The Long Drive

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this CPU/GPU combo in The Long Drive at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 95. This is the highest average FPS recorded across all tested settings at this resolution, making Low the only preset that approaches or exceeds the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals based on benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, which places it 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463), 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460), 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446), and 2.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443).

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested CPU/GPU combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2594 out of 2934 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems tested for The Long Drive. This indicates that the overall performance is on the lower end of the spectrum.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 5900X have integrated graphics that could be used?

A: No, the Ryzen 9 5900X has no integrated graphics (the `integratedGraphics` field is null), so the Intel Arc B390 is the sole rendering device in this configuration.

Q: What is the boost clock of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X?

A: The boost clock is 4.80 GHz, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz. This processor has 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 5900X compare to the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H in average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X has an average benchmark score of 41376, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H's score of 41263, making the two nearly identical in overall CPU performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its performance class is clearly reflected in its benchmarks: the single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which is exceptionally low. The nearest rivals—the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710—are all older entry-level discrete parts, and the Arc B390 only edges them out by margins of 1.3% to 2.7%. This is not a GPU designed for high-end gaming; it is fundamentally limited in raw throughput.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, but the memory configuration is critical to understanding its performance. The memory size, type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning the GPU relies on the CPU's DDR4 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This arrangement creates a bottleneck because the memory bandwidth is shared with the CPU and is dependent on the system configuration, which in this case is a dual-channel DDR4 setup with 51.2 GB/s of theoretical bandwidth for the Ryzen 9 5900X. For a driving simulation with potentially large draw distances and streaming terrain, this shared memory architecture can lead to stutter and reduced performance when the GPU competes with the CPU for memory access.

The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures, and the FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS is low by modern standards. In The Long Drive, the data shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 95 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 12 FPS—a catastrophic decline. The GPU simply does not have the fill rate or memory bandwidth to handle the increased pixel count and detail level at 4K. The 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs are insufficient for high-resolution rendering, and the 12 ray tracing cores are present but unlikely to provide usable performance in this context. This GPU is best suited for low-resolution, low-detail gaming, and the measured FPS data across all settings confirms this limitation.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings are playable. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average FPS of 95, which is the only setting at any resolution that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 78 FPS average (with a minimum of 66 FPS), which is still playable for a driving simulation where frame pacing matters less than in competitive shooters. High at 1080p falls to 49 FPS, and Ultra drops to 34 FPS. For a smooth experience at 1080p, the data suggests that Medium is the highest acceptable preset, as it stays above 60 FPS in the minimum measured frame time (66 FPS minimum). Low is the safest choice for maintaining high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the situation worsens significantly. Low delivers 63 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but Medium drops to 51 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS. High at 1440p delivers 32 FPS, and Ultra is at 22 FPS. For 1440p gaming, Low is the only preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, though the margin is thin. Users who tolerate sub-60 FPS might consider Medium, but the 44 FPS minimum indicates potential stutter during demanding scenes. The data suggests that 1440p is borderline for this combo, and Low is the recommended preset.

At 3840x2160, all presets are below playable thresholds. Low achieves 35 FPS, Medium 29 FPS (with a minimum of 24 FPS), High 18 FPS, and Ultra 12 FPS. None of these are suitable for a driving simulation that requires smooth visual feedback. The best experience at 4K is technically Low at 35 FPS, but this is still below the 60 FPS target and likely to feel sluggish. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo, regardless of settings. The optimal experience is clearly at 1080p with Medium or Low settings, where the combo can maintain playable frame rates. For users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, 1080p High at 49 FPS is a compromise, but the measured minimum FPS for High is not provided, so the frame time consistency is unknown.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2594 out of 2934 tested combinations in The Long Drive. This places the system in the bottom 12% of all tested combos (approximately 340 combos rank lower). The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU, as the CPU is a high-end desktop processor. The Ryzen 9 5900X sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41376, while the Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The massive disparity between CPU and GPU performance means the system is severely GPU-limited in most scenarios.

To contextualize the ranking, consider that the CPU's nearest rivals—the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440, and Intel Core i7-14650HX—all have average scores within 0.5% of the Ryzen 9 5900X. These are all modern mobile or desktop processors with strong multi-core performance. The GPU's nearest rivals, however, are legacy NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU creates a system that ranks poorly because the game's frame rate is almost entirely dictated by the GPU.

The data shows that the combo's rank is not reflective of the CPU's capabilities but rather the GPU's severe limitations. In a game like The Long Drive, which features open-world driving environments, the GPU must handle geometry, textures, and post-processing effects across a wide view distance. The Arc B390's low fill rate and shared memory architecture cannot keep up with the CPU's ability to feed it data. This is why the combo ranks so low: the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates if paired with a stronger GPU, but the Arc B390 holds the entire system back. Users considering this combo should understand that the ranking reflects a fundamental imbalance, not a lack of CPU performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (codename Vermeer), built on TSMC's 7 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, with 64 MB of L3 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache per core. The processor supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The TDP is 105 W, and it uses the AMD Socket AM4 interface with PCIe Gen 4 support. The processor's benchmark scores are strong: Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16262 and single-core score of 1527, Geekbench multi-core of 14118 and single-core of 2083, and a Passmark multi-thread score of 39002. The average benchmark score of 41376 places it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs.

In The Long Dive, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics simulation, and asset streaming. The 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample parallel processing capability for a driving simulation that may need to simulate vehicle physics, AI traffic, and world interactions. The high single-thread performance (Passmark single-thread score of 3469) ensures that the main game thread runs efficiently, which is often the bottleneck in such games. The 64 MB of L3 cache is beneficial for keeping frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing memory latency. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s is sufficient for the game's data demands, but the shared nature of the GPU's memory access means the CPU must compete with the GPU for bandwidth.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 95 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well enough at low settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's performance headroom is wasted. The CPU's benchmark scores indicate it could support much higher frame rates in a balanced system. For example, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16262 shows strong multi-threaded capability, which is useful for background tasks and streaming. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9075 and max-thread score of 10075 further confirm the CPU's ability to handle heavy workloads. In this game, the CPU's 12 cores are likely underutilized because the GPU cannot keep pace, but the CPU's single-thread performance ensures that the game's logic does not introduce additional lag.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 95 FPS, which is the highest recorded. Medium averages 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS, indicating a stable frame rate with minimal variance. High averages 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The transition from Low to Medium causes a 17 FPS drop (from 95 to 78), while the transition from Medium to High causes a 29 FPS drop (from 78 to 49), and High to Ultra causes a 15 FPS drop (from 49 to 34). The frame rate does not scale linearly with settings, suggesting that certain settings have a disproportionate impact on GPU load.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 63 FPS, which is a 34% drop from 1080p Low (95 FPS to 63 FPS). Medium averages 51 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS, showing a tighter frame time distribution but still below 60 FPS average. High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium at 1440p is 12 FPS, from Medium to High is 19 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 10 FPS. The pattern shows that the GPU struggles more at 1440p, with even Low settings barely achieving 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, Low averages 35 FPS, Medium averages 29 FPS (minimum 24 FPS, maximum 33 FPS), High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 12 FPS. The 4K resolution is clearly beyond the GPU's capabilities. The drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low is 28 FPS (from 63 to 35), which is a 44% reduction. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 24 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data shows that the combo is only playable at 1080p, with 1440p Low being borderline, and 4K being entirely unplayable for any practical purpose.

The minimum FPS values are only provided for Medium settings across all resolutions: 66 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. These values indicate that Medium is the most stable preset in terms of frame time consistency, but the average FPS drops below 60 at 1440p and below 30 at 4K. The lack of minimum FPS data for other settings means the frame time consistency cannot be fully assessed, but the averages are sufficient to determine playability.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the extent to which the GPU limits the system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1080p to 63 at 1440p (a 32 FPS drop, or 34%) and then to 35 at 4K (a 28 FPS drop from 1440p, or 44%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K at Low is 60 FPS, meaning the 4K performance is 37% of 1080p performance. This is a significant decline, but the percentage drop is less severe than at higher settings.

At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 78 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p (a 27 FPS drop, or 35%) and then to 29 at 4K (a 22 FPS drop from 1440p, or 43%). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 49 FPS, with 4K performance at 37% of 1080p. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 49 at 1080p to 32 at 1440p (a 17 FPS drop, or 35%) and then to 18 at 4K (a 14 FPS drop from 1440p, or 44%). The total drop is 31 FPS, with 4K at 37% of 1080p. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 34 at 1080p to 22 at 1440p (a 12 FPS drop, or 35%) and then to 12 at 4K (a 10 FPS drop from 1440p, or 45%). The total drop is 22 FPS, with 4K at 35% of 1080p.

The consistency of the percentage drops across settings—hovering around 34-35% from 1080p to 1440p and 43-45% from 1440p to 4K—indicates that the scaling is dominated by the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth limits. The number of pixels increases by 77% from 1080p to 1440p (2.07 million to 3.69 million) and by 125% from 1440p to 4K (3.69 million to 8.29 million). The FPS drops are not proportional to the pixel count increases, suggesting that other factors such as memory bandwidth and pixel fill rate are the primary constraints. The shared system memory architecture likely exacerbates the issue, as the GPU must access the same DDR4 memory as the CPU, and at higher resolutions the GPU demands more bandwidth, leading to contention.

The data shows that the limiting component is clearly the GPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, but the dramatic drops confirm the GPU is overwhelmed. The Ryzen 9 5900X has ample performance headroom, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores, but the Arc B390 cannot deliver the necessary frame rate at higher resolutions. This analysis indicates that users should stick to 1080p for this combo, and even then, Medium settings are the practical maximum for a smooth experience.