Palworld

Palworld on the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark study in imbalance, where a top-tier processor is hamstrung by an entry-level integrated graphics solution. The data shows a combination that is technically functional but practically constrained, delivering frame rates that range from marginally playable at 1080p Low to a slideshow at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, the role of each component, and how this pairing ranks among the thousands of tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance trajectory from 1080p to 4K reveals a textbook case of GPU-bound scaling, where the integrated Intel Arc B390 is the definitive limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 84 FPS, which is the sole playable result in the entire dataset. However, this figure collapses rapidly as resolution increases. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 56 FPS, a 33% reduction from the 1080p figure. At 4K Low, the average plunges to 31 FPS, representing a 63% loss compared to the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is overwhelmed by pixel throughput, with the CPU's significant headroom unable to compensate.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the High settings preset. At 1080p High, the combo averages 53 FPS. At 1440p High, this falls to 35 FPS, and at 4K High, it bottoms out at 19 FPS. The difference between 1080p High and 4K High is a 64% performance drop, nearly identical to the Low preset's scaling. This consistency indicates that the bottleneck is purely rasterization and fill-rate bound; the GPU is working at maximum capacity regardless of the quality preset, and the resolution increase directly translates to a proportional workload increase.

The Ultra preset provides the clearest evidence of the GPU's limitations. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is just 15 FPS, which is a 62.5% drop from the 40 FPS seen at 1080p Ultra. The data suggests that the gap between settings at any given resolution is relatively small compared to the gap between resolutions. For instance, at 1440p, the spread from Low (56 FPS) to Ultra (26 FPS) is 30 FPS, while the spread from 1440p Low to 4K Low is 25 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is so constrained that even lowering settings yields diminishing returns once the resolution is high, as the sheer number of pixels is the primary obstacle.

This behavior confirms that the Intel Core i7-14700K is never the bottleneck in this configuration. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is capable of feeding frames far faster than the GPU can render them. The scaling curve is smooth and predictable, with no signs of CPU-related stutters or plateaus that would indicate a processor limitation. In essence, the resolution scaling analysis shows a system where the graphics solution is the sole arbiter of performance, and its capabilities are quickly exhausted as pixel count rises.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its role in Palworld is defined by its specifications: 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's RAM for both capacity and bandwidth, with performance being "System Dependent." This shared memory architecture is a critical weakness, as the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory bandwidth, which is particularly punishing in a game like Palworld that involves large open-world streaming.

The benchmark data positions this GPU in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. Its nearest rivals in that test include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3) and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5). This places its raw compute capability in the same tier as decade-old entry-level discrete mobile GPUs. In Palworld, this translates to the measured frame rates: 19 FPS at 4K High and 15 FPS at 4K Ultra, which are effectively unplayable. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 40 FPS average is below the threshold for a smooth experience in a survival game where reaction times matter.

The GPU's clock behavior is interesting; the boost clock of 2500 MHz is relatively high for an IGP, but the low base clock of 300 MHz suggests aggressive power management. The 80 W TDP is the entire budget for the graphics solution, which is shared with the rest of the system in this IGP configuration. The FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are theoretical maximums that are unlikely to be sustained in real-world gaming scenarios due to thermal and power constraints. The data shows that in Palworld, the Arc B390's performance is insufficient for anything beyond the lowest settings at 1080p, confirming its role as a severe bottleneck in this pairing.

FAQ

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

A: The highest recorded average is 84 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of running Palworld at 4K?

A: While it can render the game at 4K, the results are not playable. The best 4K average is 31 FPS on Low settings, dropping to 15 FPS on Ultra.

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

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the Arc B390 scores 1482. It is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460).

Q: What is the total performance ranking of this CPU+GPU combination for Palworld?

A: The combo ranks 2607 out of 2944 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems for this game.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the Intel Arc B390?

A: The GPU uses System Shared memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all "System Shared," and its bandwidth is "System Dependent."

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p Low and 1440p Low?

A: The average frame rate drops from 84 FPS at 1080p Low to 56 FPS at 1440p Low, a decrease of 28 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its only playable results. Low settings yield an average of 84 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 79 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 53 FPS. Ultra settings bring the average down to 40 FPS. These figures show a predictable linear scaling with settings at 1080p, but even the highest preset fails to reach the 60 FPS target.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance degrades significantly. Low settings average 56 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a measured range of 38 to 52 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS. Ultra settings average 26 FPS. None of the 1440p presets provide a consistently fluid experience, with even the lowest settings dipping into the mid-50s.

At 3840x2160, the results are firmly in the field of the unplayable. Low settings average 31 FPS. Medium settings average 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 29 FPS. High settings average 19 FPS. Ultra settings average 15 FPS. The data shows a steady erosion of performance as both resolution and settings increase, with the 4K Ultra result being the worst-case scenario. The minimum frame rates recorded at Medium settings across all resolutions (58 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, 21 FPS at 4K) indicate that the GPU struggles to maintain consistent frame pacing, which can lead to noticeable hitches even when the average is marginally acceptable.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Palworld, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2607 out of 2944 total combos. This places it in the bottom 11.4% of all tested systems, a position that reflects the GPU's severe limitations rather than the CPU's capabilities. The rank is a direct consequence of the measured FPS data, which shows that the system is only capable of exceeding 60 FPS at the lowest settings and resolution.

The combo's rank of 2607 is particularly striking given the CPU's performance pedigree. The Intel Core i7-14700K sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69355. However, this processing power is entirely neutralized in Palworld by the Arc B390, which sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The data indicates that the GPU's performance floor is so low that it drags the entire system down to the bottom of the rankings. This is a clear case where the combination's rank is determined almost exclusively by its weakest link, and the measured frame rates at 4K and high settings confirm that the system is not suited for this game beyond a basic level.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU has a substantial cache hierarchy: 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory and has a PassMark multithread score of 52392 and a single-thread score of 4472.

In the context of Palworld, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation, physics, and AI, which can be demanding in a survival game with many active entities. The benchmark results show that the i7-14700K is more than capable of handling these tasks, as evidenced by its high multi-core scores. Its nearest CPU rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avg score 69515, deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69875, deltaPct -0.7), indicating it is within a hair's breadth of the top-tier consumer processors.

However, the measured FPS data for this combo reveals that the CPU's power is never fully utilized. The frame rates at 4K Ultra (15 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (40 FPS) are far below what the CPU could theoretically feed to a more capable GPU. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and Geekbench multi-core score of 20767 further underscore its ability to handle complex workloads. The data suggests that if paired with a discrete GPU in the top percentile, this CPU would likely be able to push much higher frame rates. In this specific configuration, the CPU is effectively waiting on the GPU, and its 28 threads are largely idle during rendering. The bottleneck is absolute, and the CPU's role is reduced to ensuring the game doesn't stutter due to processor overhead, a task it accomplishes with ease, as evidenced by the lack of any CPU-related performance anomalies in the data.