Palworld

Palworld, a survival game that launched on January 18, 2024, presents a demanding workload that scales heavily with both CPU and GPU resources. In this analysis, we examine the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 processor paired with the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics. The data indicates that this combination is firmly entry-level for this title, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint across all tested resolutions and settings. The benchmark results show a system that can achieve playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings, while struggling significantly at higher presets and 4K output.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Palworld?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 76 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, which places it nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, -0.2% delta) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, -0.5% delta). It is slightly ahead of the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, +1.4% delta).

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 scores 20655 points in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test. Its single-core score in the same test is 2916 points.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the Ryzen 7 5700 ranks in the 78th percentile of all CPUs. The large performance gap between the components suggests the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's output.

Q: At what settings and resolution does the system maintain a playable frame rate above 30 FPS?

A: Playable frame rates above 30 FPS are observed at 1920x1080 with Low (76 FPS), Medium (62 FPS), and High (47 FPS) settings. At 2560x1440, only Low (50 FPS) and Medium (41 FPS) settings stay above 30 FPS. All other tested configurations fall below this threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems for Palworld?

A: This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2706 out of 2944 total tested combos in Palworld, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its role in this system is critical, as it is the sole provider of graphics output. The GPU operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, which are relatively modest figures. The memory configuration is notable; the Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its performance is directly tied to the system's main memory bandwidth, which is listed as "System Dependent."

The GPU's raw compute specifications are modest. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute throughput is 6.144 TFLOPS. These numbers are indicative of a low-power, entry-level graphics solution, which is further confirmed by its low 25 W TDP. The GPU's benchmark results reinforce this assessment; its single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

In the context of Palworld, the GPU's limitations are immediately apparent. The measured average frame rates drop sharply with increased graphical fidelity. At 1920x1080, the average FPS goes from 76 at Low settings to 47 at High, then down to 36 at Ultra. This indicates that the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth are quickly saturated by the game's rendering demands. The data suggests that the Arc B370 is only capable of handling the lowest preset at 1080p to deliver a smooth experience. At higher resolutions, the GPU's 20 ROPs and system-shared memory become a severe hindrance, leading to sub-30 FPS performance in most cases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data shows a clear and dramatic drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This scaling is a strong indicator of the GPU being the primary limiting component. When comparing Low settings across all three resolutions, the average FPS drops from 76 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p (a 34% decrease) and then to 28 at 4K (a 44% decrease from 1440p). This pattern is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of fillrate and memory bandwidth resources as the pixel count increases.

For High settings, the trend is similar. The average FPS at 1080p is 47, dropping to 31 at 1440p (a 34% decrease) and 17 at 4K (a 45% decrease). The scaling between resolutions is nearly linear, which suggests that the workload is purely GPU-bound. A CPU-bound scenario would show a more uniform frame rate across resolutions, as the CPU would be the limiting factor regardless of pixel count. The fact that the frame rate almost halves with each resolution step-up points to the Intel Arc B370 being completely overwhelmed by the increased pixel processing demands of 4K.

The data also reveals that the performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is less severe than the drop from 1440p to 4K. This could be because the system's shared memory architecture has to handle a larger framebuffer at 4K, leading to more significant performance degradation. The conclusion is that this system is only suitable for 1080p gaming in Palworld. Pushing to higher resolutions results in a poor experience, with even the lowest settings failing to deliver a playable frame rate at 4K, averaging just 28 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 76 FPS. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 71 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 47 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset brings the average down to 36 FPS. This is the only resolution where all presets are technically playable, though Ultra hovers near the lower boundary of playability.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 50 FPS, which is still playable. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47 FPS. The High preset falls to an average of 31 FPS, which is marginal. The Ultra preset becomes difficult to play, with an average of just 24 FPS. The jump from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 30-35% performance across all settings, a heavy price for the resolution increase.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to provide a playable experience. The Low preset averages 28 FPS, which is below the standard playability threshold. The Medium preset averages 23 FPS, with a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 26. The High preset drops to 17 FPS, and the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at 13 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware combination in Palworld, as even the lowest settings fail to produce 30 FPS on average.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a capable 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, along with a 16 MB L3 cache. The CPU's synthetic benchmarks show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 9959. Its single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2916 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3296.

The CPU's performance percentile (78th) is significantly higher than the GPU's (5th), indicating that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this system. The Ryzen 7 5700's 16 threads are likely sufficient for Palworld's multi-threaded workloads, which include simulation and physics. The data suggests that the CPU has more than enough headroom to feed the Intel Arc B370 with draw calls and game logic data. The limiting factor is the GPU's ability to render the frames.

While the CPU is powerful, its role in this configuration is constrained by the GPU. The benchmark results show that increasing resolution has a massive impact on frame rates, a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions. The fact that frame rates plummet at 4K confirms that the Ryzen 7 5700 is not the primary constraint. The CPU's high scores in tests like 3DMark Max Threads (6617) and Passmark Multi-thread (24303) suggest it is ready for more demanding graphics hardware, but with the Arc B370, its potential is largely untapped.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of which settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance. For this specific hardware combo, the primary goal should be to maintain a frame rate above 30 FPS, with 60 FPS being ideal. The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings is the only configuration that achieves a truly smooth experience, averaging 76 FPS. This should be the default choice for players prioritizing a responsive and fluid experience.

For those who can tolerate slightly lower performance for better visuals, 1920x1080 with Medium settings is a strong alternative. It averages 62 FPS, which is still above 60, and provides a noticeable improvement in visual fidelity over Low. The minimum frame rate of 52 FPS indicates that the experience remains stable. The High preset at 1080p is also playable at 47 FPS average, but it may have occasional stutters. The Ultra preset at 1080p, at 36 FPS average, is on the edge of playability and may feel unresponsive to some players.

At 1440p, the system can only handle the Low preset (50 FPS average) and the Medium preset (41 FPS average). These are playable but not ideal. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p should be avoided due to sub-30 FPS averages. At 4K, all settings are below 30 FPS, and none are recommended for a playable experience. The optimal strategy is to play at 1080p and adjust settings between Low and Medium, depending on the player's preference for frame rate over visual detail.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Palworld, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2706 out of 2944 total combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, which aligns with the GPU's low performance percentile. The rank reflects the severe bottleneck created by the integrated graphics solution, which is not designed for demanding games like Palworld.

The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 from a much older era—suggest that its gaming capabilities are comparable to legacy discrete graphics cards. The CPU, however, is a modern and capable processor. The combination of a strong CPU with a very weak GPU results in a system that is severely unbalanced. The ranking of 2706 out of 2944 indicates that almost all other tested systems, which likely use discrete GPUs, will provide a significantly better experience in Palworld.

The data from the combo's rank, the GPU's 5th percentile score, and the measured FPS all tell a consistent story. This is an entry-level configuration that is not suited for modern gaming at higher resolutions or settings. While the CPU has the potential for much better performance, the GPU holds the entire system back, resulting in a poor ranking and a subpar gaming experience in Palworld.