Overpower

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the integrated Intel Arc B390 delivers a fundamentally GPU-limited experience in Overpower. The benchmark data shows that this combo ranks in the bottom 11% of tested configurations, and the scaling pattern across resolutions indicates that the Arc B390 graphics solution is the primary bottleneck at every setting. While the CPU is exceptionally powerful, the system's frame rates are constrained by the integrated graphics, making this a configuration best suited for lower resolutions and modest settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe and reveals a system that is almost entirely bound by the graphics processor. 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 a 25% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings, which is a significant hit but still leaves the game playable.

The scaling becomes more punishing as settings increase. At Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 45 FPS at 1080p to 40 FPS at 1440p, and then to 34 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Medium is 11 FPS, a 24% reduction. High settings show a similar pattern, going from 42 FPS at 1080p to 37 FPS at 1440p and finally to 32 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with frame rates falling from 35 FPS at 1080p to 31 FPS at 1440p and bottoming out at 26 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the limiting component is unequivocally the Intel Arc B390. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock, is not the constraint here; the frame rate drops are consistent with a graphics solution that is running out of pixel throughput as resolution increases. The Arc B390's pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures, and the measured results reflect that. The system operates as an integrated graphics platform, which explains why the performance ceiling is relatively low. The fact that the GPU has 1536 shading units and 48 TMUs does not compensate for the lack of dedicated memory bandwidth, as the memory type is "System Shared" and bandwidth is "System Dependent". This architecture means that higher resolutions demand more from the shared system memory, which is likely why the scaling is so steep.

How This Combo Ranks

This configuration is ranked 2638 out of 2980 tested combos in Overpower, placing it in the 11.5th percentile of all systems. This is a low ranking that reflects the GPU's limitations rather than the CPU's strengths. The combo is near the bottom of the database, which is expected given the Intel Arc B390's percentile rank of 9 among all GPUs. This means it performs better than only 9% of all graphics solutions tested on this site.

The GPU's nearest rivals highlight its performance tier. The Arc B390 scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This is just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M, 2.5% ahead of the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% ahead of the GT 710. These are all entry-level or legacy mobile graphics parts, which contextualizes the Arc B390's position. It is not competing with modern discrete graphics cards; it is competing with integrated and low-end solutions from a decade ago.

In contrast, the CPU is a top-tier part. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has a percentile rank of 96 among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 96% of all processors. Its average benchmark score of 84003 is just 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX. The data shows a massive imbalance: a flagship-class CPU paired with a GPU that ranks in the bottom 10%. This imbalance is the reason the combo ranks so low in the game. The CPU is capable of far higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot deliver them. The measured FPS data confirms that the system is not CPU-bound at any resolution or settings, as the frame rates are consistently low across the board.

Settings Recommendations

For a playable experience at 1080p, the Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth frame rate. The data shows an average of 72 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings at 1080p drop to 45 FPS, which is playable but noticeably less fluid. High settings yield 42 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35 FPS. Given the small difference between Medium and High, and the larger drop to Ultra, the Low preset is the recommended choice for a responsive experience.

At 1440p, the situation is more constrained. Low settings deliver an average of 64 FPS, which is acceptable, but Medium drops to 40 FPS and High to 37 FPS. Ultra at 1440p averages 31 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play. For 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for maintaining a frame rate above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is borderline, but the 40 FPS average may be acceptable for users who prioritize visual quality over smoothness.

At 4K, the system struggles across the board. Low settings average 54 FPS, Medium averages 34 FPS, High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. The Low preset at 4K is the only one that approaches playability, but even that is below 60 FPS. The data suggests that 4K gaming is not practical with this configuration for anything other than the lowest fidelity. The measured minimum frame rates for the Medium preset further illustrate the issue: at 4K, the minimum is 29 FPS, at 1440p it is 34 FPS, and at 1080p it is 38 FPS. These minimums indicate that frame pacing will be inconsistent, with occasional dips that can cause stutter. Therefore, the recommendation is to stick with Low settings at 1080p for the best balance of performance and stability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are 72 FPS with Low settings, 45 FPS with Medium, 42 FPS with High, and 35 FPS with Ultra. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 27 FPS, which is substantial and indicates that the Low preset is significantly less demanding on the integrated GPU.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are 64 FPS with Low, 40 FPS with Medium, 37 FPS with High, and 31 FPS with Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. The difference between Low and Medium at this resolution is 24 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is 8 FPS, which is a noticeable but not catastrophic reduction.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 54 FPS with Low, 34 FPS with Medium, 32 FPS with High, and 26 FPS with Ultra. The Medium preset records a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 20 FPS. The difference between the Low preset at 1080p (72 FPS) and the Low preset at 4K (54 FPS) is 18 FPS, representing a 25% reduction in performance. Across all resolutions, the Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer, with the 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS being the lowest average in the entire dataset.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings delivers the highest average frame rate at 72 FPS. This is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS. All other settings and resolutions produce averages below 65 FPS, with 4K Ultra yielding just 26 FPS.

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

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. This is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M, 2.5% ahead of the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% ahead of the GT 710.

Q: Is this system CPU-bound or GPU-bound in Overpower?

A: The system is GPU-bound. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has a 96th percentile CPU ranking, while the Arc B390 has a 9th percentile GPU ranking. The frame rates are consistently low across all resolutions, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings?

A: At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 72 FPS at 1920x1080 to 54 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a reduction of 18 FPS, or 25% of the 1080p performance.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset has recorded minimums of 38 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. These minimums suggest occasional frame drops that may be noticeable during gameplay.

Q: Where does this combo rank among all tested systems in Overpower?

A: This combo is ranked 2638 out of 2980 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations tested for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a high-end desktop processor with a 125 W TDP, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its benchmark results are impressive: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. The Passmark multi-thread score is 60860, and the single-thread score is 4823.

Despite this computational power, the CPU does not play a significant role in Overpower's frame rates with this configuration. The measured FPS data shows that the system is entirely GPU-limited. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 72 FPS, but this is not due to the CPU's processing power; it is the maximum output of the integrated Arc B390 at that resolution and settings. The CPU's 5.80 GHz boost clock and 24 cores are more than sufficient to handle the game's logic and physics, but they cannot compensate for the GPU's low pixel fill rate of 60.00 GPixel/s. The CPU's high Passmark physics score of 3315 and data compression score of 698346 indicate strong computational capability, but these attributes are irrelevant when the GPU cannot render frames fast enough. The CPU is effectively idle waiting for the GPU, and the combo rank of 2638 out of 2980 reflects this bottleneck. If paired with a discrete graphics card, this CPU would likely produce far higher frame rates, but with the integrated Arc B390, it is held back to entry-level performance levels. The data confirms that the CPU is not the limiting component; the GPU is.