Ready Or Not

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus fast enough for Ready Or Not?

A: Yes, the processor is not the limiting factor in this configuration. It scores in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 and a single-core score of 7,303. The measured frame rates across all settings and resolutions indicate the bottleneck is elsewhere.

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

A: The Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1,186, placing the Arc B370 just 0.2% behind it. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7% ahead, while the AMD FirePro M2000 trails by 1.4%.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gameplay?

A: Low settings at 1920x1080 delivers the highest average frame rate at 113 FPS. Medium settings still achieve a solid 98 FPS average. High settings drop to 89 FPS, and Ultra falls to 63 FPS. For a competitive tactical shooter, Low or Medium offers the best balance of fluidity and visual clarity.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K resolution?

A: Barely. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages only 21 FPS, and High settings reach just 29 FPS. Even Low settings only produce 37 FPS. These figures are below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay in a tactical shooter, making 4K impractical for this combination.

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

A: The Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Ultra 9 285K's score of 83,807. The performance difference is negligible in real-world terms, meaning the 290K Plus offers no meaningful advantage over its predecessor in this game.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-threading capability matter for Ready Or Not?

A: The processor has 24 cores and 24 threads, with a PassMark multithread score of 60,860 and a data compression score of 698,346. While the game does benefit from strong CPU performance, the measured results show frame rates are constrained by the GPU, not the processor's thread count or throughput.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and can boost up to 5.80 GHz. This is a desktop-class chip with a 125 W TDP, supporting DDR5 memory through a dual-channel interface with 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The processor also includes 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, alongside 192 KB of L1 cache per core.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates substantial compute capability. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score reaches 51,731, while the single-core score is 7,303. The older Cinebench R20 results show 21,727 multi-core and 3,067 single-core. PassMark tests further illustrate the processor's strengths: it scores 60,860 in multithreaded workloads, 214,760 in floating-point math, and 166,194 in integer math. Data compression performance is notably high at 698,346, and encryption tasks complete with a score of 52,563.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 96 versus all CPUs places it firmly in the high-end tier. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 is marginally above the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83,807, deltaPct 0.2) and the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090, deltaPct 1.1). It also edges out the AMD EPYC 9135 (82,980, deltaPct 1.2) but trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85,072, deltaPct -1.3). These comparisons highlight that the 290K Plus is among the fastest processors available, though its closest rivals are within a couple of percent.

For Ready Or Not, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI pathfinding, and physics calculations. The PassMark physics score of 3,315 and the find-prime-numbers score of 503 suggest strong integer performance, which is relevant for simulation-heavy tasks. The data shows that even at the lowest resolution and settings, the frame rate reaches 113 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating the CPU is not holding back the GPU. At higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop further, reinforcing that the processor has ample headroom.

The processor's 24 threads do not appear to be a limiting factor in this title. Ready Or Not is a tactical shooter that benefits from strong per-core performance, and the 5.80 GHz boost clock provides that. The single-thread PassMark score of 4,823 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303 confirm the CPU's ability to handle lightly-threaded workloads effectively. In practical terms, this means the CPU will not be the reason for low frame rates in this game combination.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for this Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B370 combination provides clear guidance on which preset to use. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 113 FPS, which is the highest result across any resolution and settings combination. Medium settings follow at 98 FPS, High at 89 FPS, and Ultra drops to 63 FPS. The minimum FPS recorded for Medium at this resolution is 83 FPS, with a maximum of 113 FPS, indicating stable performance.

For players targeting 1080p, Low settings are the best choice for competitive play, as the frame rate is well above the 60 FPS threshold and approaches the refresh rate of many monitors. Medium offers a better visual experience while still maintaining nearly 100 FPS, making it a strong alternative if you prefer some graphical fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. High and Ultra are playable but introduce noticeable frame rate drops, which can be detrimental in a tactical shooter where precision matters.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. Low settings average 71 FPS, Medium averages 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 and maximum of 71, High drops to 56 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a balanced experience, staying above 60 FPS on average while offering better visuals than Low. However, the minimum of 53 FPS suggests occasional dips that might be noticeable during intense firefights. If you have a 144 Hz monitor, Low settings at 71 FPS is the only option that keeps you closer to that target.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets deliver acceptable performance. Low averages 37 FPS, Medium averages 32 FPS, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages just 21 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS, showing significant inconsistency. For 4K gaming, this combination is not viable, and you would need to reduce the resolution or upgrade the GPU to achieve playable frame rates.

The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The 113 FPS at Low and 98 FPS at Medium are the only results that approach or exceed the standard 60 FPS target with comfortable margins. At 1440p, only Low and Medium remain viable, while 4K should be avoided entirely. The measured FPS values indicate that the Intel Arc B370's performance ceiling is reached quickly as resolution increases, so prioritizing lower resolutions and settings is essential for a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2,710 out of 2,947 tested combos for Ready Or Not. This places it in the bottom portion of the database, around the 8th percentile of all configurations. The ranking reflects the significant mismatch between the high-end CPU and the low-end GPU, where the processor's capabilities are wasted due to the graphics card's limitations.

The CPU alone sits in the 96th percentile among all processors, which would suggest a top-tier gaming experience if paired with a suitable GPU. However, the Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile among all GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,184. This GPU is comparable to integrated graphics from over a decade ago, with its nearest rival being the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1,186, deltaPct -0.2). The ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190) is 0.5% ahead, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192) is 0.7% ahead. The AMD FirePro M2000 (1,168) is 1.4% behind.

The combination's rank of 2,710 out of 2,947 means that the vast majority of tested systems deliver better performance in Ready Or Not. The frame rates confirm this: even at the best-case scenario of 1080p Low, the average is only 113 FPS, which is respectable but not exceptional. At higher resolutions, the combo falls below playable thresholds, further justifying its low ranking.

For context, a balanced system with a mid-range CPU and a dedicated GPU would likely rank much higher. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as its performance metrics are outstanding. Instead, the GPU's 5th percentile ranking drags the entire combination down. If you are considering this CPU for gaming, it should be paired with a significantly more powerful graphics card to realize its potential. As it stands, this combo is heavily imbalanced, and the ranking accurately reflects the poor match between components.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts up to 2,400 MHz. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS and FP16 performance of 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1).

The memory configuration is system-shared, meaning the GPU uses the same DDR5 memory as the CPU. The memory bus width and bandwidth are system-dependent, which limits the GPU's ability to access data quickly. This is a critical constraint in a game like Ready Or Not, which requires high bandwidth for texture streaming and scene complexity. The 25 W TDP and IGP slot width confirm that this is not a high-performance discrete solution but rather an integrated part designed for basic graphics tasks.

The Arc B370's benchmark results are underwhelming. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals are all older discrete cards: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1,186, deltaPct -0.2), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1,190, deltaPct -0.5), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (score 1,192, deltaPct -0.7). The AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1,168) is 1.4% behind. These comparisons highlight that the Arc B370's performance is on par with GPUs from the early 2010s, which is inadequate for modern gaming at high settings.

In Ready Or Not, the GPU's role is to render the game world, handle lighting and shadows, and process the visual effects that define the tactical shooter's atmosphere. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p, the frame rates range from 63 FPS at Ultra to 113 FPS at Low, with Medium at 98 FPS and High at 89 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 40 to 71 FPS, and at 4K, it drops to 21 to 37 FPS. These results indicate that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth limitations become more pronounced at higher resolutions.

The ray tracing cores, while present, are unlikely to provide meaningful performance in this game due to the overall low compute power. The 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 performance is insufficient for demanding graphical workloads, and the system-shared memory further hampers performance. The data suggests that this GPU is only suitable for low-resolution, low-settings gaming, and even then, the experience may not be smooth in intense scenes. For Ready Or Not, the Arc B370 is the limiting factor, and any attempt to improve frame rates must involve either reducing resolution and settings or upgrading the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combination reveal a clear performance pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the highest average FPS is achieved at Low settings with 113 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 89 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 63 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 50 FPS, demonstrating the significant impact of graphics quality on this GPU.

At 2560x1440, the performance decreases notably. Low settings average 71 FPS, which is the only preset above 60 FPS at this resolution. Medium settings average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS, showing some inconsistency. High settings average 56 FPS, and Ultra settings average 40 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, with the Low preset losing 42 FPS and the Ultra preset losing 23 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are largely unplayable. Low settings average 37 FPS, Medium settings average 32 FPS (with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 37), High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra settings average 21 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 16 FPS, indicating that the GPU is severely constrained at this resolution regardless of settings. Even the best case scenario of 37 FPS is below the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

The data shows a consistent trend: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops disproportionately. At 1080p, the GPU can manage a playable experience at Low and Medium settings. At 1440p, only Low settings remain comfortably above 60 FPS, while Medium hovers near the threshold. At 4K, no settings preset provides acceptable performance. The minimum FPS values, where available, show that the Medium preset at 1080p has a floor of 83 FPS, at 1440p a floor of 53 FPS, and at 4K a floor of 28 FPS. These minimums indicate that the GPU can experience significant dips under load, which could be problematic during intense gameplay moments.

For practical use, the recommended configuration is 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The 113 FPS at Low offers the smoothest experience, while the 98 FPS at Medium provides a better visual balance. At 1440p, Low settings at 71 FPS is the most viable option, but you should be prepared for occasional drops below 60 FPS. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as the maximum average of 37 FPS is insufficient for a responsive tactical shooter. The measured data leaves no ambiguity: this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with conservative settings.