Palworld

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B370 lands at rank 2706 out of 2944 tested combos in Palworld, placing it in the bottom 8% of all system configurations. This is a poor result for a combo featuring a top-tier CPU, and the data makes it clear why: the integrated Arc B370 GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. The CPU itself ranks in the 96th percentile against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 84003, putting it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX. However, the GPU sits in the 5th percentile against all graphics cards, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, trailing the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 by 0.2% and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 by 0.5%.

The rank disparity between components is stark. A 96th-percentile CPU driving a 5th-percentile GPU produces a combo that cannot deliver playable frame rates at most settings in this survival title. The measured FPS data confirms this: even at 1080p Low, the combo only reaches 76 FPS average, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 13 FPS. The CPU's immense compute headroom — evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 — is largely wasted because the GPU cannot translate that processing power into graphical output. In practical terms, this combo ranks below 91.9% of all tested configurations, meaning most systems, even those with older or cheaper parts, deliver a better Palworld experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts up to 2400 MHz, with a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GPU has a TDP of just 25 W and uses system-shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is system-dependent rather than dedicated.

In Palworld, the GPU's role is critical, and the data shows it simply lacks the throughput for this game's demands. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it among ancient discrete GPUs from over a decade ago, such as the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190) and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192). The 5th-percentile ranking means 95% of all GPUs outperform it. With system-shared memory, the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth, and the memory bus width is listed as "System Shared," which further limits performance. The 25 W TDP is a clear indicator of its integrated nature — it is not designed for demanding 3D workloads like Palworld's open-world survival rendering.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a boost of 2400 MHz, but the measured FPS results indicate that this clock speed is insufficient. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 76 FPS, which is the only playable result across all tested configurations. The GPU's FP32 throughput of 6.144 TFLOPS translates to roughly 76 FPS at 1080p Low, but at 4K High, the same GPU only manages 17 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is the limiting factor — the CPU could easily handle more frames, but the GPU cannot render them. The ray tracing cores (10) and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are present, but Palworld's results suggest the game does not benefit meaningfully from these features at the GPU's performance level.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and severe drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, confirming the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 47 at 1080p to 31 at 1440p (a 34% drop) and then to 17 at 4K (a 64% drop from 1080p). At Low settings, the drop is from 76 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p (a 34% drop) and then to 28 at 4K (a 63% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GPU's shading and memory bandwidth limits scale linearly with pixel count — a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The Medium settings row provides min and max FPS data, which further illustrates the scaling. At 1080p Medium, the average is 62 FPS with a range of 52 to 71 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 41 FPS with a range of 35 to 47 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 23 FPS with a range of 19 to 26 FPS. The min-to-max spread narrows as resolution increases, suggesting that the GPU is consistently saturated at higher resolutions rather than experiencing occasional spikes. The fact that the CPU is not the limiter is evidenced by the CPU's benchmark scores: its Passmark single-thread score of 4823 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 are far beyond what Palworld requires at these frame rates.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect frame rates to stay relatively flat across resolutions. Instead, the FPS drops by roughly two-thirds from 1080p to 4K at every settings level, which is exactly what a GPU-limited system shows. The integrated Arc B370's system-shared memory means that higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth, and the "System Dependent" bandwidth figure indicates there is no dedicated high-speed VRAM to alleviate this. The 4K Ultra result of 13 FPS is essentially unplayable, and even 4K Low at 28 FPS is a slideshow. The data clearly indicates that users must play at 1080p to achieve acceptable performance, and even then, only at Low or Medium settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience for this combo is at 1080p with Low settings, which delivers 76 FPS average. This is the only configuration that approaches smooth, playable performance in Palworld. Medium settings at 1080p yields 62 FPS, which is still acceptable for many players, and the min FPS of 52 suggests it remains mostly fluid. High settings at 1080p drops to 47 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra at 1080p falls to 36 FPS, which is marginal for a survival game where quick reactions matter.

At 1440p, the results are less encouraging. Low settings produce 50 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium at 1440p gives 41 FPS, and High drops to 31 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is 24 FPS, which is not recommended. At 4K, all settings are below 30 FPS, with Low at 28 FPS, Medium at 23 FPS, High at 17 FPS, and Ultra at 13 FPS. None of these are viable for a game that requires active gameplay.

The data strongly suggests that users should prioritize 1080p Low or Medium. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 14 FPS (from 76 to 62), but the visual improvement is likely worth it for most players. High settings at 1080p cost another 15 FPS (from 62 to 47), which is a significant degradation. The measured min and max FPS for Medium (52 to 71) show that the frame pacing is stable, with no catastrophic drops. In contrast, the High and Ultra settings lack min/max data, but the averages suggest instability. The recommendation is clear: 1080p Medium provides the best balance of visual quality and playability, with 1080p Low as the fallback for users who demand higher frame rates. Avoid 1440p and 4K entirely, as the GPU cannot sustain playable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 76 FPS average. This is the highest FPS achieved by this combo in Palworld. No min/max data is available, but the average indicates a playable experience.
• Medium: 62 FPS average, with a min of 52 and max of 71. The stable range suggests consistent performance, suitable for most users.
• High: 47 FPS average. This is a noticeable drop from Medium, likely resulting in occasional stutter.
• Ultra: 36 FPS average. This is below the threshold for smooth gameplay and not recommended.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 50 FPS average. Playable but with visible compromises in visual fidelity.
• Medium: 41 FPS average, with a min of 35 and max of 47. The min FPS of 35 indicates occasional dips that could affect gameplay.
• High: 31 FPS average. This is on the edge of playability, likely with frequent frame hitches.
• Ultra: 24 FPS average. Not recommended for active play.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 28 FPS average. Below playable thresholds, but technically the best 4K result.
• Medium: 23 FPS average, with a min of 19 and max of 26. The low min FPS makes this a poor experience.
• High: 17 FPS average. Essentially a slideshow.
• Ultra: 13 FPS average. The worst result, confirming the GPU cannot handle 4K in this game.

The data pattern is consistent: each settings tier costs roughly 15-20 FPS at 1080p, and each resolution step halves the frame rate at equivalent settings. The CPU's power is evident in the fact that 1080p Low achieves 76 FPS, but the GPU's limitations cap performance well below what the CPU could theoretically deliver. The Arc B370's 25 W TDP and system-shared memory are the root causes of this ceiling.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo playable in Palworld at 1080p?

A: Yes, but only at Low or Medium settings. Low delivers 76 FPS average, and Medium delivers 62 FPS average with a min of 52 FPS. High (47 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are below ideal playability thresholds.

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

A: The Intel Arc B370 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190). It ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows 1080p is the only viable resolution. At 1440p, even Low settings drop to 50 FPS, and at 4K, all settings fall below 30 FPS. Users should stick to 1080p for acceptable performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Palworld?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile with an average benchmark score of 84003, while the GPU ranks in the 5th percentile with a score of 1184. FPS drops by ~64% from 1080p to 4K, which is characteristic of GPU limitation.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's 83807. This is a negligible performance difference in synthetic benchmarks.

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

A: No. The best 4K result is 28 FPS at Low settings, and the worst is 13 FPS at Ultra. All 4K configurations are below 30 FPS, making the game unplayable at that resolution.