Outriders

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark case of component imbalance in Outriders. The data shows a CPU that ranks in the 85th percentile among all processors, paired with a GPU that sits in the 9th percentile. This massive gap dictates the performance landscape, where the graphics card is the definitive limiting factor across all tested resolutions and settings. The following analysis breaks down how this specific combination behaves, what the numbers indicate about the underlying hardware, and what settings provide the most playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern, where the cost of rendering at higher resolutions dramatically impacts the average FPS. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces 63 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 drops the average to 40 FPS, a 36.5% reduction. The jump to 3840x2160 is even more punishing, further dropping the average to 21 FPS, which is a 47.5% decline from the 1440p figure and a 66.7% drop from the 1080p baseline.

This severe scaling behavior is the primary indicator that the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck. The CPU has ample headroom to feed frames, but the GPU's rendering throughput collapses as pixel count increases. The 4K Ultra preset illustrates this most clearly, producing an unplayable 15 FPS average. Even at 4K Low, the system only manages 38 FPS, suggesting that the GPU's architecture struggles with the absolute resolution itself, not just the visual complexity.

The scaling pattern from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, the spread between Low (115 FPS) and Ultra (45 FPS) is 70 FPS. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 43 FPS (72 FPS Low vs. 29 FPS Ultra). At 4K, the spread is only 23 FPS (38 FPS Low vs. 15 FPS Ultra). This narrowing spread is a hallmark of a GPU that is saturated; lowering settings reduces the load, but the resolution constraint remains the dominant factor, preventing the frame rate from recovering to the levels seen at lower resolutions. The data suggests that the Arc B390's fill rate and shading capabilities are simply overwhelmed by the pixel throughput required at 4K.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its specifications include 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The clock speeds show a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. These figures, combined with its 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, place it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs in the database.

The benchmarks confirm its low standing. Its only recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it in direct competition with legacy mobile parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% faster). This is not a GPU designed for modern AAA gaming at high fidelity, and the Outriders results reflect that.

The GPU's memory configuration is listed as "System Shared," meaning it relies on the CPU's main memory pool rather than dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is consequently "System Dependent," which adds another layer of potential performance variability. In Outriders, this shared memory architecture likely contributes to the significant frame rate drops seen at higher settings, as the GPU competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 23 and a maximum of 32, highlighting the instability that can occur when memory bandwidth is strained. The GPU's 12 ray tracing cores are present but offer little practical benefit given the overall low compute throughput, and the 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate is insufficient for smooth 4K output.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end desktop processor. It features 12 cores (likely a hybrid of performance and efficiency cores based on its Alder Lake architecture) and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It has a substantial 25 MB of shared L3 cache and a 125W TDP. Its benchmark scores are consistently strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a single-core score of 4071. Its average benchmark score of 35365 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are all very close in performance. The Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35403 (0.1% faster), the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428 (0.2% faster), and the Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35287 (0.2% slower). This indicates that the 12700KF is performing exactly as expected for its class, providing a robust foundation for gaming.

However, in this specific configuration, the CPU's power is largely untapped. The bottleneck is so severe that the CPU is likely waiting for the GPU to finish rendering frames. In Outriders, the CPU's high single-thread performance (Geekbench single-core score of 2255) is more than sufficient to handle the game's logic and draw calls. The multi-threaded capability (Geekbench multi-core score of 14367) is also irrelevant for the frame rates observed. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most stressed, the system only reaches 115 FPS, a number that the 12700KF could likely exceed with a more capable GPU. The CPU is not the constraint; it is the platform waiting on a far weaker component.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of this specific CPU and GPU is ranked 2582 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the bottom 11% of all system configurations in the database. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, overriding the CPU's high percentile ranking.

This ranking makes sense when comparing the individual components. The CPU is in the top 15% of all processors, while the GPU is in the bottom 9%. The combo rank is heavily weighted toward the weakest link, and the Arc B390 drags the entire system down. The data indicates that this pairing would be outclassed by almost any system with a mid-range discrete GPU, even if that system had a significantly weaker CPU. The 2582nd rank out of 2913 combos suggests that only a handful of configurations with even older or more integrated graphics would perform worse.

The implication is clear: for Outriders, the Core i7-12700KF offers no practical advantage in this pairing. Its performance headroom is inaccessible. The combo rank confirms the importance of balance in a gaming system, and this configuration is profoundly unbalanced, with the GPU being the primary determinant of the user experience.

Settings Recommendations

Given the hardware constraints, the goal is to find a playable frame rate, which is generally considered to be above 60 FPS. The data shows that this is only achievable at 1080p with lower settings.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 115 FPS, which is excellent. The Medium preset provides 83 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold, with slightly better visuals. The High preset drops to 63 FPS, which is just playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as it falls to 45 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for many users.

At 2560x1440, the situation worsens. The Low preset manages 72 FPS, which is acceptable. However, the Medium preset drops to 53 FPS, and High falls to 40 FPS. These are not ideal for a fast-paced looter shooter. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is unplayable.

At 3840x2160, no preset is playable. The best result is Low at 38 FPS, with Medium at 28 FPS and High at 21 FPS. These are all below the 60 FPS standard.

The optimal experience for this combo is 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This setting provides an average of 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. The minimum frame rate is still above 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience without major hitches. The Medium preset likely offers a good balance of visual fidelity and performance, leveraging the CPU's power to maintain a high frame rate while the GPU works within its limits. For users who prioritize maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 1080p (115 FPS) is the safest choice, but the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot for quality and performance.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Outriders at 4K resolution?*

A: Technically, it can run, but the experience is not playable. The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 38 FPS on the Low preset. All other 4K presets (Medium, High, Ultra) produce averages of 28 FPS, 21 FPS, and 15 FPS, respectively, which are all well below a smooth 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the best resolution and preset combination for this hardware?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 with the Medium preset is the optimal choice. It achieves an average of 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. The Low preset at 1080p is faster (115 FPS), but the Medium preset offers a better balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF or the Intel Arc B390 the bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark data clearly shows the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck. Its performance percentile (9th) and the severe frame rate drops at higher resolutions indicate a GPU limitation. The CPU, which ranks in the 85th percentile, has far more performance headroom than the game is able to utilize in this configuration.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: This specific pairing is ranked 2582 out of 2913 combos in Outriders. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested configurations, reflecting the significant performance drag caused by the integrated GPU.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 115 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 45 FPS. This represents a 70 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset's demands are too high for the Arc B390 to maintain a playable frame rate.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is very close to several older NVIDIA parts. It is 1.3% faster than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, and 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM. These are all legacy, low-end parts, confirming its entry-level position.