Red Dead Redemption 2

# Red Dead Redemption 2 with Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + Intel Arc B570

This pairing of Intel's Arrow Lake desktop CPU with the Battlemage-generation Arc B570 produces a system that lands near the bottom of the benchmark database for Red Dead Redemption 2, ranking 2335th out of 2902 tested combinations. The measured frame rates reveal a configuration that is heavily GPU-limited across all resolutions, with playable performance only achievable at lower settings and resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent decline as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 79 FPS, but dropping to 1440p Low reduces that to 59 FPS, a 25% loss. Moving to 4K Low yields just 39 FPS, which represents a 51% drop from the 1080p Low result. This scaling pattern indicates that the Arc B570's rendering throughput, rather than the CPU's processing power, is the limiting factor at every resolution tested.

The Medium preset tells a similar story with slightly lower absolute numbers. At 1080p Medium, the average is 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p Medium drops the average to 44 FPS, with the minimum falling to 38 FPS and the maximum reaching 51 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average collapses to 29 FPS, with min/max of 25 and 34 FPS respectively. The gap between 1080p and 1440p Medium is 15 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K Medium is also 15 FPS, showing a nearly linear degradation as pixel count increases.

High settings follow the expected pattern but start from a lower baseline. The 1080p High average is 49 FPS, dropping to 37 FPS at 1440p High, and further to 24 FPS at 4K High. The percentage losses from 1080p to 1440p and 1440p to 4K are roughly 24% and 35% respectively, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and fill rate are being stretched thinner at higher resolutions. The fact that even 1080p High cannot maintain a solid 60 FPS average suggests the B570 is working near its practical ceiling for this title.

Ultra settings are essentially unplayable at any resolution for this combo. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 36, which is below the 50 FPS minimum seen at 1080p Medium. The 1440p Ultra result drops to 27 FPS, and 4K Ultra falls to 18 FPS. The delta between Ultra and High at each resolution is substantial: 13 FPS at 1080p, 10 FPS at 1440p, and 6 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the Ultra preset's additional effects, likely including higher shadow quality, draw distances, and volumetric effects, exact a heavy toll on the B570's 10 GB frame buffer and 380 GB/s of bandwidth.

The resolution scaling analysis points clearly to the GPU as the bottleneck. If the Core Ultra 5 225 were the limiting factor, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between 1440p and 4K, since the CPU's workload would remain relatively constant. Instead, the consistent 25-35% drops at each resolution step indicate that the Arc B570's pixel throughput and memory subsystem are saturated. The CPU is likely idle waiting for the GPU to finish each frame, especially at 4K where the average FPS falls below 40 even on Low settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings 10 cores and 10 threads to this pairing, running at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boosting to 4.90 GHz. This is a 10-core, 10-thread configuration without Hyper-Threading, which is notable for a modern desktop part. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3, providing a total of 20 MB of last-level cache. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates solid single-thread performance with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 and a multi-core score of 25891. The Passmark single-thread score of 4412 and multithread score of 30459 place it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs tested on this site. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36945, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093. The Core Ultra 5 225 sits within 0.5% of all three, meaning it is effectively tied with them in aggregate CPU performance.

For Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls, manage game logic, and handle physics calculations. The game is known to be moderately CPU-intensive, particularly in large open-world areas with many NPCs and dynamic elements. However, the measured FPS data in this pairing shows that the CPU is not the constraint. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work per frame and the CPU would be most likely to bottleneck, the combo achieves 79 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold that would indicate a CPU limitation, and the linear FPS drops with resolution scaling confirm that the GPU is the primary limiter.

The 10-core, 10-thread configuration of the Ultra 5 225 is adequate for this title. Red Dead Redemption 2 typically scales well with up to 8 threads, and the 10 threads available here provide enough headroom for background tasks without starving the game. The boost clock of 4.90 GHz is high enough for the game's single-threaded components, which is reflected in the strong single-core benchmark scores. The absence of SMT means that the CPU cannot leverage extra logical cores for thread-heavy workloads, but in this game, the GPU is so far behind that this is irrelevant.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target refresh rate and resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 79 FPS on average, which is the only setting/resolution combination that exceeds a 75 Hz refresh rate. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 59 FPS average with a 50 FPS minimum, which is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but leaves no headroom for frame time spikes. The High preset at 1080p averages 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and would feel noticeably less smooth.

For 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that approaches playable territory, with a 59 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 44 FPS, which is borderline for 40-45 Hz adaptive sync displays, but the 38 FPS minimum means there will be noticeable stutter during heavy scenes. The High preset at 1440p averages 37 FPS, which is too low for smooth gameplay. At 4K, all settings result in averages below 40 FPS, with the Low preset at 39 FPS being the best case but still not a comfortable experience.

The data suggests that the best experience is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings. This combination yields 59 FPS average with a 50 FPS minimum, which is a playable experience for most users. The jump from Low to Medium adds visual quality improvements without the severe FPS penalty seen when going from Medium to High. The difference between Low and Medium at 1080p is 20 FPS (79 vs 59), while the difference between Medium and High is only 10 FPS (59 vs 49). However, the Medium preset's minimum of 50 FPS is significantly better than the High preset's average of 49 FPS, meaning the Medium preset provides a more consistent frame pacing.

If the user has a 144 Hz monitor, the only way to approach that refresh rate is to use 1080p Low, which averages 79 FPS but still falls short of 100 FPS. The 1440p Low preset at 59 FPS is the best option for users who prioritize resolution over frame rate. At 4K, the Low preset's 39 FPS average is the only choice, and even that will require accepting a sub-40 FPS experience. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as it produces the lowest FPS at every resolution and offers diminishing visual returns over High.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2335th out of 2902 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the bottom 20% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's modest performance in this title, as the CPU is well above average in synthetic benchmarks. The 85th percentile CPU score versus the 65th percentile GPU score indicates a significant mismatch in the pairing's theoretical capabilities.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile with an average score of 20534, the Intel Arc A750 at 20582, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M at 20480, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X at 20662. The Arc B570's average score of 20556 is within 0.5% of all these parts, meaning it is statistically indistinguishable from them in aggregate GPU benchmarks. This is a notable result, as it places the B570 on par with a high-end mobile GPU from a previous generation and its own predecessor, the Arc A750.

The combo's low rank in this game is not surprising given the GPU's position in the broader benchmark hierarchy. The B570's Passmark G3D score of 14195 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2649 are respectable for a mid-range card, but Red Dead Redemption 2's demanding rendering pipeline, which includes heavy use of volumetric lighting, shadow quality, and draw distance effects, appears to be particularly taxing on the Xe2-HPG architecture. The 10 GB of VRAM and 160-bit memory bus may also contribute to the low rank, as the game's High and Ultra presets are known to consume significant memory bandwidth.

Compared to other combos in the database, this ranking suggests that users would need to pair the B570 with a significantly faster GPU to achieve higher ranks. The CPU's performance is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the fact that the combo's rank is primarily driven by the GPU's FPS results. If the CPU were replaced with a faster part, the FPS numbers would remain largely unchanged, as the GPU is saturated at all tested settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and uses the BMG-G21 chip fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, along with 18 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective) across a 160-bit bus. This configuration yields 380 GB/s of memory bandwidth and 10 GB of GDDR6 VRAM.

The B570's compute capabilities include 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 23.04 TFLOPS of FP16 performance, with pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and connects via PCIe 4.0 x8. The card draws up to 150 W and requires a 450 W power supply, with a dual-slot cooler and a single 8-pin power connector.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU's role is paramount. The measured FPS data shows that the B570 becomes the bottleneck at every resolution above 1080p Low. The 10 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but the 4K Ultra preset likely exceeds this capacity, causing the GPU to spill into system memory. The 160-bit memory bus and 380 GB/s bandwidth are below what many competing GPUs offer, which explains the steep FPS drops at higher resolutions where bandwidth demand increases.

The B570's nearest rival in the GPU database is the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20582 with a delta of -0.1%. This means the B570 is effectively tied with its predecessor in aggregate benchmarks, despite being a newer generation. The NVIDIA RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534 (0.1% delta), and the Quadro M4000M scores 20480 (0.4% delta). These results indicate that the B570 occupies a performance tier that is roughly equivalent to a mid-range mobile GPU from several generations ago.

For this specific game, the GPU's 18 ray tracing cores are largely irrelevant, as Red Dead Redemption 2 does not use ray tracing. The traditional rasterization workload is what matters, and the B570's 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 360.0 GTexel/s texture rate are the key metrics. The 72.1M transistors per mm² density and 19,600 million total transistors show a chip that is reasonably large for its class, but the performance in this game suggests that the architecture is not well optimized for the specific rendering techniques used by Rockstar's engine.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this CPU/GPU pairing in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The measured data shows that 1080p Medium provides the best balance, with an average FPS of 59 and a minimum of 50 FPS. This is the only setting/resolution combination that maintains an average above 55 FPS while providing a minimum above 45 FPS. The 1080p Low preset averages 79 FPS but sacrifices visual quality, while 1440p Low averages 59 FPS with no minimum recorded.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: At 4K, the best result is 39 FPS average on Low settings, which is below the 40 FPS threshold typically considered minimally playable. The Medium preset at 4K averages 29 FPS with a 25 FPS minimum, and High drops to 24 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. None of these provide a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The FPS drops consistently and proportionally as resolution increases, which is characteristic of GPU limitation. The Core Ultra 5 225's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, is more than sufficient for this game. If the CPU were the bottleneck, FPS would remain flat across resolutions.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its closest rivals in GPU benchmarks?

A: The B570's average benchmark score of 20556 is within 0.5% of the NVIDIA RTX 3070 Mobile (20534), the Intel Arc A750 (20582), the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20662). This places it in a tight performance cluster with these parts, showing that it offers similar aggregate performance to a previous-gen mid-range mobile GPU.

Q: What is the CPU's benchmark percentile and how does it affect gaming performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945), AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093). In this game, the CPU's performance is not a limiting factor, as the GPU is saturated at all settings.

Q: Does the 10 GB VRAM of the Arc B570 cause issues at higher settings?

A: The measured data suggests that VRAM capacity is adequate for 1080p and 1440p at all settings, with the 4K Ultra preset being the likely exception. The steep FPS drops at 4K, particularly the 6 FPS difference between High and Ultra at 4K, indicate that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are stretched thin at that resolution. The 380 GB/s bandwidth is the more likely bottleneck than the 10 GB capacity.