Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It features a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 64 MB L3 cache. This high-core-count, high-frequency configuration is designed to handle demanding workloads, but the benchmark results in Red Dead Redemption 2 indicate a significant bottleneck elsewhere in the system. The CPU’s 3DMark scores, including 12,552 in the 16-thread test and 1,286 in the single-thread test, show it has ample processing power. However, the measured frame rates in this game are primarily constrained by the graphics subsystem, as the CPU’s capabilities far exceed what is required to drive the frames produced by the paired GPU. The Ryzen 9 9900X’s 120 W TDP and support for DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth ensure that data can be fed to the GPU without introducing latency, but this does not translate into higher FPS when the GPU is the limiting factor.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 9 9900X brings a formidable set of specifications to the table: 12 cores and 24 threads with a 4.40 GHz base clock and 5.60 GHz boost clock. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates its strength, scoring 3,353 in Cinebench R15 single-core and 22,253 in Cinebench R23 single-core. Multi-threaded performance is equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,172 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 22,174. These figures place the CPU in the 92nd percentile of all tested processors, indicating that it is one of the more capable chips available for compute-intensive tasks. However, in Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s role is largely to maintain a stable frame delivery pipeline. The game’s engine is not particularly demanding on CPU resources at the settings tested, especially when compared to the GPU’s workload. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to become a limiting factor, the average frame rate is 47 FPS. This suggests that the CPU is not preventing higher performance; rather, the GPU is unable to render frames fast enough to utilize the CPU’s full potential. The 12-core configuration also ensures that background tasks and game threads do not compete for resources, but this headroom does not manifest in higher FPS because the rendering pipeline is stalled at the GPU stage.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2,670 out of 2,902 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, a position that reflects the GPU’s limited performance rather than the CPU’s capabilities. The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a 25 W TDP and 1,280 shading units. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is a mere 1,184, which puts it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Comparing this to the CPU’s 92nd percentile ranking highlights a massive imbalance: the CPU is a top-tier desktop part, while the GPU is positioned at the entry level. The nearest rivals for the GPU include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1,186 (a 0.2% difference), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which scores 1,192 (a 0.7% difference). This indicates that the Arc B370 performs at a level similar to decade-old integrated and low-end discrete graphics chips. Consequently, the combo’s overall rank is dragged down entirely by the GPU, as the CPU’s contribution to frame rate is negligible in this scenario. The data suggests that pairing a high-end CPU with this GPU yields no tangible benefit in this game, as the GPU cannot translate CPU headroom into additional frames.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that points directly to the GPU as the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 47 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 35 FPS, a reduction of 12 FPS or approximately 25.5%. At 4K Low, the average further drops to 23 FPS, another 12 FPS decrease from the 1440p result. This consistent decline with increasing resolution is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload grows with pixel count. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to remain relatively stable across resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not scale with resolution. The data shows the opposite: every step up in resolution results in a substantial FPS loss. At High settings, the trend continues, with 29 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. This pattern confirms that the Arc B370’s pixel throughput is the primary constraint. The GPU’s 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 96.00 GTexel/s texture rate are simply insufficient for higher resolutions, and the system’s performance scales inversely with the number of pixels rendered. The CPU’s high memory bandwidth and low latency do not help here because the GPU cannot process frames quickly enough to utilize the available data.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

Breaking down the measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves 47 FPS on Low settings, 35 FPS on Medium, 29 FPS on High, and 21 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 30 and a maximum of 40, indicating some frame pacing variance but generally stable performance. At 2560x1440, the averages are 35 FPS on Low, 26 FPS on Medium, 22 FPS on High, and 16 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution has a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS. At 3840x2160, the averages drop to 23 FPS on Low, 17 FPS on Medium, 14 FPS on High, and 10 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 15 FPS and a maximum of 20 FPS. These numbers illustrate a consistent relationship: lowering the resolution or settings increases frame rate, but the gains are modest. For instance, switching from Ultra to Low at 1080p yields an increase of 26 FPS (from 21 to 47). At 4K, the same settings change yields an increase of 13 FPS (from 10 to 23). This shows that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the system is only capable of delivering smooth performance at 1080p Low, where it approaches the 60 FPS threshold but falls short.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is a mobile-focused integrated GPU with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. It has 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The GPU’s memory configuration is listed as "System Shared," meaning it relies on the CPU’s DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This shared memory architecture can introduce latency and bandwidth contention, which is particularly detrimental in a game like Red Dead Redemption 2 that requires significant texture memory. The GPU’s 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 12.29 TFLOPS of FP16 performance (2:1 ratio) are modest figures that align with its low 25 W TDP. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which means it can technically run modern APIs, but its raw processing power is insufficient for demanding titles. In the measured results, the GPU’s limitations are evident: even at 1080p Low, the system only achieves 47 FPS, which is below the standard for a smooth experience. The GPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M, both of which are from the early 2010s. This context makes it clear that the Arc B370 is not a gaming-oriented part, and its performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 reflects that positioning.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Given the measured FPS data, the recommended settings depend on the user’s tolerance for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 47 FPS on average, which is the highest frame rate recorded across all configurations. This is the only setting combination that approaches a playable experience, though it still falls short of the 60 FPS target. The 1080p Medium preset yields 35 FPS, a 12 FPS drop from Low, but offers better visual quality with a minimum of 30 FPS. For users who prioritize smoothness, 1080p Low is the best choice. At 1440p, the highest average is 35 FPS on Low, but this is identical to the 1080p Medium result, suggesting that resolution scaling does not provide a meaningful benefit at this performance level. The 4K configurations are not recommended, as the highest average is 23 FPS on Low, which is well below playable thresholds. The data shows that the system cannot maintain a consistent 30 FPS at 4K, even on the lowest settings. Therefore, the optimal experience is found at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is highest, or 1080p Medium if the user can accept a lower frame rate for improved visuals. The Ultra preset is the least desirable, as it results in single-digit or low-20s frame rates across all resolutions, making the game feel unresponsive.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The highest average FPS is 47, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo’s rank in this game compare to other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 2,670 out of 2,902 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU act as the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the consistent FPS drops when moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,184 places it in the 5th percentile, while the CPU is in the 92nd percentile.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Intel Arc B370 and its nearest rival GPU?

A: The nearest rival is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1,186 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, a 0.2% difference from the Arc B370’s 1,184.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded at 4K resolution?

A: The lowest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 10, achieved on Ultra settings.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for the Medium preset across resolutions?

A: The minimum FPS for Medium settings is 30 at 1920x1080, 22 at 2560x1440, and 15 at 3840x2160.