Outriders

# Outriders with Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + Intel Arc B580

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B580 produces a mid-pack combination for Outriders, ranking 2145th out of 2913 tested combos. This places the pairing in the lower-middle tier of the database, indicating that while it can run the game, it is far from a top-tier configuration. The data shows a system that struggles at higher resolutions but delivers playable frame rates at 1080p, with the GPU clearly acting as the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 2145 out of 2913, this configuration sits in the 26th percentile of all tested pairings for Outriders. This means roughly three-quarters of tested combos outperform it in this specific title. The ranking reflects a fundamental imbalance: the CPU is a strong performer relative to its peers, but the GPU holds the system back, particularly at 1440p and 4K resolutions.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 itself ranks in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (score 36945, delta 0%), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (score 37018, delta -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (score 37093, delta -0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (score 37112, delta -0.5%). This clustering within 0.5% indicates the CPU is well-matched against these alternatives, none of which would meaningfully change Outriders performance.

The Arc B580, by contrast, ranks in the 68th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals paint a varied picture: the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (score 23061, delta -0.2%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895, delta 0.6%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (score 23172, delta -0.7%), and the NVIDIA P106-100 (score 23249, delta -1%). The B580's synthetic score sits almost exactly between the RTX 2080 and RTX 3080, yet in Outriders the actual frame rates suggest the GPU's real-world performance is closer to the lower end of that range.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, codenamed Battlemage, using a 5 nm process from TSMC. The chip, designated BMG-G21, contains 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 72.1 million per square millimeter. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2670 MHz and a boost clock of 2670 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective).

The 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is substantial for the GPU's class, and in Outriders the 12 GB capacity is not a limiting factor at any tested resolution or settings level. The bandwidth, however, becomes relevant when comparing 1080p and 4K performance, as the data shows a consistent drop that aligns with memory bandwidth constraints.

The GPU's compute capabilities include 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, along with 20 ray tracing cores. The pixel rate is 213.6 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 427.2 GTexel/s. Floating point performance is rated at 13.67 TFLOPS for FP32 and 27.34 TFLOPS for FP16 (at a 2:1 ratio). These specifications place the B580 in a competitive position on paper, but the measured Outriders frame rates reveal that the GPU's real-world performance is more modest.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of resolution scaling that identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves 109 FPS average. Moving to 1440p High drops this to 69 FPS, a 36.7% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 36 FPS, a 67.0% reduction from 1080p and a 47.8% reduction from 1440p.

This scaling behavior is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU, with 10 cores and 10 threads, is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, but as resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows disproportionately. The 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS average confirms that the B580 cannot handle Outriders at maximum settings in 4K, while the 4K Low result of 66 FPS shows that even at minimum settings, the GPU is still the bottleneck.

The low-to-ultra scaling at each resolution is also revealing. At 1080p, the spread from Low (200 FPS) to Ultra (79 FPS) is 121 FPS, indicating the GPU is heavily taxed by higher settings. At 1440p, the spread is 76 FPS (126 to 50), and at 4K, it narrows to 40 FPS (66 to 26). The narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is becoming so saturated that settings changes have less relative impact, further confirming GPU limitation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 200 FPS, which is well above any display's refresh rate and indicates the CPU is not holding back the GPU at this resolution. Medium settings yield 145 FPS average, with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS, providing a smooth experience with significant headroom. High settings drop to 109 FPS average, still comfortably playable. Ultra settings reduce the average to 79 FPS, which remains acceptable but shows the GPU's limits at the highest quality preset.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings deliver 126 FPS average, which is still very playable. Medium settings produce 92 FPS average, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS, offering a good balance of quality and performance. High settings drop to 69 FPS average, which is borderline for a smooth experience on standard 60 Hz displays but may show stutter on higher refresh rate monitors. Ultra settings fall to 50 FPS average, which is below the ideal threshold for fast-paced looter shooter gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overmatched. Low settings achieve 66 FPS average, which is playable but requires significant visual compromises. Medium settings drop to 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS, which is borderline playable but with noticeable dips. High settings fall to 36 FPS average, which is not smooth enough for comfortable gameplay. Ultra settings produce only 26 FPS average, which is unplayable for most users.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 sufficient for Outriders at 1080p?

A: Yes. The CPU delivers 200 FPS at 1080p Low settings, and even at 1080p Ultra it maintains 79 FPS. The data shows the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution, as the GPU's performance dictates the final frame rates.

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

A: The data indicates 1080p is the optimal resolution. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 145 FPS average (124 min, 167 max), which provides a smooth experience. At 1440p, only Low settings (126 FPS) match the 1080p Medium experience, while 4K requires Low settings just to reach 66 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The B580's average benchmark score of 23021 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061, -0.2% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895, 0.6% delta). It is also within 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23172, -0.7% delta) and the NVIDIA P106-100 (23249, -1% delta).

Q: Can this combo run Outriders at 4K?

A: Only at Low settings does the combo achieve a playable 66 FPS average at 4K. Medium settings drop to 48 FPS average (41 min, 55 max), which is borderline, while High (36 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) are not smooth enough for comfortable gameplay.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all tested processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 ranks in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, a delta of 0%.

Q: Does the GPU's 12 GB VRAM affect Outriders performance?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM capacity as a limiting factor. The 12 GB GDDR6 memory with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient at all tested settings and resolutions, as no measured result shows a sudden performance collapse that would indicate VRAM exhaustion.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture (Arrow Lake-S) using a 3 nm process from TSMC. It operates at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. PassMark results show a multithread score of 30459 and a single-thread score of 4412, with specific workloads like data compression scoring 302811 and floating point math scoring 92038.

In Outriders, the CPU's role becomes evident when examining the 1080p results. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 200 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates when the GPU is not heavily loaded. The CPU's single-thread performance, as indicated by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, is sufficient for the game's primary thread, which is typically the bottleneck in looter shooters. The 10-core configuration provides ample multi-threading headroom for background tasks and game engine threads.

However, the CPU's performance is not fully utilized in this pairing. The GPU's limitations at 1440p and 4K mean the CPU has significant unused capacity at those resolutions. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting component in any tested configuration, as the frame rates scale predictably with GPU load across resolutions and settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1080p, Medium settings (145 FPS average, 124 min, 167 max) offer the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS with headroom for demanding scenes. High settings (109 FPS) are also viable if visual fidelity is prioritized, while Ultra (79 FPS) remains playable but with less margin.

At 1440p, Medium settings (92 FPS average, 78 min, 105 max) are the recommended choice, as they maintain a smooth experience while offering reasonable visual quality. Low settings (126 FPS) are preferable for competitive play or high refresh rate displays, while High (69 FPS) is acceptable but may exhibit dips in busy scenes. Ultra (50 FPS) is not recommended due to the risk of sub-60 FPS drops.

At 4K, the data suggests only Low settings (66 FPS) provide a consistently playable experience. Medium settings (48 FPS average, 41 min) are borderline and may result in noticeable stutter during intense combat. High (36 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) are not recommended for gameplay, as the frame rates fall below acceptable thresholds for a fast-paced looter shooter.

For the best overall experience, 1080p Medium or High settings provide the optimal combination of performance and visual quality. The 1440p Medium option is the highest resolution that maintains a stable 60+ FPS experience, making it the best choice for users with 1440p displays who prioritize smoothness over maximum resolution.