The Long Drive

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4nm process. It carries a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, with a 120W TDP. The chip features a large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a defining characteristic of the X3D lineup and directly benefits games that repeatedly access large datasets. Its 3DMark scores show strong scaling from 2 threads (2394) to 8 threads (8252) and max threads (10067), indicating that the processor’s performance is well-balanced across lightly and heavily threaded workloads.

In The Long Drive, a driving simulation, the CPU’s role is primarily to maintain a stable frame pipeline for physics, world streaming, and AI. The game is not particularly demanding on thread count; the 9800X3D’s 16 threads are more than sufficient. The benchmark results across resolutions show that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 162 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower settings. The single-thread performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 (4800) and Geekbench (3341), is exceptional, which helps in scenarios where the game's main thread is the bottleneck. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1212 further reinforces that this CPU excels in latency-sensitive tasks.

The processor's 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37780, places it in the top tier. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-13900HK (avg score 38020, deltaPct -0.6) and the Intel Core i5-13600KF (avg score 38028, deltaPct -0.7). The 9800X3D is essentially at parity with these chips, trailing by less than 1% in synthetic averages. However, in gaming, the 3D V-Cache advantage typically translates to better frame pacing, which is not always captured in raw synthetic scores. The data shows that at 1080p High, the combo produces 86.3 FPS, which is a 45% drop from the Low preset, indicating that the settings are shifting the load toward the GPU, but the CPU still has ample headroom to feed the graphics card.

FAQ

*Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D strong enough for high-refresh-rate gaming in The Long Drive?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows 162 FPS at 1080p Low and 86.3 FPS at 1080p High. The CPU's high single-thread score (Cinebench R23 single-core of 4800) and 96 MB L3 cache ensure that the processor is not the bottleneck at these settings, allowing the GPU to be the primary driver of frame rate.

Q: How does the 9800X3D compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The processor scores 37780 on average. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-13900HK, scores 38020, a delta of -0.6%. The Intel Core i5-13600KF scores 38028, a delta of -0.7%. These differences are negligible, meaning the 9800X3D is statistically tied with these chips in multi-threaded synthetic workloads.

Q: Will the Intel Arc B580 bottleneck the CPU at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 162 FPS, which is high. However, the GPU's synthetic average score of 23021 places it in the 66th percentile. The Arc B580's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate, but the game's engine appears to become GPU-limited when settings increase, as seen by the drop from 162 FPS (Low) to 60.1 FPS (Ultra) at 1080p.

Q: What is the ideal resolution for this combo to maintain a smooth 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 High, the combo averages 57.8 FPS, which is close to 60. At 1920x1080 High, it averages 86.3 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60. For a locked 60 FPS experience, 1440p High is borderline, while 1080p High is the safe choice.

Q: How does the Arc B580's performance compare to the RTX 4060 in synthetic tests?

A: The Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 has an average score of 23181, resulting in a deltaPct of -0.7%. This means the Arc B580 is slightly behind the RTX 4060, but the difference is under 1%, indicating near-identical raw performance.

Q: Does the game scale better with CPU or GPU improvements based on the data?

A: The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a significant frame rate drop at High settings (86.3 to 30.7 FPS), which is a 64% reduction. This indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance is consistent, so upgrading the GPU would yield larger frame rate gains at 4K than upgrading the CPU.

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

The measured FPS across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-bound trend. At High settings, the combo delivers 86.3 FPS at 1920x1080, 57.8 FPS at 2560x1440, and 30.7 FPS at 3840x2160. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 33%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 47%. This steep decline is characteristic of a graphics card struggling to fill pixels, not a CPU limitation.

At Low settings, the frame rates are much higher: 162 FPS at 1080p, 107 FPS at 1440p, and 58.3 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is nearly double the 4K High result, showing that the Arc B580’s compute and memory bandwidth (456.0 GB/s) are being taxed heavily by higher-quality textures and effects. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is particularly telling: 58.3 FPS (Low) down to 24 FPS (Ultra). This 59% reduction at the same resolution means the GPU’s shading units (2560) and ROPs (80) are the primary constraints.

The data indicates that the CPU's 3DMark multi-threaded scores (10081 for 16 threads) are more than sufficient to keep up with the GPU’s output, as the frame rate drops are almost entirely proportional to resolution and settings. The Intel Arc B580’s 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 performance is modest, and the game’s high-resolution presets are clearly pushing it to its limits. The 1080p to 4K scaling at Medium settings (137.8 to 51.9 FPS) confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU has no issue maintaining high throughput even at lower resolutions.

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

For a balance of visual fidelity and smooth gameplay, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the sweet spot, yielding 89.5 FPS. This is a 35% improvement over High at the same resolution (57.8 FPS) while still offering a substantial upgrade over Low (107 FPS). At 1080p, Medium delivers 137.8 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh monitors, and the jump to High (86.3 FPS) is a 37% reduction that may not be worth the visual gain for competitive play.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. Ultra is unplayable at 24 FPS, and High is marginal at 30.7 FPS. Medium at 51.9 FPS is the only preset that approaches a playable 60 FPS target, but it is still short. Low at 58.3 FPS is the only 4K preset that breaks the 50 FPS barrier, making it the only viable option for 4K gaming, albeit with significant visual compromises.

The data suggests that the best experience per the measured rows is 1440p Medium. It provides a high frame rate that is nearly double the 4K High result, and the visual difference between Medium and High at 1440p is less noticeable than the frame rate penalty suggests. For users prioritizing frame rate over fidelity, 1080p Low (162 FPS) is the maximum performance option, but 1080p Medium (137.8 FPS) is a better balance. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions except 1080p, where it still manages 60.1 FPS but with a significant performance cost compared to Medium.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1340 out of 1734 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the lower-mid range of the database, which is somewhat surprising given the CPU’s top-tier status. The rank is likely dragged down by the GPU’s relatively modest performance. The Arc B580’s percentile of 66 vs all GPUs indicates that it is outclassed by a significant portion of the graphics cards in the benchmark database.

The CPU’s high rank (90th percentile) is not enough to compensate for the GPU’s limitations in this driving simulation. The combo’s performance at 4K Ultra (24 FPS) and 1440p Ultra (41.8 FPS) is below the 60 FPS threshold, which is a common benchmark for playability. The rank of 1340 suggests that there are 394 other combos that perform better, likely featuring higher-end GPUs paired with similar or slightly slower CPUs.

The data shows that the 9800X3D’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13900HK, would likely achieve a similar rank when paired with the same GPU, as the bottleneck is clearly the graphics card. The combo’s performance is consistent with the GPU’s synthetic position: just behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (deltaPct -0.7%) and ahead of the AMD Radeon 760M (deltaPct 0.1%). This indicates that the combo’s rank is primarily a function of the GPU’s tier, with the CPU contributing minimal variance. For users with this combo, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would be the most effective way to improve the ranking, as the CPU has demonstrated it can handle much higher frame rates, as evidenced by the 162 FPS at 1080p Low.