Fortnite

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a 3.50 GHz base clock and a 5.30 GHz boost clock. It carries 24 MB of shared L3 cache, with 2 MB of L2 per core and 80 KB of L1 per core. This processor sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested in the database, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rivals in raw CPU performance include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (deltaPct -0.2), the AMD EPYC 4345P (deltaPct 0.3), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (deltaPct 0.7), indicating the 14600K is positioned in a tightly contested performance band.

In Fortnite, the CPU's role is to feed the render pipeline with draw calls, physics, and game logic. The 14600K's single-thread performance is particularly relevant: its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2064, and its Geekbench single-core score is 2491. Fortnite is a game that responds well to high single-thread throughput, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. The PassMark single-thread score of 4270 reinforces this — the 14600K has strong per-core capability.

However, the measured FPS in this combination tells a more complex story. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 104 FPS average. At 1080p Medium, it drops to 73 FPS, and at 1080p High, it falls to 57 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 31 FPS drop (about 30%), and from Medium to High another 16 FPS drop (about 22%). This steep degradation with settings increases suggests that the GPU, not the CPU, is becoming the limiting factor as the render load grows. The CPU has ample headroom — the 14600K's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 24491, and its PassMark multi-thread score is 38682 — but the measured FPS does not reflect that headroom at higher settings.

The 14-core configuration (likely 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores, based on the architecture) provides strong multi-threaded capability for background tasks and streaming, but Fortnite's frame rate is not primarily bound by multi-core throughput. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the CPU can push over 100 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 37 FPS. This pattern — a 64% reduction from Low to Ultra at the same resolution — points to the GPU being the dominant constraint at higher settings. The CPU's boost clock of 5.30 GHz helps maintain responsiveness, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's throughput limits.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU runs at a 300 MHz base clock and boosts to 2400 MHz. Its memory configuration is "System Shared" — both size and type are system-dependent, with bandwidth also listed as "System Dependent." This means the GPU relies on the host system's memory, and its performance will vary with the platform's memory configuration.

The B370's compute throughput is modest: 6.144 TFLOPS FP32, 12.29 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1), a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (deltaPct -0.2), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (deltaPct -0.5), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (deltaPct -0.7). This is a low-performing GPU by modern standards, and the measured FPS in Fortnite reflects that reality.

At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 104 FPS average. This is the only setting where the frame rate approaches playable levels. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 73 FPS — a 30% reduction. At 1080p High, it falls to 57 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 37 FPS. The GPU's limited shading units (1280) and texture rate (96 GTexel/s) become the bottleneck as settings increase, since Fortnite's higher presets demand more pixel and texture throughput.

The system-shared memory is a critical factor. With no dedicated VRAM, the B370 must allocate from system memory, and bandwidth is system-dependent. This explains why the GPU's performance scales so poorly with resolution: at 3840x2160 Low, the average is 35 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it is 66 FPS, and at 1080p Low, 104 FPS. The resolution scaling pattern (detailed in the Resolution Scaling section) shows a near-linear relationship between pixel count and frame rate, which is characteristic of a GPU that is fully saturated at every resolution.

The B370's 2400 MHz boost clock is respectable for an integrated part, but the 300 MHz base clock indicates significant power management. The 25 W TDP and IGP slot width confirm this is an integrated solution, not a discrete card. For Fortnite, this GPU is the primary limiter at all settings above Low, and even at Low, the frame rates are moderate rather than high.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: The data shows the highest average FPS is 104 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 1080p Medium, the average is 73 FPS, and at 1080p High, it is 57 FPS. For smoother gameplay, 1080p Low is the only settings level that exceeds 100 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600K compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48698 (deltaPct -0.2), the AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470 (deltaPct 0.3), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287 (deltaPct 0.7). The 14600K is effectively within 1% of all three rivals.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 capable of ray tracing in Fortnite?

A: The GPU has 10 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), but its average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is only 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The measured FPS data does not include ray tracing results, and given the low overall performance, ray tracing would likely be impractical at playable frame rates.

Q: Why does the FPS drop so much from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 104 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p (a 37% reduction) and then to 35 at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). This near-linear scaling with pixel count indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as its throughput cannot keep up with the increasing render load.

Q: What is the CPU's performance percentile?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 24491 and single-core is 2064.

Q: Does the GPU have dedicated VRAM?

A: No. The Intel Arc B370's memory configuration is "System Shared" for size, type, bus width, and bandwidth. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," meaning performance depends on the host system's memory subsystem.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i5-14600K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2517 out of 2740 tested combos in Fortnite. That places it in the bottom 8% of all combinations in the database. The ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the CPU and GPU: the 14600K is a 90th-percentile CPU, while the B370 is a 5th-percentile GPU.

The rank of 2517 is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. The CPU's benchmark scores — Cinebench R20 multi-core of 13709, Geekbench multi-core of 16673, PassMark multi-thread of 38682 — are all strong, but the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is among the lowest in the database. In Fortnite, which is a GPU-heavy title at most settings, the B370 drags the combo down to near-bottom ranking.

The data indicates that this combo is not well-balanced for Fortnite. The CPU has significant headroom — at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 104 FPS, which is likely CPU-bound, but at any higher setting, the GPU becomes the constraint. The ranking of 2517 out of 2740 suggests that most other combinations in the database provide better Fortnite performance, either through stronger GPUs or more balanced pairings.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling pattern reveals a GPU-bound system. At Low settings, the average FPS scales nearly with pixel count: 104 FPS at 1920x1080 (2.07 million pixels), 66 FPS at 2560x1440 (3.69 million pixels), and 35 FPS at 3840x2160 (8.29 million pixels). The pixel count ratios are 1.78x from 1080p to 1440p and 2.25x from 1440p to 4K. The FPS drops are 1.58x and 1.89x respectively. This close correspondence between pixel count and FPS reduction is a classic signature of a GPU that is fully saturated at every resolution.

At Medium settings, the pattern holds: 73 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 37%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46%. At High settings, the average FPS is 57 at 1080p, 36 at 1440p, and 19 at 4K — again showing roughly proportional scaling with pixel count.

This scaling behavior indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU work per frame does not change with resolution. Instead, the FPS drops consistently with resolution, confirming the GPU is the sole constraint.

The only exception is at 1080p Low, where the 104 FPS might be approaching the CPU's limit for Fortnite's single-threaded game logic. But even here, the GPU's shared memory bandwidth and limited shading units are likely contributing to the ceiling.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS across settings is as follows:

• Low: 104 FPS average
• Medium: 73 FPS average, with a minimum of 62 FPS and maximum of 84 FPS
• High: 57 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 66 FPS average
• Medium: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 39 FPS and maximum of 53 FPS
• High: 36 FPS average
• Ultra: 24 FPS average

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 35 FPS average
• Medium: 25 FPS average, with a minimum of 21 FPS and maximum of 28 FPS
• High: 19 FPS average
• Ultra: 13 FPS average

The Medium settings at each resolution are the only rows with min/max data. At 1080p Medium, the spread is 62 to 84 FPS, a 22 FPS range. At 1440p Medium, the spread is 39 to 53 FPS, a 14 FPS range. At 4K Medium, the spread is 21 to 28 FPS, a 7 FPS range. This tightening of the frame time variance as resolution increases further confirms the GPU is the bottleneck — at higher resolutions, the GPU is consistently saturated, leaving less variance in frame delivery.

The Ultra settings are uniformly poor: 37 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. These are below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a competitive shooter like Fortnite. Even at 1080p Low, the 104 FPS average is acceptable but not high-refresh territory.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the only setting that provides a consistently playable experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves 104 FPS average. This is the sole configuration that exceeds 100 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the 73 FPS average is playable for casual play but may feel less responsive in competitive scenarios. The min of 62 FPS at Medium indicates potential dips below 60 FPS, which could be noticeable.

For a balance between visual quality and frame rate, 1080p Medium at 73 FPS is the highest settings level that stays above 60 FPS on average. However, the min of 62 FPS is close to the 60 FPS threshold, so players sensitive to frame drops may prefer Low.

At 1440p, only Low settings (66 FPS) approach playability. Medium at 46 FPS and High at 36 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, no settings level reaches 60 FPS; even Low is at 35 FPS.

The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 104 FPS average, which is the best measured performance. At 1080p Medium, the 73 FPS average with a 62 FPS minimum is the best compromise for those who want improved visuals without sacrificing too much smoothness. Given the GPU's 5th percentile ranking, pushing to higher resolutions or settings will yield diminishing returns — the FPS drops are steep and the experience degrades quickly.

For players who prioritize frame rate above all, 1080p Low is the recommended preset. For those who want better visuals and can tolerate occasional dips, 1080p Medium is the highest viable option. Higher settings at any resolution, and any settings at 4K, are not recommended based on the measured data.