The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation from 2019, presents a unique performance profile when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the Intel Arc B370. The measured data reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution, resulting in a specific set of trade-offs across resolutions and settings. This analysis walks through the benchmark results to explain where this combo stands and what it means for playability.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a steep and consistent drop as resolution increases, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate falls from 44 FPS to 29 FPS, a reduction of roughly 34%. The subsequent jump to 3840x2160 at High settings yields an average of just 16 FPS, which is a further 45% decrease from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a system where the graphics processor is saturated, as the computational load on the GPU increases quadratically with pixel count.

The trend is even more pronounced at the lowest settings. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo achieves 86 FPS. Dropping to 2560x1440 Low brings that down to 56 FPS, and at 4K Low, the average plummets to 31 FPS. The performance penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p is 30 FPS, while the penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K is 25 FPS. This indicates that even with the reduced shader complexity of Low settings, the Intel Arc B370's compute capabilities are overwhelmed at higher resolutions.

The data suggests that the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is not the limiting factor in this configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would show less variance across resolutions, as the CPU workload would remain relatively constant. Instead, the dramatic scaling of FPS with resolution points directly to the GPU's pixel throughput limits. The 4K Ultra result of 11 FPS reinforces this, as it represents the extreme end of the GPU's capability, where the combination of high resolution and demanding effects brings the rendering pipeline to a near standstill.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive component in this pairing. Its benchmark profile, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, sets the ceiling for performance in The Long Drive. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is its only listed benchmark, and its nearest rivals include older parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M, with score deltas of -0.2% and -0.7% respectively. This context illustrates that the Arc B370 is positioned at the entry-level of graphics performance.

The GPU's specifications corroborate this assessment. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, and it relies on System Shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is "System Dependent" rather than being a dedicated VRAM pool. With 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, the theoretical pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. These figures, while present, are secondary to the observed frame rates, which are the ultimate measure of its in-game capability.

In The Long Drive, the GPU's role is clearly defined by the resolution scaling. The fact that 1080p Low is the only configuration to exceed 60 FPS (86 FPS) suggests that the Arc B370 requires minimal pixel load to maintain fluid motion. The jump to Medium at 1080p results in 71 FPS, showing some headroom, but the High preset at the same resolution drops to 44 FPS, indicating that the additional effects and draw distances tax the GPU significantly. The data shows a GPU that is best suited for lower resolutions and less demanding presets, as its performance collapses under the weight of 4K rendering, where even Low settings only produce 31 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2700 out of 2934 combos for The Long Drive. This places it in the lower percentile of systems, underscoring that while the CPU is capable, the overall experience is dragged down by the GPU's limitations. The rank is a direct consequence of the measured FPS data, which shows sub-60 FPS performance in the majority of tested scenarios.

This ranking is significant when considering the CPU's potential. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a high-end processor, sitting in the 80th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27896. Its nearest CPU rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (deltaPct 0%), the Intel Core i9-10900K (deltaPct 0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-12600KF (deltaPct 0.3%). The fact that this capable CPU is paired with a GPU in the 5th percentile creates a massive imbalance, resulting in a combo rank that reflects the weakest link in the chain.

The data shows that the combo's rank is not indicative of a balanced system. Instead, it highlights a scenario where the CPU's headroom is largely untapped. In The Long Drive, the game's engine likely has physics and simulation threads that could benefit from the CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads, but the frame rate is capped by the GPU's ability to render frames. The 2700th rank out of 2934 combos is a clear statement that this configuration is not optimized for this title, and the bottleneck is almost entirely on the graphics side.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's behavior across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low averages 86 FPS, Medium averages 71 FPS with a range of 60 to 81 FPS, High averages 44 FPS, and Ultra averages 31 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy where each increase in settings costs a significant amount of performance, with the jump from High to Ultra being particularly steep at 13 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops across the board. Low averages 56 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS with a range of 40 to 53 FPS, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages 20 FPS. The pattern remains consistent, but the absolute numbers are lower, and the gap between Low and Medium narrows to 10 FPS. The 1440p results suggest that only Low and Medium settings approach playable frame rates, while High and Ultra fall below the 30 FPS threshold.

The 3840x2160 results are largely unplayable. Low averages 31 FPS, Medium averages 26 FPS with a range of 22 to 30 FPS, High averages 16 FPS, and Ultra averages 11 FPS. None of these averages reach the 60 FPS target, and even the Low preset struggles to maintain a consistent 30 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in The Long Drive, as even the least demanding settings produce a marginal experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a formidable processor on paper, with 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its boost clock of 4.50 GHz and substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache are attributes that typically benefit simulation games, which often have complex game logic and physics calculations. However, the measured FPS data in The Long Drive does not show the CPU being utilized to its full potential, as the frame rates are consistently low even at 1080p High (44 FPS).

The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14317 and a single-core score of 1452, as well as a Geekbench multicore score of 11765. These numbers place it in the 80th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals show negligible performance deltas. This suggests that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is more than capable of handling the game's CPU demands, but its performance is irrelevant when the GPU cannot keep up with frame production.

In this specific pairing, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and geometry data, but the Arc B370 is unable to process that data quickly enough. The result is a situation where the CPU is likely idling or underutilized, waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame. The 16 threads and high cache would be beneficial in a system with a more powerful GPU, but in this configuration, they do not translate to higher FPS. The bottleneck is clear: the CPU provides ample headroom, but the GPU's 5th percentile standing caps the overall experience.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo achieves playable frame rates above 60 FPS. At Low settings, it averages 86 FPS, and at Medium, it averages 71 FPS. Higher resolutions fail to reach these levels.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: No, the data shows that 4K performance is consistently poor. The best 4K result is 31 FPS at Low settings, which is not smooth, and the Ultra preset drops to 11 FPS. 4K is not a viable option for this configuration.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is nearly identical to its closest competitors. It is 0.2% slower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186) and 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190). It is 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1168).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D a bottleneck in this system?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor. The frame rates scale dramatically with resolution, which is a characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's benchmark scores are high, but they do not translate to higher FPS because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking for The Long Drive?

A: The combo ranks 2700 out of 2934 tested combinations. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's entry-level performance, despite the CPU's high standing in its own benchmarks.

Q: What is the most demanding setting tested that still yields a playable frame rate?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 71 FPS and is the highest setting that maintains a smooth experience. The High preset at the same resolution drops to 44 FPS, which may be borderline for some users.

Settings Recommendations

For an optimal experience with this hardware, the data points to 1920x1080 as the target resolution. At this resolution, the Low preset delivers the highest average frame rate at 86 FPS, ensuring maximum fluidity. However, the Medium preset offers a better balance, providing an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, which maintains a consistent 60 FPS experience while likely improving visual quality over Low.

The High preset at 1080p is a compromise, with an average of 44 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold but may be acceptable for a slower-paced driving simulation. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 31 FPS, is not recommended due to its low frame rate. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset (56 FPS) is the only option that approaches smoothness, while Medium (46 FPS) is playable but not ideal. All 4K settings are not recommended, as they all fall below 31 FPS.

The best experience, according to the measured rows, is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This setting provides the highest visual fidelity while maintaining an average frame rate of 71 FPS and a minimum of 60 FPS, ensuring a stable and responsive experience. For users who prioritize frame rate above all else, the Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average FPS of 86, but the Medium preset is the sweet spot for balancing performance and visual quality.