Outriders

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on Intel's Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and it supports DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a high-end CPU, sitting in the 93rd percentile against all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 64640.

In Outriders, the CPU's role is substantial but not always the primary bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 115 FPS, which indicates that the processor is capable of feeding the GPU with frames efficiently when the graphical load is light. The 20 cores and 20 threads provide ample headroom for the game's physics, AI, and world streaming, but Outriders is not a title that scales perfectly with massive core counts; the single-thread performance (a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960) matters more for the game's primary game logic thread. This is why the CPU's 93rd percentile ranking doesn't translate into elite frame rates at higher resolutions—the GPU becomes the limiting factor there.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database, the Core Ultra 7 265 is effectively tied with the AMD EPYC 4464P (0.3% ahead), the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (0.3% behind), and the AMD EPYC 7343 (0.7% behind). It also trails the AMD EPYC 9124 by 0.7%. These are all server-class or workstation-class chips, which underscores that the Core Ultra 7 265 is not just a gaming CPU but a versatile compute powerhouse. However, in Outriders specifically, the CPU's raw multi-thread might is less relevant than its single-core efficiency, which is solid but not exceptional for a 2025 flagship. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (115 FPS) suggests that the CPU can sustain high frame rates, but the frame rate ceiling is clearly dictated by the GPU once settings increase.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the combo scales across settings presets. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 115 FPS, which is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo. The Medium preset drops to 83 FPS, High falls to 63 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 45 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p, the High preset (63 FPS) is the best choice, as it provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while still offering improved visual fidelity over Medium. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action in a looter shooter, so it should be avoided unless visual quality is the absolute priority.

At 1440p, the situation changes. The Low preset delivers 72 FPS, which is the only setting at this resolution that clears 60 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 53 FPS, High to 40 FPS, and Ultra to 29 FPS. For 1440p gaming, the Low preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience, but the 72 FPS result suggests that the GPU is already heavily taxed. If a 60 FPS target is non-negotiable, 1440p Low is the recommended preset. However, if you can tolerate frame rates in the 40-55 FPS range, Medium offers a better balance of visual quality and performance, though it will require some compromises in fast-paced combat.

At 4K, the results are sobering. The Low preset produces 38 FPS, Medium 28 FPS, High 21 FPS, and Ultra 15 FPS. None of these are playable for a responsive looter shooter. Even the Low preset at 4K falls well short of 60 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at this resolution. The best experience for this combo is unequivocally 1080p High, which offers a solid 63 FPS average with good visual detail. If you prefer higher resolutions, the data suggests that 1440p Low (72 FPS) is the only acceptable alternative, but it comes with significant graphical compromises.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound pattern. At 1080p High, the combo averages 63 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 40 FPS, a 36.5% reduction. At 4K High, the average plunges to 21 FPS, a 66.7% reduction from 1080p High. This steep decline with each resolution increase is the signature of a GPU that is overwhelmed by pixel throughput. The Intel Arc B390, with its 1536 shading units and 24 ROPs, is simply not equipped to handle high-resolution rendering in a demanding title like Outriders.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low, 1080p yields 115 FPS, 1440p yields 72 FPS (a 37.4% drop), and 4K yields 38 FPS (a 67.0% drop from 1080p). At Medium, 1080p gives 83 FPS, 1440p gives 53 FPS (36.1% drop), and 4K gives 28 FPS (66.3% drop). The uniformity of these percentage drops—roughly 36% from 1080p to 1440p and 66% from 1080p to 4K—indicates that the CPU is not a significant factor in this scaling. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain closer to the 1080p value at higher resolutions, as the GPU would be underutilized. Instead, the FPS declines almost exactly in proportion to the pixel count increase, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is rendering every frame at its absolute limit.

This has practical implications. For this combo, 1080p is the only resolution where the frame rates are consistently playable. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 265 has ample headroom to push higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up. At 4K, the combo is essentially unusable for Outriders, with even the Low preset struggling to maintain 40 FPS. The limiting component is unambiguously the GPU, and any attempt to improve performance should focus on reducing graphical load rather than upgrading the CPU.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combos for Outriders, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 3299 out of 3710 tested combinations. This puts it in the bottom 11% of all tested combos, which is a poor showing for a CPU that ranks in the 93rd percentile overall. The discrepancy between the CPU's high standalone ranking and the combo's low in-game ranking highlights the severe imbalance between the processor and the graphics card.

The combo's rank of 3299 means that over 88% of all tested CPU-GPU pairings deliver better performance in Outriders. This is not surprising given the GPU's own benchmark standing. The Intel Arc B390 scores just 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12), placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% slower). These are all entry-level or legacy graphics solutions, which puts the Arc B390 in the same performance class as decade-old integrated graphics.

The implication is clear: the Core Ultra 7 265 is massively overpowered for the Arc B390 in this game. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking is irrelevant when the GPU is performing at the 9th percentile. The 3299th rank out of 3710 combos is a direct consequence of this mismatch. For any builder considering this pairing, the data indicates that the GPU is the overwhelming weak link, and the CPU's potential is entirely wasted in Outriders. The combo's rank would likely improve dramatically with a more capable GPU, but as measured, it is firmly in the bottom tier of tested systems.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B390 is a mobile-oriented graphics processor with an integrated form factor (IGP), based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and built on Intel's 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. Critically, it has no dedicated VRAM; its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR5 memory for frame buffering. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which is a significant limitation for a game like Outriders that requires substantial texture and geometry data to be loaded.

The GPU's performance is abysmal in the context of Outriders. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are all NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago. The FP32 compute throughput is 7.680 TFLOPS, which sounds reasonable on paper, but the lack of dedicated VRAM and the system-shared memory bottleneck severely hamper real-world gaming performance. The shared memory architecture means that the GPU and CPU must compete for the same memory bandwidth, which is a particular problem at higher resolutions where the frame buffer requirements increase.

In Outriders, the GPU's limitations are starkly visible. At 1080p Ultra, the combo manages only 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. At 4K, the GPU collapses entirely, with the Ultra preset producing just 15 FPS. The 24 ROPs are simply insufficient for high-resolution rasterization, and the system-shared memory cannot provide the necessary bandwidth for 4K textures. The GPU's boost clock of 2500 MHz is respectable, but it cannot compensate for the architectural weaknesses. The data shows that the Arc B390 is only viable for 1080p Low to Medium settings in Outriders, and even then, the frame rates are not stellar. This is a GPU that is clearly not designed for demanding AAA titles, and the benchmark results confirm that it should be avoided for any serious gaming workload.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo in Outriders is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 38 FPS average
• Medium: 28 FPS average (min 23, max 32)
• High: 21 FPS average
• Ultra: 15 FPS average

At 4K, the combo is unplayable for any serious gaming session. The Low preset is the only one that breaks 30 FPS, and even that is a marginal result. The Medium preset's min FPS of 23 indicates significant frame time inconsistency, which would cause noticeable stuttering. The Ultra preset's 15 FPS average is a slideshow.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 72 FPS average
• Medium: 53 FPS average (min 45, max 61)
• High: 40 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that provides a smooth experience, with 72 FPS. The Medium preset's 53 FPS average is borderline, and the min FPS of 45 suggests occasional dips below 60. High and Ultra are not recommended for responsive gameplay.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 115 FPS average
• Medium: 83 FPS average (min 71, max 96)
• High: 63 FPS average
• Ultra: 45 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo shows its best performance. The Low preset delivers 115 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Medium at 83 FPS is also very playable, with a min FPS of 71 ensuring minimal drops. High at 63 FPS is the highest preset that maintains a 60+ FPS average, making it the recommended sweet spot for visual quality and performance. Ultra at 45 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced combat.

The data across all resolutions shows a clear trend: the combo is only truly playable at 1080p, with the Low, Medium, and High presets all offering 60+ FPS averages. At 1440p, only Low is viable, and at 4K, no preset is playable. The GPU is the definitive bottleneck, and the CPU's power is wasted at resolutions above 1080p.