Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Arc B570 pairing in Outriders presents a clear study in performance scaling and bottleneck behavior. At 1080p, the system delivers high frame rates, but the data shows a steep decline as resolution increases, indicating where the limits of this configuration lie. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, contextualizing the results against the hardware's known specifications and benchmark standings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Outriders shows a distinct pattern of performance degradation as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 96 FPS, which drops to 61 FPS at 1440p and further to 32 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The scaling behavior is even more pronounced when examining the Low settings preset. At 1080p Low, the system produces 176 FPS average, falling to 111 FPS at 1440p and 58 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 37% and 67% respectively, showing a consistent pattern where the GPU's rendering load increases proportionally with pixel count. This suggests that the Arc B570's 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are not sufficient to maintain performance headroom at 4K.

The Medium settings data provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 128, with minimum and maximum values of 109 and 148 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS, and at 4K Medium, the average falls to 42 FPS with a range of 36 to 49 FPS. The consistent frame time variance across resolutions suggests the GPU is operating near its capacity, as the minimum FPS values scale proportionally with the averages.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling, with 1080p producing 70 FPS average, 1440p producing 44 FPS, and 4K producing only 23 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered minimum for playability, indicating that this combination is not suitable for maximum quality at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra represents a 67% reduction, mirroring the pattern seen in other presets.

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the bottleneck at any resolution. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1292 and a geekbench_singlecore score of 3064, ensures that even at 1080p Low where the GPU is least stressed, the system maintains 176 FPS. The limiting component in this configuration is clearly the Intel Arc B570 GPU, which shows diminishing returns as pixel count increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for playing Outriders with this hardware combination?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 provides the most consistent performance, with High settings achieving 96 FPS average and Medium achieving 128 FPS. At 2560x1440, High settings drop to 61 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant reduction.

Q: How does the Ultra preset perform compared to High across resolutions?

A: The Ultra preset consistently underperforms High by approximately 27% at 1080p (70 vs 96 FPS), 28% at 1440p (44 vs 61 FPS), and 28% at 4K (23 vs 32 FPS). The marginal visual improvement from Ultra may not justify the performance cost.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D bottlenecking the Arc B570 in this game?

A: No, the data shows the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D's benchmark scores, including a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 42018 and passmark_multithread score of 70255, indicate ample processing headroom. The GPU is the bottleneck, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 4K Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows a minimum FPS of 36 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, with an average of 42 FPS and maximum of 49 FPS. This indicates some frame time inconsistency at 4K resolution.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for Outriders?

A: The combo ranks 2329 out of 2913 tested combinations, placing it in the 20th percentile of all tested systems. This reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning rather than the CPU's high-end capabilities.

Q: Is the 10 GB VRAM sufficient for Outriders at 4K?

A: The measured data suggests the 10 GB VRAM on the Arc B570 is a limiting factor at 4K. The significant FPS drops from 1440p to 4K across all settings indicate memory bandwidth constraints, with the GPU's 380.0 GB/s bandwidth being insufficient for high-resolution textures.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570's specifications directly influence the Outriders performance data. The GPU features a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with 2304 shading units and 144 texture mapping units. Its 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus provides 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which becomes a critical constraint at higher resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (deltaPct 0.1) and Intel Arc A750 (deltaPct -0.1), showing that the B570 performs within a narrow band of comparable products. The passmark_g3d score of 14195 and 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 2649 provide context for its raw rendering capabilities.

In Outriders specifically, the GPU's performance characteristics are evident in the scaling data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 176 FPS, which suggests the GPU can handle the game's engine efficiently at lower pixel counts. However, the 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the 10 GB VRAM and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering.

The GPU's 18 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) are relevant for Outriders' visual effects, though the measured data does not isolate ray tracing performance. The 80 ROPs and 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate contribute to the fill rate capabilities, which are more critical at lower resolutions where the GPU can maintain higher utilization.

The power requirements of 150 W TDP with a suggested 450 W PSU indicate the GPU operates within a moderate power envelope, allowing for sustained performance in extended gaming sessions. The dual-slot design and 272 mm length suggest adequate cooling for the 150 W TDP, though the data does not include thermal measurements.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2329 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the bottom 20% of all tested configurations. This ranking is notable because the CPU alone ranks in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 75779 and nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (deltaPct 0.1) and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (deltaPct 0.4).

The disparity between CPU and GPU rankings explains the overall combo position. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D's 16 cores and 32 threads provide exceptional multi-threaded performance, with a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 42018 and passmark_multithread score of 70255. However, the Arc B570's 65th percentile ranking among GPUs means the overall system performance is constrained by the graphics card.

In the context of all tested combos, this pairing represents a significant CPU-GPU imbalance. The CPU's capabilities are far beyond what the GPU can utilize in Outriders, particularly at higher resolutions. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the system produces 176 FPS, which does not fully exercise the CPU's potential.

The ranking also reflects the game's optimization for higher-end GPUs. Outriders, released in 2021, may not scale efficiently with the Arc B570's architecture, as evidenced by the GPU's passmark_directx_12 score of 72, which is lower than its directx_11 score of 118. This suggests the game's engine may favor older graphics APIs, potentially limiting the B570's performance.

Despite the low overall ranking, the combo outperforms configurations with weaker CPUs and similar GPUs, as the Ryzen 9 9950X3D ensures no CPU-bound frame drops. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 16374 and 3dmark_max_threads score of 17184 indicate the CPU maintains high throughput even under multi-threaded game workloads.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D's specifications provide substantial headroom for Outriders, with 16 cores and 32 threads operating at a base clock of 4.30 GHz and boost clock of 5.70 GHz. The CPU's 128 MB of L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core ensure fast data access for game logic and physics calculations.

The CPU's benchmark performance confirms its high-end positioning. The cinebench_r23_multicore score of 42018 and singlecore score of 2259 demonstrate strong multi-threaded and single-threaded capabilities. The geekbench_multicore score of 26736 and singlecore score of 3064 further validate the CPU's performance, with the passmark_single_thread score of 4737 indicating excellent per-core performance.

In Outriders, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with rendering commands and handle game logic. The measured FPS data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking, as the system achieves high frame rates at 1080p (176 FPS at Low settings) without hitting CPU limits. The 3dmark_2_threads score of 2549 and 3dmark_4_threads score of 4963 indicate the CPU can handle the lightly-threaded workloads typical of game engines.

The CPU's 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 75779, places it among the top processors available. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (deltaPct 0.1) and AMD EPYC 8224P (deltaPct 0.3), showing that the 9950X3D is marginally ahead of the competition in average scores.

The 170 W TDP and 4 nm process node from TSMC indicate the CPU is designed for high performance with reasonable power efficiency. The DDR5 memory support with dual-channel configuration provides 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is sufficient for game data streaming. The PCIe Gen 5 support with 24 lanes ensures the GPU and storage devices can communicate at high speeds.

The CPU's Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, represents AMD's latest desktop design as of its 2025 release. The 16,630 million transistors on a 2x 70.6 mm² die size demonstrate the complexity of the design, while the 4 nm process allows for high clock speeds and efficient power consumption.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong performance across all settings: Low averages 176 FPS, Medium averages 128 FPS with a range of 109 to 148 FPS, High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 70 FPS. The 1080p results show the system is capable of high refresh rate gaming at lower settings.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably but remains playable. Low settings produce 111 FPS average, Medium produces 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS, High produces 61 FPS, and Ultra produces 44 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that Medium or High settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with High maintaining above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings produce 58 FPS average, which is the only preset above 30 FPS. Medium produces 42 FPS with a range of 36 to 49 FPS, High produces 32 FPS, and Ultra produces 23 FPS. The 4K results show that only Low settings provide a consistently playable experience, with Medium being borderline.

The frame time data for Medium settings shows consistent variance across resolutions. At 1080p, the spread between minimum and maximum is 39 FPS (109 to 148), at 1440p it is 24 FPS (69 to 93), and at 4K it is 13 FPS (36 to 49). The decreasing spread at higher resolutions suggests the GPU becomes more consistently saturated, reducing frame time variability.

Comparing settings within each resolution, the performance gap between Low and Ultra is consistent. At 1080p, Ultra is 60% slower than Low (70 vs 176 FPS), at 1440p it is 60% slower (44 vs 111 FPS), and at 4K it is 60% slower (23 vs 58 FPS). This consistent ratio indicates that the settings presets scale uniformly across resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, High settings provide an excellent balance with 96 FPS average, while Medium offers even higher performance at 128 FPS. For players prioritizing frame rate, Low settings deliver 176 FPS, which is suitable for high refresh rate displays.

At 2560x1440, High settings maintain 61 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings provide a more comfortable margin at 81 FPS, making it the recommended preset for 1440p gaming. Low settings offer 111 FPS for competitive play, while Ultra drops to 44 FPS, which may be acceptable for players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations are more limited. Low settings provide 58 FPS average, which is the only preset that consistently stays above 50 FPS. Medium settings average 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS, which is playable but with some frame drops. High settings at 32 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 23 FPS is not recommended for a playable experience.

The data suggests that the "sweet spot" for this configuration is 1440p with Medium settings, offering 81 FPS average with a minimum of 69 FPS. This provides smooth gameplay while maintaining reasonable visual quality. For 1080p users, High settings at 96 FPS offer the best balance, as the jump from Medium to High provides noticeable visual improvements without a significant performance cost.

For players with 4K displays, the recommendation is to use Low settings for a playable experience, or to consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for better visual quality at higher frame rates. The 10 GB VRAM limitation becomes apparent at 4K, as the performance drops suggest memory bandwidth constraints that cannot be overcome through settings adjustments alone.

The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where it achieves 70 FPS average. At higher resolutions, the performance cost of Ultra settings outweighs the visual benefits, as the system cannot maintain consistent frame rates. Players seeking maximum visual fidelity should consider this preset only at 1080p resolution.