Outriders

Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 is a pairing that lands in the lower quartile of tested configurations for Outriders, ranking 2582nd out of 2913 combos. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics subsystem, particularly as resolution climbs, yet the six-core processor still manages to hold its own at 1080p where frame rates become playable. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across the three primary resolutions and four quality presets, interpreting what the numbers mean for the looter shooter’s demanding environments.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark scaling pattern that points directly at the Intel Arc B390 as the primary performance limiter. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, average frame rate drops from 63 FPS to 40 FPS, a reduction of roughly 37%. The scaling continues aggressively when pushing to 3840x2160, where the same High preset yields just 21 FPS. This trajectory—nearly halving from 1440p to 4K—indicates that the GPU’s rendering throughput is saturated well before the CPU becomes a bottleneck.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more telling. The 1080p result of 115 FPS collapses to 72 FPS at 1440p and then to 38 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low figure is barely above a third of the 1080p Low result, which is a classic signature of a graphics card that lacks the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth for high pixel counts. The Arc B390’s system-shared memory architecture, which relies on system dependent bandwidth, is likely a contributing factor to this severe drop-off, as the integrated design cannot leverage dedicated VRAM bandwidth.

The delta between settings at each resolution further confirms the GPU-bound nature. At 1080p, the spread from Low (115 FPS) to Ultra (45 FPS) is 70 FPS, while at 4K, the same spread is only 23 FPS (from 38 FPS at Low to 15 FPS at Ultra). This compression at higher resolutions suggests that even the Low preset is pushing the GPU to its limits at 4K, leaving little headroom for additional graphical fidelity. The CPU, a six-core Coffee Lake part with a 4.10 GHz boost clock, is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, but its influence wanes as the pixel workload increases.

For 1080p gaming, the scaling from High to Ultra is a 28% performance hit (63 to 45 FPS), which is substantial but still leaves the game in a playable range for most users. At 1440p, the drop from Medium (53 FPS) to High (40 FPS) represents a 25% reduction, pushing the experience toward the lower end of smooth gameplay. The 4K results are uniformly below playable thresholds, with even the Low preset failing to reach 40 FPS, indicating that this combination is simply not suited for native 4K in Outriders.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Outriders?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo achieves consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset delivers 45 FPS, while the High and Medium presets provide 63 FPS and 83 FPS respectively. The 2560x1440 results are borderline, with only the Low preset (72 FPS) exceeding 60 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with the Low preset?

A: The 3840x2160 Low preset yields an average of 38 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS target most gamers prefer, and the lack of min/max data suggests the frame pacing may be inconsistent. The Medium preset at 4K provides a 28 FPS average with a minimum of 23 FPS and maximum of 32 FPS, confirming that 4K is not viable.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 bottlenecking the Intel Arc B390?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 115 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that any CPU limitation would likely appear. The severe frame rate drops at higher resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU constraints, as the processor’s six cores and 4.10 GHz boost clock are sufficient for this title.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS. The High preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 25% performance reduction when moving from Medium to High, which is a significant trade-off for the visual improvements.

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

A: The combo ranks 2582nd out of 2913 tested combinations for Outriders, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the Arc B390’s position in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that the graphics card is the primary factor limiting overall performance.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B390 have enough VRAM for Outriders at 1080p?

A: The Arc B390 uses system-shared memory, so there is no dedicated VRAM allocation. At 1080p, the performance is adequate, with the Medium preset achieving 83 FPS. However, the system-shared architecture means bandwidth is system dependent, which likely contributes to the steep performance declines at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2582nd out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the bottom 11% of the database. This low ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU, which sits in the 9th percentile of all graphics cards based on its average benchmark score. The Arc B390’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and GT 710 (2.7% faster)—all legacy or entry-level parts that are not designed for modern gaming workloads.

The CPU, by contrast, is a more capable component. The i5-9400 ranks in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals—the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (0.2% slower), Core i7-10710U (0.3% faster), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (0.4% faster), and Intel Core i3-10305 (0.4% slower)—are all within a fraction of a percent in performance, showing that the processor is a mid-pack contender. In synthetic tests, the i5-9400 scores 6629 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 935 in single-core, which are respectable figures for a six-thread part from the Coffee Lake generation.

The disparity between the CPU’s mid-range standing and the GPU’s bottom-quartile position creates an imbalanced system. In Outriders, this manifests as a configuration that can push high frame rates at 1080p but falls apart at higher resolutions. The combo’s rank of 2582 suggests that the vast majority of tested systems provide a better experience, and the data confirms that the Arc B390 is the bottleneck that prevents this pairing from achieving mainstream status.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance across all presets. The Low setting achieves an average of 115 FPS, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and maximum of 96 FPS, indicating stable frame times. High settings yield 63 FPS, while Ultra drops to 45 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 61% performance reduction, but even the worst case remains playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades noticeably. The Low preset averages 72 FPS, which is still smooth, but the Medium preset falls to 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS. The 1440p results suggest that users should stick to Low or Medium presets to maintain acceptable frame rates, as anything higher risks dipping below the 30 FPS threshold in demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to remain playable. The Low preset averages 38 FPS, which is on the edge of playability but will likely suffer from inconsistent frame pacing. The Medium preset averages 28 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and maximum of 32 FPS, which is a challenging experience for a looter shooter that requires responsive aiming. High settings drop to 21 FPS, and Ultra falls to 15 FPS, making 4K gaming effectively impossible with this configuration.

The data shows a clear tiering: 1080p is the only resolution where all presets deliver playable frame rates, 1440p requires lower settings to stay smooth, and 4K is not viable for any preset. The min/max data available for Medium settings at each resolution shows that frame pacing is relatively consistent at 1080p (71-96 FPS), but becomes tighter at 1440p (45-61 FPS) and 4K (23-32 FPS), suggesting that the GPU’s limited resources are being fully utilized at higher pixel counts.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, which is a modest figure for modern gaming.

The most significant limitation is the memory subsystem. The Arc B390 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. This architecture is a major factor in the performance collapse at higher resolutions, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1482 places the GPU in the 9th percentile, and its nearest rivals are all ancient NVIDIA parts like the GT 520MX and GT 710, which are over a decade old and not intended for gaming.

In Outriders specifically, the GPU’s role is to render the game’s particle effects, environmental destruction, and enemy density. The data shows that the Arc B390 can handle 1080p Medium (83 FPS) and Low (115 FPS) without issue, but the system-shared memory becomes a bottleneck as resolution increases. The 4K results, where even Low presets struggle to reach 40 FPS, highlight the GPU’s inability to process the higher pixel count efficiently. The 12 ray tracing cores are present, but given the overall performance level, enabling ray tracing would likely be impractical.

The GPU’s TDP is 80 W, and it uses no power connectors, which is typical for an integrated part. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is relatively high for an iGPU, but the architecture’s small memory bus and system-shared design cap its real-world gaming performance. The measured FPS confirms that the Arc B390 is best suited for lower resolutions and medium-to-low settings in demanding titles like Outriders.

Settings Recommendations

For users targeting 1920x1080, the Medium preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. The measured 83 FPS average, with a minimum of 71 FPS and maximum of 96 FPS, keeps the experience smooth even during intense combat sequences. The High preset at 63 FPS is also viable, but the 24% performance hit from Medium to High may not justify the visual gains in a fast-paced looter shooter. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is playable but risks dipping below 30 FPS in heavy scenes, so it is only recommended for users who prioritize visuals over frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that maintains a 60+ FPS average, hitting 72 FPS. The Medium preset at 53 FPS is acceptable for users who can tolerate occasional drops to 45 FPS, but it is not ideal for competitive play. High and Ultra settings at 1440p (40 FPS and 29 FPS respectively) are not recommended, as the frame rates are too low for a game that requires quick reactions to enemy attacks.

For 3840x2160, the data strongly advises against playing at this resolution with the Intel Arc B390. The best result is 38 FPS at Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target and likely to feel stuttery. The Medium preset at 28 FPS falls below the playable threshold for most users. If 4K is a requirement, this combo should be avoided entirely, as even the lowest settings cannot deliver a consistent experience.

The optimal configuration for this pairing is 1080p with Medium settings, which provides a 83 FPS average and maintains a minimum of 71 FPS. This setup leverages the CPU’s capability while keeping the GPU within its comfort zone. For users with 1440p monitors, dropping to Low settings is the only way to achieve smooth gameplay, but the visual compromise may be significant. Overall, the measured data indicates that this combo is best treated as a 1080p gaming solution, with settings adjusted downward as needed to maintain frame rate.