Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B580 produces a highly variable experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, with performance heavily dictated by resolution and preset. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve playable frame rates, but it struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K. The benchmark results indicate a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, while the CPU demonstrates sufficient headroom to handle the game’s workload at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 56 FPS at 1920x1080 to 42 FPS at 2560x1440, and then plummets to 28 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 50% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the graphics card becomes the limiting factor as pixel count rises. The scaling is not linear, with the 1440p to 4K transition being particularly harsh, suggesting the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are saturated at higher resolutions.

At the Low preset, the pattern is similar but with higher absolute numbers: 90 FPS at 1080p, 67 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is notably higher than the 4K High result, showing that reducing graphical fidelity can recover significant performance. However, even at Low settings, the 4K average of 44 FPS remains below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth, indicating that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo.

The Medium preset shows intermediate results, with averages of 67 FPS at 1080p, 50 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS recorded at Medium settings are 57 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K, which further illustrates the scaling challenge. The gap between 1080p and 1440p at Medium is 17 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is also 17 FPS, showing a consistent degradation pattern across settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 2195 out of 2902 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the lower 25th percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU’s position in the broader market, as the Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021 and sits at the 68th percentile among all GPUs. The combo’s rank suggests that while it can run the game, it does so at lower performance levels compared to many other pairings tested.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a deltaPct of 0, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at -0.4%, and the Intel Core i9-12900T at -0.5%. These small deltas indicate that the Core Ultra 5 225 performs similarly to these processors in synthetic benchmarks, but the actual gaming results in Red Dead Redemption 2 are more dependent on the GPU. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP with a deltaPct of -0.2% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 at 0.6%, show that the Arc B580 is competitive with older high-end cards in terms of average scores, yet the measured FPS suggests real-world performance can vary.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2670 MHz with a boost clock of 2670 MHz, and its 2560 shading units deliver a peak FP32 performance of 13.67 TFLOPS. These specifications are relevant to the game’s performance, as Red Dead Redemption 2 is known for its heavy use of draw distances and texture streaming, which can stress both memory capacity and bandwidth.

The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but at 4K with High or Ultra presets, the memory may become a bottleneck. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is just 20 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s compute resources are overwhelmed by the game’s demands. The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s provide context for why higher resolutions cause such significant frame rate drops, as the GPU must process more pixels and textures per frame.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 23021 and its 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs suggest it is a mid-range performer. In comparison, its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, has a deltaPct of 0.6%, meaning the Arc B580 scores slightly higher in synthetic benchmarks. However, in Red Dead Redemption 2, the Arc B580’s performance at 4K is poor, with the High preset yielding only 28 FPS, which is below playable thresholds.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 90 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset provides a more balanced experience with 67 FPS and a minimum of 57 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay with better visual fidelity. The High preset at 56 FPS is also playable, but the Ultra preset drops to 40 FPS, which may feel less fluid.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset at 67 FPS is the best option for maintaining high frame rates, while the Medium preset at 50 FPS is acceptable for most players. The High preset at 42 FPS is on the edge of playability, and the Ultra preset at 30 FPS is not recommended as it falls below standard smoothness thresholds. At 3840x2160, none of the settings provide a consistently smooth experience, with the Low preset at 44 FPS being the only option that approaches playability.

The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with a minimum FPS of 57 ensuring no major drops. For players prioritizing frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear winner, providing near-double the performance of the High preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are 90 for Low, 67 for Medium, 56 for High, and 40 for Ultra. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS, showing a tight frame time distribution. The Low preset, while having no min/max data, clearly outperforms all other settings at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 67 for Low, 50 for Medium, 42 for High, and 30 for Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS, indicating some variability but generally stable performance. The Low preset at 67 FPS matches the 1080p Medium result, demonstrating that resolution scaling can be offset by lower settings.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are 44 for Low, 33 for Medium, 28 for High, and 20 for Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 38 FPS, confirming that 4K gaming is not viable for this combo. The difference between Low and High at 4K is 16 FPS, which is substantial but still leaves High below playable levels.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Red Dead Redemption 2?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the best resolution, with the Low preset achieving 90 FPS and the Medium preset achieving 67 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset at 67 FPS is consistently smooth, while 3840x2160 struggles across all settings.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: No, the measured FPS at 3840x2160 ranges from 20 FPS at Ultra to 44 FPS at Low, all of which are below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Even the best 4K result of 44 FPS is insufficient for a comfortable experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36945 (deltaPct 0). It is slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D by 0.2% and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 by 0.4%.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile?

A: The Intel Arc B580 ranks at the 68th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. This places it in the mid-range segment, comparable to older high-end cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (deltaPct 0.6%).

Q: Which settings preset provides the most balanced experience?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset offers 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS, providing a good mix of visual quality and performance. At 1440p, the Low preset at 67 FPS is the most balanced option, as higher presets drop below 50 FPS.

Q: Is the combo more CPU-bound or GPU-bound?

A: The data indicates the combo is GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At 4K, performance drops significantly across all settings, while at 1080p, the CPU is able to feed the GPU effectively. The CPU’s 10 cores and 10 threads are sufficient for the game’s workload.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It has 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 36938 places it at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, indicating strong multi-threaded performance.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI, which are not as demanding as the GPU’s rendering tasks. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (90 FPS) suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the GPU is able to achieve high frame rates. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as evidenced by the sharp drop in FPS regardless of CPU performance.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and the Intel Core i9-12900T, show that the Core Ultra 5 225 is competitive in synthetic benchmarks. The deltaPct values are all within 0.5% of each other, meaning these processors perform similarly in general computing tasks. For this game, the CPU’s 10 threads are adequate, and the results show that the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rates, especially at higher resolutions and settings.