The Long Drive

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B570 combination produces a performance curve in The Long Drive that is heavily dictated by the graphics card, with the CPU providing ample headroom. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, frame rates drop at a rate consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, while the processor’s high core count and clock speeds ensure that even the most demanding settings are not limited by compute. This analysis walks through the measured results, contextualizing them against the hardware’s specifications and its standing among tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a pronounced performance penalty that points squarely at the Intel Arc B570 as the limiting component. At Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 120 FPS at 1080p to 79 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 41 FPS. Moving to 4K, the same settings yield 44 FPS, which is a 76 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This scaling is not linear; the gap between 1440p and 4K (a 35 FPS decline) is nearly as large as the gap between 1080p and 1440p (a 41 FPS decline). Such a pattern indicates that the GPU’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated as the pixel count increases.

The data for Low settings reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p, the combo achieves 146 FPS, which drops to 96 FPS at 1440p and further to 53 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1440p to 4K is 44.8%, which is steeper than the 34.2% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This accelerating degradation is typical of a graphics card that is running out of fillrate or bandwidth, rather than a CPU that is struggling to feed frames. If the Ryzen 9 9900X were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rates to remain closer together across resolutions, since the CPU’s workload does not scale with pixel count.

Ultra settings provide the clearest evidence of GPU limitation. The average frame rates are 52 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is barely above single-digit territory, suggesting that the Arc B570 is overwhelmed by the combination of high-resolution rendering and maximum graphical effects. The CPU’s role here is minimal; with 12 cores and 24 threads, the Ryzen 9 9900X has far more processing capacity than a driving simulation like The Long Drive is likely to require, especially at lower resolutions where the frame rates are highest. The bottleneck is unequivocally the GPU.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in The Long Drive?*

A: The best result is 146 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 144 FPS, indicating that high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors are only fully utilized at the lowest graphical preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 44 FPS, with minimum and maximum values of 37 and 50 FPS, respectively. This is playable but not smooth, and it suggests that 4K gaming requires lowering settings further for consistent performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting factor. The frame rate drops significantly from 1080p to 4K at every settings level, which is characteristic of GPU-bound rendering. The Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, has sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 96 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 34 FPS. This is a difference of 62 FPS, representing a 64.6% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top half of all tested configurations for this game?

A: No. The combo ranks 2342 out of 2934 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of performance. This is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range standing, as the Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 92nd percentile.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20534, which is 0.1% lower. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, which is 0.1% higher. These differences are negligible, meaning the B570 performs nearly identically to these cards in general benchmarks.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2342 out of 2934 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the 79.8th percentile of all configurations, meaning roughly 20% of tested combos perform worse. This is a relatively low ranking, which is surprising given the strength of the CPU. However, the ranking reflects the entire system’s performance, and the GPU’s mid-range capabilities drag the overall result down.

To contextualize this, consider the individual components. The Ryzen 9 9900X sits at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 57498. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9015, which scores 57555 (a -0.1% difference), and the Intel Core i9-14900, which scores 58115 (a -1.1% difference). This shows the CPU is a top-tier performer. In contrast, the Intel Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 20556. Its nearest rivals are the RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% higher) and the Arc A750 (0.1% lower), both of which are similarly positioned.

The combo rank of 2342 suggests that the GPU is the primary drag on performance. If the CPU were paired with a stronger graphics card, the rank would likely be much higher. The data shows that even with a powerful processor, the frame rates in The Long Drive are capped by the graphics solution. For users prioritizing this game, the CPU offers little benefit over a cheaper processor, as the GPU determines the experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Arc B570 delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 146 FPS, which is the highest of any configuration. Medium settings drop to 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 and a maximum of 138 FPS. High settings yield 75 FPS, while Ultra settings fall to 52 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 26 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 45 FPS, indicating a steep curve as graphical quality increases. The jump from High to Ultra is 23 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset is particularly demanding.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across the board. Low settings average 96 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. Medium settings average 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91 FPS. High settings produce 49 FPS, while Ultra settings fall to 34 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a roughly 34% reduction at Low settings (146 to 96 FPS) and a similar 31% reduction at Medium settings (120 to 79 FPS). This consistency suggests the GPU is handling the increased pixel load predictably.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal. Low settings average 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings drop to 44 FPS, with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50 FPS. High settings yield 27 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings average 19 FPS, which is near-unplayable for most users. The 4K results show a 44.8% drop from 1440p at Low settings (96 to 53 FPS) and a 44.3% drop at Medium settings (79 to 44 FPS), indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s is insufficient to maintain higher frame rates at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and visual quality. The average of 120 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 102 FPS ensures that frame times remain consistent. High settings are also viable, with an average of 75 FPS, but the drop from Medium is significant (45 FPS), suggesting that the visual improvements are not worth the performance cost. Low settings at 146 FPS are only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rates are paramount, as the graphical fidelity is noticeably reduced.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. The average of 79 FPS is smooth, and the minimum of 67 FPS is acceptable for most users. Low settings at 96 FPS are also excellent, providing a higher refresh rate experience. High settings at 49 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 34 FPS should be avoided unless the user prioritizes visuals over smoothness. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 1440p, as it maintains a playable frame rate while retaining most of the graphical details.

At 4K, the options are limited. Low settings at 53 FPS are the only preset that approaches playability, but even this is below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings at 44 FPS are playable for slower-paced driving, but the minimum of 37 FPS may cause noticeable stutters. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as the average frame rates of 27 and 19 FPS, respectively, are too low for a smooth experience. For 4K, users should consider lowering the resolution or upgrading the GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end processor with 12 cores and 24 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, making it one of the faster CPUs available. Its 64 MB of L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core provide ample memory for gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 32172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2253 in single-core, placing it at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs.

In The Long Drive, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with frames. Given the game’s nature as a driving simulation, the workloads are likely not heavily threaded, meaning the 12 cores are more than sufficient. The single-core performance is also strong, as evidenced by the 3dmark single-thread score of 1286 and the Geekbench single-core score of 3010. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution or settings level. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 146 FPS, which is likely near the GPU’s maximum output. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different settings, but the data shows a clear drop from Low to Ultra, confirming the GPU is the constraint.

The CPU’s high benchmark scores do not translate to better in-game performance in this specific title, as the rank of 2342 indicates. This is not a criticism of the CPU, but rather a reflection of the game’s graphics demands. Users with this CPU should focus on GPU upgrades to improve performance in The Long Drive.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is a mid-range graphics card based on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage). It has 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The card features 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its FP32 performance is rated at 11.52 TFLOPS, and it has 18 RT cores for ray tracing workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 14195 in Passmark G3D and 2649 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 65th percentile among all GPUs.

The GPU’s performance in The Long Drive is the determining factor for the entire combo. The data shows that the card is capable of high frame rates at 1080p Low (146 FPS) but struggles at 4K Ultra (19 FPS). The 10 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for this game, as even at 4K, the memory usage is unlikely to exceed this capacity. However, the 160-bit bus and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth appear to be limiting at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops significantly when pixel count increases.

The Arc B570’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the RTX 3070 Mobile and the Arc A750, with scores that are within 0.1% of each other. This indicates that the B570 is a solid performer in its class, but it does not have the raw power to drive demanding games at 4K. For The Long Drive, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and users should expect to run the game at 1080p or 1440p with Medium settings to achieve a smooth experience. The card’s 150 W TDP and 1x 8-pin power connector suggest it is an efficient solution, but its performance ceiling is reached quickly in this title.