Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking contrast in capability, placing the system in the bottom tier of tested configurations for Minimum. The CPU is a high-end desktop part, but the GPU is an integrated-class solution, and benchmark results show this combination ranks 2602 out of 2939 tested combos. The data reveals a system where the graphics processor is the overwhelming performance limiter, creating a specific set of playable conditions that are heavily dependent on resolution and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and immediate, confirming that the Intel Arc B390's rendering pipeline is saturated early. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 95 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 61 FPS, a reduction of roughly 36%. Pushing further to 4K at Low settings yields an average of 33 FPS, which is only about 35% of the 1080p performance. This pattern is typical of a GPU that is running out of raw fillrate and processing power as pixel count increases.

The scaling factor becomes even more pronounced at higher graphical presets. At High settings, the system achieves 61 FPS at 1080p, but this falls to 39 FPS at 1440p and a marginal 21 FPS at 4K. The difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings represents a 65% reduction in average frame rate. This indicates that the GPU is not just limited by resolution but is also heavily impacted by the increased shading and texture work required by higher presets. The 4K Ultra result of 16 FPS is essentially unplayable, showing that the combination of high pixel count and maximum settings completely overwhelms the Intel Arc B390.

The data suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the graphics processor. The Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is not the bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were the primary constraint, we would expect to see a smaller performance delta between 1080p and 1440p, as the GPU would have more headroom. Instead, the consistent and significant FPS drops at every settings level point directly to the Intel Arc B390's limited compute and memory resources. The system is leaving a massive amount of CPU performance on the table.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the defining component in this configuration, and its specifications explain the measured results. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, featuring 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation pipelines. The raw compute throughput is listed at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. More critically, the memory configuration is "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth, meaning the GPU relies on the main system RAM for its framebuffer. This architecture is a fundamental limitation for gaming performance.

The GPU's benchmark performance is modest, scoring 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a very low standing. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, which are all entry-level or legacy parts. The data shows the Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the GT 710. This context is crucial; the system is not equipped with a mid-range or high-end graphics card but rather a solution that competes with decade-old integrated and low-end discrete options.

The reliance on shared system memory is a significant drawback. Unlike a dedicated GPU with its own high-speed VRAM and bus width, the Arc B390's performance is tied to the system's memory bandwidth. This explains why performance degrades so severely at 4K; the GPU is competing with the CPU for memory access, and the increased data demands of higher resolutions quickly saturate the available bandwidth. The 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 120.0 GTexel/s texture rate are theoretical maxima that are unlikely to be reached in real-world gaming due to this memory bottleneck.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is an extremely powerful processor that is entirely underutilized in this configuration. Based on the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm process, it has 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its cache hierarchy is substantial, with 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a 64 MB L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark results confirm its high-end positioning, scoring 32,172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,253 in single-core.

The Ryzen 9 9900X's average benchmark score of 57,498 places it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are server and high-end desktop parts like the AMD EPYC 9015 and Intel Core i9-14900. The data shows it is only 0.1% slower than the EPYC 9015 and 1.1% slower than the Core i9-14900, indicating it is performing at the top tier of consumer processors. This is a CPU designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads, with 3DMark scores scaling from 2,519 with 2 threads to 13,929 with max threads.

For Minimum, the CPU role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. With Cinebench R23 multi-core scores above 30,000, the Ryzen 9 9900X has more than enough processing power to handle any scene the game can present. The measured FPS in the game is consistently low, regardless of CPU-intensive settings. This proves that the processor is not the limiting factor; it is waiting idly for the Intel Arc B390 to finish rendering each frame. The system’s performance is a textbook example of a CPU bottleneck inverted — the GPU is so slow that the CPU's potential is wasted.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system shows a wide range of performance depending on settings. With Low settings, the average FPS is 95, which is the highest score in the entire dataset and provides a smooth experience. Medium settings reduce the average to 72 FPS, with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 83. High settings bring the average down to 61 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding at this resolution, yielding an average of 46 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

Moving to 1440p, the performance drops become more significant. Low settings still manage an average of 61 FPS, which matches the 1080p High setting result. Medium settings produce an average of 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54. High settings drop to 39 FPS on average. Ultra settings fall to 30 FPS, which starts to feel sluggish for a third-person shooter. The system is clearly struggling to maintain high refresh rates at this resolution.

At 4K, the system is mostly overwhelmed. Low settings are the only viable option for any semblance of playability, producing an average of 33 FPS. Medium settings drop to 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and maximum of 29. High settings are nearly unplayable at 21 FPS on average. Ultra settings are a non-starter, with an average of 16 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a realistic target for this configuration, regardless of the settings chosen. The jump from 1080p to 4K at Low settings represents a 65% performance loss, highlighting the GPU’s severe limitations with high pixel counts.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 fast enough for 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: No. The benchmark data shows the system averages 33 FPS at 4K Low and only 16 FPS at 4K Ultra. These frame rates are below the threshold for a smooth gaming experience, indicating the GPU is not suitable for 4K in this title.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data indicates 1080p is the optimal resolution. At 1080p, you can achieve an average of 95 FPS on Low settings and 61 FPS on High settings. This is the only resolution where the system can consistently hit playable frame rates.

Q: Which component is causing the low FPS in this system?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. Its performance percentile is 9, and its average benchmark score is 1482. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is in the 92nd percentile, and its high benchmark scores mean it is not the bottleneck.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU is only 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. This shows it is performing at the level of entry-level or legacy graphics solutions.

Q: Can the CPU's power be fully used in this game?

A: No. The Ryzen 9 9900X has a multi-core score of 32,172 in Cinebench R23, but the GPU is too slow to render frames quickly enough to utilize that processing power. The system is GPU-limited in all tested settings and resolutions.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the system averages 61 FPS on Low settings and 30 FPS on Ultra settings. This represents a 50% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest settings preset.

Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that the primary goal for this configuration should be maintaining a playable frame rate, which typically means an average above 60 FPS. The only settings preset that consistently achieves this at 1080p is Low, with an average of 95 FPS. This is the recommended starting point for a smooth experience. If a higher visual quality is desired, the Medium preset at 1080p still provides a solid average of 72 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS, ensuring that frame pacing remains stable.

For 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that maintains a 60+ FPS average, hitting 61 FPS. Dropping to Medium at this resolution reduces the average to 47 FPS, which is playable but may feel less responsive. The High preset at 1440p, with an average of 39 FPS, is a compromise that sacrifices smoothness for visual fidelity. It is not recommended for competitive play.

The High preset at 1080p is a viable middle ground, offering an average of 61 FPS. However, the Low preset at 1080p provides a 55% performance increase over High, making it the best choice for maximizing frame rate. Given the system’s GPU limitations, prioritizing frame rate over visual effects is the practical approach. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it drops the frame rate to 46 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 16 FPS at 4K, all of which are too low for a smooth experience. The best experience per the measured rows is achieved by using the Low preset at 1080p or 1440p, with Medium at 1080p as a secondary option if you can tolerate a slight dip in FPS for better visuals.