The Long Drive

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a highly constrained gaming experience in The Long Drive, with benchmark results indicating a severe bottleneck primarily located in the graphics subsystem. The measured data shows that this combination ranks near the bottom of all tested configurations, delivering playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the specific contributions of each component, the optimal settings for playability, and the overall performance hierarchy based solely on the provided benchmark data.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 58 W TDP. The CPU features a cache hierarchy of 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and a 12 MB shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

In the context of The Long Drive, a driving simulation, the CPU's role is to manage game logic, physics calculations, and the simulation of the open-world environment. The benchmark results for the i3-12100F show a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a single-core score of 1674. Its Geekbench scores are 7252 for multi-core and 1932 for single-core. The CPU's percentile ranking against all tested CPUs is 68, indicating it performs better than most processors in general synthetic workloads. Its average benchmark score is 13494.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i3-12100F is essentially tied with the Intel Core 3 N355, which has an average score of 13492 and a deltaPct of 0. It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i5-9500, which scores 13452. However, it is 0.7% slower than the Intel Core 5 120UL, which scores 13594, and 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-1250U, which scores 13351. These are marginal differences, suggesting that the CPU's raw compute capability is competitive with its immediate peers.

However, the measured frame rates in The Long Drive indicate that the CPU is not the primary limiting factor. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 86 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU can feed frames adequately when the GPU load is light. The CPU's multi-threaded performance, as shown by its 3DMark 16-thread score of 4051 and max-thread score of 4023, is sufficient to handle the game's simulation aspects without causing a complete collapse in performance. The data points to the CPU being capable, but the overall system performance is dragged down by the GPU, as will be seen in the next section.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. Critically, its memory is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the system's main memory. The memory bus width and bandwidth are also "System Shared" and "System Dependent," respectively, which means performance is heavily dependent on the system's RAM configuration and speed.

The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 20 render output units (ROPs). It includes 10 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS. The GPU's TDP is only 25 W, reflecting its integrated nature. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The GPU's benchmark performance is exceptionally low. Its only recorded benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, yields a score of 1184. This places the GPU in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it is slower than 95% of the tested graphics processors. Its average benchmark score is identical to the Steel Nomad score at 1184. The nearest rivals highlight its position: it is 0.2% slower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770, and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. These are all legacy or low-end parts from over a decade ago, underscoring the Arc B370's very limited graphical capability.

This GPU is the dominant factor in the system's poor gaming performance. The shared memory architecture means that the GPU has no dedicated high-bandwidth VRAM, which is a severe limitation for a modern game like The Long Drive. The low 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and the small number of ROPs (20) directly limit the fill rate and pixel processing ability, which is critical for a driving game that renders vast outdoor scenes. The data strongly suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck, as frame rates drop precipitously when resolution or settings are increased, a pattern typical of a graphics-bound system.

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

Given the severe GPU limitation, the settings choice is critical for achieving a playable frame rate. The measured data shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and performance. For a playable experience, the Low preset is the only viable option at most resolutions.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 86 FPS. This is the only preset that provides a frame rate comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, which is generally considered the target for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers an average of 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. This is also a playable option, offering a better visual experience while still maintaining a playable frame rate. The High preset at 1080p drops to an average of 44 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users but is below the smoothness standard. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not playable, with an average of only 31 FPS.

At 1440p, the situation worsens. The Low preset delivers an average of 56 FPS, which is borderline playable but not ideal. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, with averages of 29 FPS and 20 FPS, respectively.

At 4K (2160p), the GPU is overwhelmed. The Low preset averages 31 FPS, which is barely playable. The Medium preset averages 26 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets are unplayable at 16 FPS and 11 FPS, respectively.

The best experience per the measured rows is achieved with the Medium preset at 1080p. This preset provides an average of 71 FPS, which is a smooth and playable experience, while offering a higher level of visual quality than Low. The minimum FPS of 60 ensures that the frame rate does not dip below the playable threshold. For users who prioritize a higher frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p is the best choice, delivering 86 FPS, but at a significant visual quality cost. For 1440p, the Low preset is the only option for a near-playable experience, but its 56 FPS average is a compromise. The data clearly indicates that this system is not suited for High or Ultra settings at any resolution, and 4K gaming is not viable.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2700th out of 2934 tested combinations in The Long Drive. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested. This ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU's extremely low performance, as the CPU's percentile rank of 68 is comparatively decent.

The combo's rank is consistent with the GPU's 5th percentile performance. The system is not merely underperforming; it is at the bottom of the performance curve. The data suggests that nearly every other combination of CPU and GPU tested in this game produces higher frame rates. The only systems that rank lower are likely those with even older or more integrated graphics solutions. This ranking is a critical indicator for potential users: this is a system for very low-end or office use, not for gaming, even for a less demanding title like The Long Drive.

The performance gap to the top of the chart is immense. While the data does not provide the score of the top-ranked combo, the fact that this system is at the 2700th position out of 2934 implies a massive difference in graphical throughput. The system's average FPS across all settings and resolutions is low, and the 4K Ultra average of 11 FPS highlights the severe limitations. This rank is a cautionary metric, indicating that the hardware is fundamentally mismatched for the game's graphical demands.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combination can achieve in The Long Drive?

A: The highest average frame rate is 86 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this system capable of running The Long Drive at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at very low frame rates. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 31. The Medium preset at 4K averages 26 FPS, while High and Ultra average 16 FPS and 11 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370's benchmark performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. It is 0.2% slower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770, and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the 1080p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the 1920x1080 Medium settings preset is 60 FPS. The average for this preset is 71 FPS, and the maximum is 81 FPS.

Q: What is the Intel Core i3-12100F's ranking compared to all other CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F is in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494. It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i5-9500 and 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-1250U.

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in The Long Drive?

A: This combination ranks 2700th out of 2934 tested combinations in The Long Drive.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is a complete breakdown of the measured average frame rates for every tested configuration.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average 86 FPS.
• Medium: Average 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS.
• High: Average 44 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 31 FPS.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average 56 FPS.
• Medium: Average 46 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS.
• High: Average 29 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 20 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average 31 FPS.
• Medium: Average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS.
• High: Average 16 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 11 FPS.

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

The frame rate scaling across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system's bottleneck. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops significantly for each preset. For the Low preset, the average drops from 86 FPS at 1080p to 56 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 30 FPS or roughly 35%. For the Medium preset, the drop is from 71 FPS to 46 FPS, a decrease of 25 FPS or approximately 35%. This significant drop with a 1.78x increase in pixel count indicates that the GPU is already struggling to maintain fill rate and pixel throughput.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more dramatic. The Low preset drops from 56 FPS to 31 FPS, a decrease of 25 FPS or about 45%. The Medium preset drops from 46 FPS to 26 FPS, a decrease of 20 FPS or about 43%. This non-linear drop is characteristic of a GPU that is completely saturated. The pixel count increase from 1440p to 4K is 2.25x, and the frame rate drops by nearly half, showing that the GPU's processing power is exhausted.

This scaling pattern is a definitive indicator that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component. A CPU-bound system would show a much smaller frame rate drop when resolution is increased, as the CPU's workload (game logic, physics) remains constant. Here, the frame rate is inversely proportional to the resolution, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. The integrated GPU's shared memory and low fill rate simply cannot handle the increased pixel load. The data shows that even at 1080p High settings (44 FPS), the GPU is already the bottleneck, as the CPU is capable of delivering higher frame rates at lower settings. The conclusion is inescapable: to improve performance in The Long Drive, the GPU must be upgraded; the CPU has headroom to spare.