Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks near the bottom of the database for Red Dead Redemption 2, sitting at position 2568 out of 2902 tested combos. This pairing produces playable frame rates only at 1080p with Low settings, where it averages 51 FPS, and drops below 30 FPS at every other tested configuration. The CPU is a strong performer with a Passmark multi-thread score of 20,363, but the GPU holds the entire system back with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of just 1,482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware?

A: The only configuration that achieves a playable average frame rate is 1920x1080 with Low settings, producing 51 FPS. All other settings at 1080p fall below 40 FPS, and every tested configuration at 1440p or 4K averages under 40 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37,018, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Core Ultra 5 225, 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, and 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-12900T.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

Q: What is the CPU's cache configuration and how does it affect performance?

A: The CPU features 6 cores, 12 threads, and a large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is the defining feature of the X3D series. This large cache helps with gaming workloads by keeping frequently accessed data closer to the cores.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses System Shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and instead borrows from system memory. The memory bandwidth is listed as System Dependent, so performance varies based on the rest of the system.

Q: How does the GPU's pixel and texture rate compare to its low benchmark standing?

A: The GPU has a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, but its FP32 throughput is only 7.680 TFLOPS. These specifications, combined with just 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs, explain why it struggles in this demanding title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is built on the Zen 3 architecture using TSMC's 7 nm process, with a 74 mm² die size. It operates with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, drawing up to 105 W TDP. This 5000 series processor supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The processor has a 6-core, 12-thread layout, which is sufficient for modern games, and its 96 MB shared L3 cache is the standout feature for gaming workloads.

The benchmark data shows the CPU performing strongly relative to its peers. Its Passmark single-thread score is 2,941, while its multithread score reaches 20,363. In integer math, it scores 60,033, and in floating-point math, it scores 34,511. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms it is not the bottleneck in this system. When compared to its nearest rivals, the differences are minimal: the Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36,945 (0.2% lower), the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37,093 (0.2% higher), the Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36,938 (0.2% lower), and the Core i9-12900T scores 37,112 (0.3% higher).

Given these scores, the CPU has ample headroom for Red Dead Redemption 2. The game's frame rates are far below what this processor is capable of supporting. The measured FPS data shows that even the best-case scenario of 51 FPS at 1080p Low is likely GPU-limited, not CPU-limited. The CPU's high multithread score of 20,363 suggests it can handle the game's simulation and AI workloads without issue. The 96 MB L3 cache is particularly beneficial for open-world games like this one, which often have large working sets of data that need to be accessed frequently.

The CPU also supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a desktop gaming processor. While this feature is more relevant to workstation use, it does not hurt gaming performance. The processor is unlocked for multiplier adjustment, allowing overclocking within the 105 W TDP envelope, though the boost clock of 4.00 GHz is already respectable. For this game, the CPU's contribution is largely passive — it provides enough compute power to avoid being a limiting factor, but the GPU's weakness prevents the system from reaching higher frame rates.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It is part of the Arc Graphics-M generation designed for Panther Lake chips. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a TDP of just 80 W. It has 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The memory configuration is entirely System Shared, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM — the GPU relies on system memory, with bandwidth listed as System Dependent.

The GPU's benchmark performance is extremely poor. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GT 520MX scores 1,463 (1.3% lower), the GeForce 800M scores 1,460 (1.5% lower), the GT 625 OEM scores 1,446 (2.5% lower), and the GT 710 scores 1,443 (2.7% lower). These comparisons illustrate just how weak the B390 is — it is barely faster than a decade-old entry-level GPU.

The GPU's theoretical specifications confirm its limited capabilities. Its FP32 throughput is 7.680 TFLOPS, and its FP16 throughput is 15.36 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. These numbers are far below what is needed for a demanding title like Red Dead Redemption 2 at high resolutions. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so it can run the game's modern rendering features, but it lacks the raw compute power to execute them at acceptable speeds.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows a consistent pattern: at any given resolution, lowering settings from Ultra to Low increases frame rates by roughly 2-2.5 times. At 1080p, Ultra averages 23 FPS, while Low averages 51 FPS. This scaling suggests the GPU is struggling with the game's visual complexity, and even the lowest settings cannot push frame rates high enough for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions. The System Shared memory configuration likely exacerbates the problem, as the GPU competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2568 out of 2902 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations in the database. This ranking is primarily due to the GPU's performance, which is in the 9th percentile, while the CPU is in the 85th percentile. The massive gap between these two components means the CPU's potential is entirely wasted in this pairing.

The ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages only 11 FPS, which is essentially unplayable. Even at 1080p Low, the best-case scenario of 51 FPS is barely acceptable for a game of this type. The combo's rank of 2568 out of 2902 indicates that most other tested configurations deliver better performance. The CPU's nearest rivals — the Ryzen 5 5600F, Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, and Core Ultra 5 225 — would likely achieve similar rankings when paired with this GPU, since the GPU dominates the performance profile.

The data suggests that this combo is a poor match for Red Dead Redemption 2. The CPU is more than capable of running the game at high frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up. The 96 MB L3 cache and 6-core/12-thread configuration of the CPU are wasted when the GPU can only produce 51 FPS at the lowest settings. For any user considering this pairing, the GPU would need to be upgraded to a significantly more powerful part to unlock the CPU's potential. The rank of 2568 serves as a warning that this specific combination underperforms in this specific title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable settings for this combo are 1920x1080 with Low quality, which produces an average of 51 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches a playable frame rate for an action-adventure game like Red Dead Redemption 2. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 39 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. At 1080p High, the average falls to 32 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 23 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the situation is worse. Low settings produce an average of 38 FPS, Medium drops to 29 FPS, High to 24 FPS, and Ultra to 17 FPS. None of these are playable for a game that benefits from consistent frame pacing. At 3840x2160, the results are even more dire: Low averages 25 FPS, Medium 19 FPS, High 16 FPS, and Ultra 11 FPS. These frame rates are effectively slideshows and are not recommended under any circumstances.

For the best experience, users should run the game at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This provides a 51 FPS average, which is the only configuration that exceeds 50 FPS. The measured data includes minimum and maximum FPS only for Medium settings at each resolution, which provides some insight into frame pacing: at 1080p Medium, the range is 33-44 FPS; at 1440p Medium, 24-33 FPS; and at 4K Medium, 16-22 FPS. These ranges suggest that even at Medium settings, the frame rate is not stable. At Low settings, the game may be more consistent since the GPU is less stressed, but no min/max data is available for Low to confirm this.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 51 FPS average
• Medium: 39 FPS average (min 33, max 44)
• High: 32 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

At 1080p, the scaling from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 7-9 FPS per settings tier. The gap between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS, which represents a 55% reduction in performance when maxing out the settings. The Medium setting's min/max range of 33-44 FPS shows moderate variance, suggesting the GPU is working hard but not completely overwhelmed.

2560x1440:

• Low: 38 FPS average
• Medium: 29 FPS average (min 24, max 33)
• High: 24 FPS average
• Ultra: 17 FPS average

At 1440p, the performance drops significantly compared to 1080p. Low settings at 1440p produce 38 FPS, which is 13 FPS lower than the same settings at 1080p. The Medium setting's min/max range of 24-33 FPS indicates noticeable frame drops, which would be visible during gameplay. The Ultra setting at 17 FPS is below the threshold for smooth motion.

3840x2160:

• Low: 25 FPS average
• Medium: 19 FPS average (min 16, max 22)
• High: 16 FPS average
• Ultra: 11 FPS average

At 4K, the combo is essentially unplayable. Even Low settings only produce 25 FPS, which is below the standard for playability. The Medium setting's min/max range of 16-22 FPS shows severe frame drops, and the Ultra setting at 11 FPS is a slideshow. The resolution scaling is steep: moving from 1080p Low to 4K Low reduces the average FPS by 26 FPS (51 to 25), a 51% drop.

The overall pattern is consistent: this combo is only viable at the lowest resolution and settings. The data shows a clear hierarchy where 1080p Low is the only acceptable configuration, and all other options produce frame rates that are too low for a smooth experience in an action-adventure game. The massive difference between the CPU's 85th percentile ranking and the GPU's 9th percentile ranking explains why the system performs so poorly despite having a strong processor.