Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B570 pairing in Outriders presents a study in contrasting performance ceilings. At 1080p, the system demonstrates high refresh rate capability, but the data reveals a sharp decline as resolution increases, pointing to a GPU-bound bottleneck that becomes increasingly severe. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, interprets the role of each component, and provides actionable advice based solely on the recorded data.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, running on the AM4 socket. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz and it boosts to 4.40 GHz. This configuration provides a substantial amount of parallel processing power, which is reflected in its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 2092 and a Geekbench multicore score of 8899. The processor's PassMark multithread score of 22458 and its 84th percentile ranking against all CPUs indicate that it is a well-above-average processor for general and multi-threaded workloads.

In the context of Outriders, a looter shooter that typically relies on consistent frame pacing, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The data suggests that the 3700X is not the limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 164 FPS average, and at Medium settings it hits 128 FPS. These high frame rates at lower resolutions are a strong indicator that the CPU has sufficient headroom to process game data quickly. The single-threaded performance, while not class-leading (Cinebench R15 single-core score of 204, Geekbench single-core score of 1593), is still robust enough to handle the game's primary thread without creating a significant bottleneck at these frame rates.

The CPU's memory bandwidth is rated at 51.2 GB/s with dual-channel DDR4 support. This is a standard figure for its generation, and in a game like Outriders, it is unlikely to be a constraining factor. The 32 MB of L3 cache is also a healthy amount. When we see performance drop from 164 FPS at 1080p Low to 111 FPS at 1440p Low, the 53 FPS decline is far too steep to be attributed to CPU limitations; this is a clear sign that the GPU is taking over as the performance limiter. The 3700X appears to be a stable, capable foundation that does not impede the system until the GPU is fully saturated, which happens almost immediately as resolution increases. The processor's 65W TDP and active production status also suggest it is a mature, reliable part that provides consistent performance without thermal throttling concerns in this scenario.

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

The Intel Arc B570 is the clear performance bottleneck in this system for Outriders. This GPU is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. Its base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz. The GPU's PassMark G3D score is 14195, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2649. It ranks in the 65th percentile against all GPUs, which is significantly lower than the CPU's 84th percentile, confirming the imbalance in this pairing.

The data shows a stark pattern. At 1080p, the GPU manages to deliver playable to excellent frame rates: 164 FPS at Low, 128 FPS at Medium, and 96 FPS at High. However, the Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 70 FPS, a significant 26 FPS reduction from High. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces graphical features that heavily tax the B570's shading units and rasterization throughput. The GPU has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, which are modest numbers for a modern card, and the Ultra preset likely pushes these units to their limit.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 160-bit memory bus and 380 GB/s bandwidth may become a constraint at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K, the GPU's performance collapses. The average FPS at 4K High is just 32 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 23 FPS. Even at 4K Low, the system only manages 58 FPS. The jump from 1440p High (61 FPS) to 4K High (32 FPS) represents a 47.5% performance loss, which is a massive hit that points directly to the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth being overwhelmed. The B570 is a 150W card with a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s, and this rate is simply insufficient for the pixel count at 4K. The data clearly indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the component that dictates the playable settings and resolutions for this combination.

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

The scaling behavior of this system across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound configuration. Starting at 1080p and moving to 1440p and then 4K, the frame rate drops are consistent and severe, regardless of the quality preset. On the Low preset, the system goes from 164 FPS at 1080p to 111 FPS at 1440p and then to 58 FPS at 4K. This is a performance retention of roughly 67.7% from 1080p to 1440p, and 35.4% from 1080p to 4K.

The High preset shows a similar trend, with 96 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly brutal, with the 61 FPS at 1440p falling to 32 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 47.5%. This halving of performance with just a 2.25x increase in pixel count indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard architectural limit, likely related to its fillrate and memory bandwidth. The 380.0 GB/s bandwidth is not enough to feed the GPU at 4K resolutions, causing the frame rate to plummet.

The Medium preset, which has min/max data, provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 128 FPS with a minimum of 109 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS. The frame time consistency appears to degrade as resolution increases, with the gap between average and minimum FPS growing proportionally. This suggests that the GPU is not just slower at higher resolutions, but also less consistent, likely due to memory pressure and shader complexity.

These results definitively show that the CPU is not the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at higher resolutions, not drop by nearly half. The linear and aggressive decline in FPS with each resolution increase points squarely at the Intel Arc B570. For users of this combo, 1080p is the sweet spot for high refresh rates, while 1440p is playable at medium settings, and 4K is only viable at the lowest settings for a playable experience.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Outriders at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: The data indicates that 4K is only marginally playable on the lowest settings. The system achieves 58 FPS at 4K Low, but this drops to 42 FPS at Medium and 32 FPS at High. At Ultra, it falls to 23 FPS, which is not a smooth experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high refresh rates?

A: At 1080p, the system is capable of high refresh rates. It hits 164 FPS on Low and 128 FPS on Medium. Even on High, it maintains 96 FPS, which is suitable for a 144Hz monitor. At 1440p, only the Low preset (111 FPS) allows for high refresh rate gaming.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the performance in this game?

A: The GPU is entirely responsible for the performance limits. The CPU's high benchmark scores and the steep FPS drops with increasing resolution clearly show that the Intel Arc B570 is the bottleneck. The CPU has more than enough headroom to support the frame rates the GPU can produce.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to the High preset at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 1440p, the High preset averages 61 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 44 FPS. This is a 17 FPS difference, showing that Ultra settings have a high performance cost on this GPU.

*Q: Does the 10 GB VRAM of the Intel Arc B570 cause issues in Outriders?*

A: The data does not show a specific VRAM capacity failure, but the dramatic performance drop at 4K (e.g., 61 FPS at 1440p High to 32 FPS at 4K High) suggests the GPU's memory bandwidth (380.0 GB/s) and bus width (160-bit) are overwhelmed by the increased data load at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the system's ranking compared to all other tested combos?

A: This combo ranks 2386 out of 2913 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of all tested systems for this game. This low rank is consistent with the GPU bottleneck observed in the data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B570 combination in Outriders is as follows. At 1920x1080, the system produces an average of 164 FPS on Low settings, 128 FPS on Medium, 96 FPS on High, and 70 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 109 FPS and a maximum of 148 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates are 111 FPS on Low, 81 FPS on Medium, 61 FPS on High, and 44 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset here shows a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. This represents a significant drop from 1080p, with the High preset losing 35 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily taxed. The average frame rates are 58 FPS on Low, 42 FPS on Medium, 32 FPS on High, and 23 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 49 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is severe, with the High preset losing another 29 FPS, bringing it down to an unplayable level for most users. The data shows a clear, consistent trend of performance degradation as resolution and settings increase, with the GPU being the primary constraint.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance for this combo is found at 1080p with the High preset. The 96 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and it is a substantial improvement over the 70 FPS seen on Ultra. The jump from High to Ultra costs 26 FPS, which is a 27% performance penalty for what is likely a marginal visual improvement in a fast-paced looter shooter. For a competitive edge or for users with 144Hz displays, the Medium preset at 1080p is a strong choice, offering 128 FPS and maintaining a minimum of 109 FPS, which ensures consistent frame times.

At 1440p, the data suggests that the High preset (61 FPS) is the highest setting that provides a playable experience, albeit not at high refresh rates. The Medium preset (81 FPS) is a better choice if a smoother experience is preferred, as it has a minimum of 69 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p (44 FPS) is too demanding for this GPU, and the Low preset (111 FPS), while fast, sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a game that is likely to have a heavy environmental art style.

For 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset (58 FPS) delivers a playable frame rate. The Medium preset (42 FPS) borders on playable but with a minimum of 36 FPS, it will feel choppy. High and Ultra presets at 4K are not viable options based on the measured averages of 32 FPS and 23 FPS, respectively. The recommendation is to stick to 1080p or 1440p for this GPU, as the 4K performance is too compromised to justify the resolution increase.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and an Intel Arc B570 ranks 2386 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the bottom 18% of all systems tested for this game. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance limitations, as the data shows the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's processing demands. The system is held back by the Intel Arc B570, which struggles to maintain high frame rates at resolutions above 1080p.

The GPU's own benchmark percentile is 65, which is respectable, but the demands of Outriders at higher settings appear to be particularly punishing. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc A750 (with a deltaPct of -0.1), show that the B570 is in a tight performance cluster, but none of these cards are top-tier performers. The CPU's high percentile (84th) and strong multi-core scores do little to boost the combo's rank when the GPU is the limiting factor. The low combo rank is a clear warning that this pairing is not optimized for high-end gaming at 1440p or 4K, and users should temper their expectations accordingly, focusing on 1080p gameplay to get the most out of this system.