Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a profoundly GPU-limited experience in Red Dead Redemption 2. Benchmark results show that this combination is only capable of playable frame rates at 1080p with the Low preset, and even then, the margins are thin. The data indicates a hard ceiling imposed by the graphics processor, making the CPU's substantial processing power largely irrelevant in this title. This combo ranks near the bottom of the database, at 2670 out of 2902 tested combinations, confirming that this pairing is unsuitable for the game's demanding visuals at higher settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate collapse from 1080p to 4K is severe and unequivocal. At 1080p with the Low preset, the combo achieves an average of 47 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 35 FPS, a 25.5% reduction. The jump to 4K is catastrophic, with the average falling to 23 FPS, a 51.1% reduction from the 1080p result. This steep decline is the classic signature of a system where the GPU is the absolute bottleneck; the rendering workload increases quadratically with resolution, and the Arc B370 simply cannot keep pace.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the High and Ultra presets. At 1080p High, the average is 29 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 22 FPS, and at 4K High, it plummets to 14 FPS. The gap between Low and High settings at the same resolution is also significant, indicating that the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth are saturated quickly. The difference between 1080p Low (47 FPS) and 1080p High (29 FPS) is a 38.3% performance loss, demonstrating that the visual fidelity upgrades come at a steep cost that this hardware cannot absorb.

The data strongly suggests that the limiting component is the Intel Arc B370. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is not the constraining factor in any resolution or settings configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see the frame rate plateau at higher resolutions where the GPU workload increases. Instead, the frame rates continue to fall consistently with every resolution increase, which is the definitive behavior of a GPU-bound scenario. The 4K Ultra result of just 10 FPS is a clear indication that the GPU is overwhelmed, rendering the resolution and preset combination unplayable.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a powerful processor on its own, but its capabilities are largely untapped in this configuration. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, the CPU has the single-thread performance necessary to feed most games. Its benchmark scores support this, with a single-core Geekbench score of 2058 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055. These scores place the CPU in the 83rd percentile of all tested CPUs, indicating strong performance relative to the broader market.

Despite this processing power, the benchmark results in Red Dead Redemption 2 show that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The consistent frame rate drops across resolutions point to a GPU bottleneck. In this game, the CPU's role is to prepare frames for the GPU, but the Arc B370 is so slow that the CPU is constantly waiting for it to finish rendering. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are irrelevant when the GPU can only produce 47 FPS at the lowest tested settings.

The comparison to nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database shows the i5-14400F is a competent performer. It scores an average of 32279, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900. However, this processing headroom is wasted in this specific game and GPU pairing. The data indicates that the CPU is capable of far higher frame rates than the GPU can deliver, meaning any performance issues in Red Dead Redemption 2 are directly attributable to the graphics card, not the processor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the clear performance limiter in this combination. Its benchmark credentials are extremely modest, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all tested GPUs. This is a very low ranking, and its nearest rivals in the database are older, low-power mobile parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. This context is crucial; the Arc B370 is not competing with modern desktop graphics cards, and its performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 reflects this.

The GPU's specifications confirm its limited nature. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines. Its boost clock is 2400 MHz, and it relies on System Shared memory, which means its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a significant disadvantage for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which has large, detailed textures. The reliance on shared system memory for VRAM is almost certainly a major contributor to the low frame rates, as the GPU must access the system RAM over the bus, which is far slower than dedicated VRAM.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's limitations are stark. The best case scenario is 47 FPS at 1080p Low, which is barely acceptable for smooth gameplay. At any higher preset, the frame rate drops below 30 FPS. The 4K results, ranging from 10 to 23 FPS, are completely unplayable. The GPU's 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is simply insufficient for the demands of this title at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that this is a component designed for basic tasks, not for rendering a demanding action-adventure game at high fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B370 is near the bottom of the database for Red Dead Redemption 2. The combo ranks 2670 out of 2902 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested for this game. This ranking is a definitive statement that this pairing is one of the weakest tested for this specific title, regardless of the CPU's individual merits.

This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU. While the CPU ranks in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, the GPU ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The pairing of a high-performing CPU with a very low-performing GPU creates a massive imbalance that results in poor overall system performance for gaming. The benchmark results confirm this, with the system struggling to maintain playable frame rates even at 1080p. The data indicates that this combo is a poor match for a game as graphically intensive as Red Dead Redemption 2.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU capabilities is the key takeaway from this ranking. Users with this combination would see no benefit from the CPU's power in this game. The GPU is the bottleneck in every measurable scenario, and the system's rank reflects the performance of its weakest link. The 2670th place ranking out of 2902 is a clear warning that this configuration will not provide a satisfactory experience for this game at standard settings, and users should expect significant compromises to achieve even moderate frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a complete picture of the system's capabilities across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: the Low preset achieves an average of 47 FPS, the Medium preset achieves 35 FPS (with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 40), the High preset achieves 29 FPS, and the Ultra preset achieves 21 FPS. This shows a clear progression of performance loss as settings increase, but even the best-case scenario of 47 FPS is not ideal for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades further. The Low preset averages 35 FPS, the Medium preset averages 26 FPS (with a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30), the High preset averages 22 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 16 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is only playable at the Low preset, and even then, the frame rate is inconsistent, potentially dipping below the 30 FPS threshold during intense scenes. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution are not viable options.

At 3840x2160, the system is completely overwhelmed. The Low preset is the only one that reaches a 23 FPS average. The Medium preset averages 17 FPS (with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20), the High preset averages 14 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 10 FPS. These results are all far below the threshold for playability. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern of frame rate reduction with increased resolution and settings, with the system unable to handle 4K under any circumstances.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only configuration that provides a consistently playable experience is 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which yields an average of 47 FPS. This is the only tested setting that approaches the standard for smooth gameplay, though users should be prepared for potential frame drops in busy areas. The Medium preset at the same resolution achieves 35 FPS, which is borderline playable but may feel stuttery to some users. The data suggests that this is the maximum settings level that should be considered for this game.

For users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, the 1080p Medium preset at 35 FPS is the highest settings option that maintains an average above 30 FPS. However, the minimum FPS of 30 recorded at this setting indicates that the experience may not be consistently smooth. The High preset at 1080p drops to 29 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold and not recommended for a game that requires quick reactions. The Ultra preset at any resolution produces results that are too low for acceptable playability.

The data clearly indicates that 1440p and 4K resolutions should be avoided entirely with this hardware. Even at the Low preset, 1440p yields an average of 35 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1080p result. The 4K results are uniformly below 24 FPS, making them unplayable. The recommendation is to use 1080p with the Low preset for the best balance of performance and playability. If a higher preset is desired, Medium at 1080p is the maximum, but users must accept the risk of frame rate dips. This system is not suitable for high-fidelity gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2.