The Long Drive

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Arc B390 combination delivers a highly unusual performance profile in The Long Drive, a driving simulation released on 2019-09-02. The pairing of a flagship 12-core desktop processor with an integrated-class graphics solution produces frame rates that are almost entirely GPU-bound, yet the CPU’s capabilities still shape the experience in ways that matter at lower resolutions. This analysis draws exclusively from measured data for this specific combo.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It packs 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The chip’s thermal design power sits at 120 W, and it uses the AMD Socket AM5. Fabricated on a 4 nm process by TSMC, the processor integrates 16,630 million transistors across a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². Cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache. Memory support covers DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported. The chip also offers PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, plus integrated Radeon Graphics. Its launch MSRP is $599, and it has been on the market since 2025-01-05.

Benchmark results for this CPU are strong across the board. In 3DMark tests, it scores 12490 with 16 threads, 2512 with 2 threads, 4885 with 4 threads, 9002 with 8 threads, 13795 with max threads, and 1269 in single-thread. Cinebench R15 yields 4811 multi-core and 679 single-core; R20 produces 20049 multi-core and 2830 single-core; R23 reaches 47737 multi-core and 6739 single-core. Geekbench shows 22884 multi-core and 3041 single-core. PassMark tests include 685074 for data compression, 33282 for data encryption, 55426 for extended instructions, 544 for find prime numbers, 119622 for floating point math, 179727 for integer math, 56154 for multithread, 5340 for physics, 71864 for random string sorting, and 4646 for single thread. The average benchmark score is 54762, placing it in the 91st percentile against all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 55093 with a delta of -0.6%, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 54053 with a delta of 1.3%, the Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701 with a delta of 2%, and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620 with a delta of 2.1%. This means the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is marginally behind the Ultra 5 245KF but ahead of the other three, with deltas under 2.1%.

In The Long Drive, the CPU’s role is largely about maintaining a stable baseline rather than pushing frame rates higher. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 95 FPS average, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. This suggests that even at the lowest graphical load, the GPU is still the primary limiter, as a CPU of this caliber could theoretically handle far more than 95 FPS in a driving simulation. The 12 cores and 24 threads are far more than the game likely requires, but the high single-thread score of 1269 in 3DMark and 6739 in Cinebench R23 indicates strong per-core performance that avoids bottlenecks in physics or AI calculations. The 128 MB of L3 cache is a notable asset for keeping frequently accessed data close to the cores, which can smooth frame pacing in open-world driving scenarios. However, the measured data shows that the CPU’s headroom is never fully utilized, since frame rates drop dramatically as resolution and settings increase, pointing squarely at the GPU as the constraining factor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Panther Lake chip and the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Arc Graphics-M generation. It uses a 3 nm process from Intel, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Memory is system shared, meaning it uses the host system’s DDR5 memory, with bandwidth that is system dependent. The GPU contains 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 raster output units, and 12 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). The TDP is 80 W, and it has no power connectors, as it is an IGP with a slot width of IGP. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The only benchmark available is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 and a delta of 1.3%, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M with 1460 and a delta of 1.5%, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM with 1446 and a delta of 2.5%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 with 1443 and a delta of 2.7%. The Arc B390 is ahead of all these, with deltas ranging from 1.3% to 2.7%.

The GPU’s performance in The Long Drive is the limiting factor across every measured configuration. At 4K (3840x2160), the average frame rates are 18 FPS on High, 35 FPS on Low, 29 FPS on Medium, and 12 FPS on Ultra. These numbers are all below playable thresholds for a driving game, where smooth motion is critical. The 12 FPS at Ultra is particularly poor, indicating that the GPU’s 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 power is insufficient for the game’s highest visual demands at 4K. At 1440p (2560x1440), the results improve but remain marginal: 32 FPS on High, 63 FPS on Low, 51 FPS on Medium, and 22 FPS on Ultra. The 63 FPS at Low is the only 1440p result that approaches a playable level, while Ultra at 22 FPS is stuttery. At 1080p (1920x1080), the GPU finally shows some capability: 49 FPS on High, 95 FPS on Low, 78 FPS on Medium, and 34 FPS on Ultra. The 95 FPS at Low is smooth, and 78 FPS at Medium is acceptable, but High and Ultra fall short of 60 FPS. The system-shared memory architecture means the GPU competes with the CPU for the same DDR5 bandwidth, which can exacerbate performance drops when the game loads large textures. The 2500 MHz boost clock is relatively high for an integrated part, but the 1536 shading units are simply too few to handle The Long Drive’s rendering at higher settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves in The Long Drive?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 95, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo averages 12 FPS, which is the lowest measured result across all configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck for this combo in The Long Drive?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU’s benchmark scores are very high (91st percentile), but frame rates drop sharply with resolution and settings increases, which points to GPU limitations.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo records a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS, with an average of 51 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2594 out of 2934 tested combinations, placing it in the lower percentile of all combos for The Long Drive.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank in The Long Drive is 2594 out of 2934 tested combos, which places it in the bottom 12% of all combinations. This low rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s performance, which sits in the 9th percentile against all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 91st percentile against all CPUs, creating a massive imbalance in capability. This is a case where a top-tier processor is paired with an integrated graphics unit, and the measured frame rates reflect that mismatch. The GPU’s nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts from the GT 520MX to the GT 710 era, with deltas of just 1.3% to 2.7%. This means the Arc B390 is only marginally better than those dated GPUs, and none of them would be considered suitable for modern gaming at high settings.

Against the full field of 2934 combos, this pairing is near the bottom, but it is not the absolute worst. The 2594 rank means there are 340 combos that perform worse, likely involving even older or weaker GPUs. The data shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s strong benchmark scores do not translate into better in-game performance when paired with such a limited GPU. The combo’s rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s 1482 average benchmark score, which is among the lowest in the database. For context, the CPU alone would rank much higher if paired with a capable discrete GPU, but that is not the configuration tested here. The measured FPS numbers confirm the rank: even at 1080p Low, the 95 FPS average is decent, but at 4K Ultra, the 12 FPS average is nearly unplayable. The rank of 2594 out of 2934 is a fair representation of the overall experience, which is severely constrained by graphics processing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a comprehensive view of the combo’s capabilities. At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly low. With High settings, the average FPS is 18, with no min or max recorded. Low settings improve this to 35 FPS average, still below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Medium settings yield an average of 29 FPS, with a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 33, showing a narrow band of performance. Ultra settings drop to 12 FPS average, which is the worst result in the entire dataset. These 4K numbers indicate that the GPU cannot handle the pixel count required by 3840x2160, regardless of settings. The gap between Low (35 FPS) and Ultra (12 FPS) is 23 FPS, a significant drop that reflects the game’s increasing shader and texture loads.

At 2560x1440, the results are mixed but more usable. High settings produce an average of 32 FPS, with no min or max. Low settings jump to 63 FPS average, which is the only 1440p result above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59, indicating that the game can dip below the 60 FPS threshold but rarely goes below 44. Ultra settings average 22 FPS, which is playable only in the most forgiving sense. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1440p shows a drop from 63 FPS to 22 FPS, a 41 FPS difference that highlights the GPU’s sensitivity to visual fidelity. The Medium settings’ min of 44 FPS and max of 59 FPS suggest that the game is relatively stable at this resolution, but the average of 51 FPS means there will be noticeable stutter during intense driving scenes.

At 1920x1080, the combo performs at its best. High settings average 49 FPS, which is below 60 but not terrible. Low settings hit 95 FPS average, the highest of all measurements, and this is smooth and responsive. Medium settings average 78 FPS, with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 90, showing a wide range that stays above 60 FPS most of the time. Ultra settings average 34 FPS, which is a significant drop from Medium and indicates that the GPU struggles with the highest settings even at 1080p. The delta between Low (95 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) is 61 FPS, the largest gap across all resolutions, demonstrating that the Arc B390’s performance is heavily influenced by settings. The Medium settings’ min of 66 FPS is notable because it means the combo can maintain a playable frame rate even during demanding moments, unlike at higher resolutions.

Comparing across resolutions, the data shows a clear trend: each step up in resolution roughly halves the frame rate at equivalent settings. For example, at Low settings, 1080p yields 95 FPS, 1440p yields 63 FPS, and 4K yields 35 FPS. At High settings, 1080p yields 49 FPS, 1440p yields 32 FPS, and 4K yields 18 FPS. This consistent scaling suggests the GPU is bandwidth-limited, as the system-shared memory architecture must allocate bandwidth for both the CPU and GPU, and higher resolutions consume more memory bandwidth.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for The Long Drive depend heavily on the target resolution and acceptable frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The average of 78 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 66 FPS ensures that even the heaviest scenes remain smooth. The maximum of 90 FPS provides headroom for competitive play. Low settings at 1080p achieve 95 FPS average, which is slightly higher, but the visual sacrifice is likely not worth the 17 FPS gain. High settings at 1080p drop to 49 FPS, which introduces noticeable stutter, and Ultra at 34 FPS is too low for a driving game where quick reactions are required. Therefore, Medium at 1080p is the recommended preset for the best experience.

At 2560x1440, the choices are more limited. Low settings yield 63 FPS average, which is playable, but the visual quality is poor. Medium settings average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS, which means the game will dip below 60 FPS regularly but rarely become unplayable. High settings at 32 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are both too low for a smooth experience. For players who prioritize frame rate, Low at 1440p is the only option that consistently stays above 60 FPS. For those who want better visuals, Medium at 1440p is a compromise, accepting an average of 51 FPS and occasional dips to 44 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p is the upper limit for this combo, and even then, only at the lowest settings can it achieve a stable 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset delivers a playable experience. Low settings at 35 FPS is the highest 4K result, but it is still far below the 60 FPS target. Medium at 29 FPS, High at 18 FPS, and Ultra at 12 FPS are all unacceptable for a driving simulation. The recommendation for 4K is to avoid this resolution entirely with this combo, as the system-shared memory and limited shading units cannot handle the pixel load. If 4K is a hard requirement, players would need to drastically reduce the resolution scaling or accept a slideshow-like frame rate, but the measured data shows no configuration that provides even 40 FPS at 4K.

The overall recommendation is to run The Long Drive at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This configuration yields an average of 78 FPS, a minimum of 66 FPS, and a maximum of 90 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience that suits the game’s driving mechanics. At 1440p, Low settings are the only option for 60 FPS, but the visual downgrade may not be worth it compared to 1080p Medium, which offers better image quality and higher frame rates. The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor, and players should prioritize lower resolutions and medium settings to extract playable performance from this unbalanced pairing.