Overpower

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a study in contrasting component capabilities within the game Overpower. The processor is a high-end desktop part with substantial multi-threaded throughput, while the graphics solution is an integrated-class unit operating with system-shared memory. The resulting performance profile is overwhelmingly constrained by the graphics subsystem, leading to a specific set of playable scenarios that are heavily dependent on resolution and quality settings. This analysis examines the measured frame rates, component roles, and overall ranking of this combination based on the benchmark data.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data for Overpower reveals a clear and decisive pattern: performance scales inversely with resolution, but the magnitude of the drop is surprisingly moderate, suggesting the bottleneck is consistently on the graphics side. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 72 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset reduces this to 64 FPS, a drop of 8 frames. At 4K, the average further declines to 54 FPS. This progression shows that even at the lowest quality settings, the system cannot maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions, indicating the graphics processor is saturated.

The pattern holds when examining the Medium settings, which include more complete data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 45 FPS. This falls to 40 FPS at 1440p and 34 FPS at 4K. The incremental decreases from 1080p to 1440p (5 FPS) and 1440p to 4K (6 FPS) are nearly linear. This linear decline is a hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario; the CPU has ample headroom, but the graphics unit’s throughput declines as the pixel count increases, directly capping the frame rate. The data does not show a cliff-edge drop, which would suggest a CPU limitation, but rather a steady degradation.

The most telling data point is the comparison between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (72 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) is a 37 FPS gap. At 4K, this gap narrows to 28 FPS (54 FPS vs 26 FPS). While the absolute numbers are lower at 4K, the relative impact of settings is slightly lessened. This is consistent with a GPU that is already heavily loaded; at 4K, the core rendering work is so high that the additional load from Ultra settings has a proportionally smaller effect on the frame rate compared to 1080p, where the GPU is relatively less saturated. The limiting component is unambiguously the Intel Arc B390, as the CPU’s performance is not reflected in the scaling behavior.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the primary determinant of this system's performance in Overpower. Its architecture is Xe3-LPG on a 3 nm process, and it operates as an integrated graphics processor (IGP). The benchmark data shows it has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a low ranking, and its nearest rivals are older, low-end discrete parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, +1.3%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, +2.7%). This context is crucial: the Arc B390 is not competing with modern discrete graphics cards but rather with entry-level legacy hardware.

The GPU’s memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system’s main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory clock is listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth is "System Dependent." This setup inherently limits performance, as the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory bandwidth. In Overpower, this shared memory arrangement likely contributes to the relatively low frame rates observed, even at lower resolutions. With a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a base clock of 300 MHz, the unit’s compute capabilities are modest, yielding a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s.

The performance data confirms the GPU’s role as a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 72 FPS, which is the only measured scenario that approaches a high-refresh experience. At higher settings, the frame rates plummet. The Ultra preset yields 35 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. These figures are consistent with a GPU that lacks the raw shading units (1536) and raster operations pipelines (24 ROPs) to handle the demands of high-quality rendering at high resolutions. The data strongly suggests that the Arc B390 is the sole limiting factor, preventing the capable CPU from ever being fully utilized.

CPU Role

In contrast to the GPU, the Intel Core i5-12600KF is a high-performance desktop processor that is largely underutilized in this configuration. It features 10 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores are robust; for example, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302. The processor’s percentile versus all CPUs is 79, placing it in the upper quintile. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K (avg score 27872, delta -0.3%) and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (avg score 27896, delta -0.3%), showing it is competitive with older flagship parts.

Given the GPU's low performance, the CPU's high throughput is never a limiting factor in Overpower. The resolution scaling data confirms this; if the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see similar frame rates across different resolutions. Instead, the frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases, which is the definition of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and high clock speeds are sufficient to feed the Arc B390, but the GPU simply cannot render frames fast enough to keep up.

The CPU’s role here is to ensure that the GPU is not starved of data. Even at 1080p Low, where the system produces its highest average of 72 FPS, the CPU is unlikely to be taxed. The data shows no scenario where the frame rate is constant across resolutions, which would indicate a CPU cap. The processor’s performance, while excellent for other tasks, is effectively irrelevant to the final frame rate in Overpower with this GPU. The system's overall capability is capped by the graphics solution, not the processor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks at position 2638 out of 2980 tested combos in Overpower. This places it in the bottom percentile of all tested configurations, despite the high-performing CPU. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU’s low percentile standing (9th). The data indicates that the overall system performance is dragged down severely by the graphics component.

When interpreting this rank, it is essential to consider the component disparity. The CPU is in the 79th percentile, meaning it is faster than most other CPUs. However, the GPU is in the 9th percentile, meaning it is slower than 91% of other GPUs. The combined rank of 2638 out of 2980 (approximately the 11th percentile) is much closer to the GPU’s percentile than the CPU’s, reinforcing the conclusion that the GPU is the dominant factor. This is a classic case of a bottleneck, where a top-tier processor is paired with a bottom-tier graphics solution, resulting in a system that performs far below the potential of its best component.

The ranking implies that most other systems, even those with much weaker CPUs, would outperform this combo in Overpower if they have a better GPU. The measured frame rates support this, as the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings. The data shows this is not a balanced build; it is a pairing that severely limits the user experience in graphically demanding applications.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at the system's capabilities across different settings and resolutions. The data includes average, minimum, and maximum FPS for some configurations, offering a complete picture of performance stability.

At 1920x1080, the resolution with the best performance, the system achieves:

• Low: 72 FPS average.
• Medium: 45 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS.
• High: 42 FPS average.
• Ultra: 35 FPS average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages decline:

• Low: 64 FPS average.
• Medium: 40 FPS average, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS.
• High: 37 FPS average.
• Ultra: 31 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the system’s performance is the lowest:

• Low: 54 FPS average.
• Medium: 34 FPS average, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS.
• High: 32 FPS average.
• Ultra: 26 FPS average.

The Medium settings are the only ones with complete min/max data. The variance between the minimum and maximum FPS is consistent, with a spread of 10-12 FPS across all resolutions. This indicates a relatively stable frame delivery without significant stutters, but at a low overall level. The data shows that only the 1080p Low setting approaches a comfortable playable frame rate, while all other configurations fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K Ultra setting is the most demanding, yielding a 26 FPS average, which is barely playable.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Overpower with this hardware?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system achieves an average above 60 FPS, and only at the Low settings preset (72 FPS). At 1440p and 4K, all average frame rates are below 65 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 72 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 35 FPS. This represents a performance increase of 37 FPS, or roughly double the frame rate.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The benchmark data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates drop consistently with increased resolution and settings, which is a characteristic of a GPU-limited system. The CPU is likely underutilized.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, has a score of 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% lower with a score of 1443.

*Q: What is the overall rank of this combo in the benchmark database for Overpower?*

A: This combination ranks 2638th out of 2980 tested combos, placing it in the lower portion of all results.

Q: Does the system maintain consistent frame rates, or are there significant drops?

A: For the Medium settings, where minimum and maximum FPS were recorded, the variance is relatively small. At 1080p, it ranges from 38 to 52 FPS; at 1440p, from 34 to 46 FPS; and at 4K, from 29 to 39 FPS. This suggests stable performance without major stutters.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for a playable experience in Overpower is 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset, which yields an average of 72 FPS. This is the only tested scenario that provides a frame rate comfortably above 60 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. Any increase in quality settings at 1080p results in a significant drop: Medium averages 45 FPS, High averages 42 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the 1080p Medium preset (45 FPS) or 1080p High preset (42 FPS) offers a more balanced experience, though they fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows that the system cannot maintain a 60 FPS average at any other resolution or setting. At 1440p, the Low preset is the best option at 64 FPS, but this is a marginal improvement over 1080p High in terms of resolution while sacrificing frame rate and visual fidelity. At 4K, all settings produce averages below 55 FPS, with the Low preset (54 FPS) being the only viable option for playable, albeit not ideal, performance.

In summary, the recommended settings are 1080p Low for maximum smoothness, or 1080p Medium for a balanced trade-off. The data clearly shows that higher resolutions and quality settings are not well-supported by the Intel Arc B390, and the system’s performance is best optimized at the lowest graphical load.