The Long Drive

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a classic GPU-bound scaling curve, though with some notable plateaus. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 165 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 on the same preset drops that to 109 FPS, a reduction of 34%. The further step to 3840x2160 yields 60 FPS, which is another 45% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as pixel count increases is the signature of a system where the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting, and the data confirms that pattern holds across all four settings presets.

The Medium preset tells the same story with more granularity. At 1080p, the average is 136 FPS, with a minimum of 116 and maximum of 156. At 1440p, that average falls to 90 FPS, and the spread narrows to 76–103. At 4K, the average drops to 50 FPS with a 42–57 range. The fact that the minimum frame times scale proportionally with the averages suggests the bottleneck is consistent — it is not a stutter or spike issue but a steady load increase on the rendering pipeline.

High settings show a similar pattern: 85 FPS at 1080p, 56 at 1440p, and 31 at 4K. The percentage drops between resolutions are roughly 34% and 45% respectively, nearly identical to the Low preset's scaling. This consistency indicates that the rendering workload is scaling predictably with resolution, and that the Intel Arc B580's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory is not being exhausted at any tested configuration, since there is no sudden cliff in performance at 4K that would indicate a VRAM capacity spill.

Ultra settings, however, break the pattern. At 1080p, Ultra produces 59 FPS; at 1440p, it falls to 39 FPS; at 4K, it collapses to 21 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 46%, but the absolute numbers are low enough that the game becomes marginal even at 1080p. The 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS is below playable thresholds, and the scaling suggests that at this preset, the GPU's raw compute — 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 — is simply insufficient for the combined load of high resolution and maximum effects.

The limiting component in this pairing is clearly the GPU. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is capable of feeding the Arc B580 at 1080p Low, evidenced by the 165 FPS ceiling. But as resolution climbs, the frame rate drops in a way that tracks pixel count, not CPU thread utilization. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the 1080p and 1440p results to be closer together, since the CPU workload would remain similar while the GPU gets progressively more burdened. Instead, the data shows a steady GPU-driven decline.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 13,593 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,919 in single-core, figures that place it at the 71st percentile among all CPUs tested. The 3DMark results show a scaling pattern from 1,430 at 2 threads to 4,889 at max threads, which indicates reasonable multi-threading efficiency for a 6-core part, though the single-thread score of 726 in 3DMark is modest.

For The Long Drive, the CPU's role appears secondary. The game's measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 165, which is near the upper range of what a 60 Hz or even 144 Hz display would need, and the CPU does not appear to be holding the combo back at that resolution. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4,863 and the PassMark multithread score of 15,992 suggest the processor has enough headroom to handle the game's simulation logic, which is typical for a driving game that may involve persistent world states and physics calculations.

The nearest rivals to this CPU in aggregate benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE (0.1% higher average score), the AMD Ryzen 3 8300GE (-0.6% lower), the Intel Core 7 150U (0.6% higher), and the Intel Core i3-14100T (-0.8% lower). All four are within 1% of the 4600G's average benchmark score of 17,507, which means the 4600G sits in a tightly contested performance band. For a game like The Long Drive, which does not appear heavily multi-threaded based on the FPS scaling data, the single-core performance of 1,919 in Cinebench R23 is likely the more relevant metric, and that figure is adequate for the frame rates observed.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s over dual-channel DDR4, combined with its PCIe Gen 3 interface (20 lanes), could theoretically limit GPU communication, but the measured FPS at 1080p Low does not suggest a bottleneck. The 165 FPS figure is high enough that any PCIe or memory constraint would show up as a cap, and none is evident. The integrated Radeon Vega 7 graphics is present but irrelevant in this configuration, as the Arc B580 is the active GPU.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B580 is the clear performance driver in this pairing. It is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation) using a 5 nm process, with a base and boost clock both at 2670 MHz. It has 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, plus 20 ray tracing cores. Its FP32 throughput is 13.67 TFLOPS, and its memory subsystem consists of 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, yielding 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The GPU's synthetic benchmarks place it at the 68th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23,021. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (-0.2% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (+0.6% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (-0.7% delta), and the NVIDIA P106-100 (-1.0% delta). This grouping is notable: the Arc B580 is benchmarked within 1% of both the RTX 2080 and RTX 3080, which are generations apart in NVIDIA's lineup. The PassMark G3D score of 15,748 supports this mid-range positioning.

In game testing, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM appears sufficient across all resolutions tested. The 4K High result of 31 FPS is low, but not because of memory exhaustion — the smooth scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates the GPU's compute capacity, not its memory pool, is the constraint. The memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s is high for the class, and it enables the 1080p Low result of 165 FPS, which is well above typical refresh rates.

The GPU's clock behavior is flat — base and boost are both 2670 MHz — which suggests consistent power delivery under load. The 190 W TDP and suggested 450 W PSU are within normal ranges for this performance class. The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are the raw throughput figures that explain why the GPU scales from 165 FPS at 1080p Low down to 21 FPS at 4K Ultra: the pixel fill rate is being consumed by the increasing resolution, and the texture rate is being taxed by higher settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing — AMD Ryzen 5 4600G with Intel Arc B580 — ranks 2,811 out of 3,725 tested combos for The Long Drive. That puts it in the 24.5th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly three-quarters of tested combos perform better in this game. This is a low ranking, but it must be interpreted in context. The data shows the combo is GPU-limited, and the Arc B580, while competitive at 1080p, falls off sharply at higher resolutions and settings.

The rank of 2,811 out of 3,725 is driven primarily by the GPU's performance envelope. The CPU is a near-average part (71st percentile among all CPUs), but the GPU is slightly below average (68th percentile among all GPUs). When paired, they produce a system that is capable at 1080p but struggles at 4K, and the Ultra preset at any resolution is marginal. The rank reflects this: it is not a bottom-tier combo, but it is far from the top.

Comparing to the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 2080 and RTX 3080 are within 1% in aggregate benchmarks, yet those cards are typically paired with stronger CPUs in real-world systems. The 4600G's 3DMark single-thread score of 726 may be limiting the combo in CPU-bound moments, though the FPS data does not show a hard CPU cap. The rank is what it is: a mid-to-lower tier result for this specific game, with the understanding that The Long Drive appears to favor GPU throughput heavily.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and playable frame rates across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 136 FPS average with a minimum of 116, which is smooth on high-refresh displays and never dips below comfortable thresholds. At 1440p, Medium produces 90 FPS average with a 76 FPS minimum, still highly playable. At 4K, Medium drops to 50 FPS average with a 42 FPS minimum, which is borderline but acceptable for a driving simulation that may not require twitch reflexes.

The Low preset is the only option that maintains playable 4K performance, hitting 60 FPS exactly. It also produces 109 FPS at 1440p and 165 FPS at 1080p. If the priority is maximum frame rate at any resolution, Low is the choice. However, the jump from Low to Medium costs roughly 17-18% of frame rate at each resolution (165 to 136, 109 to 90, 60 to 50) while likely providing substantial visual improvements in a driving game where scenery detail matters.

High settings are a middle ground that does not justify itself. At 1080p, High gives 85 FPS, which is a 37% drop from Medium's 136 FPS. At 1440p, High gives 56 FPS versus Medium's 90 FPS. The visual difference between High and Medium is rarely worth a near-halving of performance in this data. Ultra is not recommended at any resolution: 59 FPS at 1080p is the best it achieves, and 4K Ultra at 21 FPS is effectively unplayable. The measured data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot, with Low as the fallback for 4K or high-refresh 1080p gaming.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Long Drive?

A: 1920x1080 is the strongest resolution for this pairing. At Medium settings it produces 136 FPS average, and at Low settings it reaches 165 FPS. The 1440p results are playable at Medium (90 FPS) and Low (109 FPS), while 4K is only viable at Low (60 FPS).

Q: Can this system run 4K in The Long Drive?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it hits exactly 60 FPS average. Medium at 4K drops to 50 FPS, High falls to 31 FPS, and Ultra is 21 FPS. The 12 GB VRAM is not the limiting factor; the GPU's compute throughput is insufficient for higher presets at 4K.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: In aggregate benchmarks, the Arc B580's average score of 23,021 is within 1% of the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (-0.2%), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (+0.6%), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (-0.7%), and NVIDIA P106-100 (-1.0%). It sits at the 68th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G holding back the Intel Arc B580?

A: The data does not show a CPU bottleneck at 1080p Low, where the combo hits 165 FPS. However, the CPU's single-thread score of 726 in 3DMark and 1,919 in Cinebench R23 are modest, and the combo ranks in the 24.5th percentile overall, suggesting the CPU may contribute to the low ranking even if it is not the primary limiter.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured average is 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. This is the best balance of resolution and settings for this combo, offering smooth gameplay without the 4K performance penalty.

Q: Which setting preset should be avoided entirely?

A: Ultra should be avoided at all resolutions. It produces 59 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. The visual gains over High or Medium do not justify the substantial frame rate drops measured in the data.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 165 FPS average
• Medium: 136 FPS average, 116 FPS minimum, 156 FPS maximum
• High: 85 FPS average
• Ultra: 59 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 109 FPS average
• Medium: 90 FPS average, 76 FPS minimum, 103 FPS maximum
• High: 56 FPS average
• Ultra: 39 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 60 FPS average
• Medium: 50 FPS average, 42 FPS minimum, 57 FPS maximum
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 21 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: Medium is the only preset that provides minimum frame rate data across all resolutions, and those minimums (116 at 1080p, 76 at 1440p, 42 at 4K) are all within 15% of their respective averages, indicating stable frame pacing. Low and High and Ultra results lack minimum/maximum data, but their averages follow the expected scaling. The 1080p Low result of 165 FPS is the highest measured value, while the 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS is the lowest. The gap between these two extremes — 144 FPS — represents the full performance envelope of this combo in The Long Drive.