Revolution Idle

Revolution Idle, a 2023 idle game, presents an unusual benchmark scenario for the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390. The measured frame rates are consistently low, and the scaling across resolutions reveals a system that is heavily limited by the graphics component. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, performance drops dramatically, indicating that the Intel Arc B390, with its integrated graphics architecture, is the primary bottleneck in this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a severe performance degradation across all settings, confirming that the rendering pipeline is the limiting factor. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 62 FPS at 1080p to 39 FPS at 1440p, a 37% reduction, and then further down to 21 FPS at 4K, which represents a 66% total decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth of the integrated solution are overwhelmed by the increasing number of pixels.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher quality presets. With High settings, the average FPS falls from 45 at 1080p to 28 at 1440p, and then to 15 at 4K, a 67% drop from the baseline. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic collapse, going from 29 FPS at 1080p to 18 FPS at 1440p and finally to a nearly unplayable 9 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that the gap between 1440p and 4K is consistently larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, indicating that the GPU's resources are exhausted more quickly as resolution climbs, with the 4K tests representing a worst-case scenario for this hardware combination.

The fact that the frame rate at 1080p Low (62 FPS) is more than double the frame rate at 4K Low (21 FPS) points to a component that is operating far outside its optimal range. Since the CPU is a high-end desktop part with 6 cores and 12 threads, it is unlikely to be the constraint at any resolution. The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B390, which has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 and sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, is the sole reason for this poor scaling behavior. The game's simple 2D-like visuals are still too demanding for this integrated graphics processor at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its performance characteristics are defined by a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. The memory configuration is entirely "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's DDR5 memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This dependency is a critical weakness, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access, which likely contributes to the low frame rates observed in the measured data.

The GPU's benchmark results place it in a very low performance tier. Its average benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM. This proximity to decade-old discrete GPUs explains why the frame rates are so low in Revolution Idle. The GPU's FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s are theoretical figures that do not translate into playable performance in this context.

The data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's limited capabilities and the measured FPS. At 1080p Low, the average of 62 FPS is the only result that approaches a smooth experience, but this drops to 47 FPS at Medium and 45 FPS at High. The Ultra preset is particularly demanding, yielding only 29 FPS. The GPU's 12 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate are irrelevant here, as the bottleneck is raw rasterization throughput and memory bandwidth. The "System Shared" memory type is a significant drawback, as it lacks the dedicated bandwidth of a discrete graphics card, which is essential for maintaining consistent frame rates even in a lightweight title like Revolution Idle.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 7000 series desktop processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, based on the Raphael codename and Zen 4 architecture. It operates at a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor has a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, a feature that is generally advantageous for gaming. Its high single-thread and multi-thread performance, as evidenced by a Passmark single-thread score of 3494 and a multithread score of 25047, suggests it is more than capable of handling the logical and simulation tasks in Revolution Idle.

In this configuration, the CPU's role is largely passive due to the GPU bottleneck. The benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D is never the limiting factor, as the frame rates are consistently low regardless of the CPU's potential. The CPU's average benchmark score of 44573 places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, and it performs within 0.7% of rivals like the Intel Core i5-14600 and 0.2% of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H. This level of processing power is far beyond what is needed for an idle game, which typically relies more on timer-based logic than complex physics or AI.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, while respectable for DDR5, is shared with the integrated GPU. This shared memory architecture means that the CPU's performance could be indirectly affected by the GPU's memory demands. However, the data does not show any CPU-related stalls, as the frame rates are consistently GPU-limited. The 7500X3D's 6 cores and 12 threads are underutilized, and its high L3 cache is not a decisive factor in this specific title. The processor is effectively waiting on the GPU at every resolution and setting, making the CPU's robust specifications irrelevant to the final frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low averages 62 FPS, Medium averages 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. This is the only resolution where the Low preset achieves a playable frame rate, and the gap between Low and Ultra is 33 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for higher visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops considerably. Low averages 39 FPS, Medium averages 30 FPS with a minimum of 25 and maximum of 34, High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. The frame rates here are below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and even the Low preset struggles to maintain a consistent experience. The data shows that 1440p is a demanding resolution for this GPU, with a 37% performance loss from Low to Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal. Low averages 21 FPS, Medium averages 16 FPS with a minimum of 13 and maximum of 18, High averages 15 FPS, and Ultra averages 9 FPS. None of these frame rates are suitable for interactive gameplay, and the 4K resolution effectively cripples the system. The difference between 1080p Low (62 FPS) and 4K Low (21 FPS) is stark, representing a 66% reduction in performance. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst-case scenario, with an average of 9 FPS, which is below the threshold for a slideshow.

The data shows a consistent pattern: Medium settings always outperform High settings by a small margin (2 FPS at 1080p, 2 FPS at 1440p, and 1 FPS at 4K), while Low settings provide a substantial boost over Medium (15 FPS at 1080p, 9 FPS at 1440p, and 5 FPS at 4K). The Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer, with a significant drop from High (16 FPS at 1080p, 10 FPS at 1440p, and 6 FPS at 4K). This suggests that the game's Ultra preset introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive for the Intel Arc B390.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Revolution Idle with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where any preset achieves a frame rate above 60 FPS. At this resolution, the Low preset averages 62 FPS, which is the only measured result that is fully playable. All other resolutions and presets fall below this threshold.

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

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM. These are all low-end or legacy parts, confirming that the B390 is a very weak graphics solution.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D a bottleneck in this setup?

A: No. The CPU has a Passmark multithread score of 25047 and a single-thread score of 3494, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. The frame rates are consistently low across all resolutions, which indicates that the GPU, not the CPU, is the limiting factor in every scenario.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 39 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. This represents a 21 FPS difference, or a 54% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the CPU's performance relative to its rivals suggest it can handle more demanding games?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 44573 is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i9-13950HX. This indicates that the CPU is a high-performance part that would not be a bottleneck in more demanding titles, provided a more capable GPU is used.

Q: What is the frame rate trend from Medium to High settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 47 FPS, while the High preset averages 45 FPS. The difference is only 2 FPS, suggesting that the visual improvements from Medium to High are relatively inexpensive for the GPU at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable configuration for a playable experience is 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 62 FPS. This is the sole combination that crosses the 60 FPS threshold, and it is the recommended setup for any user who prioritizes smooth gameplay over visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 1080p, averaging 47 FPS, is a secondary option for those who can tolerate a lower frame rate, but it is still well below the ideal target.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 39 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset at 30 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not recommended due to their low averages of 28 and 18 FPS, respectively. The data suggests that users should avoid 1440p entirely if possible, as the performance penalty is substantial.

At 4K, all presets produce unplayable frame rates, with the highest being 21 FPS on Low. The Ultra preset at 9 FPS is effectively a static image. The benchmark results indicate that 4K is not a viable resolution for this hardware combination in Revolution Idle. The best experience, according to the data, is unequivocally 1080p Low, which provides a stable frame rate without any significant dips, as indicated by the minimum FPS values for other presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2629th out of 2986 tested combos in Revolution Idle, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This ranking is almost entirely due to the GPU's poor performance, as the CPU is a high-end part that would rank much higher with a discrete graphics card. The combo's position is consistent with the GPU's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the CPU sits in the 89th percentile.

The data shows a stark contrast between the components: the CPU is a top-tier performer, while the GPU is a bottom-tier one. This imbalance is reflected in the combo's low rank. The 2629th position out of 2986 means that 357 other combinations perform worse, but the vast majority of tested systems deliver better frame rates in this game. The combo's ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability but rather a direct consequence of the integrated GPU's limitations.

Given the measured FPS data, this ranking is expected. The combo's best-case scenario of 62 FPS at 1080p Low is below the average performance of most systems, and its 4K performance is among the worst recorded. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is fundamentally mismatched, with a high-end processor paired with a low-end graphics solution, resulting in a system that is severely restricted in Revolution Idle and likely in any other graphically demanding application.