Red Dead Redemption 2

# Red Dead Redemption 2 with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D + Intel Arc B390

The measured data for this combination shows a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component. Across all tested resolutions and settings, the average frame rates range from 11 FPS at 4K Ultra to 51 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that the Intel Arc B390, with its 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is the primary bottleneck in this pairing. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, provides ample processing headroom that the integrated graphics solution cannot utilize effectively in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 32 at 1920x1080 to 24 at 2560x1440, a 25% reduction, and then further down to 16 at 3840x2160, representing a 50% total decline from the 1080p baseline. This scaling behavior is consistent with a graphics card that is overwhelmed by pixel count increases, as the data shows no evidence of CPU limitation at any resolution.

The Low settings preset demonstrates the most significant resolution sensitivity. Starting at 51 FPS at 1080p, the frame rate falls to 38 FPS at 1440p (a 25.5% drop) and then to 25 FPS at 4K (a 51% drop from 1080p). This pattern suggests that even when graphical load is minimized, the Arc B390 cannot maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions, and the performance ceiling is dictated entirely by the GPU's rendering capabilities rather than any CPU constraint.

Medium settings show a similar trend, with average FPS of 39 at 1080p, 29 at 1440p, and 19 at 4K. The minimum FPS values recorded for this preset—33 at 1080p, 24 at 1440p, and 16 at 4K—indicate that frame time consistency degrades proportionally with resolution increases. The Ultra preset, which yields only 23 FPS at 1080p, drops to 17 FPS at 1440p and 11 FPS at 4K, making it entirely unsuitable for any resolution above 720p-class output.

The data indicates that the limiting component in this configuration is unequivocally the Intel Arc B390. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (scoring 1463, a 1.3% delta) and the GeForce 800M (scoring 1460, a 1.5% delta). These are entry-level mobile-class parts, and the measured FPS results align with that performance tier. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its 16 cores and 32 threads running at base clocks of 4.30 GHz and boost clocks up to 5.70 GHz, is never the constraint in this scenario.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2568 out of 2902 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the bottom 11.5% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the severe mismatch between the CPU's high-end processing capability and the GPU's entry-level rendering performance. The combination's percentile position is directly attributable to the Arc B390's 9th percentile standing among all GPUs, which drags the overall system performance far below what the CPU alone would suggest.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D's average benchmark score of 75779 places it just ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (scoring 75738, a 0.1% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (scoring 75716, a 0.1% delta), and the AMD EPYC 8224P (scoring 75582, a 0.3% delta). The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trails at 75488, a 0.4% delta. These rival comparisons show that the CPU is performing at the very top of its class, yet the combined system ranking in this game is dragged down by the GPU's limitations.

In practical terms, the combo rank of 2568 out of 2902 means that over 88% of tested system combinations deliver higher frame rates in Red Dead Redemption 2. This is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities—which are demonstrated by its 95th percentile ranking across all CPUs—but rather a consequence of pairing a flagship desktop processor with an integrated graphics solution that targets low-power mobile scenarios. The data shows that for this specific game, the GPU choice is the sole determining factor in the combo's poor overall standing.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combination in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 51, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that approaches a playable frame rate.

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

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% ahead of the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% ahead of the GeForce GT 710 (1443). All of these parts occupy the bottom tier of GPU performance.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU limiting performance in this game?

A: No. The CPU's 3DMark max-thread score of 17184 and single-thread score of 1292 indicate strong processing power, and its 95th percentile ranking confirms it is not a bottleneck. The frame rate patterns across resolutions show GPU-bound behavior, with performance scaling consistently with pixel count.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 51 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce only 23 FPS average. This represents a 54.9% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: Can this system maintain 30 FPS at any resolution in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The measured data shows 30 FPS or above is only achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings (51 FPS) and Medium settings (39 FPS). At 2560x1440, only Low settings reach 38 FPS. No 4K configuration reaches 30 FPS, with the highest being 25 FPS at Low settings.

Q: How does the combo's ranking compare to the total number of tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 2568 out of 2902 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11.5% of all systems tested in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a clear progression across presets. Low settings deliver an average of 51 FPS, which is the highest measured value for this entire configuration. Medium settings reduce the average to 39 FPS, with minimum and maximum values of 33 and 44 FPS respectively, indicating reasonable frame time consistency. High settings drop the average to 32 FPS, while Ultra settings bottom out at 23 FPS average. The step from Low to Medium represents a 23.5% performance decrease, while the step from Medium to High costs another 17.9%, and High to Ultra costs 28.1%.

Moving to 2560x1440, all presets see substantial reductions. Low settings average 38 FPS, a 25.5% drop from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 29 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 24 and 33 FPS, showing wider frame time variance at this resolution. High settings average 24 FPS, while Ultra settings average only 17 FPS. The relative ordering of presets remains consistent, but the absolute values push the system closer to unplayable territory at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal across the board. Low settings average 25 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration that approaches playability. Medium settings average 19 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 16 and 22 FPS. High settings average 16 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 11 FPS. The 4K data shows that even the lowest quality preset cannot maintain a consistent 30 FPS, and the frame time variance at Medium settings (16-22 FPS range) suggests significant stuttering during demanding scenes.

For frame time data, only the Medium preset at each resolution includes minimum and maximum values. At 1080p, the 33-44 FPS range shows a spread of 11 FPS. At 1440p, the 24-33 FPS range shows a spread of 9 FPS. At 4K, the 16-22 FPS range shows a spread of 6 FPS. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is consistently saturated, reducing the variability but also capping performance at very low levels.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the only viable configuration for an acceptable gaming experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which delivers 51 FPS average. This is the sole preset that exceeds the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for playable action-adventure titles. The Medium preset at 1080p, averaging 39 FPS, also provides a playable experience with improved visual fidelity, though the drop to 33 FPS minimums indicates occasional slowdowns during intense scenes.

At 2560x1440, only Low settings (38 FPS average) approach playability, but the margin above 30 FPS is thin and likely to be breached in demanding outdoor environments typical of Red Dead Redemption 2's open world. The Medium preset at 1440p, averaging 29 FPS, sits just below the 30 FPS threshold and would require significant compromises in frame pacing to be tolerable. At 3840x2160, no preset delivers a playable experience, with even Low settings averaging only 25 FPS.

For users prioritizing frame rate over visual quality, the 1080p Low preset is the clear recommendation. The 51 FPS average provides the smoothest experience the hardware can deliver. Those seeking better visuals could consider 1080p Medium (39 FPS), which offers a 23.5% frame rate penalty but presumably improves texture and shading quality. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it delivers between 11 and 23 FPS depending on resolution, all of which are below acceptable playability thresholds.

The data suggests that resolution scaling is the most effective lever for performance adjustment. Dropping from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings yields a 34.2% frame rate increase (from 38 to 51 FPS), which is a more substantial gain than adjusting settings within the same resolution. This indicates that users should prioritize lowering resolution over lowering quality settings when seeking playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge codename), manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 128 MB of L3 cache. The base clock is 4.30 GHz with a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, and the CPU has a 170 W TDP. It supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth.

In this game, the CPU's role is entirely secondary to the GPU. The 3DMark benchmark scores for the CPU show strong performance across thread counts: 1292 single-thread, 2549 for 2 threads, 4963 for 4 threads, 9259 for 8 threads, 16374 for 16 threads, and 17184 for max threads. These scores indicate that the CPU is capable of handling any workload Red Dead Redemption 2 presents, including the game's simulation and AI processing demands.

The CPU's nearest rival comparisons show it is competitive at the very top of the desktop processor market. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 trails by only 0.1% in average benchmark score (75738 vs 75779), and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D also trails by 0.1% (75716). The AMD EPYC 8224P is 0.3% behind (75582), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is 0.4% behind (75488). This tight grouping indicates that the 9950X3D is performing at the expected level for a flagship part.

However, the measured frame rates in Red Dead Redemption 2 never approach a level where CPU performance would matter. The highest average FPS is 51 at 1080p Low, which is well within the CPU's capability to feed frames to the GPU. The resolution scaling patterns show consistent GPU-bound behavior, as frame rates drop proportionally with pixel count increases. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions or CPU-related bottlenecks at low settings and low resolutions, neither of which appears in the data.

With a launch MSRP of $699, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D represents a top-tier desktop processor, but its performance in this configuration is completely masked by the GPU limitation. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its average benchmark score of 75779 confirm that it is not the source of the poor frame rates observed.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, specifically from the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 raster operation units, and 12 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz with a boost clock of 2500 MHz, and the GPU has an 80 W TDP. The memory configuration is System Shared, meaning it uses a portion of the system's DDR5 memory, with bandwidth described as System Dependent.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which is the bottom decile of performance. Its average benchmark score of 1482 matches this result, and its nearest rivals confirm its low-end positioning: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% slower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% slower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% slower), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). These rivals are all legacy entry-level parts, and the Arc B390's performance is essentially equivalent to that tier.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU's limitations are evident across all measured configurations. The highest frame rate achieved is 51 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a demanding scenario for such a low-powered integrated solution. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s provide theoretical limits that align with the observed performance. The FP32 compute of 7.680 TFLOPS and FP16 of 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1) are modest figures for a modern GPU, and they manifest in the sub-30 FPS results at most settings.

The system-shared memory architecture means that the GPU relies on the CPU's dual-channel DDR5 memory, with bandwidth limited by the 89.6 GB/s system memory bandwidth. This shared configuration can introduce additional latency and bandwidth contention, particularly at higher resolutions where memory pressure increases. The measured frame rates suggest that the GPU is not only compute-bound but also potentially memory-bandwidth-limited, as the performance drops are steeper than would be expected from compute limitations alone.

The GPU's release date of 2026 indicates it is a recent product, yet its performance class is decidedly entry-level. The combination of low shading unit count, modest clock speeds, and shared memory creates a configuration that is fundamentally unsuited for demanding titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 at resolutions above 1080p. The data shows that even at the lowest settings, the GPU cannot maintain consistent 30 FPS at 1440p or above, and at 4K, all settings produce average frame rates below 25 FPS.