Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking case study in system bottlenecking within Outriders. The data indicates a configuration where the graphics processor is the definitive limiting factor, with benchmark results showing a dramatic collapse in frame rates as resolution increases. This analysis explores the measured performance across all settings and resolutions, contextualizes the combo's standing against other tested systems, and examines the distinct roles the CPU and GPU play in producing these results.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling aspect of this dataset is the sheer magnitude of the performance drop when moving from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 115 FPS. This falls to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 37.4%, and then plummets to 38 FPS at 3840x2160, which is a 67% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload at higher resolutions overwhelms the capabilities of the graphics processor.

The trend is consistent across all quality presets. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 63 FPS at 1080p to 40 FPS at 1440p (a 36.5% loss), and then to 21 FPS at 4K (a 66.7% loss from 1080p). The pattern reveals that the Intel Arc B390's rendering throughput is the primary constraint. As the pixel count increases, the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are exhausted, causing frame times to spike and average FPS to fall correspondingly.

This data implies that the Ryzen 7 3700X is not the bottleneck in this equation. The CPU's performance headroom is sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, but as the resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows faster than the CPU's instruction stream. The result is that the system's performance curve is dictated almost entirely by the Arc B390's pixel-processing limits rather than the 3700X's core count or clock speed. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, with the average FPS at High settings dropping by nearly half, reinforcing the conclusion that the GPU is struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in Outriders?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 115 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the measured average frame rate is 15 FPS, which is the lowest performance point recorded in the dataset.

Q: Is there a significant performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 72 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages only 29 FPS. This represents a performance drop of approximately 60% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested system configurations for this game?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2582nd out of 2913 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11.4% of all systems benchmarked for Outriders.

Q: What is the only 3DMark benchmark score available for the Intel Arc B390, and how does it compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU has a score of 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This score is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which is its closest rival with a score of 1463.

Q: Does the data show any frame rate variance at 1080p Medium settings?

A: Yes, the 1920x1080 Medium preset shows an average of 83 FPS, with a minimum recorded frame rate of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. This indicates a variance of 25 FPS between the minimum and maximum recorded frames.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's position in the global rankings for Outriders is a clear indicator of its overall performance ceiling. With a rank of 2582 out of 2913 combos, this system sits in the lower percentile of all tested configurations. This is a direct reflection of the GPU's limited capabilities, as the CPU is a comparatively strong performer. The data suggests that this pairing is heavily unbalanced, with the graphics card failing to leverage the full potential of the processor.

The GPU's individual percentile ranking of 9th percentile against all GPUs further contextualizes this poor combined showing. The Arc B390 is positioned in the bottom 9% of all graphics cards in the database, making it a fundamental performance limiter. In contrast, the Ryzen 7 3700X sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, a stark disparity that highlights the mismatch. This combination is effectively a high-end CPU from a few generations ago paired with an entry-level integrated graphics solution, resulting in a system whose gaming performance is anchored by its weakest link.

When compared to the GPU's nearest rivals, the picture remains consistent. The Arc B390's average benchmark score is 1482, which is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These rivals are all legacy, low-end parts, confirming that the Arc B390's performance class is at the very bottom of the discrete GPU spectrum. The ranking data makes it clear that while the CPU is capable of high-end processing tasks, its contribution to gaming performance in Outriders is entirely negated by the GPU's inability to render frames at a competitive rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system shows its best results. The Low preset delivers an average of 115 FPS, making it the only configuration to break the 100 FPS barrier. The Medium preset averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 and a maximum of 96 FPS. High settings yield 63 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 45 FPS. This shows a clear progression, with the Ultra preset costing over half the performance of the Low preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degradation is significant across the board. The Low preset averages 72 FPS, which is still playable but a 37% drop from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings produce an average of 53 FPS (min 45, max 61), while High settings drop to 40 FPS. The Ultra preset averages just 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that 1440p is a challenging resolution for this GPU, requiring significant compromises in visual quality to maintain reasonable frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 38 FPS. Medium settings average 28 FPS (min 23, max 32), and High settings drop to 21 FPS. The Ultra preset is essentially unplayable at an average of 15 FPS. The 4K data confirms the extreme GPU limitation, with even the lowest quality settings failing to provide a consistently smooth experience. The frame times at this resolution are likely very inconsistent, making the game feel sluggish and unresponsive.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the dominant factor in this system's Outriders performance, and its specifications explain why. The GPU is based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and is manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process node. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines. The boost clock is rated at 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. The data shows a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. These figures, while numerically specific, indicate a part designed for low-power integrated use, not high-end gaming.

The GPU's memory configuration is particularly telling. It uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the system's DDR4 RAM. The memory bus width and bandwidth are also listed as "System Shared" and "System Dependent," respectively. This architecture is a significant performance liability for a game like Outriders, which requires rapid access to large texture datasets. The lack of dedicated, high-bandwidth memory forces the GPU to compete with the CPU for memory access, increasing latency and reducing effective throughput. This explains the severe performance drop at higher resolutions, where the data footprint exceeds the available bandwidth.

The GPU's benchmark results are minimal, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This score places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, both of which are over a decade old. The data suggests that the Arc B390 is not a viable part for modern gaming at any resolution beyond the lowest settings. Its architectural limitations, combined with the shared memory subsystem, make it the clear and overwhelming bottleneck in this pairing. The measured FPS data across all settings supports this, showing that the GPU's performance is the sole determinant of the system's frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a high-performance desktop processor that is largely underutilized in this configuration. It features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The CPU has a 32 MB L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Its benchmark scores are robust, including a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 2092 and a Geekbench multicore score of 8899. The Passmark multithread score of 22458 and the average benchmark score of 34260 place it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Outriders, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls, which it does with ample headroom. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is a pure function of GPU load, with the CPU's frame delivery not changing the outcome. The 3700X's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient to feed the Arc B390's limited rendering pipeline. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and Intel Core i5-13450HX, have similar average scores, with deltas of 0.1% and -0.2% respectively, confirming its solid mid-range standing.

However, the CPU's potential is entirely wasted in this combo. Since the GPU is the bottleneck at virtually every resolution and setting, the CPU's superior processing power has no positive impact on the final frame rate. The system is effectively a "turtle with a rocket engine" – the CPU is ready to compute far more frames than the GPU can render. While the CPU is not causing any performance issues, it is also not contributing to higher FPS. The data implies that in a different pairing with a more powerful GPU, the Ryzen 7 3700X would be able to deliver much higher frame rates, but in this specific configuration, its role is reduced to that of a supporting player behind a severely underpowered graphics solution.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the recommended settings for this combo are heavily dependent on the user's resolution and tolerance for frame rate fluctuations. For the most playable experience, the data points to the 1920x1080 resolution as the only viable option. At 1080p, the Low preset provides the best performance by a significant margin, with an average of 115 FPS. This is the only setting that delivers a frame rate high enough for competitive or high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset at 1080p, averaging 83 FPS, is also a strong choice for those seeking a balance between visual quality and smoothness, with the data showing a minimum of 71 FPS, which is still acceptable.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate, the High preset at 1080p is the highest quality setting that remains playable, with an average of 63 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 45 FPS, is borderline, and likely to feel stuttery in action-heavy scenes. The data suggests that using the Ultra preset is not recommended, as the performance cost is steep compared to High. At 2560x1440, the options are more limited. The Low preset, averaging 72 FPS, is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 53 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but the minimum frame rate of 45 FPS could drop into uncomfortable territory during intense combat.

At 3840x2160, the data indicates that this combo is not suitable for gaming. Even the Low preset, which averages 38 FPS, will suffer from noticeable frame pacing issues. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets at 4K are all below 30 FPS, rendering the game effectively unplayable. Therefore, the optimal strategy is to play at 1080p. The best experience per the measured rows is achieved with the Low preset for maximum FPS, or the Medium preset for a better visual experience while maintaining a high average frame rate. The High preset is a viable alternative for those who want better graphics and can tolerate a 63 FPS average. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as its performance is not justified by the marginal visual improvements.