitable for competitive play.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average 39 FPS
• Medium: Average 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS
• High: Average 21 FPS
• Ultra: Average 14 FPS

At 4K, the system is overwhelmed. Even the Low preset struggles to maintain 40 FPS, and the higher presets are unplayable. The data shows a clear and consistent degradation in performance as resolution increases, confirming the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

The system's overall rank in Fortnite is 2417 out of 2740 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This ranking is consistent with the low GPU benchmark percentile and the measured frame rates, painting a complete picture of a system that is best suited for 1080p gaming at lower to medium settings.