Overpower

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a fascinating study in system bottlenecking within the action title Overpower. The CPU is a high-end desktop part with a 91st percentile ranking against all processors, while the GPU is an integrated graphics solution that sits at just the 9th percentile. The measured frame rates reveal a system where the graphics processor is the primary constraint, yet the data also shows how the powerful CPU helps maintain playable, if not spectacular, performance at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the relationship between these two disparate components.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 72, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average FPS of 26, which is the lowest average recorded across all tested configurations.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 45, while at 2560x1440 Medium, the average FPS drops to 40. This is a 5 FPS difference, or an 11% reduction in performance.

Q: What is the performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 64 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves only 31 FPS. This represents a 33 FPS drop, showing that the Ultra preset is more than twice as demanding on the GPU as Low.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 30 FPS?

A: Yes. At 4K resolution with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 29. The average FPS for the 4K Ultra preset is also 26, which is below the 30 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 rank compared to other GPUs based on its benchmark score?

A: The Arc B390 has a percentile ranking of 9 against all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which has a score of 1463 compared to the Arc's 1482, a delta of 1.3%.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the definitive limiting factor in this configuration for Overpower. Its benchmark results position it as an entry-level graphics solution; the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals in its performance class are legacy NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710, which have scores of 1463 and 1443 respectively. This context is crucial for interpreting the game's results: the B390 is not designed for high-fidelity gaming.

The GPU's architecture is based on Xe3-LPG with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Critically, the memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning the GPU does not have its own dedicated VRAM. This forces it to rely on the system's main memory, which has a "System Dependent" bandwidth. This is a significant drawback for gaming, as memory bandwidth is often a key determinant of performance at higher resolutions and texture settings.

The measured FPS data directly reflects these limitations. At 4K Ultra, the GPU manages only 26 FPS. The performance scales predictably as settings are lowered. At 4K Low, the average rises to 54 FPS. This indicates that while the GPU can handle the basic geometry, it struggles with the increased texture detail and effects that come with higher presets. The 4K Medium setting has a 29 FPS minimum, suggesting that even this moderate preset pushes the shared memory system to its limits. The data shows a clear pattern: the B390's performance is heavily dependent on both resolution and graphical settings, with its lack of dedicated VRAM likely contributing to the steep drop-offs.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the Intel Core i7-14700F is a high-performance desktop processor. It features 20 cores and 28 threads based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are robust, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a single-core score of 4958. The processor's 91st percentile ranking against all CPUs further emphasizes its strength. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, which has an average score of 53288, a mere 0.6% behind the i7's average score of 53620.

In the context of Overpower, the CPU's role appears to be one of ensuring a stable baseline, preventing the frame rate from being CPU-bound. This is evident when comparing the performance scaling across resolutions. At Low settings, where the GPU load is lower, the CPU can help push frame rates higher. The jump from 64 FPS at 1440p Low to 72 FPS at 1080p Low shows that the CPU has headroom to feed frames to the GPU as the resolution decreases. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect to see a more consistent frame rate regardless of resolution, as the CPU's workload does not increase with resolution.

The data indicates that the i7-14700F is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics. The performance ceiling in this combo is not defined by the CPU, but by the GPU's ability to render frames. The CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R20 score of 2082) and massive multi-threading capability (PassMark multi-thread score of 41317) mean it is never the limiting factor in these tests. The FPS differences between resolutions are almost entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering capabilities, with the CPU waiting for the next frame to process.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Overpower reveals a consistent and predictable performance landscape. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its most playable results. The Low preset yields an average of 72 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. Moving up to Medium reduces the average to 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings average 42 FPS, and Ultra dips to 35 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset is near playable, but the jump from Low to Medium is a massive 27 FPS hit.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops across all presets. The Low preset remains the only configuration above 60 FPS, achieving an average of 64 FPS. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a range of 34 to 46 FPS. High settings drop to 37 FPS, and Ultra falls to 31 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows an average reduction of about 5-8 FPS across the presets, indicating that the GPU is becoming more strained as the pixel count increases.

The 4K resolution (3840x2160) results are the most demanding and show the GPU's limitations clearly. The Low preset is the only option that remains above 50 FPS, averaging 54 FPS. Medium settings drop to an average of 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra averages just 26 FPS. At this resolution, the system is firmly GPU-bound, and the Ultra preset is not a viable option for smooth gameplay. The data shows a clear trend: higher resolutions magnify the GPU's weaknesses, and the settings presets have a more pronounced effect at 4K than at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2638 out of 2980 tested combos in Overpower. This places it in the bottom 11% of all configurations tested for this game. This low ranking is almost entirely due to the GPU. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the analysis of the combo ranking shows that the system's performance is dragged down by the integrated graphics.

Looking at the individual components, the disparity is stark. The CPU's average benchmark score of 53620 places it in the 91st percentile, with rivals like the AMD EPYC 7313P and Intel Xeon Phi 7290. The GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile, with rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce 800M and GT 625 OEM. This combination of a high-end CPU and a low-end GPU creates a system that is significantly unbalanced for gaming. The rank of 2638 suggests that most other tested combinations, likely including those with mid-range or high-end discrete GPUs, will outperform this setup in Overpower.

The data implies that while the i7-14700F provides a strong foundation, the Arc B390 prevents the system from achieving a competitive standing. It is a pairing that makes sense for a system where gaming is not the primary focus, but for a game like Overpower, the combo's rank correctly reflects its limited gaming potential. The 91st percentile CPU is effectively wasted in this gaming context, as the 9th percentile GPU cannot utilize the CPU's full capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience in Overpower is achieved by prioritizing the Low settings preset. At 1920x1080, this preset delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is the smoothest and most responsive experience available for this combo. This is the only configuration that consistently provides a frame rate well above the 60 FPS target. At 2560x1440, the Low preset is still the best choice, with an average of 64 FPS, though it is closer to the threshold.

While the Medium preset at 1080p provides an average of 45 FPS, it is a significant step down from the smoothness of Low. The data suggests that the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is not worth the 27 FPS loss. For users who can tolerate lower frame rates, 1080p Medium might be an option, but the 38 FPS minimum can lead to noticeable stutters. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they provide average frame rates in the 30-40 FPS range at 1080p, which is not ideal for an action game.

At 4K resolution, the only viable option is the Low preset, which averages 54 FPS. All other presets at this resolution fall below 35 FPS, which is unlikely to provide a satisfying gaming experience. The recommendation is clear: to achieve a playable and consistent experience with this hardware in Overpower, users should select the Low settings preset. The performance gains from lowering settings are substantial, and the system lacks the GPU power to handle higher presets gracefully.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 72 at 1080p to 64 at 1440p and then to 54 at 4K. This is a 25% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern is indicative of a GPU bottleneck. As the resolution increases, the GPU must render more pixels, which increases the workload on the graphics processor.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain constant as the resolution changes, because the CPU's workload is independent of resolution. Instead, we see a clear degradation in FPS as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

The performance drop is more pronounced at higher settings. For example, at Medium settings, the FPS falls from 45 at 1080p to 40 at 1440p to 34 at 4K. This steeper decline at higher presets suggests that the GPU's shared memory bandwidth is being saturated. The "System Shared" memory configuration is likely a major contributor to this issue, as the GPU and CPU are competing for the same system memory bandwidth. The 4K Medium setting, with a minimum FPS of 29, shows that the system is struggling to maintain a stable frame delivery at this resolution. The scaling analysis confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck, and its limitations are exacerbated by higher resolutions and more demanding settings.