Outriders

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a very specific performance profile in Outriders, one that is heavily dictated by resolution and settings. The measured data shows a system that can achieve playable frame rates at 1080p with adjusted settings, but which struggles significantly as resolution increases, revealing a clear bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to explain the relationship between the CPU, GPU, and the game's rendering demands.

Resolution Scaling

The average frame rates across the three tested resolutions demonstrate a classic GPU-bound scenario. At the Low preset, performance scales from 115 FPS at 1920x1080 down to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 38 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is consistent and severe, indicating that the rendering workload, which is handled by the GPU, is the primary constraint. The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, which are separated by 1.3% and 1.5% deltaPct respectively. This low absolute performance floor explains why the frame rate collapses so quickly when pixel count increases.

The same trend is visible at the High preset, where the frame rate drops from 63 FPS at 1080p to 40 FPS at 1440p, a 37% reduction, and then to 21 FPS at 4K, a 48% reduction from 1440p. This consistent percentage drop across different settings reinforces that the scaling is driven by the resolution itself, not by any particular graphical feature. The data suggests that the i5-14600KF, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is not the limiting factor in these scenarios. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and single-core score of 4594 are substantial, and its 90th percentile ranking against all CPUs indicates it has ample headroom. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates that plateau or become more inconsistent at lower resolutions, but instead we see a steady, predictable decline with resolution, which is a hallmark of pixel fill-rate and shader limitations on the GPU.

The most telling data point is the 4K Ultra result, which yields an average of just 15 FPS. This is a near-unplayable experience and shows that the Arc B390 is completely overwhelmed when asked to render Outriders at its highest settings and resolution. The difference between 4K Low at 38 FPS and 4K Ultra at 15 FPS highlights the heavy cost of the Ultra preset's additional effects. The 4K Medium preset shows an average of 28 FPS with a minimum of 23 FPS and maximum of 32 FPS, indicating that even the mid-range preset cannot maintain a stable, fluid experience at this resolution. The benchmark results clearly indicate that the limiting component for this combo in Outriders is the graphics card, as the performance scales almost linearly with the number of pixels being rendered.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF brings a strong foundation to this pairing, but its role in Outriders is largely to stay out of the way. With a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, the CPU has the single-threaded speed necessary for game logic and draw call submission. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks is robust; for example, it scores 462 in Cinebench R15 single-core and 1929 in Cinebench R20 single-core. This suggests that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the Arc B390 with data. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 115 FPS, which is a high frame rate that demands strong CPU performance to prepare frames quickly. Since this is the highest FPS recorded in the entire dataset, it demonstrates that the CPU is not preventing the system from reaching high frame rates when the GPU load is low.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also not a factor in this game's performance profile. The 14-core, 20-thread configuration, which scores 3280 in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 13668 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, is vastly overprovisioned for a looter shooter like Outriders. The game's workload does not appear to scale with the available threads, as evidenced by the fact that frame rates are still heavily dependent on resolution. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, has an average benchmark score of 49228, a mere 0.3% deltaPct away, indicating that at this performance tier, CPU differences are negligible for this title. The data suggests that the i5-14600KF is a passive partner in this combo; it provides the necessary headroom, but the final performance is dictated almost entirely by the graphics solution.

When we examine the frame rate drops from 1080p Low to 4K Low, we see a 77 FPS difference. This massive drop cannot be attributed to the CPU, as its workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, it is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to handle the increased pixel count. The CPU's high single-thread performance, as indicated by its 2445 Geekbench single-core score, ensures that it can maintain a consistent frame pacing, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's raw compute limits. In this specific game, the i5-14600KF is a high-end component that is effectively waiting on a low-end GPU, meaning its performance class is not a relevant factor in the measured results.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo can achieve at 1920x1080?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 115, which occurs at the Low settings preset. The High preset averages 63 FPS, while Medium and Ultra produce 83 FPS and 45 FPS respectively.

Q: How does this combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: Performance at 3840x2160 is limited. The Low preset averages 38 FPS, Medium averages 28 FPS, High averages 21 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages only 15 FPS, making 4K gaming largely impractical with this hardware.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in Outriders?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. Frame rates drop dramatically with increasing resolution while CPU demand remains relatively static, and the Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is in the 9th percentile, showing its low performance ceiling.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score is 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, has an average score of 1463, a 1.3% deltaPct. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M is 1.5% behind, and the GT 625 OEM is 2.5% behind.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between the Low and Ultra presets at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields an average of 72 FPS. The Ultra preset yields an average of 29 FPS. This represents a 43 FPS difference between the lowest and highest quality settings.

Q: Does the CPU's core count impact the measured FPS?

A: The data suggests it does not. The i5-14600KF has 14 cores and 20 threads, but the FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings, indicating a GPU-bound workload where the CPU's additional cores are not a limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1920x1080 with the Medium settings preset. This preset provides an average of 83 FPS, which is a solid frame rate for a smooth gameplay experience. The minimum FPS for this preset is 71, ensuring that frame pacing remains stable and playable during intense moments. While the Low preset offers a higher average of 115 FPS, the Medium preset likely provides a better visual quality-to-performance balance, as the jump from Low to Medium yields a more visually detailed scene without sacrificing the smoothness that is critical for a looter shooter. The High preset at 1080p, averaging 63 FPS, is also viable, but it is a 24% reduction from Medium, making Medium the better choice for maintaining higher frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only sensible option, yielding an average of 72 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 53 FPS, which may be borderline for some players, but the Low preset offers a much safer margin above 60 FPS. The High preset at 1440p, with an average of 40 FPS, is not recommended for an action game, as it falls below the threshold for responsive gameplay. The data shows that 3840x2160 is not a viable resolution for this combo, as even the Low preset only averages 38 FPS. The Ultra and High presets at 4K, with averages of 15 and 21 FPS, are effectively unplayable. Therefore, the recommendation is to prioritize the Medium preset at 1080p for the best overall experience, falling back to Low settings at 1440p if higher resolution is preferred, and avoiding 4K entirely.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2582 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the bottom 11% of all possible system configurations, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's very low performance. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as its 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs and a Passmark multi-thread score of 38697, do not compensate for the GPU's 9th percentile ranking. The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is nearly identical to its 3DMark Steel Nomad score, and its rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 with a 2.7% deltaPct, are all entry-level or legacy parts. This suggests that in the context of this database, the GPU is holding the combo back significantly.

The rank of 2582 indicates that the vast majority of other tested combinations will outperform this one in Outriders. The data implies that the i5-14600KF is capable of supporting much faster graphics cards, but this particular pairing is severely imbalanced. The combo rank is a holistic metric that reflects the combined capabilities of both components, and in this case, the GPU's limitations dominate. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544, the system's overall capability in a GPU-intensive game like Outriders is defined by its weakest link. This ranking serves as a clear warning that the Arc B390 is not suited for demanding gaming at higher resolutions, regardless of the CPU it is paired with.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination. The 1920x1080 resolution shows the most playable results. At Low settings, the system achieves an average of 115 FPS. The Medium preset averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. The High preset averages 63 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 45 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops considerably. The Low preset averages 72 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution to exceed 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS. The High preset averages 40 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 29 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is unable to provide a playable experience on any setting. The Low preset averages 38 FPS. The Medium preset averages 28 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 32 FPS. The High preset averages 21 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 15 FPS. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as both resolution and settings increase, with the 4K Ultra result being the lowest point at 15 FPS.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this system's Outriders performance. Its specifications, including 1536 shading units and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, are not sufficient for the demands of modern gaming at high resolutions. The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s. While these numbers define its theoretical capabilities, the measured 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 provides a more realistic picture of its gaming potential. This score places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, which are separated by a mere 1.3% and 1.5% deltaPct respectively. This indicates that the Arc B390's performance class is comparable to very old, entry-level discrete GPUs.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared", meaning it relies on the system's RAM for its frame buffer. The bandwidth is therefore "System Dependent", which can introduce performance penalties compared to dedicated VRAM. This architecture helps explain the dramatic performance drops seen at 4K, where memory bandwidth demands are highest. The data shows that the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this pairing. The CPU can deliver high frame rates at 1080p Low, but the GPU cannot maintain these rates as the workload increases. The 80 W TDP and "IGP" slot width suggest this is a power-efficient, integrated-style solution, which inherently limits its performance envelope. In Outriders, this translates to a system that can handle 1080p gaming at medium settings, but quickly falls behind when pushed to higher resolutions or quality presets.