The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation from 2019, presents a unique challenge for the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and Intel Arc B370 combination. The data indicates that this pairing is heavily constrained by the graphics subsystem, resulting in a low overall ranking among tested configurations. This analysis examines the measured performance, focusing on the interplay between resolution, settings, and the hardware's capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant and predictable performance drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 44 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings reduces the average to 29 FPS, a decline of roughly 34%. At 4K, the average FPS falls further to 16, representing a 45% drop from the 1440p figure and a 64% drop from 1080p. This steep scaling curve is a clear indicator that the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. For instance, at Low settings, the average FPS goes from 86 at 1080p, to 56 at 1440p, and down to 31 at 4K. The performance deltas between resolutions are substantial, suggesting that the Intel Arc B370's rendering capabilities are quickly overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count. The data points to a system where the CPU has ample headroom, but the GPU's computational throughput is the limiting factor. Benchmark results indicate that even at the lowest settings, 4K resolution yields only 31 FPS, which is not a smooth experience for a driving simulation. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, with a roughly 45% reduction in frame rate at High settings, underscoring the GPU's struggle with the higher pixel load.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370's specifications paint a clear picture of its role in this benchmark. It features a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with 1280 shading units. Its memory configuration is "System Shared", meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent". This architecture, while efficient at 25 W, is not designed for high-end gaming performance.

The GPU's benchmark data is sparse, with only one recorded score: 1184 in 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12. This score places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, indicating very low overall performance. Its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, have nearly identical average scores, confirming its position in the entry-level or integrated graphics class. The GPU's performance in The Long Drive reflects this. The Frame rates at 4K are consistently low, and even at 1080p, it cannot maintain a high refresh rate. The "System Shared" memory likely contributes to the performance ceiling, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth. The data suggests this is a component for basic graphical tasks and light gaming, not for demanding simulation titles at high resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and Intel Arc B370 ranks 3438 out of 3725 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, a position that aligns with the GPU's low percentile ranking. The CPU, which is a high-end desktop processor, is not the limiting factor here; the GPU's performance is dragging the entire system down.

The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 18760 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2525, place it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, like the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and Intel Core 5 221E, have nearly identical average scores, with deltas of 0.1% and -0.2% respectively. This demonstrates that the Ryzen 7 7700 is a top-tier processor. However, its performance is entirely wasted in this pairing for gaming purposes, as the GPU cannot keep up. The combo rank of 3438 out of 3725 is a direct consequence of pairing a strong CPU with a very weak GPU, resulting in a system that is severely bottlenecked. The data shows that the GPU is the single most important factor in this game's performance, and the Arc B370 is insufficient for a smooth experience at most settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings for this system in The Long Drive are at 1080p with Low settings, which yields an average of 86 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches a fluid 60+ FPS experience. The Medium preset at 1080p also provides a playable experience, with an average of 71 FPS and a minimum of 60 FPS, which is acceptable for a driving sim. For users seeking a balance between visual fidelity and performance, 1080p Medium is the recommended choice.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset achieves an average of 56 FPS, which is borderline playable, but the High preset drops to 29 FPS, which is not smooth. At 4K, none of the settings provide a playable frame rate, with the Low preset only achieving 31 FPS. The data suggests avoiding 4K entirely with this GPU. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution, as they result in averages below 44 FPS at 1080p and much lower at higher resolutions. The measured rows indicate that the performance headroom is too small to support these higher visual settings. The best experience, according to the data, is a 1080p resolution with either Low or Medium settings, prioritizing a stable frame rate over graphical detail.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 31 (Ultra) to 86 (Low), whereas 1440p averages peak at 56 FPS (Low), and 4K averages peak at 31 FPS (Low).

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

A: No. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 is very low across all settings. The best average at 4K is 31 FPS with Low settings, which is not a smooth experience. High and Ultra settings yield 16 FPS and 11 FPS respectively, which are unplayable.

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

A: The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score is 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, has an average score of 1186, a delta of -0.2%. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a delta of 1.4%. Performance is effectively identical among these low-end parts.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The CPU's performance is in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40081. Its nearest rivals have scores within 0.6% of it. The system's low rank of 3438 out of 3725 is due to the GPU, which is in the 5th percentile, not the CPU.

Q: What settings provide the highest average FPS?

A: The highest average FPS is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which produces an average of 86 FPS. This is the only measured point that breaks the 80 FPS mark.

Q: What is the expected frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for 2560x1440 with High settings is 29 FPS. This is a significant drop from the 44 FPS at 1080p High and is not considered a smooth frame rate for a driving simulation.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a powerful 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory provide strong computational capabilities. Its benchmark scores reflect this, with a Passmark multithread score of 34470 and a 3DMark 16-thread score of 8484. The CPU's performance is robust, and the data shows it is not the bottleneck in this system.

The CPU's high single-thread performance, indicated by a Geekbench single-core score of 2525 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4063, is important for gaming, as many games rely heavily on a few cores. However, in The Long Drive, the measured FPS does not change in a way that suggests CPU limitation. The frame rates are consistently low at high resolutions and settings, which is a symptom of GPU constraint. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data, but the GPU is unable to process it quickly enough. The pairing of this high-end CPU with a low-end GPU creates a significant imbalance, leaving the CPU's performance largely untapped in this specific game. The data strongly suggests that the CPU is a non-factor in the overall performance outcome for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS, and where available, the minimum and maximum FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

• 3840x2160 (4K)
• Ultra: Average 11 FPS.
• High: Average 16 FPS.
• Medium: Average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS.
• Low: Average 31 FPS.
• 2560x1440 (1440p)
• Ultra: Average 20 FPS.
• High: Average 29 FPS.
• Medium: Average 46 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS.
• Low: Average 56 FPS.
• 1920x1080 (1080p)
• Ultra: Average 31 FPS.
• High: Average 44 FPS.
• Medium: Average 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS.
• Low: Average 86 FPS.

These figures demonstrate a clear performance hierarchy. The 1080p resolution offers the best playability, with Low and Medium settings providing the only averages above 60 FPS. The 1440p resolution is marginal, with only the Low preset approaching a playable 60 FPS. The 4K resolution is entirely unplayable across all settings. The data confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the performance scales directly with the rendering resolution and graphical load.