Palworld

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer codename) using a 7 nm process at TSMC. It runs at a 3.40 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The chip has a 32 MB shared L3 cache, plus 512 KB L2 and 64 KB L1 per core. It supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, providing 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes.

For Palworld, a survival game that often involves world simulation, base building, and numerous active creatures, the CPU's thread count and cache hierarchy matter. The 16 threads allow the game's background simulation tasks—pathfinding, physics for objects, and AI for Pals—to run in parallel with the main rendering thread. The 32 MB L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency when the world state changes rapidly.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 5700X scores 13,184 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,499 in single-core. Geekbench shows 10,779 multi-core and 2,016 single-core. The 3DMark 16-thread test yields 6,858, while the max-thread score is 6,850, indicating near-linear scaling from 8 to 16 threads in that workload. The PassMark multithread score is 26,612, and single-thread is 3,385.

The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 79, meaning it outperforms 79% of tested processors. Its nearest rivals show tight competition: the Intel Core i5-12600K matches the 5700X exactly with an average score of 27,578 and 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800 is 0.2% behind, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is 0.2% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H trails by 0.3%. This grouping suggests the 5700X sits at a performance equilibrium with these chips, neither dominating nor being dominated in general compute tasks.

For Palworld specifically, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU in the measured data. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 76 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 28 FPS—a 63% reduction. This steep drop indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU still has headroom. The CPU's strong multi-threaded scores (Cinebench R23 13,184) suggest it can handle the game's simulation load without bottlenecking at lower resolutions, where the GPU has more capacity to render frames quickly.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Arc Graphics-M generation for Panther Lake. It uses a 3 nm process at Intel foundry. The GPU has 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. It includes 10 ray tracing cores. Base clock is 300 MHz, boosting to 2,400 MHz. Pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS.

Crucially, the Arc B370 has no dedicated VRAM—it uses "System Shared" memory, with type, bus width, and bandwidth all marked as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This means it relies on the CPU's DDR4 memory, which in this combo runs at 51.2 GB/s. The shared memory architecture is a fundamental constraint for a game like Palworld, which needs to stream textures, geometry, and world data. The 25 W TDP and IGP slot width indicate this is not a discrete gaming GPU but an integrated solution for portable devices.

The GPU's benchmark presence is minimal: a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,184. Its percentile versus all GPUs is just 5, meaning it outperforms only 5% of tested graphics cards. The nearest rivals are older or lower-tier parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1,186 (0.2% ahead), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190 (0.5% ahead), the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192 (0.7% ahead), and the AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168 (1.4% behind). These comparisons place the Arc B370 in the company of early-2010s discrete GPUs and integrated graphics from that era.

In Palworld, the GPU's limited compute and shared memory bandwidth show clearly. At 1080p Ultra, the combo manages only 36 FPS, while at 1080p Low it reaches 76 FPS. The jump from Low to High at 1080p costs 29 FPS (76 to 47), and from High to Ultra costs another 11 FPS (47 to 36). The GPU's 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is simply not enough for high-detail rendering in a modern survival title. The shared memory also means texture loading and frame buffering compete with CPU memory operations, likely causing stutter in busy scenes—though the measured data only provides average FPS, not frame time variance, except for Medium settings which show min/max values.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Palworld?

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where the combo approaches playable frame rates, with 76 FPS at Low settings. At 1440p, the highest average is 50 FPS (Low), and at 4K, the highest is 28 FPS (Low). Higher resolutions quickly become unplayable.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,184 is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1,186, 0.2% ahead), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190, 0.5% ahead), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192, 0.7% ahead). It is 1.4% ahead of the AMD FirePro M2000 (1,168). These are all sub-1% differences, indicating performance parity with those older parts.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700X a bottleneck for Palworld at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 76 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra it drops to 36 FPS. The FPS scales with settings, not resolution, which suggests the GPU is the primary limiter. The CPU's 16 threads and high cache size (32 MB L3) should handle the game's simulation, so the CPU is likely not the bottleneck at 1080p.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2,706 out of 2,944 tested combos in Palworld. This places it in the bottom 9% of all tested configurations, reflecting the GPU's low percentile (5th) and its shared memory limitation.

Q: How does the 5700X compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 5700X's average benchmark score is 27,578. The Intel Core i5-12600K matches it exactly (0% delta). The AMD Ryzen 7 5800 is 0.2% slower, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is 0.3% slower. These deltas are minimal, meaning the 5700X is statistically tied with these processors.

Q: Does the Arc B370 have its own VRAM?

A: No. The Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory for size, type, and bus width, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This means it draws from the system's DDR4 memory (51.2 GB/s for the 5700X) rather than dedicated graphics memory, which impacts high-resolution texture streaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2,706 out of 2,944 tested combos in Palworld. This places it in the bottom 9.1% of all configurations tested. The rank reflects a severe imbalance: the CPU is in the 79th percentile among all processors, while the GPU is in the 5th percentile among all graphics cards. The GPU's integrated nature and shared memory architecture fundamentally cap the system's gaming performance.

To contextualize the rank, consider that the CPU alone could drive much higher frame rates if paired with a discrete GPU. The 5700X's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13,184 and PassMark multithread score of 26,612 indicate substantial processing power. The bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side. The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,184 puts it in the same class as ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190) and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192), both from the early 2010s. Those GPUs were entry-level even in their era, and Palworld's 2024 release demands far more.

Within the 2,944 combos, a rank of 2,706 means roughly 238 combos perform worse. Those would likely feature even older CPUs or weaker integrated graphics. The 5700X's inclusion in this low rank is notable—it shows that a strong CPU cannot compensate for a GPU that lacks dedicated VRAM and has minimal shader throughput. The measured data confirms this: the best FPS at any resolution is 76 (1080p Low), and the worst is 13 (4K Ultra). For a game like Palworld, which benefits from smooth frame pacing during exploration and combat, these numbers are marginal at best.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance collapse as resolution increases. At Low settings, the combo delivers 76 FPS at 1080p, 50 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. That is a 34% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 63% drop from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the drop is 47 to 31 to 17 FPS—a 34% drop to 1440p and a 64% drop to 4K. Medium settings show 62 to 41 to 23 FPS, with the 1440p drop at 34% and 4K drop at 63%. Ultra settings drop from 36 to 24 to 13 FPS, a 33% drop to 1440p and a 64% drop to 4K.

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings is telling. Whether at Low (76 to 28) or Ultra (36 to 13), the 4K performance is roughly 36-37% of the 1080p performance. This uniform scaling indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU workload stays similar while the GPU workload increases. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally to the pixel count increase, which is classic GPU-bound behavior.

The 1440p to 4K transition is particularly steep. From 1440p Low (50 FPS) to 4K Low (28 FPS), the drop is 44%. From 1440p High (31 FPS) to 4K High (17 FPS), it is a 45% drop. This suggests the shared memory bandwidth becomes a severe constraint at 4K, where the GPU must fetch four times the pixel data from system memory. The 51.2 GB/s DDR4 bandwidth is shared with the CPU, creating contention. At 1080p, the GPU can manage the memory traffic, but at 4K, the bandwidth ceiling is hit, causing the dramatic FPS reduction.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 76 FPS average
• Medium: 62 FPS average, with min 52 and max 71 FPS
• High: 47 FPS average
• Ultra: 36 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo shows a playable range only at Low and Medium. The Medium settings provide a 62 FPS average with a narrow frame time window (52-71 FPS), indicating reasonable stability. High drops to 47 FPS, which is borderline for a survival game with fast-paced combat. Ultra at 36 FPS is likely to feel sluggish.

2560x1440:

• Low: 50 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average, with min 35 and max 47 FPS
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 24 FPS average

At 1440p, only Low settings remain above 50 FPS. Medium at 41 FPS is playable but with the min FPS at 35, there could be noticeable hitches. High at 31 FPS and Ultra at 24 FPS fall below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a game with frequent combat and traversal.

3840x2160:

• Low: 28 FPS average
• Medium: 23 FPS average, with min 19 and max 26 FPS
• High: 17 FPS average
• Ultra: 13 FPS average

At 4K, all settings produce sub-30 FPS averages. The Medium setting's min FPS of 19 indicates significant frame dips. Even Low at 28 FPS is below the commonly accepted 30 FPS minimum for playability. Ultra at 13 FPS is essentially a slideshow.

The Medium settings are the only tier with full min/max data across all resolutions. At 1080p, the spread is 19 FPS (52 to 71). At 1440p, it is 12 FPS (35 to 47). At 4K, it is 7 FPS (19 to 26). The narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling, reducing both average and variance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and the user's sensitivity to frame drops.

For 1080p: Low settings at 76 FPS provide the smoothest experience, but Medium at 62 FPS is a better balance. The Medium preset's min FPS of 52 means it stays above the 50 FPS threshold, offering a stable frame rate for a survival game where sudden battles can occur. High at 47 FPS is playable but risks dipping below 40 FPS in busy scenes. Ultra at 36 FPS is not recommended, as it approaches the 30 FPS boundary.

For 1440p: Low settings at 50 FPS are the only viable option for smooth gameplay. Medium at 41 FPS could work for users who tolerate lower frame rates, but the 35 FPS minimum may cause visible stutter during world loading or large base-building sessions. High at 31 FPS and Ultra at 24 FPS are below the playable threshold and should be avoided.

For 4K: No settings provide a playable experience. Low at 28 FPS is the highest, and it falls short of the 30 FPS minimum. Users with a 4K display should run the game at a lower resolution (like 1440p or 1080p) with Low or Medium settings, or accept the slideshow-like performance at 4K Low.

The data suggests that Medium settings at 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo. It delivers 62 FPS average with a 52 FPS minimum, which keeps the game responsive during combat and exploration. The 19 FPS spread between min and max indicates moderate variance, but it stays within a playable range. At 1440p, Low settings are the only reasonable choice, sacrificing visual fidelity for a 50 FPS average. The combo cannot handle High or Ultra at any resolution above 1080p without dropping below 40 FPS, and 4K is effectively unplayable across all settings.

The Arc B370's shared memory architecture means that texture quality settings disproportionately impact performance. Lowering texture resolution reduces memory bandwidth pressure, which is why Low settings see the smallest FPS drop from 1080p to 4K (63%) compared to Ultra (64%). The difference is marginal, but it confirms that the GPU's memory interface is the critical constraint. For the best experience, prioritize resolution over settings: 1080p Medium or 1440p Low will yield better playability than 1080p Ultra or 4K Low.