Outriders

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling mid-range configuration for Outriders, but the benchmark data reveals a clear and consistent performance hierarchy that is heavily dependent on resolution and graphics preset. Analysis of the measured frames per second (FPS) across three resolutions and four quality settings provides a detailed picture of where this combo excels and where its limitations become apparent, particularly when pushing for higher visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating a transition from a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound one as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 197.6 FPS at 1920x1080 to 123.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 37.3%. The subsequent drop to 4K is even more dramatic, with the average plummeting to 65.1 FPS, representing another 47.4% decrease from the 1440p figure. This pattern strongly suggests that at 1080p Low, the Intel Core i5-12400F is the limiting factor, capable of feeding the Arc B580 more frames than it can render, but by 4K, the GPU's rendering workload becomes the primary constraint.

The scaling pattern holds for higher presets, albeit with a different starting point. With High settings, the average FPS goes from 107.0 at 1080p to 70.0 at 1440p and finally to 32.9 at 4K. This consistent halving of performance at each resolution step-up underscores the significant demand 4K places on the GPU. The Ultra preset shows the most severe strain, starting at a playable 77.1 FPS at 1080p, but collapsing to 51.1 FPS at 1440p and a mere 27.0 FPS at 4K. This 65% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings highlights that the Arc B580’s compute resources are saturated by the combination of maximum visual effects and high pixel count, making 4K Ultra an unrealistic target for this configuration. The data clearly indicates that 1080p is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming, while 1440p offers a balanced experience, and 4K is only viable with significant compromises to graphical fidelity.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580’s specifications directly explain its performance profile in Outriders. The GPU operates with a static clock speed of 2670 MHz for both base and boost, which is a notable characteristic, suggesting a fixed power state in this scenario. The 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a substantial 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is generally sufficient for the texture-heavy environments of a looter shooter at 1440p. However, the benchmark data shows that the GPU's raw compute, rated at 13.67 TFLOPS FP32, becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are the resources being taxed, and the FPS drops reflect the increasing fill-rate demands of 4K.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck at 4K is evident when observing the performance delta between settings. At 4K, the difference between Low (65.1 FPS) and Ultra (27.0 FPS) is a substantial 38.1 FPS, showing that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting and its performance scales inversely with the quality preset. The card's performance at 1080p Low (197.6 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (77.1 FPS) shows a 120.5 FPS gap, which is a much larger absolute difference. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is often waiting on the GPU to render frames, and as settings increase, the GPU's workload grows, making its role more dominant. The data suggests that while the 12 GB VRAM pool is ample, the GPU's overall throughput is the limiting factor for high-fidelity gaming at higher resolutions, not memory capacity.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B580 holds a mid-pack position. The combo is ranked 1306 out of 1693 total combinations tested for Outriders, placing it in the lower half of all systems. This ranking is a direct reflection of the measured FPS data, which shows strong performance at 1080p but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K, especially on higher presets.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU sits at the 77th percentile when compared to all other CPUs, indicating it is a solid performer. Its average benchmark score of 19221 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-8700K, which has an average score of 19210 (a deltaPct of 0.1%). It also shows a negligible 0.3% lead over the Intel Core i5-1335U and a 1.3% advantage over the AMD EPYC 7773X. This places the i5-12400F in a competitive position, with its processing power not being the primary reason for the combo's overall rank.

The Intel Arc B580, conversely, is at the 66th percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 23021 is extremely close to its listed rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (score 23181, deltaPct -0.7%) and the AMD Radeon 760M (score 22999, deltaPct 0.1%). The GPU's performance is therefore in line with other mainstream cards. The combo's overall rank of 1306/1693 suggests that while neither component is a weak link, their combined performance in Outriders is not enough to break into the top tiers, likely due to the GPU being a more significant performance limiter at the resolutions where the CPU has headroom.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience varies by target resolution. For players with a 1080p display, the High preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 107.0 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience while still maintaining good visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 77.1 FPS, which is still playable, but the jump to Medium at 142.3 FPS offers a more significant performance headroom for minimal visual compromise, making it a better choice for competitive play. The Low preset at 197.6 FPS is excessive and not necessary for a good experience.

At 1440p, the High preset is the clear recommendation, offering a solid 70.0 FPS average. This balances visual fidelity with smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 88.5 FPS is also a strong option for those seeking higher frame rates, but the drop from High to Medium is less critical at this resolution. The Ultra preset at 51.1 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid, and the Low preset at 123.8 FPS is the only way to achieve a high-refresh-rate experience at this resolution. For 4K, the data recommends the Low preset, which achieves an average of 65.1 FPS, making it the only preset that provides a consistently playable frame rate. Medium at 49.2 FPS and High at 32.9 FPS are less ideal, while Ultra at 27.0 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The data shows that to play at 4K, a significant reduction in graphical settings is required.

FAQ

Q: What is the best graphics preset for this combo at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset provides the best balance, with an average frame rate of 70.0 FPS. This offers a smooth experience without the significant performance cost of the Ultra preset, which drops to 51.1 FPS.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Outriders?*

A: Yes, but with limitations. The benchmark data shows that only the Low preset at 3840x2160 achieves a consistently playable average of 65.1 FPS. Higher presets at 4K result in averages below 50 FPS, with Ultra dropping to 27.0 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU is more likely the limiting factor. The performance scaling from Low (197.6 FPS) to Ultra (77.1 FPS) shows the GPU workload increasing, but the high frame rates on lower presets suggest the Intel Core i5-12400F is capable of driving the Arc B580 to its limits.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested systems?

A: This specific combination is ranked 1306 out of 1693 total tested combinations for the game, placing it in the lower half of the performance spectrum. This is a mid-pack result, with the GPU's performance at higher resolutions being a significant factor.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580's performance close to any other GPUs?

A: Yes. Its average benchmark score of 23021 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which has a score of 23181 and a deltaPct of -0.7%, and the AMD Radeon 760M, which has a score of 22999 and a deltaPct of 0.1%.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 197.6 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 77.1 FPS. This is a difference of 120.5 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for maximum visual quality.