Fortnite

Fortnite’s measured performance with the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 reveals a system that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU becoming the dominant constraint as pixel count rises. The data shows a 1080p to 4K transition that is steep but not linear, and the settings sweeps expose how dramatically Fortnite’s visual presets can alter frame delivery. This combination lands in the lower-middle portion of the database, suggesting a pairing that is capable but not exceptional for competitive play at high refresh rates.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The trajectory from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is stark. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 105.7 FPS at 1080p to 67.1 FPS at 1440p, then drops sharply to 37.1 FPS at 4K. That represents a 64.9% reduction in FPS from 1080p to 4K, which is a heavy penalty that points squarely at the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The Arc B580, with its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed to its limit at higher resolutions, where the pixel throughput demands outstrip what the card can deliver for a fast-paced title like Fortnite.

Interestingly, the scaling is not uniform across settings. At Low settings, the 1080p score of 199.9 FPS drops to 126.3 FPS at 1440p (a 36.8% decline) and then to 68.8 FPS at 4K (a further 45.5% decline). This steeper drop at 4K Low compared to 4K High suggests that even when the visual load is minimized, the sheer number of pixels at 3840x2160 overwhelms the GPU. Meanwhile, the CPU’s role appears secondary: the Core i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, can keep feeding frames at lower resolutions, but it is not the limiting factor here. The data implies that for 4K gaming, this combo is not viable for smooth play, while 1440p offers a more balanced experience.

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

The Intel Arc B580 operates at a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). These clocks, combined with 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs, produce a raw pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s. For Fortnite, a game that relies heavily on draw calls and texture streaming, these specifications translate into the observed FPS dips at higher settings. The 12 GB VRAM is ample for this title, but the bus width of 192 bit and the bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s become the gating factor at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate collapses to 25.7 FPS.

The GPU’s benchmark percentile versus all GPUs is 66, meaning it outperforms the majority of graphics cards in the database. However, its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which scores 0.7% higher on average, and the AMD Radeon 760M, which is 0.1% lower. This puts the B580 in a tight competitive band, but the measured Fortnite data shows that it is not enough to maintain high FPS at 4K. The card’s FP32 performance of 13.67 TFLOPS is solid for rasterization, but the game’s engine appears to favor cards with higher memory bandwidth at extreme resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Core i5-9400 and Arc B580 ranks 1193 out of 1564 combos for Fortnite. That places it in the 23rd percentile of all tested systems, which is a low position given the GPU’s individual standing. The CPU, however, ranks at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2305. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i7-8809G (0.6% slower), indicating that the processor is a mid-pack performer.

The rank disparity suggests that the CPU is holding the combo back more than the GPU in this title. While the B580 is above average, the i5-9400’s 6 threads and 2.90 GHz base clock (4.10 GHz boost) create a bottleneck in CPU-bound scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates are high. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 199.9 FPS, which is close to the 200 FPS mark, but the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125 indicate it lacks the headroom to push much beyond that. The data implies that pairing the B580 with a stronger CPU would yield better Fortnite performance, especially for esports settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 199.9 FPS, Medium drops to 139.6 FPS, High to 105.7 FPS, and Ultra to 73.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 60.3 FPS, which is significant, but the drop from High to Ultra is 32.3 FPS, showing diminishing returns at the top end. At 2560x1440, the numbers are 126.3 FPS (Low), 91.3 FPS (Medium), 67.1 FPS (High), and 43.5 FPS (Ultra). The scaling here is more consistent, with each step down in settings yielding roughly a 20-24 FPS improvement.

At 3840x2160, the situation degrades further. Low delivers 68.8 FPS, Medium 48.4 FPS, High 37.1 FPS, and Ultra 25.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 43.1 FPS, which is a massive swing that highlights how unplayable the highest settings are at this resolution. Notably, the 4K Low result of 68.8 FPS is nearly identical to the 1440p High result of 67.1 FPS, suggesting that the GPU’s workload is similar when pixel count and settings are balanced. This crossover point indicates that users can achieve the same frame rate by either lowering resolution or lowering quality, but not both.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance of frame rate and visual fidelity for this combo is the Medium preset at 2560x1440, which produces 91.3 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play and offers a moderate visual upgrade over Low. At 1080p, Medium at 139.6 FPS is the best choice for competitive play, as it provides a high refresh rate experience without the extreme performance hit of Ultra. For users with 4K displays, the Low preset at 68.8 FPS is the only viable option, as Medium and above fall below 50 FPS, which is subpar for a fast-paced battle royale.

The High preset at 1080p (105.7 FPS) is a reasonable middle ground for those who prioritize visuals over raw speed, but the data shows that Ultra at any resolution is a poor trade-off. At 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 73.4 FPS, which is a 44.7% reduction from Low, and the visual gains are unlikely to justify the performance cost in a competitive context. The recommendation is to stick with Medium at 1080p or 1440p, and only use Low for 4K. This approach maximizes the GPU’s capabilities without overburdening the CPU.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain over 100 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 199.9 FPS and Medium achieves 139.6 FPS, while at 2560x1440, only the Low preset (126.3 FPS) exceeds 100 FPS. High at 1080p is just above at 105.7 FPS, but 1440p High falls to 67.1 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to the RTX 4060 in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, while the RTX 4060 scores 23181, which is 0.7% higher. The B580 is also 0.1% faster than the AMD Radeon 760M (22999).

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score is 7969 and single-core is 1125, ranking it at the 50th percentile. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 199.9 FPS, which is near the practical ceiling for 6 threads, so the CPU appears to limit frame rates above that mark.

Q: What is the FPS drop when going from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS falls from 105.7 at 1080p to 37.1 at 4K, a reduction of 68.6 FPS, or 64.9% of the original frame rate.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves 68.8 FPS. Medium at 4K drops to 48.4 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 25.7 FPS.

Q: How many cores and threads does the i5-9400 have?

A: The CPU has 6 cores and 6 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake architecture, running at a base frequency of 2.90 GHz and a boost of 4.10 GHz. It features 9 MB of shared L3 cache and 64 KB of L1 cache per core, with a dual-channel DDR4 memory interface providing 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth. For Fortnite, which is known to be more sensitive to single-core performance than multi-core scaling, the CPU’s single-core Cinebench R23 score of 1125 is adequate but not outstanding. This is reflected in the 1080p results, where the combo reaches 199.9 FPS on Low, but cannot break the 200 FPS barrier.

The CPU’s 65 W TDP and 14 nm process node are modest by modern standards, and its percentile rank of 50 against all CPUs confirms it is a middle-of-the-road part. In the context of Fortnite, the data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, but it does constrain maximum frame rates at 1080p. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-10305, scores 0.2% higher on average, yet the i5-9400 holds its own. However, for a game like Fortnite where competitive players often target 144 Hz or higher, the 6-thread limit means that frame pacing can suffer in crowded endgame scenarios, even if the average FPS appears respectable. The GPU, while not top-tier, has more headroom than the CPU, implying that an upgrade to a processor with higher single-thread performance would unlock better results in this pairing.