The Long Drive

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a playable experience in The Long Drive, but the benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution at higher resolutions and settings. The pairing of a modern 6-core CPU with a mid-range graphics card produces a predictable scaling pattern, where the CPU provides ample headroom for the GPU to reach its limits.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a 32 MB shared L3 cache. This is a desktop-class chip on the AMD Socket AM5 platform, supporting dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and offering PCIe Gen 5 connectivity with 24 lanes.

In terms of raw processing capability, the CPU's benchmark scores indicate strong single-threaded performance. Its 3DMark single-thread score of 1253 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5 are robust figures. The multi-threaded performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17528.5 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 14438. The processor ranks in the 81st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29713.

The nearest rivals for this CPU, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (0.5% lower), the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (0.6% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (0.8% lower). These deltas are minimal, indicating that the 9600X's performance is closely matched with these alternatives.

In The Long Drive, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics simulation, and draw calls. Given the game's genre as a driving simulation, the CPU's high single-thread performance is likely the more critical factor. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 165 FPS, which is the highest average in the measured data. This high frame rate at the lowest graphical load suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution and settings. The CPU's strong single-core score of 4570 in Passmark and 2923 in Geekbench provides the necessary headroom to feed the GPU at these frame rates.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is a discrete graphics card based on the Xe2-HPG architecture, specifically the Battlemage generation. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process and features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output pipelines. The GPU has 20 ray tracing cores and operates at a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz. It is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s.

The card's compute capabilities are notable, with a pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s, and an FP32 throughput of 13.67 TFLOPS. It has a TDP of 190 W and requires a suggested PSU of 450 W. The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 68th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (0.2% higher average score), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (0.7% higher), and the NVIDIA P106-100 (1.0% lower). These comparisons show that the Arc B580 sits in a performance tier that bridges older high-end cards and newer mid-range options.

In The Long Drive, the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate at higher settings and resolutions. The measured data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Low, the system hits 165 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 21 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is the bottleneck when graphical demands increase. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is likely sufficient for the game's textures, but the raw compute power and memory bandwidth become limiting factors as resolution and settings rise. The GPU's FP32 performance and memory bandwidth are the key specs that correlate with the observed FPS drops.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep decline as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic indicator of GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 165 at 1920x1080 to 109 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 56 FPS, and then to 60 at 3840x2160, a further reduction of 49 FPS. This represents a 63.6% drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values. The average FPS at 1080p is 136, dropping to 90 at 1440p (a 46 FPS decrease) and then to 50 at 4K (a 40 FPS decrease). The drop from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings is 63.2%.

The High settings show a more pronounced decline. The average FPS at 1080p is 85, falling to 56 at 1440p (a 29 FPS decrease) and then to 31 at 4K (a 25 FPS decrease). The overall drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 63.5%.

Ultra settings exhibit the most severe scaling. The average FPS at 1080p is 59, dropping to 39 at 1440p (a 20 FPS decrease) and then to 21 at 4K (an 18 FPS decrease). The drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is 64.4%.

The consistency of these percentage drops, all around 63-64%, strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component across all settings. The CPU's role becomes less relevant as the resolution increases, because the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are overwhelmed. The 4K results, particularly the 21 FPS at Ultra and 31 FPS at High, are unplayable for a driving simulation that requires smooth visuals for gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on the best settings for this hardware combination. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 165, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p offers a strong 136 FPS average with a minimum of 116 FPS, indicating a consistently responsive experience. The High preset at 1080p drops to 85 FPS, while Ultra falls to 59 FPS.

At 1440p, the Low preset still provides a very playable 109 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 90 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS, which is still smooth. However, the High preset drops to 56 FPS, and Ultra falls to 39 FPS.

At 4K, only the Low preset achieves a playable frame rate at 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 50 FPS, and High and Ultra are below playable thresholds at 31 and 21 FPS respectively.

For the best experience, the data suggests that the Medium preset at 1440p provides the optimal balance of visual quality and performance. It delivers 90 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS, ensuring smooth motion without significant graphical compromises. The Low preset at 4K is also viable at 60 FPS, but it requires accepting lower visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p is a reasonable choice for users who prioritize visual quality, as it maintains 85 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin. The Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution, as they all fall below 60 FPS, with the 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS being particularly poor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2811 out of 3725 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the 75.5th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the combinations in the database. This is a solid mid-pack ranking, consistent with the hardware's individual standings.

The CPU's performance percentile of 81 and the GPU's percentile of 68 both contribute to this composite rank. The CPU is a stronger component relative to its peers, while the GPU is slightly below the CPU's relative standing. This explains why the system becomes GPU-bound at higher settings and resolutions. The rank suggests that while this combo is capable, there are many other tested configurations that achieve higher frame rates in this specific game. The gap between the CPU and GPU percentiles also indicates the potential for a more powerful GPU to unlock the CPU's full potential, but as configured, the Arc B580 is the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in The Long Drive?

A: The highest average FPS is 165, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or the Intel Arc B580 the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 21, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance suggests it is not the bottleneck.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 76, with an average of 90 and a maximum of 103.

Q: How does the CPU's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 29713, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H's average score of 29868.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth and how does it relate to performance at 4K?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. At 4K, the average FPS drops significantly across all settings, with a maximum of 60 FPS at Low settings and a minimum of 21 FPS at Ultra settings, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are insufficient for high-resolution rendering.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested hardware combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2811 out of 3725 tested combos in The Long Drive.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured frames per second data for this hardware combination, organized by resolution and settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Minimum FPS | Maximum FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 165 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 136 | 116 | 156 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 85 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 59 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 109 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 90 | 76 | 103 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 56 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 39 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 60 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 50 | 42 | 57 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 31 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 21 | - | - |

The data shows that only the 1080p Low and Medium presets, along with the 1440p Low preset, exceed 100 FPS. The 4K resolution is only playable at Low settings with a 60 FPS average. The minimum FPS values, where recorded, indicate that the Medium preset at 1080p and 1440p maintains a stable frame rate, while the 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 42 FPS, which may result in noticeable stutters.