Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + Intel Arc B370 combination, and the measured frame rates reveal a system that is firmly constrained by the graphics processor. Across all tested resolutions and settings, the average FPS figures remain modest, indicating that this pairing is best suited for lower fidelity settings and resolution targets. The data suggests a significant imbalance where the CPU’s capabilities are largely held back by the GPU’s output limits.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a substantial and predictable decline in performance, underscoring the GPU-bound nature of this configuration. At the "Low" preset, the average frame rate drops from 47 FPS at 1080p to 35 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 12 FPS, and then further down to 23 FPS at 4K. This represents a 51% decrease in average FPS from the lowest to the highest resolution, a steep curve that points directly at the graphics card as the limiting factor.

Moving to the "Medium" preset, the scaling pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The average frame rate falls from 35 FPS at 1920x1080 to 26 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 17 FPS at 3840x2160. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is 18 FPS, which is a larger absolute loss than at "Low" settings, suggesting that the increased pixel count interacts with the higher fidelity settings to place even more strain on the GPU. At the "High" preset, the pattern continues: 29 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. The "Ultra" preset is the most demanding, with average FPS figures of 21 at 1080p, 16 at 1440p, and a mere 10 at 4K.

The 4K results are consistently low across all presets, with the highest average being 23 FPS at "Low" settings. This indicates that 4K resolution is not a viable target for this combination, even at the lowest quality settings. The scaling behavior suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary bottlenecks, as the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel count. The CPU, while not the main constraint, still has to feed the GPU, but the data shows that the GPU’s output ceiling is the dominant factor in this game.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves a single-thread score of 836 in 3DMark and a multi-thread score of 5411 in 3DMark max threads. Its Cinebench R23 scores are 2319 for single-core and 16429 for multi-core. These figures place the CPU in the 73rd percentile among all tested CPUs, indicating it has solid processing power for gaming. Its average benchmark score is 19593, making it a close rival to the Intel Core i5-12500, which scores 19668, a delta of -0.4%.

However, the measured FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2 shows that the CPU’s potential is not being fully utilized. The frame rate at 1080p "Low" (47 FPS) is still significantly below what a 6-core/12-thread processor could typically drive if the GPU were not the limiting factor. The performance difference between the CPU’s nearest rivals is minimal; for instance, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 has an average score of 19617, a delta of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19499, a delta of 0.5%. These small deltas suggest that swapping the CPU for a direct rival would not meaningfully change the game’s performance, as the bottleneck is elsewhere.

The CPU’s 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are standard for its class, but they do not appear to provide any advantage in this scenario. The game’s reliance on the GPU is such that even a substantial increase in CPU clock speed or core count would likely yield only marginal FPS gains. The data indicates that the Ryzen 5 5500 is more than capable of handling the game’s logic and draw calls, but it is being starved by the GPU’s inability to render frames faster. This is a classic case where the CPU headroom is vast, and the system’s performance is entirely dictated by the graphics solution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and the user’s preference for visual quality versus smoothness. At 1920x1080, the "Low" preset delivers the highest average FPS at 47, which is the only setting that approaches a playable frame rate for most users. The "Medium" preset offers 35 FPS, which is a playable but less smooth experience, while "High" drops to 29 FPS and "Ultra" to 21 FPS. For a consistently fluid experience at 1080p, the "Low" preset is the only reliable choice, though "Medium" could be acceptable for those who prioritize visual fidelity over a locked frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the "Low" preset yields an average of 35 FPS, which is borderline playable. The "Medium" preset at 26 FPS and "High" at 22 FPS are likely too choppy for a fast-paced action game, and "Ultra" at 16 FPS is not viable. The data suggests that 1440p is only feasible with the "Low" preset, and even then, the frame rate is not high. For 4K, all presets produce average FPS below 23, with "Low" being the only one that breaks the 20 FPS mark. This resolution is not recommended for this hardware, as even the lowest settings result in a stuttering experience.

The "Medium" preset provides a 41% increase in average FPS over "High" at 1080p (35 vs. 29 FPS), while the jump from "Medium" to "Low" is a further 34% increase (47 vs. 35 FPS). This suggests that the "Low" preset offers the best performance-per-quality trade-off for this system, as the gains from reducing settings are substantial. The "Ultra" preset consistently shows the worst performance, and the data indicates that the visual improvements it offers are not worth the significant FPS cost. For a balanced experience, the "Low" preset at 1080p is the only configuration that delivers a consistently smooth frame rate above 45 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + Intel Arc B370 pairing ranks 3430 out of 3714 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, confirming that it is a low-performance configuration for this specific title. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s limited capabilities, as the CPU’s percentile rank is much higher. The data shows that this combo is not well-suited for the game’s demanding graphical requirements.

The rank reflects the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, and the low scores at 4K and "Ultra" presets drag the overall standing down. The fact that the combo ranks so poorly is not surprising given the GPU’s average benchmark score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in GPU performance include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186 (a delta of -0.2%), and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190 (a delta of -0.5%). These are legacy parts, highlighting the Arc B370’s position as a very entry-level solution.

While the CPU is a competent performer, the combo rank is heavily weighted towards the overall system’s frame output, which is poor. For context, the CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-12500, would likely not improve the rank if paired with the same GPU, as the bottleneck remains the graphics card. The rank of 3430 suggests that users seeking a better experience in Red Dead Redemption 2 would need to consider a significantly more powerful GPU, as the current pairing is at the very bottom of the performance spectrum.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor with a 25 W TDP, featuring 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 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). Despite its modern architecture, its benchmark score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, indicating very low performance.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU’s limitations are immediately apparent. The highest average FPS recorded is 47 at 1080p "Low", which is the only setting that breaks the 30 FPS threshold. The GPU’s system-shared memory and system-dependent bandwidth are a major drawback, as the lack of dedicated VRAM likely contributes to the poor performance at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that the GPU is the sole bottleneck, as the CPU’s performance is far superior relative to its own class.

The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (score 1192, delta -0.7%) and the AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1168, delta 1.4%), are all older, low-power parts. This cements the Arc B370’s position as a solution for basic tasks rather than demanding gaming. The 10 RT cores and 12.29 TFLOPS FP16 performance are not enough to compensate for the low raw throughput. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary reason for the combo’s low rank, and any attempt to improve FPS in this game must start with a more powerful graphics solution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS is 47 on "Low", 35 on "Medium", 29 on "High", and 21 on "Ultra". The "Medium" preset shows a minimum FPS of 30 and a maximum of 40, while other presets do not have recorded min/max values. This resolution offers the best performance, but only "Low" provides a consistently high frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 35 on "Low", 26 on "Medium", 22 on "High", and 16 on "Ultra". The "Medium" preset has a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30 FPS. The performance is notably lower than 1080p, with "Low" being the only preset that stays above 30 FPS on average. At 3840x2160, the average FPS falls to 23 on "Low", 17 on "Medium", 14 on "High", and 10 on "Ultra". The "Medium" preset shows a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 FPS. None of the 4K presets achieve a playable frame rate, with the "Ultra" preset dipping to single digits.

The data shows a clear trend: the higher the resolution and settings, the more the frame rate suffers. The "Ultra" preset at 4K is the worst performer at 10 FPS, while the "Low" preset at 1080p is the best at 47 FPS. The lack of min/max data for many presets limits the analysis of frame time consistency, but the average FPS figures are sufficient to show that this combo is not suitable for high-fidelity or high-resolution gaming.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only viable resolution, with the "Low" preset delivering the highest average FPS of 47. Higher resolutions like 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 result in average FPS below 35 and 23 respectively, which are not ideal for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 the bottleneck in this system?

A: No, the benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has a high percentile rank (73rd) and strong multi-thread scores, but the frame rates are low across all settings, showing that the Intel Arc B370 cannot keep up with the CPU’s output.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 3430 out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8%. Its performance is low due to the GPU’s 5th percentile ranking, and it is comparable to systems using older, low-end graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this system can achieve?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 47, which occurs at 1920x1080 with the "Low" preset. No other setting or resolution combination exceeds this value.

Q: Should I use the "Ultra" preset at 1080p?

A: The "Ultra" preset at 1080p yields an average of 21 FPS, which is significantly lower than the "Low" preset’s 47 FPS. The data suggests that the visual quality increase is not worth the 55% performance loss.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The GPU uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system’s main RAM. The performance at high resolutions and settings is poor, which is likely due to the lack of dedicated VRAM and system-dependent bandwidth. The data shows a steep FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 4K.