Fortnite

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2417th out of 2740 tested combos in Fortnite, placing it in the 12th percentile of all configurations. This is a low-tier result, with the data showing the combo landing well behind the majority of tested systems. The ranking reflects a pairing where the GPU’s performance ceiling is the dominant constraint, as the measured frame rates across all settings and resolutions remain modest. The combo’s position in the database indicates that while it is functional for the game, it does not deliver the high-refresh-rate experience many players target. The following sections break down the specific CPU and GPU contributions, the measured FPS at each setting, and how the components interact to produce these results.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2417 out of 2740 tested combinations in Fortnite places it in the lower 12% of all systems tested. This is a clear signal that the configuration is not competitive for high-performance play. The data shows that the majority of tested combos achieve higher average frame rates, and the i3-12100F + Arc B390 sits near the bottom of the distribution. The rank is driven primarily by the GPU, which has a percentile of 9 among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms only about 9% of the graphics cards in the database. In contrast, the CPU has a percentile of 68, indicating it outperforms roughly 68% of all CPUs. This disparity is critical: the processor is a mid-tier part, but the graphics solution is decidedly entry-level, and the overall combo rank reflects the weaker link.

Looking at the GPU’s nearest rivals, the Arc B390 scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which is only 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M, and 2.5% ahead of the GT 625 OEM. These are all legacy or ultra-low-end parts, confirming the Arc B390’s position at the very bottom of the performance spectrum. The CPU’s nearest rivals, by contrast, are more modern parts: the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% delta), the Core i5-9500 (0.3% ahead), and the Core 5 120UL (0.7% behind). This reinforces that the CPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios, as its performance is comparable to other mid-range desktop and mobile chips. The combo rank, therefore, is a direct consequence of the GPU’s limited capabilities in a game like Fortnite, which is graphically demanding even at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo can achieve in Fortnite?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 115 at 1080p with Low settings. This is the only measured result that exceeds 100 FPS, and it drops significantly at higher settings or resolutions.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, scores 13492 (0% delta), while the Core i5-9500 scores 13452 (0.3% ahead) and the Core 5 120UL scores 13594 (0.7% ahead). The differences are minimal, indicating similar CPU-level performance.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in 3DMark Steel Nomad?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482. The closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1463 (1.3% slower), followed by the GeForce 800M at 1460 (1.5% slower) and the GT 625 OEM at 1446 (2.5% slower). The GPU is only marginally faster than these older parts.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 81, while at 4K it drops to 27. This is a 67% reduction in frame rate, showing that the GPU is heavily stressed by the higher resolution.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s percentile (68) is far higher than the GPU’s (9), and the FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a GPU-bound behavior. The CPU’s 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU in most scenarios.

Q: Is the Arc B390 a discrete graphics card?

A: No, the data lists it as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with a slot width of "IGP" and a bus interface of "IGP". It uses system-shared memory and has a TDP of 80 W, making it an integrated solution rather than a standalone card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, giving it a solid single-thread performance foundation. The CPU has a 12 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the measured FPS data does not specify which was used in testing. In the benchmark database, the i3-12100F holds a percentile of 68 among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms a majority of processors. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 11860, and its single-core score is 1674, which are respectable numbers for a budget-oriented chip.

In Fortnite, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The i3-12100F’s 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient for the game’s demands, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS scales heavily with resolution changes. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 115 FPS, which is the highest measured result. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect this frame rate to remain similar across different resolutions, but it does not. The data shows that at 4K Low, the FPS drops to 39, a 66% reduction from the 1080p result. This indicates that the GPU is struggling to render the higher resolution, not the CPU being unable to keep up. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 13494 places it in a cluster with the Core 3 N355 and Core i5-9500, all within a 1.1% delta of each other, showing that the i3-12100F is not an outlier in either direction for its class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1080p, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 115, which is the only result above 100. At Medium, the average drops to 81 (with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93), and at High, it falls to 63. At Ultra, the average is 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This pattern shows a consistent scaling where each step up in settings reduces performance by roughly 20-25 FPS.

At 1440p, the performance drops are more pronounced. Low settings yield an average of 73 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium drops to 51 (min 44, max 59), High to 40, and Ultra to 26. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 47 FPS, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher resolution and quality presets. At 4K, the results are largely unplayable for competitive play. Low settings average 39 FPS, Medium averages 27 (min 23, max 31), High averages 21, and Ultra averages 14. None of the 4K results reach 60 FPS, and even the best case (Low) is below 40 FPS. The data shows that the combo is only viable at 1080p with lower settings, or at 1440p with Low settings, for a playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a steep performance cliff, confirming that the GPU is the primary limiting component. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 115 at 1080p to 73 at 1440p and then to 39 at 4K. This is a 37% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% reduction from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the drop is from 81 to 51 to 27, representing a 37% and 47% reduction respectively. The pattern is consistent across all settings: each resolution step roughly halves the frame rate. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, as the rendering load increases quadratically with resolution, while the CPU workload remains relatively constant.

The data also shows that the gap between 1080p and 4K at the same settings is substantial. At High settings, the FPS drops from 63 to 40 to 21, a total reduction of 67% from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra, the drop is from 41 to 26 to 14, a 66% reduction. The consistent scaling across all presets suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the bottlenecks. The Arc B390 has a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, but its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent" since it uses system-shared memory. This dependency on shared memory likely contributes to the sharp FPS drops at higher resolutions, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS data, the recommended settings for this combo depend on the target frame rate. For a playable experience above 60 FPS, the only viable option is 1080p with Low settings, which yields 115 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides headroom above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the best choice for smooth gameplay. At 1080p Medium, the average of 81 FPS is still playable, but it drops below 60 FPS in the minimum recorded frame time (69 FPS), so it may experience occasional stutters. For players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, 1080p High at 63 FPS is acceptable, but it is close to the 60 FPS limit.

At 1440p, the combo cannot maintain 60 FPS at any setting. Low settings average 73 FPS, which is above 60, but this is an outlier; Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS. For 1440p, the best experience is Low settings, which provides a playable 73 FPS on average. At 4K, none of the settings are recommended for serious play, as even Low settings average only 39 FPS, which is below the threshold for competitive responsiveness. The data suggests that the combo is best used at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, depending on whether the user prefers maximum frame rate or a balance of quality and performance. For a consistent experience, 1080p Low is the safest choice, as it provides the highest average FPS and avoids the dips seen at Medium.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU’s memory is system-shared, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent". This is a fundamental limitation, as the GPU must use the system’s DDR4 or DDR5 memory, which is slower than dedicated GDDR6 or GDDR6X.

The GPU’s performance in the database is extremely low, with a percentile of 9 among all GPUs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which is only marginally ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and GeForce 800M (1460). These are parts from over a decade ago, underscoring the Arc B390’s placement at the bottom of the performance hierarchy. The GPU’s FP32 compute is 7.680 TFLOPS, which is modest, and its pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s is not sufficient for high-resolution gaming. In Fortnite, this translates to the measured FPS results: the GPU cannot handle the game’s demands at higher resolutions or settings.

The GPU’s TDP of 80 W and its status as an IGP mean it shares power and thermal resources with the CPU. This is evident in the resolution scaling, where the FPS drops sharply as the rendering load increases. The lack of dedicated VRAM is likely a major factor, as the system-shared memory creates a bottleneck when the GPU needs to access large textures at 4K. The data shows that the Arc B390 is only suitable for 1080p gaming at the lowest settings, and even then, it does not provide a high-refresh-rate experience. For Fortnite, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, and the combo’s low rank (2417 out of 2740) is a direct reflection of this constraint.