Palworld

Palworld on the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with the Intel Arc B390 is a pairing that lands near the bottom of the database, but the performance picture is more nuanced than the raw ranking suggests. The combination ranks 2607th out of 2944 tested combos in this game, placing it in the bottom 11th percentile of all systems measured. That rank is driven almost entirely by the graphics side, where the Intel Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 3600 sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs. In practical terms, this means the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios; the integrated graphics solution is. The B390 is an integrated part with a 3 nm process node, 80 W TDP, and system-shared memory, which explains why the frame rates across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K stay relatively modest. The data shows a playable experience only at the lowest settings, and even then, the margins are thin at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured results make the optimal settings choice clear: Low is the only preset that delivers consistently playable frame rates across all three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 84 FPS, which is smooth for a survival game with dynamic world events. Medium at the same resolution drops to 68 FPS average, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS, which is still acceptable but leaves less headroom for the chaotic moments Palworld throws at the player. High at 1080p falls to 53 FPS average, and Ultra bottoms out at 40 FPS average, which is borderline for a game that benefits from responsive input during base building and Pals combat.

At 2560x1440, the gap between settings widens significantly. Low delivers 56 FPS average, which is the only 1440p preset that stays above the 50 FPS threshold. Medium averages 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS, making it playable but with noticeable stutter during heavy loads. High drops to 35 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS average, both of which feel sluggish for an action-oriented survival title. At 3840x2160, the situation becomes dire. Low averages 31 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS (minimum 21, maximum 29), High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. None of these are comfortably playable, and even Low at 4K fails to provide a smooth experience.

The data suggests that the best experience is found at 1080p with Low settings, where the 84 FPS average gives the player room to explore the open world without frame drops. If visual fidelity is a priority, Medium at 1080p is the highest preset that maintains a minimum above 55 FPS, which is the practical ceiling for this combo. For 1440p users, Low is the only sensible choice, and 4K should be avoided entirely based on these measurements. The pattern across all resolutions shows diminishing returns above Low, with Ultra consistently halving the frame rate compared to Low, so the settings recommendation is unambiguous: prioritize Low for smoothness, or Medium at 1080p if you can tolerate occasional dips.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive component in this pairing, and its specifications explain why the frame rates sit where they do. This is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process node. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz, which is a wide boost range that the system can leverage under load. The memory configuration is system shared, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM; the GPU draws from the same DDR4 pool as the CPU, with bandwidth described as system dependent. This is a critical limitation for Palworld, a game that streams large open-world assets and has many entities on screen.

The B390’s benchmark results reinforce its position. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 1482, which places it at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, delta 1.3%), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, delta 1.5%), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, delta 2.5%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, delta 2.7%). These are all older discrete entry-level parts, and the B390 sits slightly above them, but the margin is small. The 1.3% lead over the GT 520MX translates to a 19-point difference in the Steel Nomad test, which is negligible in real-world gaming.

The frame rate data reflects the GPU’s limited bandwidth and compute capacity. At 1080p Low, the 84 FPS average is achievable because the game is relatively light on textures and effects at that preset. As settings rise, the GPU’s 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs become the bottleneck, and the shared memory bandwidth compounds the issue. The boost clock of 2500 MHz helps at lower resolutions, but at 4K the system shared memory becomes a severe constraint. The GPU’s pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, which sounds reasonable on paper, but the actual memory bandwidth being system dependent means those figures are not fully realized in practice. Palworld’s open world, which loads large maps and many dynamic objects, requires consistent memory throughput that this integrated solution cannot provide at higher settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a steep drop as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound system. Starting at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo averages 84 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, the average falls to 56 FPS, a reduction of 28 FPS or approximately 33%. At 3840x2160 Low, the average drops further to 31 FPS, which is another 25 FPS reduction from 1440p, or roughly 45%. The scaling is not linear; the drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 1.5x the pixel count, and the frame rate falls accordingly, but the 4K step is more punishing because the GPU’s shared memory bandwidth and 24 ROPs are overwhelmed by the 8.3 million pixel workload.

The same pattern holds across all settings. At Medium, 1080p averages 68 FPS, 1440p averages 45 FPS, and 4K averages 25 FPS. The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent: roughly 63% for Low, 63% for Medium, 64% for High (53 to 19 FPS), and 63% for Ultra (40 to 15 FPS). This uniformity suggests the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU, because the scaling is purely resolution-driven. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would flatten out at higher resolutions as the GPU becomes less stressed, but here the frame rate continues to plummet, indicating the GPU is always the constraint.

The data also shows that the minimum and maximum FPS values, where recorded, scale similarly. At 1080p Medium, the range is 58 to 79 FPS, a 21 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 38 to 52 FPS, a 14 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 21 to 29 FPS, an 8 FPS spread. The narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is running at its limit for the entire duration, leaving little variance. This is a clear sign that the system is not CPU-limited at any resolution; the Ryzen 5 3600 has enough headroom, and the GPU is the sole reason for the low frame rates. For users hoping to play at 4K, the data shows that even Low settings cannot deliver a playable experience, and the recommendation is to stick to 1080p or 1440p Low.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank in Palworld is 2607 out of 2944 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11.5% of all systems. This rank is a composite of the CPU and GPU performance, but the GPU’s low percentile is the dominant factor. The Ryzen 5 3600, when considered alone, has an average benchmark score of 17035 and sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1260P (score 17007, delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i5-11400 (score 17067, delta -0.2%), the AMD EPYC 7573X (score 17070, delta -0.2%), and the AMD EPYC 7742 (score 16998, delta 0.2%). These deltas are tiny, within 0.2% of each other, meaning the CPU is effectively average for its class. The 3600 has a 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz, which is more than adequate for Palworld’s gameplay.

The Intel Arc B390, in contrast, has an average benchmark score of 1482 and sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all older NVIDIA parts, and the deltas range from 1.3% to 2.7% above the B390’s score. This means the B390 is not just at the bottom of the current GPU landscape; it is competing with hardware from over a decade ago. The combination of a 71st percentile CPU with a 9th percentile GPU creates a massive imbalance. The CPU is capable of driving much higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot deliver them. The combo rank of 2607 reflects this bottleneck, as the system’s performance in Palworld is gated entirely by the graphics processor.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing is best suited for low-resolution, low-settings gaming. The 1080p Low result of 84 FPS is a solid outcome for the GPU’s class, but the 4K Ultra result of 15 FPS is among the lowest measured. The data shows that the combo’s rank would improve significantly if paired with a discrete GPU, but as measured, it is a bottom-tier configuration for Palworld. The takeaway is that the Ryzen 5 3600 is not the weak link; the system would need a GPU upgrade to move up the rankings, and the current B390 holds it back.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 plays a supporting role in this pairing, and its specifications show it is more than capable for Palworld. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, based on the Zen 2 architecture with the Matisse codename. The base clock is 3.60 GHz, and the boost clock is 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. It supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The CPU uses AMD Socket AM4 and has a 7 nm process node from TSMC, with 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. These are solid specs for a 2019 mid-range CPU, and its benchmark scores confirm its competence.

In Cinebench R23, the 3600 scores 15045 in multicore and 2124 in single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 7372 in multicore and 1536 in single-core. Its 3DMark results show 4605 in the 16-thread test, 1361 in the 2-thread test, 2579 in the 4-thread test, 3844 in the 8-thread test, 4603 in the max-thread test, and 696 in the single-thread test. These scores are consistent with a CPU that can handle modern games without becoming the primary bottleneck. The passmark multithread score is 17700, and the single-thread score is 2562, both of which are respectable. The CPU’s percentile of 71 means it outperforms 71% of all CPUs in the database, placing it firmly in the upper mid-range.

In Palworld, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI, which the 3600 does without issue. The measured frame rates show no evidence of CPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the 84 FPS average suggests the CPU can push well beyond that if the GPU allowed it. At 4K Ultra, the 15 FPS average is clearly GPU-bound, as the CPU’s workload does not increase with resolution. The data indicates that the Ryzen 5 3600 is not the reason for the low frame rates; the GPU is. The CPU’s 12 threads are more than enough for Palworld’s survival mechanics, which involve managing multiple Pals, building structures, and exploring a persistent world. The 32 MB of L3 cache helps with the game’s asset streaming, and the 4.20 GHz boost clock provides sufficient single-thread performance for the game’s main loop.

For users considering this combo, the CPU should not be the concern. The 3600’s benchmark results place it in the same league as the Intel Core i5-11400 and i7-1260P, with deltas of -0.2% and 0.2% respectively. These are all capable gaming CPUs, and the 3600’s performance in Palworld is not the limiting factor. The data shows that the CPU has headroom to spare, and any frame rate improvements would require a GPU upgrade, not a CPU swap.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of this combo’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 84 FPS, Medium produces 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS and maximum of 79 FPS, High produces 53 FPS, and Ultra produces 40 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 44 FPS, which is a significant gap that highlights the GPU’s sensitivity to settings. The minimum FPS at Medium is 58, which is still playable, but at Ultra the average of 40 FPS would feel choppy in combat scenarios.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop considerably. Low averages 56 FPS, Medium averages 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 52 FPS, High averages 35 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. The 1440p results show that only Low and Medium are viable, with Medium’s minimum of 38 FPS being on the edge of playability. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is approximately 33% for Low, 34% for Medium, 34% for High, and 35% for Ultra, which is consistent with the resolution scaling discussed earlier.

At 3840x2160, the results are the worst in the dataset. Low averages 31 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 FPS and maximum of 29 FPS, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. None of these are playable for a game like Palworld, where reaction time matters when catching Pals or defending against raids. The 4K Low result is 5 FPS below the 1440p Ultra result, showing that resolution has a larger impact than settings on this GPU. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 21 FPS, which is a slideshow, and the maximum of 29 FPS is still below 30, reinforcing that 4K is not a target for this combo.

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p Low is the best experience, 1080p Medium is acceptable with occasional dips, 1440p Low is playable, and everything else is below the playability threshold. The minimum FPS values, where provided, show that the system can hit lows that are 10-15% below the average, which is typical for a GPU with shared memory and limited bandwidth. The maximum FPS values are similarly close to the average, indicating no CPU-induced spikes. Overall, this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Low or Medium settings, with the understanding that higher resolutions require significant compromises that the integrated GPU cannot overcome.