Outriders

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 in Outriders presents a study in balanced scaling, where the GPU’s raw throughput dominates the experience until the CPU’s six-thread ceiling becomes the limiting factor. This combination ranks 1412th out of 1693 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, yet the measured frame rates reveal a configuration that is surprisingly capable at mainstream resolutions. The data indicates a system that can deliver smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings, while 4K pushes the Arc B580 to its limits, exposing the true cost of ultra-high resolution rendering.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Outriders shows a predictable, yet steep, drop as resolution increases, highlighting where the Arc B580’s 192-bit memory interface and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth become a bottleneck. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 99.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings reduces performance to 66.8 FPS, a 33% decline. The jump to 4K High yields only 35.5 FPS, which is a 64% reduction from the 1440p result and a 64% drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU that is being saturated by pixel count, as the core clock of 2670 MHz and the 2560 shading units struggle to maintain fill rates at 4K.

The performance delta between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution provides further insight into the limiting component. At 1080p, the difference between Low (127.4 FPS) and Ultra (79.2 FPS) is 48.2 FPS, indicating that the GPU has headroom to spare when the CPU is less stressed. At 1440p, the gap narrows slightly to 59 FPS between Low (111 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS), showing that the GPU is becoming the primary constraint. At 4K, the spread between Low (65.5 FPS) and Ultra (25.1 FPS) is 40.4 FPS, but the absolute numbers are low enough to suggest that neither component is fully utilized efficiently at this resolution; the GPU is simply overwhelmed.

The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low shows a drop from 127.4 FPS to 65.5 FPS, which is a 49% reduction. In contrast, the drop from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is from 79.2 FPS to 25.1 FPS, a 68% reduction. This indicates that as settings increase, the GPU’s workload grows exponentially with resolution, and the Arc B580’s 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, while sufficient in capacity, cannot compensate for the sheer number of pixels at 4K. The data suggests that 1440p is the sweet spot for this pairing, where the GPU can still deliver playable frame rates above 60 FPS on High settings, while 4K is only viable on Low settings for a playable experience.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1440p with High settings achieves an average of 66.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. 1080p High offers 99.6 FPS, but 1440p provides a better balance of visual fidelity and performance for this specific pairing.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Outriders?

A: Yes, but only with significant compromises. At 4K Low settings, the average FPS is 65.5, which is playable. However, at 4K Medium, the average drops to 49.4 FPS, and at 4K High it falls to 35.5 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K are not viable, averaging only 25.1 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, while the RTX 4060 has a score of 23181. The deltaPct is -0.7, meaning the Arc B580 is 0.7% slower in aggregate benchmarks, indicating that the two GPUs are essentially performance peers in synthetic tests.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-10305?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, while the i3-10305 has a score of 2300. The deltaPct is 0.2, meaning the i5-9400 is 0.2% faster, which is a negligible difference. The i5-9400 also sits at the 50th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the average FPS for Low settings is 127.4, while Ultra settings yield 79.2 FPS. This represents a 48.2 FPS drop, or a 38% reduction in frame rate, when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the 127.4 FPS average suggests that the Intel Core i5-9400’s 6 cores and 6 threads, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, are sufficient to feed the GPU. The performance difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution points to the GPU being the primary constraint, as the CPU can handle the frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It has a 9 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory via a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In the context of Outriders, a looter shooter that often involves numerous on-screen enemies and particle effects, the CPU’s thread count is a critical factor. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 127.4 FPS, which indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower settings where the GPU workload is lighter.

However, the CPU’s limitations become apparent when examining the scaling at higher resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 79.2 FPS, but this is likely due to the GPU’s workload rather than the CPU. The benchmark scores for the i5-9400 show a multi-core score of 7969 in Cinebench R23, which is respectable for a six-thread part. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-10305, has a nearly identical average score of 2300, with a deltaPct of 0.2, reinforcing that this CPU is firmly in the mid-range tier, sitting at the 50th percentile of all CPUs.

The 6 threads are adequate for Outriders, but they lack the headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming at higher settings. The data shows that at 1440p Low, the combo hits 111 FPS, while at 1080p Low it hits 127.4 FPS. This difference of 16.4 FPS is smaller than the gap between 1440p High (66.8 FPS) and 1080p High (99.6 FPS), which is 32.8 FPS. This suggests that while the GPU is the main driver of performance at higher resolutions, the CPU’s six threads can still keep up sufficiently to avoid a severe drop, but they limit the maximum achievable frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios. The integrated UHD 630 graphics are irrelevant for gaming with a discrete GPU, but the CPU’s PCIe Gen 3, 16 Lanes interface is adequate for the Arc B580, which uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 connection.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 in Outriders ranks 1412th out of 1693 combos. This places it in the bottom 17% of all tested systems, which is a low ranking, but the measured FPS data tells a more nuanced story. The rank is influenced by the fact that Outriders is a demanding title, and many other combos in the database feature higher-end CPUs and GPUs that can push higher frame rates. The percentile for the GPU is 66, meaning the Arc B580 is better than 66% of all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 50th percentile.

The ranking is also a function of the settings and resolutions tested. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 99.6 FPS, which is a solid result, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 25.1 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The fact that the combo ranks so low despite having a GPU that outperforms 66% of its peers suggests that the CPU is holding back the system in certain scenarios, or that the game is particularly sensitive to the combination of hardware. The deltaPct values for the GPU’s nearest rivals show that the Arc B580 is within 1.3% of the RTX 4060 Mobile and 0.7% of the RTX 4060, indicating that the GPU is not the weak link in the chain.

The low ranking is also a reflection of the fact that other combos tested may use faster CPUs with more threads, which can better support the Arc B580’s capabilities. The i5-9400’s 6 threads are sufficient for 60 FPS gaming, but they may struggle to maintain higher frame rates in Outriders, which can be CPU-intensive in firefights. The data shows that the combo ranks near the bottom, but the measured FPS at 1440p High (66.8 FPS) and 1080p High (99.6 FPS) demonstrates that it is a viable option for mainstream gaming, even if it does not compete with top-tier configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS across all settings ranges from 127.4 at Low to 79.2 at Ultra. The Medium preset yields 113.3 FPS, and High yields 99.6 FPS. This resolution shows the most headroom, with the GPU able to maintain frame rates well above 60 FPS even at the highest settings. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 38% reduction in performance, which is a significant but manageable hit for the visual quality gained.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across the board. Low settings produce 111 FPS, Medium produces 92.4 FPS, High produces 66.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 52 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 59 FPS, which is a 53% reduction. This resolution is where the Arc B580’s 456.0 GB/s bandwidth starts to feel the pressure, as the higher pixel count requires more memory throughput. The High preset is the highest setting that maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the results are drastically lower. Low settings yield 65.5 FPS, Medium yields 49.4 FPS, High yields 35.5 FPS, and Ultra yields 25.1 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 40.4 FPS, but the absolute numbers are all below the ideal 60 FPS threshold. Only the Low preset offers a playable frame rate, and even then, it is barely above 60 FPS. The 4K results confirm that this combo is not suited for ultra-high-resolution gaming, as the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of Outriders at this resolution. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p for high-refresh-rate play, 1440p for balanced quality, and 4K only for those willing to accept Low settings.