Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a very specific performance profile in Red Dead Redemption 2, characterized by a stark contrast between a capable processor and a graphics solution that severely limits frame rates. The measured data shows that this combination is best suited for lower resolutions and reduced graphical settings, where the CPU can flex its muscles, while higher settings and resolutions quickly become unplayable. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to determine the optimal configurations, the roles of each component, and how this specific pairing ranks against other tested combinations.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results for this CPU-GPU pairing paint a clear picture: playable frame rates are only achievable at 1080p with the lowest settings, or at the absolute edge of playability at 1440p. The data shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck, and the graphical preset has a far greater impact on performance than the resolution scaling.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 51 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset that crosses the 50 FPS threshold. This is the only setting where the game can be considered smooth and responsive. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to an average of 39 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset falls to 32 FPS, and Ultra drops to 23 FPS, making both these settings less desirable for a consistent experience.

At 2560x1440, the situation worsens. The Low preset here yields an average of 38 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 51 FPS seen at 1080p. While 38 FPS is technically playable, it is just below the smoother 40+ FPS range. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 29 FPS, and High drops to 24 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution is effectively unplayable at 17 FPS.

The 4K results (3840x2160) are purely for reference, as none of the presets achieve a playable frame rate. The best result is Low at 25 FPS, followed by Medium at 19 FPS, High at 16 FPS, and Ultra at a mere 11 FPS.

Therefore, the recommended experience is the Low preset at 1080p. This is the only setting that provides a frame rate high enough for a consistently fluid experience. For users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p is a viable compromise, offering a substantial visual upgrade for a 12 FPS average cost. Pushing to 1440p is only recommended with the Low preset, and even then, the performance is noticeably below the 1080p Low experience. High and Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution, as the data indicates they consistently fail to provide a satisfactory level of performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this system's performance in Red Dead Redemption 2. Its specifications, including a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, are coupled with a memory configuration that is System Shared. This means the GPU relies on the system's main memory (DDR4 in this case) rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth is also listed as System Dependent, which means performance can vary based on the system's RAM configuration.

The GPU's benchmark data is stark. It scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low score, indicating a fundamental performance ceiling. The nearest rivals in the data are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710. The Arc B390 is 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GT 710. These are all extremely low-end, legacy graphics processors, which contextualizes the Arc B390's performance class.

This low performance ceiling explains the measured FPS data. The GPU is unable to handle the graphical load of Red Dead Redemption 2 at higher settings. The fact that the Low setting at 1080p is 51 FPS, but the Ultra setting is 23 FPS, shows a 28 FPS drop solely from increasing the preset. This massive swing indicates that the GPU's shading units (1536), texture mapping units (48), and render output units (24) are simply overwhelmed by the increased complexity of higher presets. The shared memory architecture likely also contributes to this bottleneck, as the GPU has to compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a powerful processor that is not the limiting factor in this game. It is a Zen 3 architecture chip with 8 cores and 16 threads, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The CPU's cache configuration includes a large 16 MB L3 cache, which is beneficial for gaming.

The CPU's benchmark scores are robust. It achieves a multi-threaded score of 20655 in Cinebench R23 and a single-thread score of 2916. In Geekbench, it scores 9959 multi-core and 1907 single-core. The CPU's average benchmark score is 25517, placing it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs. This is a high percentile, showing that it is a strong performer. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon D-2752TER (-0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U (+0.1% delta), have nearly identical average scores, confirming that the Ryzen 7 5700 is a mid-to-high-tier processor.

Given the GPU's limitations, the CPU's performance is largely untapped in Red Dead Redemption 2. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 5700 could easily drive much higher frame rates if paired with a more capable GPU. The CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient for the game's demands, and its strong single-thread performance (2916 in Cinebench R23) is crucial for game logic and physics. The CPU's role here is to feed the GPU with data, and it does so without becoming a bottleneck. The proof is that the FPS scales almost entirely with the GPU's workload (settings preset), and not with the CPU's capability.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2, this pairing ranks at 2568 out of 2902 combos. This places it in the bottom 11.5% of all tested systems. This low rank is almost entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B390's performance. The CPU is a strong component, but the GPU's low benchmark scores (9th percentile) drag the entire system down.

The combo rank of 2568 means that out of the 2902 combinations tested by the database, 2567 of them delivered better average performance in this specific game. This is a crucial metric for understanding the system's overall capability. While the CPU is a good performer, the system's overall ranking is a clear indicator that it is not a high-performance gaming rig. The data shows that this is a pairing where a strong processor is severely handicapped by a weak graphics card. Users seeking a better experience in this game would need to prioritize a more powerful GPU, as the CPU is already providing a solid foundation.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for this hardware in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The best experience is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 51 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is a viable alternative for better visuals at 39 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest performance rivals?

A: Based on the average benchmark score, the Arc B390 is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GT 710.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B390?

A: No, the data does not indicate this. The CPU is a strong performer (78th percentile), and the frame rates are primarily limited by the GPU's performance. The CPU is likely not the limiting factor.

Q: What is the best 4K performance this combo can achieve?

A: The best 4K result is on the Low preset, which averages 25 FPS. This is below playable standards, indicating that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The average FPS drops from 51 FPS on Low to 23 FPS on Ultra at 1920x1080, a difference of 28 FPS.

Q: What is the overall performance rank for this specific CPU and GPU combination in this game?

A: This combination ranks at 2568 out of 2902 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the lower tier of tested systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides a complete breakdown of the measured average FPS for every resolution and settings preset combination in the data.

3840x2160 (4K)

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

2560x1440 (1440p)

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

1920x1080 (1080p)

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

The data shows a consistent pattern: the FPS scales linearly with the graphical preset, with the Low setting always providing the highest frame rate and Ultra the lowest. The min and max FPS data for the Medium preset shows some variance, but the overall trend is clear.

Resolution Scaling

The impact of resolution scaling on this hardware is significant, but the GPU is the primary driver of the frame rate drops. The data shows a clear and predictable decrease in performance as the resolution increases.

At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 51 at 1080p to 38 at 1440p, a decrease of 13 FPS (25.5%). Moving from 1440p to 4K drops the average from 38 to 25 FPS, another 13 FPS decrease (34.2%). This shows that the performance cost of rendering more pixels is substantial.

At the Medium preset, the frame rates are 39 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 10 FPS (25.6%), and from 1440p to 4K is another 10 FPS (34.5%). The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is consistently larger than from 1080p to 1440p, which is expected because 4K has over double the pixels of 1440p.

The High preset follows the same trend: 32 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 16 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset drops from 23 FPS at 1080p to 17 FPS at 1440p and finally to 11 FPS at 4K.

This scaling behavior indicates that the system is almost entirely GPU-bound. The CPU is capable of handling the increased draw calls and game logic at higher resolutions, but the GPU's rendering throughput is the limiting factor. The linear nature of the performance drops, regardless of the CPU's capabilities, confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is completely saturated at all resolutions. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 5700's performance headroom is untapped, and the GPU is the sole reason for the frame rate limitations.