Outriders

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 in Outriders presents a stark illustration of two very different performance tiers. The data shows a CPU that is robust and capable, paired with a GPU that severely limits the entire experience. The benchmark results indicate that this combination ranks 2582nd out of 2913 tested combos in this game, placing it in the bottom 12% of all systems. This is a scenario where the processor is not the bottleneck; the graphics solution is. This analysis will break down the measured performance, examining the specific roles of each component and providing practical settings advice based solely on the provided data.

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

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a 20 MB shared L3 cache. This is a modern desktop part with a 65W TDP, designed for the Intel Socket 1700 platform. While the integrated graphics are listed as N/A, the "F" designation means there is no iGPU, making the discrete Arc B390 mandatory for any display output.

In terms of raw processing power, the benchmark scores for this CPU are substantial. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055. Its Geekbench scores are 11268 for multi-core and 2058 for single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 25470, with a single-thread score of 3701. These figures place the i5-14400F in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs tested, indicating it is a high-performing processor. The average benchmark score for the CPU is 32279. Its nearest rivals, according to the data, are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, with an average score of 32233 (a 0.1% difference), and the Intel Core i9-11900, with a score of 32226 (a 0.2% difference). The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is slightly ahead with an average score of 32354, showing a -0.2% deltaPct from the i5's perspective.

Looking at the measured FPS in Outriders, it is clear that the CPU's potential is not being realized. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 115 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 45 FPS. This massive performance swing, which is also visible at other resolutions, is not characteristic of a CPU bottleneck. A CPU-bound scenario would show relatively stable frame rates across different graphics settings, as the processor's workload would remain constant. Here, the frame rate scales dramatically with the graphical load. The data strongly suggests that the i5-14400F has more than enough computational headroom to feed the GPU in Outriders. The processor's high Cinebench and Geekbench scores indicate it is capable of handling the game's physics and game logic far faster than the Arc B390 can render the frames. The performance ceiling is being set by the graphics card, not the CPU.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is where the system's performance bottleneck lies. This is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. A critical detail from the fact pack is its memory configuration: the VRAM size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared." This means it has no dedicated video memory and relies on the system's main RAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." Its base clock is 300 MHz, which can boost to 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its theoretical performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

The GPU's performance percentile is telling: it sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its sole benchmark score, a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 1482, places it in the company of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463 (a 1.3% deltaPct), and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, which scores 1460 (a 1.5% deltaPct). These are very old, entry-level mobile or OEM parts, indicating a profound lack of graphical horsepower. The data shows this GPU is not designed for modern gaming at playable frame rates, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

This explains the FPS behavior in Outriders perfectly. The GPU is being overwhelmed by the rendering load. When the settings are lowered, the GPU has less work to do per frame, and the frame rate increases. The jump from 21 FPS at 4K High to 38 FPS at 4K Low is a direct result of easing the GPU's workload. The lack of dedicated VRAM is a severe handicap, as the GPU is contending with the CPU for system memory bandwidth, which can cause stuttering and low frame rates in a demanding game like Outriders. The GPU's 80W TDP is low, indicating a power-constrained part, but the core issue is its compute capability, which is simply insufficient for the task.

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

The measured FPS across resolutions shows a predictable pattern of decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the decline confirms the GPU is the limiting factor. At Low settings, the system achieves 115 FPS at 1080p. This drops to 72 FPS at 1440p, and further to 38 FPS at 4K. This is a performance reduction of 37% from 1080p to 1440p, and a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's job of preparing frames is largely resolution-independent. The fact that the FPS plummets so significantly indicates that the GPU is being forced to work much harder at higher resolutions.

A similar pattern is observed at Medium settings, where the frame rate goes from 83 FPS at 1080p, to 53 FPS at 1440p, and down to 28 FPS at 4K. Even at the lowest settings, the scaling is steep. This is classic GPU-bound scaling. The pixels are being processed at a rate that the Arc B390 cannot sustain. The drop from 1080p to 1440p represents a 1.78x increase in pixel count, and the drop from 1440p to 4K represents a 2.25x increase in pixel count. The measured FPS drops are roughly proportional to these increases, which is a strong indicator that the graphics hardware is the limiting component. The CPU has the bandwidth and compute to keep up, but the GPU's rendering pipeline is saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following breakdown uses the exact measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK.

1920x1080:

• Low: 115 FPS
• Medium: 83 FPS (min 71, max 96)
• High: 63 FPS
• Ultra: 45 FPS

At 1080p, the system is at its best. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a highly playable frame rate. Medium is also respectable, but High and Ultra dip below the 60 FPS threshold.

2560x1440:

• Low: 72 FPS
• Medium: 53 FPS (min 45, max 61)
• High: 40 FPS
• Ultra: 29 FPS

At 1440p, the performance drops significantly. Only the Low preset remains above 60 FPS. Medium is playable but not consistently smooth, while High and Ultra become increasingly difficult to use.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 38 FPS
• Medium: 28 FPS (min 23, max 32)
• High: 21 FPS
• Ultra: 15 FPS

The 4K results are uniformly poor. Even at Low settings, the system cannot maintain a playable frame rate. The Ultra preset, at 15 FPS, is essentially a slideshow. The data shows that 4K gaming is not viable with this GPU.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B390 combination has a rank of 2582 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems tested. This is a very low ranking, which is consistent with the GPU's 9th percentile standing among all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 83rd percentile, highlighting the extreme mismatch in capability between the two components.

The benchmark results indicate that the combination's overall performance is dragged down almost entirely by the GPU. If the i5-14400F were paired with a more powerful graphics card, the ranking would be significantly higher. The data shows that the CPU has the processing power to support a much faster GPU, as its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and single-core score of 3055 are in a completely different league than what the Arc B390's 3DMark score of 1482 suggests. The system's low rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's inability to translate the CPU's capability into frame rate. This is a clear case where the overall system performance is defined by the weakest link, and that link is the graphics adapter.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this combination depends heavily on the display resolution. The goal is to find the highest settings preset that maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay, or at least above 30 FPS for a playable experience.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the clear winner, delivering an average of 115 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience and is the only setting that offers a significant frame rate headroom. The Medium preset, at 83 FPS, is also a very good option if visual fidelity is a priority, as it is still well above 60 FPS. The High preset at 63 FPS is playable, but it is right at the edge of the smoothness threshold. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as 45 FPS will feel sluggish and is not recommended for a fast-paced looter shooter.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that provides a smooth experience, with an average of 72 FPS. The Medium preset, at 53 FPS, is playable but will have noticeable dips. The High and Ultra presets, at 40 FPS and 29 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a good experience. The data shows that 1440p gaming requires a significant compromise in visual quality.

At 3840x2160, no preset provides a playable experience. The highest average FPS is 38 on the Low preset, which is below the 60 FPS target and will feel choppy. The Ultra preset at 15 FPS is unplayable. The recommendation for 4K is to avoid it entirely with this GPU.

In summary, for this system, the optimal strategy is to prioritize a high frame rate on the Low preset at 1080p, which is the only configuration where the hardware can deliver a consistently smooth and responsive gaming experience. Moving to Medium at 1080p is a viable alternative for better visuals if a frame rate in the 80s is acceptable. For any resolution above 1080p, the Low preset is the only choice, and even then, the experience at 1440p is marginal, while 4K is not viable.