Revolution Idle

Revolution Idle, an idle game released on May 9, 2023, presents a unique set of performance demands compared to typical action titles. The benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution across all tested scenarios. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings paint a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the definitive bottleneck, and the CPU's processing power remains largely untapped. This analysis walks through the data to interpret what these numbers mean for the playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS degradation from 1080p to 4K is drastic and immediate, clearly identifying the Intel Arc B390 as the primary limiting component. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 45 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, the average drops to 28 FPS, a reduction of 17 FPS or roughly 38% from the 1080p result. Pushing further to 3840x2160 at High settings yields an average of just 15 FPS, which is a 67% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is a classic sign of a GPU that is overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 62 at 1080p, to 39 at 1440p, and finally to 21 at 4K. Similarly, Medium settings see averages of 47, 30, and 16 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. Even at the lowest settings, the 4K resolution produces an average of only 21 FPS, which is still below the threshold for a smooth experience. This indicates that resolution, not graphical fidelity, is the dominant factor in performance. The data suggests that the fill rate and memory bandwidth of the Arc B390 are simply insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in this game, regardless of how low the other settings are pushed.

The scaling between 1080p and 1440p is less severe but still significant. For instance, on High settings, the 28 FPS at 1440p is 62% of the 45 FPS at 1080p. The transition from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing, with the 4K High average of 15 FPS being just over half of the 1440p result. This pattern indicates that the GPU's rendering pipeline is saturated at 1440p, and the additional workload required for 4K causes a disproportionate performance collapse. The benchmark results indicate that the Arc B390 is not a viable option for 4K gaming in this title, as even the lowest settings fail to provide a playable frame rate. The component acting as the bottleneck is undoubtedly the GPU, as the CPU's frame times are not a factor in this scaling analysis.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience hinges entirely on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 62, providing a smooth and responsive experience typical for an idle game. However, the Medium preset also performs well, with an average of 47 FPS, and offers a better visual balance while still maintaining playability. The High preset at 45 FPS is also playable, making 1080p the only resolution where all three of these presets are viable. The Ultra preset, however, drops to an average of 29 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter in a game that often relies on smooth background animations, making it the least desirable of the four.

For users targeting 2560x1440, the options become more constrained. The Low preset is the only setting that yields an average above 30 FPS, hitting 39 FPS. The Medium preset, with an average of 30 FPS, sits right on the edge of what is generally considered playable. The High preset at 28 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 18 FPS is not recommended for a fluid experience. Therefore, for 1440p gaming, the Low preset is the clear choice to ensure a stable frame rate, with Medium being a possibility for those who prioritize visual quality over a small performance dip.

At 3840x2160, no preset provides an acceptable experience. The Low preset averages 21 FPS, which is too low for comfortable play. The High, Medium, and Ultra presets deliver 15, 16, and 9 FPS respectively, all of which are effectively unplayable. The data shows that this combination is not suited for 4K gaming in Revolution Idle. The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally at 1080p, where the Medium preset offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and performance, providing a significant step up from Low without the substantial FPS hit seen at High and Ultra. For the smoothest possible performance, the Low preset at 1080p is the top choice.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390, with its integrated graphics design, plays the decisive role in this combo's performance. Its benchmark scores and specifications explain why it struggles so much. The GPU's measured 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in this benchmark are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, with the Arc B390 scoring 1.3% higher than the GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the GT 710. These are all very low-end or legacy mobile/entry-level desktop parts, which contextualizes the Arc B390's performance class.

The GPU operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock is moderately high, the architecture's low pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are not sufficient for high-resolution rendering. The FP32 performance is listed at 7.680 TFLOPS, which is modest for modern standards. The memory configuration is "System Shared," with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This means the GPU relies on the system's main memory, which is a significant bottleneck for frame buffer operations, especially at higher resolutions where large amounts of data need to be accessed quickly.

The data shows that the GPU's VRAM is not a discrete component; instead, it shares system memory. This shared memory architecture is a major contributor to the poor performance at 4K, as the demand for memory bandwidth increases exponentially with resolution. The GPU's 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs are also heavily taxed by the pixel and texture counts at 1440p and 4K. The consistent FPS drops across all settings when moving to higher resolutions point directly to the Arc B390's inability to keep up with the increased workload. It is the clear bottleneck, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames, but the GPU cannot render them fast enough.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low preset averages 62 FPS, Medium averages 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 54, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. This is the only resolution where the combo achieves a consistently playable frame rate across multiple presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops considerably. The Low preset averages 39 FPS. The Medium preset averages 30 FPS, with a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 34. The High preset averages 28 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. These numbers show that 1440p is only really playable on the Low preset, with Medium being marginal.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly poor. The Low preset averages 21 FPS. The Medium preset averages 16 FPS, with a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 18. The High preset averages 15 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 9 FPS. None of these averages reach a level that would be considered smooth or responsive for interactive use. The data shows a clear and linear regression in performance as both resolution and settings increase, with 1080p Low being the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS barrier.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 62 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 47 FPS, both of which are suitable for a smooth experience.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Revolution Idle?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 21 on the Low preset, which is not a playable frame rate. Other presets drop to between 9 and 16 FPS, making 4K an unviable option for this title.

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

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No, the data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly when resolution increases, while settings changes have a smaller impact. This pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, meaning the CPU has spare capacity.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 62 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 29 FPS. This represents a 33 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset is more than twice as demanding, but still playable.

Q: What memory configuration does the GPU use?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses a "System Shared" memory configuration, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all shared with the system memory. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent."

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In standard CPU benchmarks, it performs strongly, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680. Its average benchmark score is 19039, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which has a near-identical average score of 19047, and the Intel Core i5-1335U, which trails by a negligible 0.3%. This indicates that the CPU is a capable mid-range part that should not struggle with the computational demands of an idle game.

However, in this specific combo, the CPU's role is largely passive due to the GPU's limitations. The benchmark results show that the frame rate is consistently low, especially at higher resolutions, but this is not due to a CPU bottleneck. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its 3DMark max-thread score of 5912, is more than sufficient for the game's logic and background calculations. The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide a solid foundation for system performance, but this headroom is unused.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. For instance, at 1080p Low, the FPS is 62, which is a decent result, but it's not proof of the CPU's power in gaming. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain constant. Instead, we see FPS plummet as resolution increases, which is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's performance in this game is effectively masked by the Arc B390's inability to render frames fast enough. The processor is waiting on the GPU, not the other way around.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Revolution Idle, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2629th out of 2986 total combos. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a low-performing combination for this specific game. The rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's weak benchmark scores and the resulting low measured FPS, particularly at higher resolutions.

The combo's rank is heavily influenced by the Intel Arc B390's 9th percentile performance among all GPUs. Since the GPU is the bottleneck, the CPU's strong 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs does not help the overall standing. The combination's performance is dragged down by its weakest link. The data shows that while the CPU is a solid performer in isolation, it cannot compensate for a graphics solution that is not capable of delivering playable frame rates in this title at common gaming resolutions like 1440p and 4K. The high rank number signifies that the vast majority of other tested hardware combinations will offer a better experience in Revolution Idle. This ranking is a clear indicator that this combo is only suitable for low-resolution, low-settings gaming.