Overpower

Overpower, an action title released in August 2023, shows a clear performance hierarchy when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. The data indicates that this combination is strongly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom at 1080p. Across all measured settings, the RTX 3070 Ti delivers playable frame rates, but the most efficient experience is found at High settings, which balances visual fidelity with a substantial performance buffer. The combo ranks in the 66th percentile among 2,980 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all systems tested for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor features 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and it supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 14,769 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,085 points in single-core, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its average benchmark score of 46,062 is nearly identical to its closest rivals: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, 0.1% faster), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, 0.1% slower), the AMD EPYC 4364P (45,970, 0.2% faster), and the AMD EPYC 7303 (45,960, 0.2% faster). This effectively puts the Core Ultra 5 235 in a dead heat with those processors, meaning any performance differences in Overpower are unlikely to stem from CPU compute capability.

In Overpower, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. Given the 14 cores and 14 threads, this processor has enough parallelism for modern action games, which typically scale well with multiple threads. However, the data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p Low settings, the average FPS reaches 183, which is a very high frame rate that indicates the CPU can drive the GPU well above 180 frames per second when the graphics load is light. The gap between 1080p Low and 4K Low is significant (183 vs. 138 FPS), but both are high, suggesting that the CPU is not bottlenecking even at lower resolutions. The single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,085, which is critical for games that rely on a few heavily loaded threads. The passmark single-thread score of 4,516 reinforces this, placing the processor well above average for gaming workloads.

The Core Ultra 5 235’s 14 threads are not hyper-threaded (14 cores, 14 threads), which is a notable design choice. In multi-threaded workloads, the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 6,202 and the Passmark multithread score of 37,816 show strong throughput. For Overpower, this means the CPU can handle background tasks, streaming, and game logic simultaneously without introducing frame pacing issues. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz is high enough for latency-sensitive tasks, and the L3 cache of 24 MB is adequate for game data. The memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5 is sufficient for feeding the GPU’s 608.3 GB/s bandwidth, as the CPU rarely needs to sustain that level of throughput in a single game. Overall, the CPU provides a solid foundation, and the measured FPS data confirms that the RTX 3070 Ti is the primary determinant of performance in Overpower.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at three resolutions clearly indicates that High settings offer the best experience for this combo. At 1080p, High settings produce an average of 106 FPS, which is a comfortable margin above the 88 FPS seen at Ultra. The jump from High to Ultra costs 18 FPS (a 17% drop) at 1080p, which is a significant penalty for what is typically a marginal visual improvement in action games. At 1440p, High delivers 94 FPS, while Ultra drops to 78 FPS — a 16 FPS reduction. At 4K, High averages 80 FPS, which is still playable, but Ultra falls to 67 FPS, which is below the 70 FPS threshold many gamers consider smooth. The data suggests that Ultra settings are not worth the frame rate loss, as the RTX 3070 Ti lacks the raw power to maintain high frame rates at that preset across all resolutions.

Low settings, on the other hand, provide the highest frame rates (183 FPS at 1080p, 163 FPS at 1440p, 138 FPS at 4K) but sacrifice visual quality. For competitive play, Low might be preferable, but for a general action game experience, High is the sweet spot. Medium settings sit between Low and High, with 114 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 87 FPS at 4K. The difference between Medium and High is relatively small (8 FPS at 1080p, 8 FPS at 1440p, 7 FPS at 4K), so choosing High over Medium provides better visuals with only a modest frame rate penalty. The min FPS data for Medium settings shows 97 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K, indicating that even the lowest frame rates remain above 70 FPS, which is smooth for most players.

Given these numbers, the recommendation is to use High settings for the best balance of image quality and performance. At 1080p, High delivers 106 FPS average, which is above the 100 FPS threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, 94 FPS is still very playable, and at 4K, 80 FPS is acceptable for a single-player action title. Ultra settings should be avoided unless the user prioritizes maximum visual fidelity over frame rate consistency, as the drop to 67 FPS at 4K and 78 FPS at 1440p may introduce noticeable stutter on variable refresh rate displays. The measured data does not include min FPS for High or Ultra settings, but the averages suggest that High is the more stable choice. In summary, High settings provide the best experience per the measured rows, offering a strong balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals that the RTX 3070 Ti is the limiting component at higher resolutions, while the CPU maintains consistent headroom. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 106 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p (an 11.3% decrease) and then to 80 at 4K (a 24.5% decrease from 1080p). This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario: as resolution increases, the pixel count grows, and the GPU must work harder, while the CPU workload remains relatively constant. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 14 FPS, which is larger than the 12 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU is scaling non-linearly with resolution. At 4K, the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed, and the 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is insufficient to maintain the same frame rates as lower resolutions.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average FPS goes from 183 at 1080p to 163 at 1440p (a 10.9% drop) and then to 138 at 4K (a 24.6% drop from 1080p). The high frame rates at 1080p (183 FPS) suggest that the CPU is capable of driving well over 180 FPS in this game, but the GPU cannot sustain that at higher resolutions. The 45 FPS difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low (183 vs. 138) is entirely attributable to the GPU’s rendering load. Medium settings show a similar trend: 114 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 87 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 10.5% from 1080p to 1440p and 23.7% from 1080p to 4K. Ultra settings exhibit the steepest relative decline: 88 FPS at 1080p, 78 FPS at 1440p (11.4% drop), and 67 FPS at 4K (23.9% drop from 1080p).

This scaling behavior confirms that the RTX 3070 Ti is the primary bottleneck. The CPU’s performance, as measured by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,769, is more than sufficient to handle the game’s logic at any resolution. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 183 FPS while 4K Low drops to 138 FPS (a 24.6% reduction) aligns with the GPU’s pixel throughput limits. The RTX 3070 Ti has a pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s, which is a fixed hardware capability that scales directly with resolution. The data shows that this GPU is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the frame rates fall below the 100 FPS threshold for high refresh rate displays, even at Low settings (138 FPS is still high, but the drop from 1080p is substantial). For users targeting 4K, the measured numbers suggest that High settings (80 FPS) are the maximum playable, while Ultra (67 FPS) is borderline. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU’s compute scores (89th percentile) and close rival deltas (within 0.2% of several high-end CPUs) indicate it is not holding back performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 1,015 out of 2,980 tested combos in Overpower. This places it in the 66th percentile (1,015 / 2,980 = 0.340, but the rank is 1,015, meaning 1,965 combos are worse, so it is in the upper 34% of systems). More precisely, 1,965 combos perform worse, and 1,014 perform better, putting it in the top third of all tested configurations. This is a strong result for a mid-range to upper-mid-range pairing. The RTX 3070 Ti itself ranks in the 75th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,945, which is nearly identical to its closest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (29,928, 0.1% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30,095, 0.5% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti (29,783, 0.5% faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30,433, 1.6% slower). This means the GPU is competitive with other high-end cards from previous generations, but it is not a top-tier performer.

The CPU’s rank of 1,015 out of 2,980 combos reflects the fact that the GPU is the limiting factor. The Core Ultra 5 235’s average benchmark score of 46,062 is within 0.2% of several rival CPUs, including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098). This indicates that the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo; any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Overpower. The combo’s rank is therefore primarily determined by the RTX 3070 Ti’s performance. With 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the GPU delivers 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which is solid but not exceptional for 4K gaming. The 8 GB of memory is also a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where texture-heavy scenes may exceed the memory capacity, causing stutter or reduced performance.

Compared to the 2,980 total combos, a rank of 1,015 means that 34% of systems are faster, and 66% are slower. This is a respectable position, especially considering that the RTX 3070 Ti is an end-of-life product (released in May 2021) with a 290 W TDP. The combo’s performance in Overpower is consistent with the GPU’s 75th percentile ranking, suggesting that the game is well-optimized and scales as expected with hardware. The fact that the CPU’s nearest rivals are all within 0.2% of its average score further confirms that the combo’s rank is not CPU-limited. In summary, this combo is a solid performer for Overpower, offering high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, with playable performance at 4K on reduced settings. Its 66th percentile rank places it above the majority of tested systems, and the data shows no significant CPU bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo in Overpower?

A: High settings provide the best experience, with 106 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p, and 80 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings drop to 88 FPS at 1080p, 78 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K, making High the preferred choice for a balance of visuals and performance.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting component, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 183, which is very high, but it drops to 138 at 4K Low, showing that the RTX 3070 Ti cannot maintain the same performance as resolution increases. The CPU’s benchmark scores are within 0.2% of several high-end rivals, indicating it is not the bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1,015 out of 2,980 combos, placing it in the 66th percentile. This means 1,965 combos are slower, and 1,014 are faster, putting it in the upper third of all tested systems.

Q: Can this system run Overpower at 4K smoothly?

A: Yes, at High settings it averages 80 FPS at 4K, which is playable. At Ultra settings, it drops to 67 FPS, which may be borderline for some players. Low settings deliver 138 FPS at 4K, but with reduced visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29,945, which is within 1.6% of its closest rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 is 0.5% slower (30,095), the RTX 2080 Ti is 0.5% faster (29,783), and the RX 6700 is 1.6% slower (30,433). The RTX 5070 Mobile is 0.1% faster (29,928).

Q: What is the CPU’s performance relative to its rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, 0.1% faster), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, 0.1% slower), the AMD EPYC 4364P (45,970, 0.2% faster), and the AMD EPYC 7303 (45,960, 0.2% faster). This means the CPU is effectively tied with these processors.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti in Overpower is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 183 FPS average
• Medium: 114 FPS average, 97 FPS min, 131 FPS max
• High: 106 FPS average
• Ultra: 88 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 163 FPS average
• Medium: 102 FPS average, 87 FPS min, 117 FPS max
• High: 94 FPS average
• Ultra: 78 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 138 FPS average
• Medium: 87 FPS average, 74 FPS min, 100 FPS max
• High: 80 FPS average
• Ultra: 67 FPS average

At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 95 FPS (183 vs. 88), which is a 108% difference. This shows that the GPU has significant headroom at lower resolutions, but the CPU is not limiting, as even at Low settings the frame rate is high. The Medium settings provide a min FPS of 97 at 1080p, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the range is from 163 FPS (Low) to 78 FPS (Ultra), with a 85 FPS difference. The Medium min FPS is 87, which is still playable. At 4K, Low yields 138 FPS, while Ultra drops to 67 FPS. The Medium settings at 4K have a min of 74 FPS, which is acceptable, but the Ultra average of 67 FPS is the lowest measured value across all settings and resolutions.

The data shows that the RTX 3070 Ti performs best at 1080p, where it can exceed 180 FPS on Low settings. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or higher), Low or Medium settings at 1080p are the only way to fully utilize the display’s refresh rate. At 1440p, High settings (94 FPS) are close to the 100 FPS threshold, but not quite there, so users may prefer Medium (102 FPS) for a more consistent experience above 100 FPS. At 4K, High (80 FPS) is the recommended maximum, as Ultra (67 FPS) may cause noticeable drops on some scenes. The min FPS data for Medium settings (97 at 1080p, 87 at 1440p, 74 at 4K) indicates that even the worst-case frame rates remain above 70 FPS, which is a good sign for stability. However, min FPS for Low, High, and Ultra are not provided, so the average FPS is the primary metric for those presets. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being playable only at High settings or lower.