Palworld

Palworld presents an extremely demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the Intel Arc B390, with the measured results indicating a severe bottleneck at the graphics level. This combination ranks near the bottom of the database for this title, at 2607 out of 2944 tested combos, placing it in the 12th percentile of all configurations. The data shows a system that is functional for basic play at lower resolutions and settings, but the integrated graphics solution is overwhelmed by the game's engine at higher loads.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings presets, revealing that the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 84 FPS at 1920x1080 to 56 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 28 FPS. Moving up to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields an average of only 31 FPS, which represents a 63% decrease from the 1080p performance. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput and fillrate as the resolution increases.

The High settings preset shows a similar trajectory, with a 53 FPS average at 1080p dropping to 35 FPS at 1440p and then to just 19 FPS at 4K. The delta between 1440p and 4K at High settings is 16 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than the 18 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the memory bandwidth and shading units are being saturated. The Medium preset offers the only complete data set with min and max frames, showing an average of 68 FPS at 1080p, 45 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The frame time consistency at Medium settings, with a 21 FPS minimum and 29 FPS maximum at 4K, suggests that the system is struggling to maintain a stable output at higher resolutions.

The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with average frame rates of 40 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and a mere 15 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest recorded figure in the dataset, confirming that this configuration is not viable for high-fidelity gaming at that resolution. The data indicates that the scaling from 1440p to 4K is not linear; the performance hit is disproportionately large, suggesting that the GPU's 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs are unable to keep pace with the pixel count. The system is clearly limited by the integrated graphics solution, as the CPU's processing power is not the constraining factor in these resolution transitions.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor that relies on system memory, with its memory configuration listed as "System Shared" for size, type, bus width, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This architecture is a fundamental limitation for a game like Palworld, which benefits from dedicated video memory bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 300 MHz, and it can boost up to 2500 MHz, which provides a wide dynamic range, but the performance metrics show that even at boost clocks, the chip cannot deliver playable frame rates at high resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark profile is modest, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 points. This score places the Arc B390 in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which aligns with its in-game performance. Its nearest rivals in the database are older, low-end discrete parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463 points (a 1.3% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1460 points (a 1.5% delta). The Arc B390 is 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM and 2.7% faster than the GT 710, but these are all entry-level parts from previous generations. This positioning underscores that the Arc B390 is not designed for demanding 3D workloads, and Palworld's open-world environments with many dynamic objects are particularly taxing.

With 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, the Arc B390 has the compute resources of a low-end discrete GPU. Its FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, meaning it has the feature set for modern games. The issue is raw throughput; the 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 120.0 GTexel/s texture rate are insufficient for 1440p and 4K gaming. The 12 ray tracing cores are present, but the data suggests they are not helping at these settings, as the Ultra preset with ray tracing effects would be even more demanding. The 80 W TDP for an integrated part indicates it is drawing power from the CPU package, but the performance ceiling is clear from the measured FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides a clear verdict on which settings preset offers the best experience for this hardware combination. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 84 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset that approaches a high refresh rate experience. This is the recommended starting point for any user, as it provides a fluid frame rate that is nearly double the 44 FPS average of the Medium preset at the same resolution. The Low preset at 1080p is the only measured scenario that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the sole option for smooth gameplay.

The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 68 FPS and a minimum of 58 FPS, is a secondary option for those who want better visual fidelity. The frame time data shows a minimum of 58 FPS, which is still within the bounds of playability, and the maximum of 79 FPS indicates that the system can occasionally deliver higher performance. However, the drop from 84 to 68 FPS is significant, and the visual improvement may not justify the 16 FPS loss for competitive or action-oriented gameplay.

For users with 1440p monitors, the data suggests that only the Low preset is viable, with an average of 56 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and the High preset at 35 FPS is noticeably less smooth. The 4K resolution is not recommended for any preset, as even the Low setting only manages 31 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play. The Ultra preset is the worst choice across all resolutions, offering only 40 FPS at 1080p and 15 FPS at 4K, and should be avoided entirely. The data indicates that users should prioritize the Low preset at 1080p for the best performance, with Medium as a compromise, and avoid resolutions above 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Palworld?

A: The data shows that the Low settings preset at 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rate of 84 FPS. This is the only configuration that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, making it the optimal choice for smooth gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Palworld?

A: No. The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 31 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset drops to 25 FPS, High to 19 FPS, and Ultra to 15 FPS, all of which are below playable thresholds.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. It is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GT 710, indicating it is in the same performance class as these older entry-level parts.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has a 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Arc B390 is in the 9th percentile. The steep FPS drops with increasing resolution further confirm the graphics solution is the bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with complete data. At 1080p, the average is 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. At 1440p, the average is 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. At 4K, the average is 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 29 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank overall in the database for Palworld?

A: This combination ranks 2607 out of 2944 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations tested for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2607 out of 2944 tested combos in Palworld, placing it in the 12th percentile of all configurations. This is a very low ranking that reflects the significant performance limitations of the integrated GPU. The ranking is consistent with the GPU's individual percentile ranking of 9% among all GPUs, which is far below the CPU's 90th percentile ranking. The data indicates that this combo is not suitable for a smooth gaming experience in Palworld, as the GPU drags the overall performance down.

This ranking means that 337 other tested combinations perform worse than this one, but the vast majority of systems in the database will provide a superior experience. The combo's position is a direct result of the Arc B390's low raw performance, as evidenced by its 3DMark score of 1482, which is comparable to decade-old discrete graphics cards. Users with this hardware should expect to play at the lowest settings and resolution to achieve a playable frame rate. The ranking is a clear indicator that this is an entry-level solution for gaming, and it is not well-suited for a demanding title like Palworld.

The contrast between the CPU and GPU performance is stark. The Core Ultra 5 245 is a modern desktop processor that sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49228 (a -0.5% delta), and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 48618 (a 0.8% delta). This CPU has ample processing power for gaming, but it is paired with a graphics solution that severely limits its potential. The combo ranking reflects this imbalance; the system is held back entirely by the GPU, and the CPU's capabilities are largely wasted in this configuration.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a 24 MB shared L3 cache. This processor is a strong performer, with a single-thread score of 4648 in Cinebench R23 and a multi-core score of 32924 in the same test. In Passmark, it achieves a single-thread score of 4394 and a multi-thread score of 38706, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

In Palworld, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI for the numerous creatures and structures in the world. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the frame rates do not improve significantly when the resolution is lowered, which would reduce the GPU load. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 84 FPS, while at 1440p Low it achieves 56 FPS. This 28 FPS drop is attributed to the GPU, not the CPU, as the CPU is capable of handling the game's logic at these frame rates.

The Core Ultra 5 245's boost clock of 5.10 GHz is beneficial for single-threaded game logic, and its 14 cores provide ample multi-threading for background tasks. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, have a similar average benchmark score of 49228, indicating that the CPU is on par with higher-end desktop parts. However, in this specific configuration, the CPU's performance is irrelevant to the final frame rate because the Arc B390 cannot render frames fast enough. The data suggests that the CPU is a good match for a mid-range discrete GPU, but it is wasted on the integrated graphics solution, which limits the system to Low settings at 1080p for a playable experience.