Minimum

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B390 is a configuration that produces playable frame rates only under specific conditions in Minimum. The measured data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, limiting performance far below what the CPU is capable of driving. For a consistent experience, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the only setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold with room to spare, while Medium at the same resolution remains viable if you can tolerate occasional dips. At higher resolutions, this combo falls below acceptable playability, making it unsuitable for 1440p or 4K gaming in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results clearly indicate that graphical settings have a massive impact on performance with this combination. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate scales from 46 FPS on Ultra to 95 FPS on Low, representing a 106% improvement. The Low preset is the only configuration that delivers a comfortably smooth experience, with an average of 95 FPS that leaves headroom for typical gameplay variability. Medium at 1920x1080 averages 72 FPS, but the measured minimum of 62 FPS suggests occasional stutter in demanding scenes, making it a borderline choice for players who prioritize consistency.

At 2560x1440, the picture degrades significantly. Low produces an average of 61 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves almost no margin for error; any scene heavier than the benchmark average will likely drop below 60 FPS. Medium at this resolution averages 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS, which feels noticeably choppy for a third-person shooter. High and Ultra at 1440p average 39 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, both of which are too low for responsive gameplay.

The 3840x2160 results are uniformly poor. Even the Low preset only manages 33 FPS on average, while Ultra drops to 16 FPS. None of the 4K settings are recommended for actual play. The data strongly suggests that if you want to run Minimum with this hardware, you should stick to 1920x1080 and use the Low preset for the best balance of smoothness and visual clarity. Medium at 1080p is a secondary option if you can accept the occasional frame drop below 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample resources for modern game engines. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 30,745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,116 in single-core, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested. The 3DMark results show strong scaling from 1,136 in single-thread to 12,412 in max-thread tests, indicating excellent multi-threading capability.

However, in Minimum, the CPU's raw power is largely irrelevant because the GPU cannot keep up. The measured FPS across all resolutions and settings is constrained by the Arc B390's limited throughput, not by the CPU's ability to feed frames. The i7-13700K's single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 2,299 score in Cinebench R20 single-core, would be more than sufficient for this game's physics and AI logic. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor here; even at 1920x1080 Low, where the CPU would be most heavily utilized, the system only reaches 95 FPS average, which is well below what this processor could theoretically support.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K holds its own. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 by just 0.2% in average benchmark score and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 by 0.3%, while leading the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 by 0.5%. These tiny margins confirm that the CPU is a top-tier performer, but in this specific game combo, that performance is wasted. The 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest headroom for overclocking, but doing so would not improve the measured FPS since the bottleneck lies elsewhere.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1,536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU runs at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts to 2,500 MHz, with a peak FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS. Its memory is system shared, meaning the bandwidth and capacity depend entirely on the host system's RAM, which introduces variability in performance.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1,482 places this GPU in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which is exceptionally low. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% slower), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% slower). These comparisons show that the Arc B390 is only marginally faster than decade-old entry-level discrete GPUs, which explains its poor performance in Minimum.

The GPU's 80W TDP and integrated nature mean it shares power and thermal resources with the CPU, further limiting its ability to sustain high clock speeds under load. The measured FPS reflects this: at 1920x1080 Low, the GPU produces 95 FPS, but this drops to 61 FPS at 1440p and 33 FPS at 4K, showing a clear resolution-dependent scaling that is typical of a bandwidth-constrained integrated solution. The 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 120.0 GTexel/s texture rate are modest figures that translate directly to the low frame rates observed. For Minimum, the GPU is the definitive performance ceiling, and no CPU upgrade or setting tweak can overcome its fundamental limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2,602 out of 2,939 tested combos for Minimum, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This ranking is entirely attributable to the GPU's weak performance, as the CPU alone ranks in the 89th percentile of all processors. The mismatch between the two components is stark: a top-tier CPU paired with a bottom-tier GPU results in a system that performs like an entry-level laptop from several generations ago.

In practical terms, this combo sits below the median in the benchmark database, meaning most other tested hardware combinations deliver better frame rates in this game. The 2,939 total combos include many older or lower-end CPUs paired with mid-range GPUs that still outperform this setup because the GPU matters more in Minimum. The ranking reflects the game's sensitivity to GPU throughput rather than CPU capability, which is why the i7-13700K's excellent synthetic scores cannot rescue the overall experience.

The data suggests that if you already own this CPU, the upgrade path is clear: replace the integrated Arc B390 with any discrete GPU that performs above the 50th percentile to see dramatic improvements. The CPU has more than enough headroom to support a much faster graphics card, as evidenced by its benchmark scores that rival or exceed all of its nearest competitors. This combo ranking is a cautionary tale about pairing components of vastly different performance tiers.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this hardware in Minimum?*

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings produces an average of 95 FPS, which is the only configuration that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. Medium at 1080p averages 72 FPS but drops to 62 FPS minimum, making it a secondary option.

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 1440p?*

A: Only at Low settings, which averages 61 FPS with no reported minimum. Medium at 1440p averages 47 FPS with a 40 FPS minimum, and High/Ultra drop to 39 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, all of which are below ideal playability.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Intel Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the Intel Core i7-13700K ranks in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. At 4K Ultra, the combo only averages 16 FPS, which is far below what the CPU could drive.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GT 710. All of these are entry-level parts from many years ago.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average is 95 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next best is 72 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 61 FPS at both 1080p High and 1440p Low.

*Q: Does the CPU's high core count help in Minimum?*

A: No, the data does not indicate that CPU cores are a limiting factor. The i7-13700K scores 30,745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, but the game's frame rates are consistently low across all settings, which points to GPU limitations rather than CPU thread utilization.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a complete picture of this combo's performance envelope.

1920x1080: At this resolution, the settings scale from 95 FPS on Low to 46 FPS on Ultra. Low provides the best experience with an average of 95 FPS. Medium averages 72 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS and maximum of 83 FPS, indicating some frame time variance. High averages 61 FPS, which is borderline, while Ultra at 46 FPS is not recommended for smooth play.

2560x1440: The performance drops notably at this resolution. Low averages 61 FPS, which is exactly at the playability threshold but with no reported minimum to gauge stability. Medium averages 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS, showing significant dips. High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS, both of which are too low for a shooter.

3840x2160: All settings at 4K are below playable levels. Low averages 33 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 FPS and maximum of 29 FPS, High averages 21 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. These numbers confirm that 4K is not viable with this hardware.

The overall trend shows a linear relationship between resolution and FPS: dropping from 1080p to 1440p reduces average FPS by roughly 35-36% across settings, and dropping from 1440p to 4K reduces it by a further 45-50%. This consistent scaling suggests the GPU is memory-bandwidth limited, as expected for an integrated solution with system-shared memory. The data indicates that players should target 1080p Low for the best playable experience, with 1080p Medium as a compromise for better visuals if frame drops to 62 FPS are acceptable.