Overpower

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking imbalance in the Overpower benchmark data. The processor is a high-end 16-core Raptor Lake part, while the graphics solution is an integrated-class chip based on the Xe3-LPG architecture. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings reflect a system where the GPU is the dominant constraint, with the CPU’s substantial compute resources largely held in reserve. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data, contextualizes the combo’s rank, and provides actionable settings guidance based solely on the provided metrics.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop is modest, which is telling. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 72 FPS at 1920x1080 to 64 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 8 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 54 FPS. This represents an 18 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at the lowest settings. The scaling is nearly linear, suggesting that the rendering workload is scaling with pixel count, but the absolute numbers are low enough to indicate the GPU is already saturated even at 1080p.

At Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 45 FPS at 1920x1080 to 40 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 34 FPS at 3840x2160. The 11 FPS total drop from 1080p to 4K is proportionally similar to the Low settings drop. For High settings, the progression is 42 FPS at 1080p, 37 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset yields the lowest frame rates across the board: 35 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that the limiting component is the GPU. Even at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system only achieves 72 FPS, which is far from the refresh rates of modern high-end displays. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a much larger difference between 1080p and 4K, as the GPU would be more heavily loaded at higher resolutions. Instead, the relatively flat scaling—a 25% reduction in FPS from 1080p to 4K at Low settings—points to a graphics processor that is consistently overwhelmed. The Arc B390’s 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not sufficient for demanding 4K workloads in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a formidable processor on paper, with 16 cores, 24 threads, and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2529. The processor sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 46881. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which has an average score of 46971, representing a -0.2% delta. This places the i7-13700K in elite company.

However, in the context of Overpower, this CPU power is largely untapped. The measured FPS data shows that the system is unable to maintain high frame rates even at the lowest settings and resolution. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 72. While this is the highest measured result, it is not indicative of a CPU-bound scenario. A CPU-bound scenario would typically show high frame rates at low resolutions, with the frame rate dropping as resolution increases and the GPU becomes the bottleneck. Here, the frame rates are moderate at best, and the system's inability to exceed 72 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU's 3.40 GHz base clock and 5.40 GHz boost clock provide ample headroom for game logic and physics, but the Arc B390's performance ceiling prevents this from translating into higher frame rates. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are standard for a high-end desktop part, but they do not mitigate the GPU's limitations. The data indicates that the i7-13700K is not the component holding back performance in Overpower; rather, the GPU's compute and pixel throughput are the primary constraints.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2638 out of 2980 total combos for Overpower. This places it in the lower percentile of all tested systems, which is consistent with the measured frame rates. For context, a rank of 2638 out of 2980 means that roughly 342 other combinations deliver better performance in this game. This is a poor ranking, driven almost entirely by the GPU's low performance.

The GPU's individual benchmark score is 1482 on the 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, have scores of 1463 and 1460, respectively, with deltas of 1.3% and 1.5%. This indicates that the Arc B390 is performing at a level comparable to decade-old entry-level discrete graphics solutions. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 89th percentile, highlighting a massive performance disparity between the two components.

The combo rank of 2638 is a direct consequence of this mismatch. While the CPU is capable of handling any modern game, the GPU's 9th percentile standing ensures that the overall system performance is dragged down. The data shows that in Overpower, this combo is best suited for low-resolution, low-settings gaming, as higher settings and resolutions result in sub-30 FPS averages at 4K. This rank is a clear indicator that the pairing is not optimized for this particular game's demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. All values are average FPS unless otherwise noted.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 72. Medium settings reduce this to 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings yield 42 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 35 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is significant at 27 FPS, suggesting that the transition from Low to Medium introduces a substantial increase in GPU load that the Arc B390 cannot handle efficiently.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably. Low settings produce an average of 64 FPS. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. High settings average 37 FPS, and Ultra settings average 31 FPS. The difference between Low and Medium at this resolution is 24 FPS, again indicating a steep performance cliff when moving away from the lowest preset.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 54 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that exceeds 30 FPS. Medium settings average 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 26 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the system is clearly not viable for smooth gameplay, as the average frame rate falls below 30 FPS.

The data reveals that the most significant performance drop occurs between Low and Medium settings at every resolution. This suggests that the Medium preset introduces graphical features that disproportionately impact the Arc B390's limited resources. For players seeking the highest frame rates, the Low preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, particularly at 1080p and 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Overpower with this combo for the highest frame rate?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings provides the highest average FPS at 72. This is the only configuration that approaches high-refresh-rate territory, though it still falls short of 144 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Overpower?

A: At 3840x2160, the system only achieves an average of 54 FPS on Low settings. Medium, High, and Ultra settings yield 34, 32, and 26 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K is not playable, as it averages below 30 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 1482 is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463. It is also 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, which scores 1460.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system for Overpower?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The frame rates are low even at 1080p Low settings, which would not be the case if the CPU were limiting performance.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combos in Overpower?

A: This combo ranks 2638 out of 2980 tested combinations, placing it in the lower portion of the performance distribution. This is a low rank driven by the GPU's limited capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's priority for frame rate versus visual quality.

For the highest possible frame rate, the 1920x1080 Low preset is the clear choice, delivering an average of 72 FPS. This is the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, making it the most responsive option for gameplay. At 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 64 FPS, which is still playable but less smooth. At 3840x2160 Low, the average is 54 FPS, which is borderline for fast-paced action.

If the user prefers higher visual fidelity, the Medium preset offers a balanced experience, but only at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 45, which is acceptable for slower-paced games. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average drops to 40 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Medium, it falls to 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they consistently produce lower frame rates. At 1080p High, the average is 42 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it is 35 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average is 26 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

The data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for a consistently smooth experience across all resolutions. The performance cliff between Low and Medium indicates that the Arc B390 lacks the headroom to handle the additional graphical features. For users who prioritize frame rate, 1080p Low is the best choice. For those who want a balance, 1080p Medium is the highest quality preset that maintains an average above 40 FPS. Any setting above Medium at any resolution results in average frame rates below 42 FPS, which may be acceptable for some but is not ideal for a fast-paced action game.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this combo's performance in Overpower. The GPU, based on the Panther Lake chip and Xe3-LPG architecture, is a 3 nm part with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its theoretical peak performance is 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS for FP16. However, these specifications do not translate into competitive gaming performance, as evidenced by its 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a significant limitation, as memory bandwidth is "System Dependent." The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures. In the 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 benchmark, the GPU scored 1482, which is just 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX. This places the Arc B390 in the same performance class as very old, low-end discrete GPUs.

In Overpower, the GPU's limitations are stark. The measured frame rates show that even at the lowest settings, the GPU cannot push beyond 72 FPS at 1080p. The data suggests that the GPU is fully saturated at all resolutions and settings, as the frame rates scale almost linearly with pixel count and settings level. The GPU's low ROP count of 24 and its shared memory architecture are likely contributors to its poor performance. The 80 W TDP indicates a power-efficient design, but efficiency does not compensate for the lack of raw throughput needed for this game. The GPU role in this combo is to serve as the primary bottleneck, capping the system's performance at levels that are only suitable for low-detail, low-resolution gaming.