Road 96

The Intel Arc B370 paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X produces a benchmark profile that is severely constrained by the graphics processor in Road 96. The data indicates that this combination struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions, with the GPU acting as the definitive bottleneck across all tested settings. While the CPU provides ample headroom, the integrated graphics solution's low performance ceiling dictates the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all quality presets, revealing a graphics-bound workload. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 85 FPS at 1920x1080 to 54 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 31 FPS, and then further to 29 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 65.9% decrease in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, demonstrating that the rendering pipeline is overwhelmed as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is similar at higher settings. With High settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p sees a drop from 50 FPS to 32 FPS, and at 4K the average falls to 17 FPS. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic decline, moving from 39 FPS at 1080p to 25 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to just 13 FPS at 4K. This consistent ~50% or greater performance loss with each resolution step indicates that the Intel Arc B370's fillrate and shading capabilities are the primary limiting factors, rather than any CPU-side constraint.

The data suggests that the 1080p resolution is the only viable target for this combo. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is already substantial, often exceeding 30%, while the jump to 4K results in sub-30 FPS averages even on the lowest settings. The scaling curve is not linear; the penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K is proportionally similar to the 1080p to 1440p step, confirming that the GPU is saturated at every resolution tested and has no reserve capacity to absorb additional pixel throughput.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor with a 25 W TDP, featuring 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. Its core clocks are modest, with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This architecture places severe limits on the GPU's ability to handle the demands of Road 96 at higher resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate the gaming results. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, and AMD Radeon HD 7650M, all with average scores within 0.7% of the Arc B370. This positioning firmly establishes the GPU as an entry-level part with performance characteristics that are several generations behind modern discrete solutions.

In Road 96, this translates to a hard ceiling on frame rates. At 1080p with Low settings, the GPU manages an average of 85 FPS, but this is the only configuration that approaches a high-refresh experience. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields an average of 39 FPS, and the 4K Ultra result of 13 FPS is effectively unplayable. The GPU's limited ROP count and pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s directly impact the resolution scaling, as the fillrate requirements at 4K exceed what the silicon can deliver. The texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s is similarly insufficient for the higher-detail presets, which rely on more complex shading and texture sampling.

The "System Shared" memory is a notable factor. Because the GPU has no dedicated VRAM, it must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth. While the Ryzen 9 9900X supports dual-channel DDR5 with a theoretical bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, the shared nature of this resource means that the GPU's access is likely suboptimal, particularly at higher resolutions where memory pressure increases. The measured FPS data shows a pronounced drop when moving from Medium to High settings, suggesting that the additional memory overhead of higher-quality textures and effects disproportionately impacts the GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores and 24 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It operates at a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a TDP of 120 W. It features 64 MB of L3 cache and a dual-channel DDR5 memory interface. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32172 and a single-core score of 2253, as well as a Geekbench multicore score of 22174 and a single-core score of 3010.

In the context of Road 96, the CPU is clearly not the limiting component. The game is an adventure title that does not appear to stress multi-threaded workloads heavily, given the GPU-bound nature of the results. The CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads provide substantial processing headroom, but the frame rates are consistently dictated by the GPU's performance. The fact that the 1080p Low preset reaches 85 FPS while the 4K Ultra preset drops to 13 FPS is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to keep up, not any CPU deficiency.

The Ryzen 9 9900X's single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1286 and Passmark single-thread score of 4672, is more than adequate for the game's logic and physics. The CPU's 4.40 GHz base clock and 5.60 GHz boost clock ensure that frame pacing is not affected by processor stalls. The processor's percentile ranking of 92% against all CPUs further confirms its high-end status, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14900 and various EPYC server chips, all within 1.4% of its average benchmark score.

The data shows that the CPU's role in this combo is to provide a stable platform that never hampers the GPU. Even at the lowest frame rates observed, such as the 13 FPS average at 4K Ultra, the bottleneck is overwhelmingly on the graphics side. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see a more pronounced difference between low and high settings at a given resolution, as CPU load is relatively independent of graphics quality. Instead, the frame rate scales almost entirely with resolution and settings, pointing exclusively to the GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2680 out of 2903 tested combos in Road 96. This places it in the bottom 7.7% of all configurations, reflecting the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the low-end GPU. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's 5th percentile standing, which drags the overall combo performance down despite the CPU's 92nd percentile ranking.

This ranking is not surprising given the GPU's benchmark data. The Arc B370's average benchmark score of 1184 is a fraction of what modern discrete GPUs achieve, and its nearest rivals are all legacy or low-power parts. The combo's position at 2680 out of 2903 indicates that the vast majority of other tested configurations, even those with significantly weaker CPUs, outperform it in this game due to having more capable graphics solutions.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU performance is stark. The Ryzen 9 9900X is a flagship desktop processor, while the Arc B370 is an integrated solution designed for mobile or low-power contexts. In a gaming workload like Road 96, the GPU's limitations dominate the outcome, and the CPU's power is largely unused. This results in a combo that is poorly suited for the game, with the rank reflecting a fundamental mismatch that no amount of CPU headroom can overcome.

The measured FPS data supports this ranking. At 1080p, the combo achieves 85 FPS on Low, which is respectable, but the 4K Ultra result of 13 FPS is among the worst possible outcomes. The rank of 2680 suggests that the combo is only better than 223 other configurations, which are likely to feature even less capable GPUs. For any user considering this pairing for Road 96, the data clearly indicates that the GPU must be upgraded to achieve a reasonable gaming experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a comprehensive view of the combo's capabilities across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 85 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. The Medium preset averages 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. High settings yield an average of 50 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS. These figures show a clear progression, with each step up in quality costing roughly 10-20% performance.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 54 FPS, a significant drop from the 1080p result. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra falls to 25 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 29 FPS, demonstrating the substantial impact of graphics quality on the GPU's limited resources.

The 3840x2160 results are uniformly poor. Low settings average 29 FPS, which is marginally playable but below the 30 FPS threshold often considered a minimum for smooth gameplay. Medium settings average 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS. High settings average 17 FPS, and Ultra averages just 13 FPS. None of these 4K configurations provide a playable experience, and even the Low preset struggles to maintain a consistent frame rate.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one with recorded min and max values across all resolutions, suggesting that it was tested more thoroughly. At 1080p Medium, the 53 FPS minimum ensures that frame drops do not become disruptive. At 1440p Medium, the 34 FPS minimum is borderline, while at 4K Medium, the 18 FPS minimum is clearly problematic. This indicates that the GPU's performance is not only low but also inconsistent at higher resolutions, with frame times likely to vary significantly.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for this combo in Road 96 is the 1080p Low preset, which delivers an average of 85 FPS. This is the only setting that approaches a high-refresh-rate experience, providing smooth gameplay without significant frame drops. The 1080p Medium preset, at 62 FPS, is also viable, with a minimum of 53 FPS that keeps the experience fluid. For users prioritizing visual quality over raw frame rate, the 1080p High preset at 50 FPS is acceptable, though the Ultra preset at 39 FPS begins to show signs of strain.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only reasonable option, averaging 54 FPS. This provides a playable experience, but the Medium preset at 40 FPS and High at 32 FPS are increasingly less smooth, with the Ultra preset at 25 FPS being borderline unplayable. For those with 1440p displays, the recommendation is to stick with Low settings to maintain a respectable frame rate.

The 4K resolution is not recommended for this combo under any settings. The Low preset at 29 FPS is the only configuration that approaches playability, but it still falls short of the 30 FPS target. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets, with averages of 21, 17, and 13 FPS respectively, are all unsuitable for a smooth gaming experience. Users with 4K displays should either lower the resolution to 1080p or 1440p or consider a different GPU.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is the 1080p Medium preset. It offers a 62 FPS average with a 53 FPS minimum, balancing visual fidelity with performance. While the Low preset is faster, the Medium preset provides a more detailed image without sacrificing too much frame rate. The High preset is a compromise, but the Ultra preset's 39 FPS average is too low for consistent smoothness given the game's adventure genre, which may involve dialogue and exploration scenes where frame drops are more noticeable. For this combo, the data strongly favors 1080p as the target resolution, with Medium settings being the sweet spot for most users.