Palworld

Palworld with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and Intel Arc B390 combination is a study in severe bottlenecking, where the integrated graphics solution dramatically limits the experience across all settings and resolutions. The data indicates a configuration that is functionally playable only at the lowest settings and resolution, with the CPU's substantial processing power left largely unused due to the GPU's constraints. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on resolution scaling, settings impact, and the specific roles of the GPU and CPU in this pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and clearly identifies the Intel Arc B390 as the primary limiting component. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 84 FPS at 1920x1080 to 56 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 28 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160, the average plummets to 31 FPS, which is a 63% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep curve is a classic sign of a GPU that is being overwhelmed by the pixel count, as the rendering workload scales directly with resolution.

The trend continues across all settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 53 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p, and finally to 19 at 4K. Similarly, at Medium settings, the frame rate falls from 68 at 1080p to 45 at 1440p and 25 at 4K. The pattern is consistent: each step up in resolution exacts a significant toll on performance. This indicates that the game's frame rate is almost entirely dependent on the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities, with the Ryzen 5 5600 having ample headroom to feed frames at any of these resolutions.

The data suggests that 1080p is the only viable resolution for this combo, and even then, only at lower settings. The jump to 1440p represents a loss of roughly one-third of the performance at every setting level, making it a poor choice for a smooth experience. The 4K resolution is effectively unplayable, with even the Low preset averaging just 31 FPS, which would feel sluggish and stuttery in a fast-paced survival game. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as the consistent and dramatic FPS drops with increasing resolution point directly to the Arc B390's inability to handle higher pixel throughput.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for settings presets at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 84 FPS, which is the only setting that approaches a high-refresh-rate experience. Medium settings drop to 68 FPS, which is still playable, while High settings fall to 53 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding just 40 FPS on average.

For a playable experience, the Low preset at 1080p is the only clear recommendation, as it is the sole configuration that breaks the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 68 FPS, is a viable alternative for those who want better visual fidelity, but the trade-off is a 19% reduction in frame rate compared to Low. The High preset at 1080p, at 53 FPS, sits in a marginal zone, being playable but not smooth.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more difficult. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is borderline playable, but the Medium preset drops to 45 FPS and High to 35 FPS. None of these settings provide a consistently smooth experience. At 3840x2160, all presets are below playable thresholds, with Low averaging just 31 FPS and Ultra a dismal 15 FPS. The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally the Low preset at 1920x1080, as it is the only combination that provides a frame rate high enough for responsive gameplay. For users willing to accept lower frame rates for better visuals, the Medium preset at 1080p is the only other reasonable option, providing a stable average above 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its performance profile, as indicated by its 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is exceptionally low. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. Its boost clock is rated at 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz, and its memory is system shared, meaning it uses a portion of the main system RAM rather than dedicated VRAM.

This lack of dedicated memory is a critical factor. The memory bandwidth is system dependent, which in this configuration with a Ryzen 5 5600 means it is limited to the CPU's dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. This is a significant bottleneck for a game like Palworld, which requires constant streaming of textures and geometry. The GPU's raw compute is also limited, with a FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. This is reflected in its benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, placing it in the company of legacy GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which it outperforms by a mere 1.3%.

The measured FPS data aligns perfectly with this hardware profile. The GPU is the clear bottleneck at all resolutions. The 15 FPS average at 4K Ultra and 19 FPS at 4K High show the GPU is completely overwhelmed. Even at 1080p Low, the 84 FPS average is likely the maximum throughput this IGP can achieve. The data shows a component that is fundamentally unsuited for modern gaming at mainstream resolutions and settings, confirming its low percentile ranking and its nearest rivals, which are all budget or legacy mobile GPUs. The Intel Arc B390's role in this combo is purely as a limiting factor, preventing the capable CPU from delivering a good gaming experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates offers a detailed look at the performance envelope of this combo.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: the Low preset achieves an average of 84 FPS. The Medium preset averages 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. High settings bring the average down to 53 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 40 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 56 FPS. The Medium preset averages 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS. Ultra settings average just 26 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are mostly unplayable. The Low preset averages 31 FPS. The Medium preset averages 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 29 FPS. High settings average 19 FPS. Ultra settings average just 15 FPS.

This data shows a consistent pattern. At every resolution, the difference between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Low providing roughly double the frame rate of Ultra. The only configurations that achieve an average of 60 FPS or higher are the Low and Medium presets at 1080p. The data confirms that this pairing is only suitable for low-demand scenarios at 1080p, and the presence of minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows that even these frame rates can dip, with 1080p Medium having a minimum of 58 FPS and 1440p Medium a minimum of 38 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination run Palworld at a smooth 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that this is only possible at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset, which averages 84 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 68 FPS, also above 60 FPS. At 1440p and 4K, no preset achieves an average of 60 FPS, with the best being 56 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: Is Palworld more demanding on the CPU or the GPU for this setup?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. This is evident from the sharp frame rate drops when increasing resolution. For example, at Low settings, the average FPS falls from 84 at 1080p to 31 at 4K, a clear sign that the integrated Intel Arc B390 is struggling with the increased pixel workload, while the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use for this hardware?

A: Based on the measured data, the Low preset at 1920x1080 provides the best experience, delivering an average of 84 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a frame rate high enough for responsive gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p is the only other viable option if you prefer better visuals, with a 68 FPS average.

Q: How does this CPU and GPU combo rank for Palworld?

A: The combo ranks 2607 out of 2944 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations, indicating it is a very low-performing setup for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. This puts it just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM. It is a very low-tier performer.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 5600's processing power help in this game?

A: While the Ryzen 5 5600 is a capable processor with a 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs, its power is largely untapped in this configuration. The GPU is so weak that it limits the frame rate long before the CPU can become a factor. The CPU's performance is irrelevant to the final FPS, as the GPU is the bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, built on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it performs strongly, with an average benchmark score of 20468, placing it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. For instance, it scores 18309 points in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2584 points in the single-core test.

This processing power, however, is almost entirely wasted in this specific combination. The measured FPS data shows that the game's frame rate is dictated by the GPU's performance, not the CPU's. Compare the 84 FPS at 1080p Low to the 31 FPS at 4K Low. The CPU's workload does not increase by the same factor as the GPU's, and the 5600 is easily capable of handling the game's logic and draw calls at any of these settings. The bottleneck is so severe that the CPU is effectively idle, waiting for the Arc B390 to render each frame.

The CPU's role here is to not be a bottleneck, and it succeeds in that. Its high single-thread performance (2584 in Cinebench R23) ensures that game logic is processed quickly, but the GPU cannot keep up. The data implies that this processor has the capability to run Palworld at much higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful GPU. Its performance is so far ahead of the GPU that the combo's low ranking (2607 out of 2944) is almost entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B390. In this configuration, the Ryzen 5 5600 is a high-performance engine attached to a severely restrictive transmission, and the overall speed of the vehicle is limited by its weakest link.