Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a profoundly GPU-limited experience in Outriders. The benchmark data shows a system where the processor’s immense capability is almost entirely wasted by the integrated graphics solution. The Arc B390, operating as an IGP, consistently delivers frame rates that classify it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, making it the definitive bottleneck across every tested configuration. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to explain how resolution scaling, component roles, and settings interact to produce the final performance picture.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling, where frame rates drop sharply as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 115 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 72 FPS, a reduction of 43 FPS (approximately 37%). At 4K, the average falls further to 38 FPS, which is just 33% of the 1080p Low score. This steep decline is a clear indicator that the Intel Arc B390’s rendering pipeline is saturated, and the workload is not being shifted to the CPU.

The scaling pattern holds across all settings. For Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 83 at 1080p, to 53 at 1440p, and finally to 28 at 4K. The 4K Medium result also shows a minimum FPS of 23 and a maximum of 32, indicating that even the frame pacing is constrained by the GPU’s limits. High settings follow the same trajectory: 63 FPS at 1080p, 40 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. Finally, Ultra settings yield 45 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and a nearly unplayable 15 FPS at 4K.

What this tells us is that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, has more than enough headroom to feed frames at any of these resolutions. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, where the GPU can produce frames faster than the CPU can process them. The data shows no such plateau; instead, FPS scales almost linearly with the number of pixels being rendered. This is the signature of a system where the graphics processor is working at 100% capacity while the CPU waits idly for the next frame to render.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the central figure in this performance story, and its specifications explain why it struggles so severely. It is built on the Xe3-LPG architecture and operates on a 3 nm process node. Its core configuration includes 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation pipelines. While these are present, the clock speeds are the first red flag: the base clock is set at 300 MHz, boosting up to 2500 MHz. While the boost clock is respectable for an integrated solution, the sustained performance in Outriders suggests it cannot hold high frequencies under load.

The most telling detail is the memory configuration: it uses "System Shared" memory with a bus width and bandwidth that are "System Dependent". This means the GPU is borrowing bandwidth from the CPU’s DDR5 memory, which is a massive handicap for a game like Outriders that requires constant texture streaming. The 4K Ultra result of 15 FPS is a direct consequence of this memory bottleneck; the GPU cannot fetch data fast enough to keep the render pipeline busy. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s sound capable on paper, but they are theoretical maxima that are never reached in practice due to memory contention.

The benchmark data for the GPU is sparse, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This score places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710. These are all legacy, entry-level parts from over a decade ago. The deltaPct to the GT 520MX is a mere 1.3%, showing the Arc B390 is essentially in the same performance class as those ancient chips. In Outriders, this translates to the measured FPS: 115 FPS at 1080p Low is the only result that approaches playability, but even that is below the 144 Hz threshold that many gamers target. The GPU’s role is, therefore, to be the absolute limiting factor, capping performance at levels that are roughly a third of what a dedicated mid-range card would achieve.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a top-tier desktop processor that is completely unburdened by this workload. It features 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), manufactured on a 4 nm process. Its base clock of 4.30 GHz and boost clock of 5.70 GHz are exceptionally high, and the 128 MB of L3 cache is the largest in the FACT PACK. The CPU’s synthetic benchmarks are stellar: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259, plus a Geekbench multi-core score of 26736. These numbers place it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

However, in this specific game, the CPU’s role is reduced to that of a spectator. The nearest rivals listed for the CPU—AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, EPYC 8224P, and Intel Core Ultra 9 285—all have average scores within 0.4% of the 9950X3D. This indicates that in a CPU-bound scenario, the 9950X3D would be trading blows with these parts. But because the Arc B390 cannot produce enough frames, the CPU’s potential is never tapped. There is no scenario in the measured FPS data where the CPU becomes the bottleneck; even at 1080p Low, the 115 FPS average is far below what the CPU could support. The 32 threads are idle, and the 5.70 GHz boost clock is likely never sustained because the CPU is waiting for GPU frame completion. The CPU’s benchmarks are impressive, but they are irrelevant to the final FPS in Outriders because the GPU cannot keep up.

Settings Recommendations

Given the data, the only viable settings for this combo are at 1080p with Low or Medium presets. The 1080p Low result of 115 FPS is the only configuration that provides a smooth, responsive experience suitable for a looter shooter, which demands quick reactions and consistent frame times. The 1080p Medium setting, at 83 FPS, is also acceptable for most players, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a frame rate that is above 60 FPS. The minimum FPS of 71 at 1080p Medium confirms that the frame pacing is stable enough for gameplay.

Moving to 1440p is not recommended. The 1440p Low setting drops to 72 FPS, which is borderline, but the 1440p Medium setting falls to 53 FPS, which introduces noticeable stutter. The 1440p High and Ultra settings, at 40 and 29 FPS respectively, are unplayable. At 4K, every setting fails to reach 60 FPS, with the best result being 38 FPS on Low. The 4K Ultra setting at 15 FPS is a slideshow. Therefore, the data suggests that players should stick to 1080p. If visual fidelity is the priority, Medium is the sweet spot, as it provides a 32% FPS improvement over High (83 vs 63 FPS) while still looking substantially better than Low. The Ultra preset offers no value here, as it drops the frame rate below 60 FPS even at 1080p, hitting 45 FPS. The performance cost of Ultra is too high for the visual gains it provides on this hardware.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo capable of running Outriders at 60 FPS?*

A: Yes, but only at 1080p resolution. The data shows 115 FPS at 1080p Low and 83 FPS at 1080p Medium, both of which exceed 60 FPS. At 1440p, the best result is 72 FPS on Low, while Medium drops to 53 FPS.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: The 1440p Low preset is the only option that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 72 FPS. The 1440p Medium setting falls to 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Why is the 4K performance so poor?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses System Shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is dependent on the system's DDR5 memory. This creates a severe bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU requires more data than the shared memory bus can supply. The 4K Ultra result of 15 FPS is indicative of this starvation.

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

A: The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, a delta of only 1.3%. This puts it in the same performance tier as that legacy GPU.

Q: Does the CPU make a difference in this pairing?

A: No. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, but the GPU is the limiting factor in every measured scenario. The CPU’s 16 cores and 32 threads are never fully utilized because the GPU cannot produce frames fast enough.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this hardware?

A: The 1080p Medium preset is the best compromise, offering 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS. It provides a stable experience above 60 FPS while delivering better visual quality than the Low preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS for every tested resolution and settings combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 21 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 38 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 28 | 23 | 32 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 15 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 40 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 72 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 53 | 45 | 61 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 29 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 63 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 115 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 83 | 71 | 96 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 45 | - | - |

The data shows a consistent hierarchy: Low > Medium > High > Ultra for average FPS at every resolution. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Ultra delivering roughly 60-65% of the Low preset’s performance. For example, at 1080p, Low hits 115 FPS while Ultra gets 45 FPS. At 1440p, Low gets 72 FPS and Ultra gets 29 FPS. The Medium preset is the only other option that provides a minimum FPS metric, which is useful for gauging frame stability; the 1080p Medium minimum of 71 FPS is solid, while the 1440p Medium minimum of 45 FPS suggests occasional dips into stutter territory.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global database of tested combos for Outriders, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2582 out of 2913 combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested for this game. The rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU’s 95th percentile standing is neutralized by the GPU’s 9th percentile standing. The data indicates that while the CPU is a top-tier component, its contribution to this specific game is negligible, and the combo’s overall rank reflects the GPU’s severe limitations in a looter shooter that demands high frame rates.

The combination’s rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s inability to handle the game’s rendering load. The 1080p Low result of 115 FPS might sound respectable, but it is the only data point that keeps this combo out of the very bottom of the rankings. The 4K Ultra result of 15 FPS is among the worst possible outcomes for any modern system. In context, the CPU’s nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its average score, but the GPU’s nearest rivals are all ancient, low-power parts. This mismatch—a 95th percentile CPU paired with a 9th percentile GPU—creates an incredibly lopsided system that ranks poorly because the GPU cannot translate the CPU’s power into playable frame rates. The rank of 2582 out of 2913 suggests that most other tested configurations, even those with much weaker CPUs, will outperform this pairing in Outriders because they likely feature a dedicated graphics card.