Fortnite

Fortnite on the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B370 combo lands at rank 2517 out of 2740 tested combinations. That places this pairing in the bottom 9% of all combos in the database, a position driven almost entirely by the graphics side of the equation. The CPU is a solidly mid-pack performer, but the iGPU drags the whole system down to a level that is only suitable for low-resolution, low-detail play. The data shows a clear story: this is a combo where the processor’s capability is largely wasted in gaming scenarios because the graphics solution cannot keep pace.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2517 out of 2740 is a poor showing, and the distribution of scores confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck. To put this in perspective, the Intel Arc B370 sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs in the database. That means 95% of graphics cards tested perform better. The CPU, by contrast, is at the 85th percentile among all processors, which is a stark contrast. The processor is not the problem here; the graphics solution is.

Looking at the GPU’s nearest rivals clarifies its standing. The Arc B370’s average benchmark score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, a delta of -0.2%) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, a delta of -0.5%). It edges out the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, a delta of +1.4%) and trails the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, a delta of -0.7%). These are all legacy or low-end parts, and the Arc B370 is essentially competing with hardware from a different era. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is the only GPU benchmark available, and it confirms that this is an entry-level graphics solution by any modern measure.

For the CPU, the nearest rivals show a much tighter cluster. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, delta 0%). It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093). The Intel Core i9-12900T (37112) is only 0.5% ahead. In synthetic CPU workloads, this processor is competitive with those parts, but that strength never translates to Fortnite performance because the GPU cannot deliver the frames.

The rank disparity between CPU and GPU percentiles is the key takeaway. When a combo ranks this low, it is rarely a balanced system. Here, the imbalance is extreme: a top-15% CPU paired with a bottom-5% GPU. For Fortnite specifically, the result is a system that will struggle to maintain playable framerates at anything above the lowest settings, and even then, only at 1080p.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor, not a discrete card. Its bus interface is listed as IGP, and it uses system shared memory, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM. The memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a fundamental limitation for a game like Fortnite, which benefits greatly from dedicated video memory. The GPU’s clock speeds are a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, but without dedicated memory, those clocks cannot be fully utilized in a memory-bandwidth-heavy title.

The chip is built on Intel’s 3 nm process and uses the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Panther Lake generation. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute is 6.144 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1). Those numbers are not terrible on paper for an iGPU, but the lack of dedicated memory and the low 25 W TDP constrain real-world performance severely. The power connectors are listed as "None," and it is an IGP slot width, confirming that this is not a card you can upgrade or replace.

The GPU’s API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. That means it supports modern graphics features, but the hardware is too weak to make use of them at playable framerates in Fortnite. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is a low bar, and it aligns with the percentile ranking of 5. The GPU’s nearest rivals are all over a decade old, and the delta percentages are all within 1.4%, meaning the Arc B370 is essentially equivalent to those older parts in raw compute. This is not a GPU that will handle Fortnite’s building mechanics, fast-paced combat, and large draw distances without significant compromises.

In practice, the GPU limits everything. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the average is 104 FPS, which is playable, but that is the best case scenario. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 37 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth competitive play. The iGPU simply does not have the fill rate or memory bandwidth to push higher resolutions or settings. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is decent, but it cannot compensate for the shared memory bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, based on the Arrow Lake-S architecture. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The TDP is 65 W, and it uses the Intel Socket 1851. It is built on TSMC’s 3 nm process with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The cache layout is 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. It supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, and it has 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The integrated graphics are listed as Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU, but the actual GPU in this combo is the separate Arc B370, so the CPU’s iGPU is not the primary graphics source here.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong for its class. In Cinebench R23, it scores 25891 multi-core and 3655 single-core. In Cinebench R20, it scores 6317 multi-core and 891 single-core. In Cinebench R15, it scores 2609 multi-core and 368 single-core. The PassMark suite shows a multithread score of 30459, a single-thread score of 4412, and a physics score of 2342. These are respectable numbers that place the CPU in the 85th percentile of all processors. The average benchmark score of 36938 is within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, indicating that this CPU is a solid mid-range performer.

For Fortnite, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. With 10 cores and 10 threads, it has enough parallelism for modern games. The 4.90 GHz boost clock is high, which helps with single-threaded performance, a key factor in Fortnite’s engine. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 is strong, and the PassMark single-thread score of 4412 is also good. In theory, this CPU should not bottleneck a game like Fortnite at most settings. However, the data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor here. The measured FPS at 1080p Low is 104, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 37. That drop is not due to the CPU; it is due to the GPU being unable to handle the increased graphical load.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s is shared with the iGPU, which can cause contention in memory-heavy scenarios. But even with that, the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver. The CPU’s launch MSRP is $246, and it is not multiplier unlocked. The production status is active, and it was released in early 2025. The 10-core, 10-thread configuration is a bit unusual in that it lacks hyper-threading, but for gaming, that is less critical than raw single-thread speed and cache. The 20 MB L3 cache is adequate for Fortnite’s map and asset streaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a full picture of what this combo can do. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 104 at Low settings to 37 at Ultra. The Medium settings produce an average of 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84. High settings yield 57 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, the numbers drop significantly. Low settings average 66 FPS, Medium averages 46 (minimum 39, maximum 53), High averages 36, and Ultra averages 24. At 3840x2160, the situation becomes dire. Low settings average 35 FPS, Medium averages 25 (minimum 21, maximum 28), High averages 19, and Ultra averages 13.

The 1080p Low result of 104 FPS is the only truly playable scenario for competitive Fortnite. At 1080p Medium, the 73 FPS average is acceptable for casual play, but the 62 FPS minimum shows that there will be dips in intense moments. At 1080p High, the 57 FPS average is borderline, and at Ultra, the 37 FPS average is not smooth. Moving to 1440p, even Low settings drop to 66 FPS, which is below the 75 Hz refresh rate that many monitors have. At 1440p Medium, the 46 FPS average is stuttery, and at High and Ultra, it becomes unplayable. At 4K, every setting is below 35 FPS, with Ultra at 13 FPS being a slideshow.

The minimum and maximum FPS data is only available for Medium settings across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 62 to 84, which is a spread of 22 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 39 to 53, a spread of 14 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 21 to 28, a spread of 7 FPS. The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling, and the framerate becomes more consistent but also more limited. This is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the graphics card is saturated.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 104 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p to 35 at 4K. That is a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages are 73, 46, and 25 respectively, with a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 46% drop from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the averages are 57, 36, and 19, with a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the averages are 37, 24, and 13, with a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 46% drop from 1440p to 4K.

The consistency of the percentage drops across settings is telling. Every setting tier shows roughly a 35-37% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 46-47% reduction from 1440p to 4K. This linear scaling is a classic sign of a GPU that is fully saturated. If the CPU were the bottleneck, you would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU workload does not change much with resolution. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally to the pixel count, which indicates that the GPU is doing all the work and is the limiting factor.

The Arc B370 has a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s, which is low. At 4K, there are roughly 8.3 million pixels, and at 1080p, there are about 2.1 million. The GPU’s fill rate is simply insufficient to handle the larger pixel count at high settings. The texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s is also low, which hurts when higher settings require more detailed textures. The shared memory bandwidth is another issue, as the GPU competes with the CPU for the same DDR5 bandwidth. The data suggests that this combo is only viable at 1080p Low or Medium, and even then, it is not a high-refresh-rate experience. For 1440p or 4K, the system is not suitable for Fortnite beyond Low settings, and even Low at 4K is only 35 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings yields an average of 104 FPS, which is the only scenario that provides a smooth, competitive experience. Medium settings at 1080p average 73 FPS with a minimum of 62, which is playable but has noticeable dips. Higher resolutions and settings produce framerates below 60 FPS.

Q: Is this combo better for CPU-heavy or GPU-heavy games?

A: The CPU is in the 85th percentile of all processors, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. The GPU is in the 5th percentile, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184. This combo is far better suited for CPU-bound tasks, but Fortnite is more balanced. The GPU will be the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmarks?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186, which is a delta of -0.2%. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, a delta of -0.5%. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a delta of -0.7%. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a delta of +1.4%. The Arc B370 is essentially on par with these older parts.

Q: Can this combo handle Fortnite at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 66 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium settings average 46 FPS, and High averages 36 FPS. Ultra averages 24 FPS. For a 60 FPS target, only Low settings come close, and even then, the average is below 60. For a 75 Hz monitor, this combo is not sufficient at 1440p for competitive play.

Q: What does the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K indicate about the system?

A: The FPS drops by roughly 37% from 1080p to 1440p and another 46% from 1440p to 4K, regardless of settings. This consistent scaling indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, the framerate would stay more constant across resolutions. The GPU’s low pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and shared memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

Q: Is the Core Ultra 5 225 a strong processor for its class?

A: Yes. The CPU has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, delta 0%). It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093). It trails the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112) by only 0.5%. The 10-core, 10-thread design with a 4.90 GHz boost clock is competitive for gaming workloads.