Fortnite

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 is a combination that ranks near the bottom of the tested field for Fortnite, landing at position 2417 out of 2740 combos. This places the setup in the 12th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that while the CPU is a strong performer, the integrated graphics solution severely limits the overall gaming experience. The data shows a system that is fundamentally unbalanced, with the processor’s capabilities largely wasted by the GPU’s inability to keep pace, resulting in frame rates that are playable only at lower resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2417 out of 2740 tested combinations places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations tested for Fortnite. This is a poor showing for a system built around a high-end desktop processor. The ranking reflects the reality of the measured FPS data, which shows the system struggling to maintain smooth frame rates even at 1080p. For context, the GPU in this combo, the Intel Arc B390, sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3), GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5), GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, deltaPct 2.5), and GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, deltaPct 2.7). The Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the GT 710, which are parts from a different era of gaming. This places the entire combo’s performance ceiling at a level that is simply too low for competitive Fortnite play at higher settings.

The CPU, by contrast, is a top-tier part. The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-13700T (score 35403, deltaPct -0.1), Intel Core i5-13600T (score 35305, deltaPct 0.2), Intel Core 5 213PE (score 35428, deltaPct -0.2), and Intel Core i7-12700K (score 35287, deltaPct 0.2). The i7-12700KF is essentially tied with these parts, with deltas of less than 0.3% in either direction. This means the processor is not the bottleneck in this combo; it is the integrated graphics that drags the overall rank down. The data indicates that with a different GPU, this CPU could deliver much higher frame rates in Fortnite, but as configured, the combo is heavily constrained.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 10 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it has 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates strong multi-threaded capability: it scores 9983 in 3DMark max threads, 28838 in Cinebench R23 multicore, and 34092 in Passmark multithread. Single-thread performance is also solid, with scores of 1043 in 3DMark single thread, 4071 in Cinebench R23 single core, and 2255 in Geekbench single core.

For Fortnite, which is a game that benefits from both high single-thread performance and multiple cores, this CPU is more than adequate. The game’s engine can utilize multiple threads for physics, rendering, and game logic, and the i7-12700KF’s 20 threads provide ample headroom. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that the game’s main thread, which is often the bottleneck in CPU-bound scenarios, runs at high speed. However, the measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would typically be under the most load, the average FPS is 115, which is respectable but not exceptional. The fact that the frame rate drops significantly when settings are increased, regardless of resolution, points to the GPU as the primary constraint. The CPU’s role in this combo is to provide a stable foundation, which it does, but it cannot overcome the GPU’s limitations.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process node. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its memory is system shared, meaning it uses the same RAM as the CPU, with bandwidth that is system dependent. The GPU’s pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with an FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. The TDP is 80 W, and it connects via the IGP bus interface.

In terms of raw performance, the Arc B390’s only benchmark result is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a very low position. Its nearest rivals, as mentioned, are the GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, all of which are ancient parts. The deltaPct values show that the Arc B390 is only marginally faster than these, ranging from 1.3% to 2.7% faster. This indicates that the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this combo. In Fortnite, the GPU is responsible for rendering the game’s visuals, and with such a low performance level, it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at any resolution above 1080p Low. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is not enough to compensate for the limited shading units and memory bandwidth, and the system-shared memory means that the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth, further reducing performance. The data shows that the GPU is the single most limiting factor in this combo, and its performance dictates the overall experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo’s capabilities across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves its best results. On Low settings, the average FPS is 115, which is smooth and playable for most users. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93. High settings yield an average of 63 FPS, which is still playable but starting to show strain. Ultra settings are the worst at 1080p, with an average of only 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings produce an average of 73 FPS, which is still playable but a 36% reduction from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59, which is borderline playable. High settings average 40 FPS, which is choppy, and Ultra settings average just 26 FPS, making the game nearly unplayable. The trend continues at 3840x2160, where Low settings average 39 FPS, Medium settings average 27 FPS (with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 31), High settings average 21 FPS, and Ultra settings average 14 FPS. At 4K, even Low settings fail to reach 60 FPS, and the highest settings are effectively a slideshow.

The data shows a consistent pattern: as settings increase, FPS drops dramatically at every resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS (from 115 to 41), a 64% reduction. At 1440p, the difference is 47 FPS (from 73 to 26), a 64% reduction. At 4K, the difference is 25 FPS (from 39 to 14), again a 64% reduction. This consistent percentage drop indicates that the GPU is the sole bottleneck, as increasing settings adds more work for the GPU without any help from the CPU. The minimum and maximum FPS values for Medium settings show that the frame times are relatively stable, but the averages are simply too low for a competitive game like Fortnite.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 115 at 1080p to 73 at 1440p and 39 at 4K. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 66% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages are 81, 51, and 27 for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively, which is a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K. High settings show averages of 63, 40, and 21, a 37% drop to 1440p and a 67% drop to 4K. Ultra settings follow the same pattern with averages of 41, 26, and 14, a 37% drop to 1440p and a 66% drop to 4K.

This consistent scaling behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. When the resolution increases, the number of pixels that the GPU must render increases quadratically, and the Arc B390 simply does not have the processing power to handle this load. The CPU, with its 12 cores and 5.00 GHz boost clock, is more than capable of feeding the GPU with data at all resolutions, but the GPU cannot keep up. The fact that the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is nearly identical across all settings (66-67%) suggests that the GPU is the limiting component in every configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller FPS drop at lower settings, where the GPU has less work to do, but the data shows no such relief. This confirms that the Arc B390 is the primary constraint, and the i7-12700KF is effectively idle, waiting for the GPU to catch up.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and tolerance for frame rate fluctuations. At 1920x1080, Low settings provide the best experience, with an average of 115 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and should be sufficient for most players, including those in competitive modes. Medium settings at 1080p, with an average of 81 FPS, are also viable, offering a better visual quality while still maintaining playable frame rates. High settings at 1080p, with an average of 63 FPS, are borderline; they are playable but might feel less responsive in fast-paced situations. Ultra settings at 1080p, with an average of 41 FPS, are not recommended, as the frame rate dips below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, Low settings are the only viable option, with an average of 73 FPS. This is playable but significantly lower than the 1080p results, and users with high refresh rate monitors will not be able to take full advantage of them. Medium settings at 1440p, with an average of 51 FPS, are playable for casual gaming but will feel choppy in competitive scenarios. High and Ultra settings at 1440p, with averages of 40 and 26 FPS respectively, should be avoided. At 3840x2160, no settings are recommended for a satisfactory experience. Even Low settings, with an average of 39 FPS, fail to reach 60 FPS, and the higher settings are unplayable. The data shows that the best experience is at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, where the combo can deliver frame rates that are acceptable for Fortnite. Users should prioritize resolution and settings that keep the average FPS above 60, which effectively limits them to 1080p Low or Medium, or 1440p Low if they are willing to accept lower frame rates.