Fortnite

Fortnite with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the Intel Arc B390 presents a lopsided pairing. The CPU is a modern 14-core desktop part, while the GPU is an integrated graphics solution that benchmarks in the bottom percentile of all GPUs. The measured frame rates reflect this imbalance, with the system struggling to maintain playable FPS at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis uses only the provided measured data to break down how this combination behaves, where it ranks, and what settings give you the best chance of a smooth match.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep, which points directly to the integrated GPU as the limiting factor. At Low settings, the system averages 115 FPS at 1920x1080, but that falls to 73 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 39 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 66% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, a massive hit that would make any fast-paced combat feel sluggish. The data shows a clear pattern: every resolution jump costs a significant chunk of performance, and the GPU simply cannot keep up with the pixel count at higher resolutions.

The scaling is not linear, either. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings drops the average FPS from 115 to 73, a 42 FPS loss. Then going from 1440p to 4K drops it further to 39 FPS, another 34 FPS loss. This indicates that the Arc B390’s rendering pipeline is saturated at 1440p, and 4K is nearly overwhelming. The GPU’s 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 24 ROPs are simply too limited for 4K in a demanding battle royale title like Fortnite.

At Medium settings, the same trend holds. The average FPS goes from 81 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p, then down to 27 at 4K. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 23, which is well below the threshold for a competitive game. Even at 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS of 69 suggests occasional stutters, but it is at least in the playable range. For High settings, the 1080p average is 63 FPS, dropping to 40 at 1440p and 21 at 4K. Ultra settings are the worst, with 41 FPS at 1080p, 26 at 1440p, and just 14 at 4K.

The limiting component is unambiguously the GPU. The CPU, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz and 14 cores, has far more headroom than the integrated graphics can exploit. If the GPU were stronger, the FPS at 1080p Low (115 FPS) would likely be higher, but the CPU is not the bottleneck here. The benchmark results indicate that resolution scaling is almost entirely determined by the Arc B390’s capabilities. For any reasonable frame rate, you must stay at 1080p, and even then, only Low or Medium settings are viable. The 4K numbers are effectively a demonstration of what not to do with this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this specific pairing in Fortnite is 2417 out of 2740 tested combinations. That places it in the bottom 88th percentile of all combos, which is a poor showing for a system with a modern CPU. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 itself is a strong processor, ranking in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs, but the Intel Arc B390 drags the entire system down. The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is only 9, meaning it outperforms just 9% of GPUs in the database. This is a classic case of a high-end CPU wasted on a low-end integrated GPU.

When comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is well within the same performance band. The Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G scores 49196, a delta of -0.4%, meaning the Intel part is essentially tied with it. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 scores 49228, a delta of -0.5%, again a negligible difference. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48698, a delta of +0.6%, and the Intel Core i5-14600K scores 48618, a delta of +0.8%. So the CPU is performing exactly as expected, with no thermal or power throttling visible in the data.

The GPU’s nearest rivals are all ancient or entry-level parts. The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, a delta of +1.3%, meaning the Arc B390 is about 1.3% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, a delta of +1.5%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, a delta of +2.5%. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, a delta of +2.7%. This puts the Arc B390 in the same performance class as a mobile GPU from over a decade ago. In Fortnite, this means the combo rank is not surprising; the GPU is the weakest link by a wide margin.

The data shows that the combo rank would be dramatically different if the GPU were swapped for a discrete solution, but that is outside the scope of this pairing. For this specific CPU-GPU combo, the rank of 2417 out of 2740 is a direct result of the integrated graphics. Any user expecting competitive Fortnite performance should look at the FPS numbers first, not the CPU’s pedigree.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS, the only sensible settings for this combo are 1080p with Low or Medium presets. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 115, which is smooth for most play, and there is no reported minimum FPS, suggesting it stays relatively stable. This is the best experience for competitive play, where frame rate matters more than visual fidelity. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 81 FPS with a minimum of 69, which is still playable but begins to show the GPU’s limits. The Medium preset at 1080p is the highest quality setting that maintains a minimum FPS above 60, making it the ceiling for a decent experience.

At 1440p, the data shows a clear decline. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is 73, which is acceptable for casual play but not ideal for fast building or editing. At 1440p Medium, the average is 51 FPS with a minimum of 44, which will feel choppy in intense firefights. The High preset at 1440p averages 40 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS, both of which are too low for a competitive game. For 4K, every preset is effectively unplayable. The best 4K result is 39 FPS at Low, which is a slideshow compared to the 115 FPS at 1080p Low.

The recommendation is straightforward: use 1080p Low for maximum frame rate, or 1080p Medium if you prefer better visuals and can tolerate the occasional dip to 69 FPS. Do not attempt 1440p or 4K if you want a consistent experience. The minimum FPS numbers at 1080p Medium (69) and 1440p Medium (44) highlight the instability at higher settings. The data also shows that Ultra settings are a waste of resources on this GPU; the 41 FPS at 1080p Ultra is worse than the 73 FPS at 1440p Low, so you are getting higher resolution and better frame rate by dropping the preset. For this combo, lower settings are not a compromise; they are the only way to get a playable game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset. The data is from the provided FACT PACK, with no extrapolation.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 115 FPS average.
• Medium: 81 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93.
• High: 63 FPS average.
• Ultra: 41 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: 73 FPS average.
• Medium: 51 FPS average, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59.
• High: 40 FPS average.
• Ultra: 26 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: 39 FPS average.
• Medium: 27 FPS average, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31.
• High: 21 FPS average.
• Ultra: 14 FPS average.

The pattern is consistent. Each step up in resolution at the same settings reduces the average FPS by roughly 30-40%. For example, at High settings, 1080p gives 63 FPS, 1440p gives 40 FPS (a 37% drop), and 4K gives 21 FPS (a 48% drop from 1440p). At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (41 FPS) to 1440p (26 FPS) is 37%, and from 1440p to 4K (14 FPS) is 46%. The Medium preset shows the same pattern, with 81 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K.

The minimum FPS data, where available, is crucial. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 69 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 44 FPS, which will cause noticeable stutter. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 23 FPS, which is unplayable. The maximum FPS numbers follow the averages, with 93 FPS at 1080p Medium, 59 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 31 FPS at 4K Medium. These numbers show that the GPU cannot maintain a consistent frame rate at higher resolutions, and even the peak performance is too low for a competitive game.

The data also reveals that the difference between Low and Medium settings is relatively small at 1080p, with only a 34 FPS drop (from 115 to 81). However, the difference between Medium and High is larger, at 18 FPS (from 81 to 63). The jump from High to Ultra costs another 22 FPS (from 63 to 41). This suggests that the GPU’s shading units and texture units are quickly overwhelmed by the increased visual complexity of High and Ultra presets. For a smoother experience, staying at Low or Medium is the only logical choice.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 fast enough for Fortnite?

A: Yes, the CPU is not the bottleneck. It has 14 cores, a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, and ranks in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, is only 0.5% faster in average benchmark score. The measured FPS is limited by the GPU, not the CPU.

Q: Can this combo run Fortnite at 4K?

A: Technically, it can run, but the results are unplayable. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 39; at Medium, it is 27; at High, it is 21; and at Ultra, it is 14. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 23, which is far below any playable threshold. The data suggests avoiding 4K entirely for this game.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this system?

A: The best preset is 1080p Low, which gives an average FPS of 115. If you prefer better visuals, 1080p Medium is the highest preset that maintains a minimum FPS above 60 (69 FPS minimum). Any preset above Medium at 1080p, or any resolution above 1080p, results in average FPS below 73, which is marginal for Fortnite.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to other GPUs?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile versus all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, meaning the Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster. This is an entry-level integrated GPU, and its performance in Fortnite reflects that.

Q: Why is the combo rank so low (2417 out of 2740)?

A: The combo rank is low because the GPU holds back the entire system. The CPU is a strong performer, but the Arc B390’s integrated graphics cannot deliver competitive frame rates in Fortnite. The rank reflects the combined performance, and the GPU’s 9th percentile score drags the pairing down.

Q: Is there a difference in FPS between Low and Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 1080p, Low averages 115 FPS while Ultra averages 41 FPS, a 74 FPS difference. At 1440p, Low averages 73 FPS and Ultra averages 26 FPS. At 4K, Low averages 39 FPS and Ultra averages 14 FPS. The data shows that Ultra settings halve or triple the frame rate compared to Low across all resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The L3 cache is 24 MB shared, and it supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus. This is a capable desktop CPU, as evidenced by its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648. In PassMark, it scores 38706 in multithread and 4394 in single-thread.

In Fortnite, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor; the GPU is. The measured FPS is consistent with a GPU bottleneck, as the FPS scales heavily with resolution and settings, which are GPU-bound tasks. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to be more stable across resolutions, but the steep drops from 1080p to 4K indicate the GPU is saturated.

The CPU’s 14 cores are more than enough for Fortnite, which is a game that primarily relies on a few fast cores for the main game logic. The boost clock of 5.10 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which is critical for the game’s rendering thread. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600K (0.8% faster average score), confirm that this CPU is not holding back the system. The issue is purely the Arc B390.

The GPU, with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, has a theoretical FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. Its base clock is 300 MHz and boost clock is 2500 MHz. This is an integrated GPU with system-shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is system-dependent. In Fortnite, this translates to the low FPS numbers seen in the measured data. The CPU can easily process the game’s logic at 115 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU cannot render frames faster than that. For a better Fortnite experience, the CPU would need a discrete GPU, but that is not the combo under review. The data shows that the CPU is a strong foundation for a gaming PC, but the integrated GPU is the wrong choice for this title.