Ready Or Not

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a playable but not flawless experience in Ready Or Not. The data shows this combo ranks in the 20th percentile of all tested configurations, making it a mid-to-low-tier option for this specific tactical shooter. The CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, forcing a trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Ready Or Not with this CPU and GPU combo?*

A: Based on the measured FPS, 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At Medium settings, the combo produces an average of 105 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 55 at Medium, which is borderline, and only 35 at Ultra, making 1440p the most consistent choice for a high-refresh experience.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Ready Or Not?*

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the combo achieves an average of 50 FPS on High and 55 FPS on Medium. While these are playable numbers, they do not reach the 60 FPS mark. The Ultra preset is not viable at this resolution, as the average FPS falls to 35. For a locked 60 FPS experience, you would need to use the Low preset, which averages 63 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its direct rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The benchmark data shows the Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556. This places it within a 0.5% performance delta of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (score 20534), Intel Arc A750 (score 20582), and AMD Radeon R9 M390X (score 20662). It ranks in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus a bottleneck for the Arc B570?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor. The Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. In Ready Or Not, the FPS scales significantly with resolution and graphics settings, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by its high multi-core and single-core benchmark scores, ensuring it can feed the GPU effectively.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 192 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 107 FPS. This represents a drop of 85 FPS when moving to the highest settings. The Medium preset offers a balanced 167 FPS, which is a more moderate performance hit for a significant visual upgrade.

Q: Is the launch MSRP of the GPU relevant to its performance in this game?

A: The Intel Arc B570 had a launch MSRP of 219 USD. When looking at the measured FPS, this indicates the combo provides a reasonable performance level for its cost point, though pricing is not a factor in the analysis of the benchmark results themselves.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. This is a high-end desktop CPU, as evidenced by its 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 84003 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807, a negligible 0.2% difference.

In Ready Or Not, the CPU's role is to handle the game's simulation and AI logic. The game is a tactical shooter, which typically involves complex enemy AI and environmental interactions. While the game is not as CPU-intensive as a real-time strategy title, a strong processor is still necessary to maintain a stable frame rate, especially in busy firefights. The data here shows that the Ultra 9 290K Plus is more than capable of this task. The FPS numbers are primarily dictated by the resolution and graphical preset, not by CPU limitations.

The processor's high single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 7303, is particularly relevant. Many game engines rely heavily on a few primary threads for the main game loop. This robust single-threaded performance ensures that the CPU does not become a weak link. The multi-core capabilities, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731, also provide a large amount of headroom for any background tasks or future game updates that may utilize more threads. The 36 MB of shared L3 cache also helps with rapid data access, further reducing potential latency.

How This Combo Ranks

According to the data, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the Intel Arc B570 ranks 2361 out of 2947 tested combos in Ready Or Not. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking table. This is a surprising result given the high performance of the CPU, but it underscores the significant impact of the GPU on the final gaming experience.

The combo's rank is heavily influenced by the Intel Arc B570's performance class. While the CPU is in the top 4% of all processors, the GPU is in the 65th percentile. The GPU's performance ceiling appears to be the primary constraint, preventing the combo from achieving a higher rank. The data from the measured FPS supports this, as the scores at 4K and Ultra settings are quite low, which is a direct result of the GPU's limitations.

The ranking implies that many other CPU and GPU combinations provide higher average frame rates in this game. These would likely be pairings where the GPU has more raw power, such as a higher-tier NVIDIA or AMD card, even if paired with a weaker CPU. This demonstrates that for Ready Or Not, the choice of GPU is paramount for achieving top-tier performance. The 290K Plus provides a stable foundation, but the Arc B570 holds the overall combo back from reaching the upper echelons of the performance charts.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across different settings and resolutions. The data shows a consistent trend: performance drops as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 55 FPS average (min 47, max 63)
• High: 50 FPS average
• Ultra: 35 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 121 FPS average
• Medium: 105 FPS average (min 90, max 121)
• High: 96 FPS average
• Ultra: 67 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 192 FPS average
• Medium: 167 FPS average (min 142, max 192)
• High: 152 FPS average
• Ultra: 107 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo is powerful enough to push very high frame rates on most presets. The Low preset reaches 192 FPS, and even the High preset manages 152 FPS. This makes the setup excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution. The Medium preset, with its 167 FPS average, is the most balanced option, offering a significant visual improvement over Low while still maintaining a frame rate that exceeds most high-refresh displays.

Moving up to 1440p, the performance drops but remains very playable. The Medium preset averages 105 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The High preset is still respectable at 96 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, sees a significant drop to 67 FPS, which is still playable but indicates the GPU is starting to struggle. At 4K, the GPU is clearly overburdened. Only the Low preset achieves over 60 FPS. The Medium and High presets are in the 50-55 FPS range, which may be acceptable for some, but the Ultra preset at 35 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the decisive factor in this combo's gaming performance. It is based on the Xe2-HPG architecture and the BMG-G21 chip. The GPU has 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. It operates at a consistent base and boost clock of 2500 MHz.

In Ready Or Not, the GPU is responsible for rendering the game's detailed environments and character models. The game's visual style, which often relies on lighting and shadows to create a tense atmosphere, can be demanding on a GPU. The data shows that the Arc B570's performance is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but has difficulty with 4K.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it is a mainstream performer. It has a Passmark G3D score of 14195 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2649. Its overall performance is nearly identical to the Intel Arc A750, with a delta of -0.1%. This places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. The 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures at 1440p, but at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the memory capacity and bandwidth may become a limiting factor, contributing to the lower frame rates.

The GPU's compute capabilities, with an FP32 performance of 11.52 TFLOPS, are also a factor. While not as critical as in some other games, the compute performance can affect the game's physics and post-processing effects. The data suggests the Arc B570 is a capable GPU for 1440p gaming, but users should not expect it to handle 4K with high settings in this title.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data points to a clear strategy. At 1080p, the Medium preset is the best choice. It provides an average of 167 FPS, a substantial improvement over the High preset's 152 FPS, while still delivering a much better visual experience than Low's 192 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 142 also ensures a consistently smooth experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is again the recommended choice. It offers an average of 105 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS, ensuring a fluid and responsive gaming experience. While the High preset at 96 FPS is also a viable option, the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold and is better suited for maintaining a stable frame rate in intense combat scenarios. The Ultra preset, at 67 FPS, is the highest visual quality option that remains playable, but it is close to the edge of what is ideal for a fast-paced tactical shooter.

For 4K gaming, the recommendation is to use the Low preset. It is the only preset that achieves an average above 60 FPS, hitting 63 FPS. The Medium and High presets are playable but will have noticeable dips below 60 FPS. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as its 35 FPS average is not conducive to a good experience in this genre.

In summary, to get the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the optimal configuration for this CPU and GPU combo. This setting leverages the CPU's strength to feed the GPU while keeping the graphical load at a level the Arc B570 can handle effectively. If a higher frame rate is the absolute priority, dropping to 1080p on Medium or High will yield excellent results.