Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a profoundly GPU-limited experience in Red Dead Redemption 2. The data shows a combination where an exceptionally strong desktop processor is matched with an integrated-class graphics solution, resulting in frame rates that consistently fall below playable thresholds across all tested resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and scaling characteristics based strictly on the provided benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The combo ranks 2568th out of 2902 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems tested for this specific title.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39768, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS and 0.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450, while being 0.7% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.8% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 7700.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it just 1.3% above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX.

Q: What is the best average FPS achieved in this game with this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 51 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of just 11 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU have its own dedicated video memory?

A: No, the Intel Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all dependent on the system's main memory configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. Benchmark results indicate this GPU is in the 9th percentile of all graphics cards, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, a delta of only 1.3%. This places the Arc B390 in the performance class of decade-old entry-level discrete GPUs, which is entirely insufficient for the graphical demands of Red Dead Redemption 2 at modern display resolutions.

The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG on a 3 nm process, featuring 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines. The boost clock is listed at 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. However, the critical limitation is its memory configuration: "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth. This means the GPU relies on the system's main DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM, which severely constrains texture loading and frame buffer operations in a demanding open-world game. The GPU's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, but these theoretical figures do not translate into playable performance.

The data shows the impact of this GPU limitation clearly. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 51 FPS average. However, the moment settings increase to Medium, the average drops to 39 FPS, and at High it falls to 32 FPS. This steep drop-off with modest settings increases demonstrates that the GPU's shading and texture throughput are exhausted almost immediately. The GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is simply inadequate for the game's render pipeline at higher presets.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an entirely different story. This is a high-end desktop processor in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 39768. Its multi-threaded performance is strong, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23230 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 18696. The CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. It also includes 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is characteristic of the 3D V-Cache design.

In this specific combo, the CPU's role is to feed frames to the GPU, but the GPU cannot keep up. The benchmark scores suggest the processor has ample headroom. For example, its Passmark multi-thread score is 40009, and its single-thread score is 4430, indicating strong per-core performance. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10081 and 8-thread score of 8252 show that the CPU scales well across its core count.

The data indicates this CPU is massively overqualified for the paired GPU. The CPU's nearest rivals in average score include the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (40081, delta -0.8%) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048, delta -0.7%), which are similarly powerful processors. None of these rivals would be considered weak for gaming, yet the measured FPS in this game is abysmal. This confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor; it is waiting idle for the GPU to process frames. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 120 W TDP and DDR5 memory support provide a robust platform, but the system's overall gaming capability is capped by the integrated graphics.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2568 out of 2902 places this system in the bottom 11.5% of all tested configurations for Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a remarkably low position, especially considering the CPU's high percentile ranking. The disconnect between the two components is stark: the CPU sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This creates a system where the weakest link entirely dictates the gaming experience.

For context, the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, delta 2.5%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, delta 2.7%). These are historically low-end cards, and the Arc B390 only marginally outperforms them. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is its only benchmark score, and it is the sole metric used to establish this GPU's position. This lack of performance headroom means the combo rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU's capability.

The measured FPS data reinforces this low rank. Even the best-case scenario (1080p Low) only yields 51 FPS, which is barely acceptable for a 60 Hz display. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 23 FPS, which is unplayable. Given that the rank considers all tested combinations, the 2568th position reflects that a vast majority of other systems, even those with older or mid-range GPUs, achieve better frame rates in this open-world title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's limitations across all three standard resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 51 FPS, Medium averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 and maximum of 44, High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 23 FPS. The progression shows a consistent decline as settings increase, but even the lowest preset does not reach a comfortable 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings average 38 FPS, Medium averages 29 FPS (min 24, max 33), High averages 24 FPS, and Ultra averages 17 FPS. The 1440p resolution demands more from the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth, and the system cannot compensate. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 21 FPS, showing that the GPU struggles with higher shader complexity.

At 3840x2160, the results are almost unusable. Low settings average 25 FPS, Medium averages 19 FPS (min 16, max 22), High averages 16 FPS, and Ultra averages 11 FPS. The 4K resolution overwhelms the Arc B390's 24 ROPs and shared memory interface. The minimum FPS of 16 at Medium settings indicates severe frame pacing issues, making the game feel stuttery. Across all resolutions, the data shows a clear pattern: the system is only viable at 1080p Low, and even then, it barely achieves playable frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the only acceptable experience is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which produces an average of 51 FPS. This is the sole configuration that approaches a smooth frame rate. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 39 FPS, which may be playable for some but is below the 60 FPS target. For users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, the High preset at 1080p (32 FPS) is the highest quality option that remains in the field of playable, but it requires a tolerance for sub-40 FPS gameplay.

The data does not support any settings above High at 1080p. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 23 FPS, which is a slideshow. At 1440p, all presets fall below 40 FPS, with even Low only reaching 38 FPS. Given the GPU's 9th percentile ranking, it is clear that the system is not designed for high-fidelity gaming. The recommendation is to lock the resolution to 1920x1080 and use Low settings for the best playable frame rate. If the user insists on Medium settings, they must accept an average of 39 FPS with potential drops to 33 FPS, which will be noticeable in fast-moving scenes.

For users with variable refresh rate monitors, the 1080p Low preset is the only setting where the frame rate stays above 45 FPS consistently. The 1080p Medium preset's minimum of 33 FPS indicates that frame times will be inconsistent, leading to judder. There is no scenario in the data where this combo provides a "great" experience; the settings recommendations are about minimizing frustration rather than maximizing quality.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior reveals the GPU as the absolute limiting component. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 51 to 38, a decrease of 13 FPS or approximately 25.5%. From 1080p to 4K at Low settings, the average drops from 51 to 25 FPS, a reduction of 26 FPS or 51%. This halving of frame rates when moving to 4K is typical of a GPU that is starved for memory bandwidth and pixel throughput.

At High settings, the scaling is even more drastic. The 1080p average is 32 FPS, dropping to 24 FPS at 1440p and 16 FPS at 4K. This represents a 50% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows a similar pattern: 23 FPS at 1080p, 17 FPS at 1440p, and 11 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern of roughly 50% FPS loss when doubling the pixel count indicates that the GPU is purely pixel-bound. The CPU has no trouble feeding the GPU at any resolution, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel count.

This scaling analysis underscores that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's immense processing power is entirely wasted in this configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions, or at least smaller differences between 1080p and 4K. Instead, the data shows that the Intel Arc B390's limitations dominate every metric. The system's performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a textbook example of a CPU/GPU imbalance, where the graphics solution's inability to process frames quickly enough caps the entire system's output. Users seeking better performance would need to consider a discrete GPU with dedicated VRAM, as the current setup cannot deliver a satisfactory experience beyond 1080p Low.