Overpower

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 presents a stark contrast in capabilities: a modern, high-end CPU from 2025 working alongside a 2017-era GPU that is now end-of-life. Benchmark results for Overpower show a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card, with the CPU’s substantial processing power largely left unused at higher resolutions. The measured frame rates reveal a clear hierarchy where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, and the CPU’s role becomes more apparent only when the graphical load is reduced.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable, yet steep, decline in performance as resolution increases, but the pattern is not uniform across all settings. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 69 FPS at 1920x1080 to 62 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 7 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 52 FPS, representing a total drop of 17 FPS from the 1080p baseline. This scaling suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU is still the limiting factor, though the CPU is able to push frame rates high enough to keep the experience relatively fluid at lower resolutions.

The scaling becomes more dramatic at higher settings, where the GPU’s workload increases significantly. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 40 at 1080p to 36 at 1440p, and finally to 30 at 4K. This is a 25% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, highlighting how the RX 580’s older architecture struggles to maintain playable frame rates as pixel count grows. The Medium setting shows a similar trajectory: 43 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K, with the 4K result dipping to a minimum of 28 FPS, which is noticeably below the 30 FPS threshold often considered the baseline for acceptable gameplay.

The most demanding configuration, Ultra at 4K, produces an average of just 25 FPS. This represents the worst-case scenario for this combo, and the frame rate is so low that it would likely be considered unplayable for a smooth experience. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is a 24% drop (from 33 to 25 FPS), which is less severe in absolute terms than the drop at High settings, but it starts from a much lower baseline. This indicates that the GPU is completely saturated at this point, and the performance is limited by its raw compute and memory bandwidth rather than any potential CPU overhead.

The overall pattern is clear: the RX 580’s performance degrades significantly with resolution, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 36 FPS (69 vs 33), but at 4K, that difference shrinks to 27 FPS (52 vs 25). This compression suggests that at 4K, the GPU is so overwhelmed that even reducing settings has a limited impact on the final frame rate, as the core processing limit of the card is reached.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. This is a processor designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads and high-frequency gaming, but in Overpower, its capabilities are largely untapped. The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting component in this configuration.

The evidence for this lies in the frame rates at 1080p with Low settings, where the average is 69 FPS. While this is the highest result in the measured set, it is not an exceptionally high value for a CPU of this caliber, suggesting that the GPU is already preventing the CPU from reaching its full potential. The CPU’s boost clock of 5.10 GHz and 24 MB of shared L3 cache are more than sufficient for the demands of an action game like Overpower. The PassMark single-thread score of 4394 reinforces this, indicating strong per-core performance that would handle game logic and physics without issue.

However, the CPU’s role becomes more evident when examining the frame rate deltas between settings at a fixed resolution. At 1080p, going from Low to Medium only reduces the average FPS by 26 FPS (from 69 to 43), and from Medium to High by another 3 FPS. This steep drop from Low to Medium suggests that the GPU is being tasked with more work, and the CPU can still feed it data. The fact that the CPU can maintain a 69 FPS average at Low settings, which is the most CPU-light configuration, shows that it is not holding the system back in a meaningful way. In contrast, its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 with a deltaPct of -0.5, are statistically equivalent in performance, reinforcing that the CPU is not the source of any performance deficit.

The CPU’s 65W TDP and support for DDR5 memory are modern features, but they do not translate into higher frame rates in this specific test because the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that the CPU is capable of far more than the RX 580 can deliver, and its role is to provide a stable platform that will not cause frame drops or stuttering, which it does admirably. For this game, the CPU is a non-factor; the performance is entirely dictated by the GPU.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this CPU and GPU combo in Overpower?*

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 69 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain a 60 FPS average at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: No. The data shows that at 2560x1440, the highest average FPS is 62 with Low settings. All other settings at this resolution produce averages below 40 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, has a score of 49196, which is a deltaPct of -0.4. This indicates they are essentially tied in performance.

*Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor for this combo in Overpower?*

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 53rd percentile. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, both of which increase GPU load, while the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 25 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the GPU’s performance compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER has a score of 12986, resulting in a deltaPct of -0.4. This indicates the RX 580 is slightly slower than the GTX 1660 SUPER.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database for Overpower, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 580 is ranked 2724 out of 2980 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 9% of all configurations, which is a poor result for a system with a modern, high-end CPU. The ranking reflects the severe bottleneck imposed by the RX 580, which is an end-of-life product with a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The high rank of the CPU (90th percentile) is completely negated by the low rank of the GPU (53rd percentile). The system’s overall performance is effectively determined by its weakest link, and in this case, that is the graphics card. A combo ranked 2724 out of 2980 indicates that a vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings tested in this game will deliver higher frame rates. This is not a surprising outcome given the age and performance class of the RX 580, but it underscores how important GPU selection is for gaming performance, even when paired with a top-tier processor. The data confirms that this pairing is heavily imbalanced, with the CPU’s potential being wasted in this specific gaming context.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the dominant factor in this system’s Overpower performance. With a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, the GPU’s 2304 shading units are working at a significant disadvantage compared to modern cards. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a figure that is now considered modest. The GPU’s 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is the root cause of the frame rate limitations seen in the measured data.

The GPU’s performance is directly tied to its architecture, which is GCN 4.0 on a 14 nm process. This older design lacks the efficiency of newer architectures, and this is evident in the frame rates. For instance, at 1080p with Medium settings, the average FPS is 43, while at 4K with the same settings, it drops to 33 FPS. The GPU’s inability to handle the increased pixel count at 4K is clear, and the data shows that even at Low settings, the 4K resolution only manages a 52 FPS average. This is far from the performance one would expect from a modern GPU, and it is the primary reason for the combo’s low rank.

The GPU’s benchmark scores further illustrate its limitations. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is a low 1005, and its PassMark G3D score is 8813. These scores are consistent with its performance in Overpower, which shows that the GPU is only capable of providing playable frame rates at 1080p and with lower settings. The GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, has a deltaPct of -0.1, meaning they perform nearly identically on average. This comparison highlights that the RX 580 is not an outlier in its class, but rather a mid-range GPU from a previous generation that now struggles with modern titles.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a complete picture of the combo’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 69 FPS on Low settings, which is the best result of the entire set. The Medium setting yields an average of 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50. High settings produce an average of 40 FPS, and Ultra settings drop the average to 33 FPS. This shows a clear progression where each increase in settings reduces performance, but the system remains playable at 1080p even on Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases across the board. Low settings average 62 FPS, which is still a respectable result. Medium settings average 38 FPS, with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 44. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 30 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system can handle less demanding settings well, but it begins to struggle when the settings are increased, with Ultra just barely hitting the 30 FPS mark.

At 3840x2160, the performance is largely inadequate for a smooth experience. Low settings average 52 FPS, which is the only configuration at this resolution that approaches playability. Medium settings average 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 FPS, which is a noticeable dip below the 30 FPS threshold. High settings average 30 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 25 FPS. The 4K data shows that the RX 580 is simply not powerful enough for this resolution in Overpower, and users would have to accept low settings and still encounter frame rate dips.

The data also shows the variance between minimum and maximum frame rates is only available for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 37-50 FPS, a 13 FPS difference. At 1440p Medium, the range is 33-44 FPS, an 11 FPS difference. At 4K Medium, the range is 28-38 FPS, a 10 FPS difference. This suggests that the frame pacing is relatively stable, but the low minimums at 1440p and 4K indicate that there are moments of significant slowdown.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This configuration yields an average of 69 FPS, providing the smoothest gameplay. While the visual quality will be reduced, the performance is the most consistent and will allow for responsive gameplay. For users who prefer better visuals, the Medium setting at 1080p is a viable alternative, with an average of 43 FPS. This is still playable, but users should be aware that the minimum FPS is 37, which could lead to occasional stutters.

At 2560x1440, the only recommended setting is Low, which averages 62 FPS. This is a good balance of higher resolution and playable frame rates. The Medium setting at 1440p, with an average of 38 FPS, is borderline, and the minimum of 33 FPS makes it risky for fast-paced action. High and Ultra settings at 1440p are not recommended, as they dip to 36 and 30 FPS respectively, which is too low for a consistent experience.

The 3840x2160 resolution should be avoided for this GPU. While Low settings average 52 FPS, the visual quality is likely poor, and any increase in settings leads to sub-30 FPS averages. The Medium setting at 4K has an average of 33 FPS, but the minimum is 28 FPS, which will be noticeable during gameplay. The data suggests that the best overall experience is to prioritize frame rate over resolution and settings, making 1080p Low the most sensible choice for this hardware combination.