The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation from 2019, presents a unique challenge for the Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the Intel Arc B390. The benchmark data shows a configuration where the CPU is a strong performer while the integrated GPU is a significant limiting factor, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to understand how this specific combination handles the game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data clearly indicates that the Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently playable experience at 1080p, with an average of 95 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches or exceeds the standard 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers an average of 78 FPS, which is also playable, but the jump in performance cost from Medium to High is substantial, with the average dropping to 49 FPS.

At 1440p, the Low preset still yields a respectable 63 FPS average, making it the only viable option at that resolution. Moving to Medium at 1440p brings the average down to 51 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the frame pacing is less consistent. The High preset at 1440p is borderline at 32 FPS, and Ultra is not playable at any resolution.

For 4K, the recommendation is clear: only the Low preset, at 35 FPS average, is even remotely usable. Every other preset at 4K falls below 30 FPS. The data suggests that for the best balance of visual quality and performance, users should select the Medium preset at 1080p. This provides a 78 FPS average, which is a significant improvement over the 49 FPS of High, and the frame time data shows a range of 66 to 90 FPS. If the priority is maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 1080p is the definitive choice, given it is the only setting that breaks the 90 FPS mark.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates solid multi-threaded capability with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 7737. Its single-thread performance, crucial for many game engines, is reflected in a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2024 and a Passmark single-thread score of 2981.

The CPU's performance percentile of 71 versus all CPUs indicates that it is a capable processor for gaming. In this specific test, the CPU does not appear to be the primary bottleneck. This is evident when looking at the performance scaling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 95 FPS, but when the resolution is increased to 4K Low, the frame rate drops to 35 FPS. This massive drop is not characteristic of a CPU-bound scenario, where resolution changes have a minimal impact on frame rates. Instead, it points to the GPU being responsible for the majority of the frame rate variation. The i5-11400F provides enough processing power to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but at higher resolutions, the GPU's workload becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide sufficient bandwidth for the game's data, allowing it to maintain high frame rates when the GPU can keep up.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its clock speeds are rated at a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning its performance is heavily dependent on the system's main memory bandwidth, which is listed as "System Dependent." This is a critical architectural detail, as the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory access.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark performance is very low. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, which are very old entry-level parts. This low compute performance is directly reflected in the game's frame rates. The data shows a clear pattern of the GPU being the primary bottleneck. For instance, at 1080p, the average FPS drops from 95 on Low to 34 on Ultra. This shows that the GPU's fill rate and shading power are quickly overwhelmed as graphical complexity increases. The 24 ROPs are likely a limiting factor at higher resolutions, leading to the significant frame rate penalties seen at 1440p and 4K. The GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is insufficient for the demands of modern presets at high resolutions, confirming that it is the limiting component in this system.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-11400F + Intel Arc B390 combination is ranked 3313 out of 3725 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, which is consistent with the low performance of the integrated GPU. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, which prevent the capable CPU from delivering higher frame rates.

To contextualize the CPU's contribution, it is compared to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks. The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. That is 0.3% higher than the AMD EPYC 7H12, 0.4% lower than the Intel Core i5-12450H, and 0.6% lower than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G. These are all extremely small differences, indicating that the CPU's raw compute power is on par with its peers. However, this parity does not translate to game performance because the GPU drags the entire combo down. The data shows that a CPU with a much lower score would likely achieve similar frame rates in this game when paired with the same GPU, as the bottleneck is clearly on the graphics side. The rank of 3313 reflects the fact that the GPU's performance, or lack thereof, is the defining characteristic of this combo.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the GPU's dominance as the limiting factor. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1080p to 63 at 1440p and then to 35 at 4K. This represents a 63% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at the Medium preset, the average FPS falls from 78 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p and 29 at 4K.

This pattern is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively constant across resolutions because the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. The fact that the FPS drops dramatically as the resolution increases indicates that the GPU's rendering capabilities are being saturated. The number of pixels being pushed at 4K (3840x2160) is over four times that of 1080p (1920x1080). The Arc B390, with its limited ROP count and shared memory bandwidth, simply cannot handle this increased pixel throughput. The scaling is not linear, which suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes a severe constraint at higher resolutions, more so than its compute units. This data confirms that any attempt to play at 4K will be met with sub-30 FPS performance on all presets except Low, which only manages a 35 FPS average.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following details the exact measured average frame rates for every tested configuration.

1920x1080:

• Low: 95 FPS average.
• Medium: 78 FPS average, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS.
• High: 49 FPS average.
• Ultra: 34 FPS average.

2560x1440:

• Low: 63 FPS average.
• Medium: 51 FPS average, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS.
• High: 32 FPS average.
• Ultra: 22 FPS average.

3840x2160:

• Low: 35 FPS average.
• Medium: 29 FPS average, with a minimum of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS.
• High: 18 FPS average.
• Ultra: 12 FPS average.

The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 61 FPS (95 vs. 34). At 4K, the difference is only 23 FPS (35 vs. 12). This compression at higher resolutions occurs because the GPU is so heavily overloaded that even reducing settings has a diminished return. The minimum frame rates recorded for the Medium preset also show a clear degradation, dropping from 66 FPS at 1080p to 24 FPS at 4K, indicating that the gameplay experience becomes increasingly stuttery and inconsistent at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running The Long Drive at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p with the Low preset (95 FPS) or the Medium preset (78 FPS). At 1440p, only the Low preset achieves a 60+ FPS average at 63 FPS. No preset at 4K reaches 60 FPS.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck for this system?

A: The benchmark data indicates the Intel Arc B390 GPU is the limiting factor. This is supported by the significant frame rate drops when resolution increases, which is a characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU's performance is sufficient, as it ranks in the 71st percentile.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-11400F compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. It is 0.3% faster than the AMD EPYC 7H12, but 0.4% slower than the Intel Core i5-12450H and 0.6% slower than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G.

Q: What is the difference in performance between 1080p and 4K on the Low preset?

A: The average frame rate drops from 95 FPS at 1080p to 35 FPS at 4K. This is a 63% reduction in performance, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle the increased pixel count at 4K.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at any resolution?

A: No. The Ultra preset yields an average of 34 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K. All of these are below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, playable performance.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth visual experience at 1440p?

A: The Low preset is the only one that provides a playable experience at 1440p, with an average of 63 FPS. The Medium preset is close at 51 FPS, but the data shows it is more prone to frame rate dips.