Minecraft

Minecraft with the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 produces a wide spread of results depending on resolution and settings, ranging from a very playable 49 FPS at 4K Ultra to a staggering 376 FPS at 1080p Low. The data indicates that this combination is heavily influenced by the graphics settings, with the CPU providing a robust foundation that allows the GPU to stretch its legs at lower resolutions. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance data for this specific pairing.

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

The Intel Arc B580 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and is part of the Battlemage (Arc 5) generation. It operates at a consistent base and boost clock of 2670 MHz, which is a fixed frequency for both states. The GPU is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a significant asset for Minecraft, as the game’s draw distances and world complexity can consume substantial video memory. The 12 GB capacity ensures that the card is unlikely to be bottlenecked by VRAM in this title, even at higher resolutions like 3840x2160.

In benchmark tests, the Arc B580 holds a percentile rank of 68 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080. The deltaPct values show that the Arc B580 scores are effectively on par with these cards, being within 0.2% of the RX 580 2048SP and within 0.7% of the RTX 3080. This demonstrates that the GPU has high-level computational parity with both a previous-generation mainstream card and a high-end card from a prior generation.

When looking at the measured FPS in Minecraft, the GPU’s role becomes clear. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 49 FPS. This suggests that at the highest visual fidelity, the GPU is being heavily taxed by the combination of high resolution and intensive settings. The data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 4K, the average FPS increases from 49 at Ultra to 78 at High, then to 98 at Medium, and finally to 124 at Low. This progression highlights that the Arc B580’s performance is directly responsive to the graphics load, demonstrating that it is the primary limiting factor at this resolution, especially with higher presets.

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

The measured data reveals a classic performance scaling curve that transitions from a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 376 FPS. When the resolution increases to 2560x1440 at the same Low settings, the average drops to 237 FPS. Moving up to 3840x2160 at Low settings, the average falls further to 124 FPS. This indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is still working progressively harder as the pixel count increases, though the 1080p result is likely limited by the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU frames.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings shows a similar trend: 298 FPS drops to 188 FPS. However, the jump to 4K Medium shows a more substantial relative drop to 98 FPS. This pattern suggests that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-9400 is the limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can process the game logic and issue draw calls. As the resolution increases, the GPU’s rendering load becomes the dominant bottleneck, which is why the FPS drops are more pronounced at 4K.

The data at High settings reinforces this: 1080p High yields 237 FPS, 1440p High yields 149 FPS, and 4K High yields 78 FPS. The approximate 40% drop from 1080p to 1440p and the further approximate 48% drop from 1440p to 4K at this setting level indicate that the GPU is scaling predictably with pixel count. The overall picture shows that this combo is exceptionally fast at 1080p, capable of high refresh rates, but will require settings adjustments to achieve smooth 4K gameplay, where the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor.

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, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It features 9 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 6629 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 935 points in single-core. It holds a percentile rank of 47 against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is a deltaPct of -0.2%, indicating near-identical average performance.

In Minecraft, the CPU’s role is most evident in the high frame rate scenarios. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 376 FPS and the 1080p Medium preset reaches 298 FPS strongly suggests that the i5-9400 is capable of providing very high frame rates. The 6 physical cores without hyper-threading are sufficient for the game’s primary thread and background tasks. The high boost clock of 4.10 GHz is beneficial for the single-threaded performance that Minecraft often relies on for its main game loop.

However, the data also shows the CPU’s limit. Comparing the 1080p Low result of 376 FPS to the 1440p Low result of 237 FPS shows a significant drop, but the 1440p result is still very high. This indicates that even at 1440p, the CPU is still able to push a large number of frames. The transition to 4K Low at 124 FPS shows the GPU starting to take over as the primary bottleneck. The CPU’s performance is sufficient to avoid being a major limiting factor until the user tries to push frame rates beyond what the GPU can render, which is a good balance for this pairing.

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

The measured data provides a complete matrix of average FPS across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 376 FPS. The Medium preset averages 298 FPS, with a minimum of 253 FPS and a maximum of 343 FPS. The High preset averages 237 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 148 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy, with the Ultra preset demanding significantly more from the GPU than the Low preset.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 237 FPS. The Medium preset averages 188 FPS, with a minimum of 160 FPS and a maximum of 216 FPS. The High preset averages 149 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 93 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction in performance across all settings, with the Ultra preset dropping from 148 FPS to 93 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 124 FPS. The Medium preset averages 98 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. The High preset averages 78 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 49 FPS. The 4K results show the most significant performance hit, particularly at the Ultra setting, which drops below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that 4K Ultra is the only configuration in this matrix that falls below playable frame rates, while all other combinations maintain averages above 78 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

Within the database’s tested combinations for Minecraft, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the Intel Arc B580 holds a rank of 2754 out of 3710 combos. This places the combo in the lower-mid range of all tested systems, which might seem surprising given the high FPS numbers measured. This ranking is relative to all other CPU-GPU combinations in the database, which likely includes many high-end systems with newer and more powerful components. The rank reflects the absolute performance ceiling of this combo compared to others, not its efficiency or value.

The percentile ranking for the individual components provides context for this combo rank. The CPU is in the 47th percentile, meaning it performs better than 47% of all CPUs in the database. The GPU is in the 68th percentile, meaning it performs better than 68% of all GPUs. The combo’s rank of 2754 out of 3710 suggests that the combination of a mid-tier CPU and an upper-mid-tier GPU does not place it at the top of the overall leaderboard. This is because many combos will feature top-tier CPUs paired with top-tier GPUs, which will naturally produce higher frame rates in a game like Minecraft that can scale well with hardware.

The data shows that this combo is not designed to compete with the absolute fastest systems on the database. Instead, it offers a balanced performance profile that is strong at 1080p and capable at 1440p, but it lags behind the top-ranked combos that are likely built with flagship processors and graphics cards. The rank is a useful indicator that while this system delivers excellent playable performance in absolute terms, it is not in the top tier of all recorded systems.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Minecraft?

A: The highest average FPS is 376, achieved at a resolution of 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580 capable of running Minecraft at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160, the combo achieves an average of 78 FPS on High settings and 98 FPS on Medium settings, both of which are above the standard playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, while its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, has an average score of 2259, resulting in a deltaPct of -0.2%, indicating virtually identical performance.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo fall below 60 FPS?

A: The only configuration that drops below 60 FPS is 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, which averages 49 FPS.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Intel Arc B580?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s, provided by 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus.

Q: What is the percentile rank of the Intel Arc B580 compared to all GPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Arc B580 holds a percentile rank of 68 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 148 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth and allows for the highest visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p also offers a very high 237 FPS, which is suitable for high refresh rate monitors, but the Ultra preset provides a more complete visual experience without sacrificing playability.

For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended balance, delivering an average of 149 FPS. This provides a smooth and visually rich experience. The Ultra preset at 1440p, which averages 93 FPS, is also viable for gamers who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rates, as it remains well above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 188 FPS is a solid option for competitive play, but High offers a better visual experience for a modest FPS cost.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best recommendation, achieving an average of 98 FPS. This provides a smooth and detailed experience. The High preset at 78 FPS is also playable and offers better visuals, but the Medium preset provides more headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 4K, which averages 49 FPS, should be avoided for general play due to the frame rate dropping below the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset is not recommended for any resolution except when targeting the absolute maximum frame rate, as the visual quality reduction is significant.