Overpower

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a highly unusual benchmark configuration, combining a high-end desktop CPU from 2021 with a low-power integrated-class GPU from 2026. The measured frame rates in Overpower are consistently low across all settings and resolutions, firmly placing this combo at rank 2742 out of 2980 tested combinations. The data indicates a severe bottleneck, with the Arc B370 struggling to maintain playable performance, while the i5-12600KF's substantial processing power remains largely untapped.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-limited scenario, though the absolute performance is poor at every step. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 65 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 58 FPS, a reduction of 10.8%. At 3840x2160, the Low preset average falls further to 49 FPS, representing a 24.6% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern — where doubling the pixel count from 1440p to 4K only reduces frame rates by roughly 15% — suggests the GPU is already saturated even at the lowest settings, and the additional pixel workload has a diminishing relative impact on the already constrained output.

The scaling behavior across higher settings is even more telling. With the Medium preset, the average FPS goes from 41 at 1080p to 36 at 1440p, and finally to 31 at 4K. The Ultra preset shows a similar trajectory: 31 FPS at 1080p, 28 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. The absolute differences between resolutions are small — typically 5-7 FPS — which indicates that the limiting component is not the CPU's ability to feed frames, but rather the GPU's raw rendering throughput. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect a much steeper performance cliff at lower resolutions where the CPU has to work harder to maintain high frame rates; instead, the i5-12600KF's headroom is never challenged because the Arc B370 cannot exceed 65 FPS even at 1080p Low.

The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS, compared to the 1080p Ultra result of 31 FPS, shows a total scaling efficiency of 77% across a 4x pixel count increase. This is a sign of a severely underpowered GPU that is hitting its compute limits regardless of resolution. In contrast, a well-balanced system would show a more dramatic FPS drop from 1080p to 4K, often halving the frame rate, because the GPU would be the clear limiter at higher resolutions while the CPU holds up at lower ones. Here, the GPU is the limiter at all resolutions, making the resolution scaling curve unusually flat.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the dominant constraint in this configuration. Its benchmark profile shows a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of just 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This puts it in direct competition with legacy parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, delta -0.2%) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, delta -0.5%). The Arc B370's nearest rival, the AMD FirePro M2000, scores 1168, which is 1.4% lower. These comparisons underscore the GPU's position as an entry-level or integrated-class part, despite its modern 3nm process node and Xe3-LPG architecture.

The GPU operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. It features 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, along with 10 ray tracing cores. Its peak FP32 throughput is 6.144 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s. In Overpower, these specifications translate to a maximum measured average of 65 FPS at 1080p Low. The memory configuration is "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth, meaning the GPU relies on the CPU's DDR4 or DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This shared memory architecture often introduces latency and bandwidth contention, which is particularly detrimental in action games that require rapid texture streaming.

The GPU's power envelope is a mere 25 W TDP with a slot width of "IGP" and no power connectors, confirming its integrated nature. This explains why the performance ceiling is so low; the hardware is designed for efficiency, not high-end gaming. The measured frame times for the Medium preset at 1440p (min 31, max 42) and 1080p (min 34, max 47) show significant variance, suggesting that the shared memory bandwidth is causing frame pacing inconsistencies. The GPU is clearly the limiting component in every single measured scenario, as the CPU has no opportunity to demonstrate its capability.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in Overpower?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 65, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190). It is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

Q: Does the i5-12600KF perform better than its nearest rival, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D?

A: The i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D's score of 27896.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 49 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 24 FPS. This is a 25 FPS difference, with the Ultra preset delivering roughly half the frame rate of Low.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 2742 out of 2980 tested combos in Overpower, placing it in the bottom 8% of all configurations.

Q: Is there a resolution where the CPU becomes the bottleneck?

A: No. The data shows the GPU is the limiter at all resolutions. Even at 1080p Low, the maximum FPS is 65, which is far below what the i5-12600KF is capable of supporting, so the CPU never becomes the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific hardware combination, the settings selection is a trade-off between visual fidelity and playable frame rates. The data clearly shows that the Low preset is the only viable option for a playable experience. At 1920x1080, Low yields 65 FPS, which is smooth enough for action gameplay. The Medium preset at the same resolution drops to 41 FPS, which is borderline but may be acceptable for less demanding scenes. However, the High preset at 1080p yields only 38 FPS, and Ultra drops to 31 FPS, both of which are likely to feel sluggish in a fast-paced action title.

At 2560x1440, the situation worsens. The Low preset delivers 58 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium drops to 36 FPS, High to 34 FPS, and Ultra to 28 FPS. The 1440p Medium result shows a min FPS of 31 and a max of 42, indicating noticeable frame time spikes that could cause stuttering. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset (49 FPS) approaches playability; Medium (31 FPS), High (28 FPS), and Ultra (24 FPS) are all below 30 FPS, which is generally considered unplayable for action games.

The best experience per the measured rows is clearly 1080p with the Low preset. This configuration offers the highest average FPS (65) and avoids the sub-30 FPS dips seen at higher resolutions. If a user insists on higher visual quality, the Medium preset at 1080p (41 FPS) is the next best option, but the frame pacing issues (min 34, max 47) suggest it is less consistent. Users should avoid 4K entirely unless they are willing to accept frame rates in the 24-31 FPS range, which will severely impact gameplay responsiveness. Given the GPU's 5th percentile ranking, the Low preset is the only recommendation that leverages the hardware's actual capabilities without overburdening the shared memory system.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2742 out of 2980 tested combinations places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested in Overpower. This is a very poor showing, driven almost entirely by the Arc B370's performance ceiling. The CPU, by contrast, is a mid-to-high-range part; its average benchmark score of 27799 places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-12600KF's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K (score 27872, delta -0.3%) and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (score 27896, delta -0.3%), showing that the CPU is competitive with much more expensive parts.

The disconnect between the CPU's strong standing and the GPU's weak standing is stark. The Arc B370's 5th percentile GPU ranking means 95% of all GPUs tested are faster. The measured FPS data confirms this imbalance: the best-case scenario (1080p Low at 65 FPS) is a result that many modern iGPUs could achieve, let alone dedicated graphics cards. The rank of 2742 reflects a system that is severely unbalanced, where the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver. In practical terms, this combo is suitable for esports titles at low settings, but it fails to provide a competitive experience in a demanding action game like Overpower.

Compared to other combos in the database, this rank places it alongside systems using decade-old discrete GPUs or modern iGPUs. The data shows that the Arc B370's performance is roughly equivalent to a 2010-era ATI Radeon HD 5770 in synthetic benchmarks, and the in-game results corroborate this. For users looking at this combination, the ranking signals that the GPU must be upgraded or the expectations for graphical fidelity must be drastically lowered. The CPU is not the issue; the data strongly indicates that swapping the Arc B370 for a more powerful GPU would dramatically improve the rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS across presets are as follows: Low yields 65 FPS, Medium yields 41 FPS (with a min of 34 and max of 47), High yields 38 FPS, and Ultra yields 31 FPS. The frame rate drops are steep from Low to Medium (24 FPS difference), but relatively shallow from Medium to High (3 FPS) and High to Ultra (7 FPS). This suggests that the Low preset reduces the GPU's workload significantly, while the higher presets all impose a similar, heavy load that the Arc B370 cannot handle.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 58 FPS, Medium at 36 FPS (min 31, max 42), High at 34 FPS, and Ultra at 28 FPS. The delta between Low and Medium is 22 FPS, while Medium to High is only 2 FPS. The 1440p results show a 10.8% drop from 1080p at Low settings, but only a 12.2% drop at Ultra settings (from 31 to 28 FPS). This relative consistency across resolutions reinforces the GPU-bound nature of the configuration.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 49 FPS, Medium at 31 FPS (min 26, max 35), High at 28 FPS, and Ultra at 24 FPS. The 4K Low result is the only one above 30 FPS at this resolution, and it still represents a 24.6% drop from the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset at 4K shows a min FPS of 26, which means the frame rate dips below 30 FPS even in the best-case average scenario. Across all resolutions, the Low preset is the only one that consistently delivers above 45 FPS, while the Ultra preset never exceeds 31 FPS. The maximum FPS recorded in any test is 65 (1080p Low), and the minimum FPS recorded is 26 (4K Medium).

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF plays a minimal role in the final frame rates, but its specifications explain why the combo's CPU-side performance is not a concern. The CPU features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It is built on Intel's 10 nm Alder Lake architecture and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 23,391 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3,302 in single-core, with a Geekbench multicore score of 12,137 and a single-core score of 2,157. These results place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which scores 27,896, a delta of -0.3%. The i5-12600KF scores 27,799, which is also 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-10900K (27,872) and 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27,712). This tight clustering shows that the i5-12600KF is a well-rounded performer in synthetic tests, with strong multithreaded and single-threaded capabilities.

In Overpower, however, the CPU's power is irrelevant. The maximum FPS of 65 at 1080p Low is a trivial workload for a CPU that scores 7,956 in 3DMark's 16-thread test and 1,016 in single-thread. Even the most demanding CPU-bound scenarios in the game would not push the i5-12600KF to its limits at these frame rates. The CPU's 125 W TDP and 20 MB of shared L3 cache are more than sufficient for the game's logic and physics at 65 FPS. The data indicates that if the GPU were replaced with a part even ten times faster, the i5-12600KF would likely still be able to feed it frames without becoming the bottleneck, given its high boost clock and strong single-thread performance. The CPU's role here is purely supportive; it is waiting for the GPU to catch up, and it never gets the chance to demonstrate its full potential in this configuration.