Overpower

# Overpower: Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + AMD Radeon RX 580 — Benchmark Analysis

This combo delivers playable but modest frame rates in Overpower, with the AMD Radeon RX 580 acting as the definitive performance ceiling across all resolutions. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 provides ample headroom that the GPU never fully utilizes, resulting in a system that ranks near the bottom of tested configurations. The data shows a 1080p Low average of 69 FPS, but the experience degrades sharply as resolution and settings increase, culminating in a 4K Ultra average of just 25 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern: performance drops are directly proportional to pixel count increases, with the RX 580 being the limiting factor at every step. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 69 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 62 FPS, a 10% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 52 FPS, representing a 25% loss from 1080p Low. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario — the CPU is not the constraint here.

The settings-based scaling tells an even more revealing story. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 36 FPS (69 FPS vs 33 FPS), a 52% performance penalty. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 30 FPS versus 62 FPS at Low — again a 52% reduction. At 4K, the gap narrows slightly in absolute terms: 52 FPS at Low versus 25 FPS at Ultra, a 52% penalty as well. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions strongly indicates that the GPU's shading and memory bandwidth are the bottlenecks, not the CPU.

The 4K Ultra result of 25 FPS is particularly telling. It falls below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the minimum for smooth gameplay. The 4K High setting barely clears that bar at 30 FPS, while 4K Medium sits at 33 FPS with a minimum of 28 FPS. The only 4K configuration that approaches comfortable playability is Low at 52 FPS. These numbers suggest that 4K gaming on this combo is only viable at reduced settings, and even then, the frame pacing may suffer.

The 1440p results are more encouraging but still constrained. High settings yield 36 FPS, Medium 38 FPS, and Ultra 30 FPS. Only Low at 62 FPS provides a truly smooth experience. The 1080p results show the same pattern with slightly higher numbers: High at 40 FPS, Medium 43 FPS, Ultra 33 FPS, and Low 69 FPS. The 1080p Medium result includes a measured minimum of 37 FPS and maximum of 50 FPS, indicating noticeable frame variance even at this resolution.

What this scaling reveals is that the RX 580's 256-bit memory bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-resolution textures and effects in Overpower. The GPU's 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 42.88 GPixel/s pixel rate simply cannot sustain high frame rates as pixel count increases. The CPU, with its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, is never the constraining factor — the data shows no resolution where CPU capability would explain the observed frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 brings substantial compute resources that go largely underutilized in this pairing. With 14 cores and 14 threads, a 3.40 GHz base clock, and a 5.00 GHz boost clock, this CPU ranks in the 89th percentile of all processors tested. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,769 and single-core score of 2,085 indicate strong all-around performance. The PassMark multi-thread score of 37,816 and single-thread score of 4,516 further confirm its capability.

The CPU's nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores are remarkably close. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46,030 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46,098 (0.1% higher), the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 45,970 (0.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7303 scores 45,960 (0.2% lower). These tiny deltas mean the Ultra 5 235 is functionally equivalent to these processors in general compute tasks. In Overpower specifically, the game's Action genre likely benefits from the CPU's high boost clock and modern Arrow Lake architecture.

The 3 nm process node from TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, gives this CPU excellent efficiency characteristics. The 65 W TDP is modest, and the dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provides adequate data throughput for gaming workloads. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 lanes ensures the GPU is not starved for data transfer, though the RX 580 only uses PCIe 3.0 x16.

In the context of Overpower's measured results, the CPU role appears minimal. The frame rates at 1080p Low (69 FPS) and 1440p Low (62 FPS) are far below what this CPU could theoretically support. Even at 4K Low (52 FPS), the GPU is still the primary limiter. The CPU's 14 threads are more than sufficient for modern game engines, and its single-core performance (Cinebench R20 single-core score of 875) ensures that game logic and physics calculations are not bottlenecks.

The PassMark physics score of 2,570 and data compression score of 390,711 indicate strong general processing capability. These metrics suggest that if the GPU were upgraded, this CPU would not hold back performance in Overpower. The data shows no evidence of CPU-induced frame drops — the minimum FPS values recorded (28 FPS at 4K Medium, 33 FPS at 1440p Medium, 37 FPS at 1080p Medium) are consistent with GPU-bound behavior.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the definitive performance limiter in this combo. Released in 2017 on the 14 nm Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, this GPU is now end-of-life and shows its age in Overpower's results. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is adequate for 1080p but strained at higher resolutions.

The GPU's clock speeds are modest: 1257 MHz base and 1340 MHz boost, with memory running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs deliver 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 compute, 193.0 GTexel/s texture rate, and 42.88 GPixel/s pixel rate. These specifications place the RX 580 in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 12,928.

The GPU's nearest rivals are extremely close in aggregate performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile scores 12,940 (0.1% higher), the GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12,986 (0.4% higher), the AMD Radeon 740M scores 12,870 (0.5% lower), and the AMD FirePro W5100 scores 12,847 (0.6% lower). This clustering means the RX 580 performs essentially identically to these competitors in general benchmarks.

In Overpower specifically, the GPU's DirectX 12 support (12_0) is adequate, and the Vulkan 1.3 API support is modern. However, the PassMark DirectX 12 score of 43 and DirectX 11 score of 60 indicate moderate gaming performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,005 further confirms the GPU's mid-range positioning.

The VRAM situation is interesting. The 8 GB capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the bandwidth becomes a constraint at 4K with high settings. The 4K Ultra result of 25 FPS suggests the GPU is both compute-bound and memory-bandwidth-bound. The 4K Medium minimum of 28 FPS indicates that even at moderate settings, the GPU struggles to maintain consistent frame delivery.

The GPU's 185 W TDP and dual-slot design with a single 8-pin power connector suggest it draws significant power for its performance class. The suggested 450 W PSU is reasonable. The PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while older, does not appear to be a bottleneck given the GPU's performance ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo ranks 2,724 out of 2,980 tested combinations in Overpower, placing it in the bottom 9% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's age and performance class rather than any CPU deficiency. The data shows that the RX 580's 53rd percentile GPU ranking is the primary driver of this poor combo position.

The ranking disparity between CPU and GPU is stark. The CPU sits in the 89th percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 53rd percentile. This imbalance means the system is heavily GPU-limited in Overpower. Upgrading the GPU would likely yield significant performance improvements, while upgrading the CPU would produce minimal gains.

The combo's measured FPS results align with its ranking. At no resolution or setting does this combo achieve what would be considered high-performance gaming. The best result is 69 FPS at 1080p Low, which is playable but not exceptional. The worst result is 25 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is effectively unplayable.

Compared to other combos in the database, this configuration sits near the bottom. The 2,980 total combos span a wide range of hardware, and this pairing's rank of 2,724 indicates that only 256 combinations perform worse. This is consistent with the RX 580's status as an older, entry-level GPU paired with a modern, high-end CPU.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 60 FPS gaming in Overpower?

A: Only at 1080p Low settings, where the average FPS is 69. At 1440p Low, the average drops to 62 FPS, barely clearing 60. All other settings and resolutions fall below 60 FPS, with 1080p High at 40 FPS, 1440p High at 36 FPS, and 4K Low at 52 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings configuration for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1080p Low at 69 FPS is the only configuration that provides a comfortable frame rate. If visual quality is prioritized, 1080p Medium at 43 FPS (with a 37 FPS minimum) is the highest setting that remains playable. 1440p Low at 62 FPS is also viable.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its closest rivals in this game?

A: The RX 580's aggregate benchmark score of 12,928 is within 0.6% of its nearest rivals: the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12,940), GTX 1660 SUPER (12,986), Radeon 740M (12,870), and FirePro W5100 (12,847). These differences are within measurement noise, so performance in Overpower is expected to be similar.

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

A: The GPU is definitively the bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 89th percentile of all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 53rd percentile. The resolution scaling data shows consistent frame rate drops with increasing pixel counts, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

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

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves 52 FPS average. At Medium settings, the average drops to 33 FPS with a 28 FPS minimum. High settings yield 30 FPS, and Ultra settings produce just 25 FPS. 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 28 FPS at 4K Medium settings. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 33 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 37 FPS. No minimum FPS data was recorded for Low, High, or Ultra settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Overpower covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a complete picture of performance scaling:

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 69 FPS average
• Medium: 43 FPS average, 37 FPS minimum, 50 FPS maximum
• High: 40 FPS average
• Ultra: 33 FPS average

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 62 FPS average
• Medium: 38 FPS average, 33 FPS minimum, 44 FPS maximum
• High: 36 FPS average
• Ultra: 30 FPS average

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 52 FPS average
• Medium: 33 FPS average, 28 FPS minimum, 38 FPS maximum
• High: 30 FPS average
• Ultra: 25 FPS average

The pattern is consistent: each settings tier reduces performance by roughly 5-7 FPS at 1080p, 6-8 FPS at 1440p, and 7-8 FPS at 4K. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 1440p costs approximately 7 FPS at Low, 5 FPS at Medium, 4 FPS at High, and 3 FPS at Ultra. From 1440p to 4K, the costs are 10 FPS at Low, 5 FPS at Medium, 6 FPS at High, and 5 FPS at Ultra.

The minimum FPS values at Medium settings (37 FPS at 1080p, 33 FPS at 1440p, 28 FPS at 4K) show that frame drops are more pronounced at higher resolutions. The maximum FPS values (50 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, 38 FPS at 4K) indicate that the GPU has occasional headroom but cannot sustain it.

For users targeting 60 FPS, the only viable configuration is 1080p Low (69 FPS) or 1440p Low (62 FPS). For users prioritizing visual quality, 1080p Medium (43 FPS) offers the best balance, while 4K gaming is only recommended at Low settings (52 FPS). The Ultra settings at any resolution are not recommended, as all results fall below 35 FPS.