The Long Drive

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a playable experience in The Long Drive only at 1080p with lower settings, and the data clearly shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all tested configurations. The combo ranks in the 11th percentile of tested combinations, indicating that while the CPU has ample headroom, the integrated-class graphics solution severely limits frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions and quality presets.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This processor sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, with a strong average benchmark score of 19039 points. For context, it trades blows with the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (0% delta) and the Intel Core 3 201E (-0.1%), while slightly outpacing the Intel Core i5-1335U and AMD EPYC 7773X by 0.3% each. The processor’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4/DDR5) provide a solid foundation for gaming workloads.

In The Long Drive, which is a driving simulation, the CPU handles game logic, physics, and object streaming. The measured FPS results, however, show that the i5-12400F is rarely the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 95 FPS average, but at 1080p Ultra that figure drops to 34 FPS—a decline that tracks almost entirely with GPU load rather than CPU capability. The processor’s single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 909, Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680) is more than adequate for this genre, which typically relies on a few heavily loaded threads rather than massive parallel scaling.

The 12-thread capability of this CPU (3DMark 16-thread score of 5895, max-thread score of 5912) means it can handle background tasks and game overhead without contention. However, the data suggests that even at 4K Ultra, where the CPU might be expected to struggle with draw calls, the frame rate collapses to 12 FPS—a value that points directly at the GPU’s compute limits rather than any CPU deficiency. The i5-12400F is effectively waiting on the Arc B390 at every resolution, which is why the same CPU could deliver dramatically higher frame rates with a more capable discrete GPU.

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

*Q: What is the best resolution to play The Long Drive with this combo?*

A: The data shows 1920x1080 delivers the highest average frame rates across all settings, with 95 FPS at Low, 78 FPS at Medium, 49 FPS at High, and 34 FPS at Ultra. Higher resolutions like 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 produce significantly lower results, with 4K Ultra dropping to 12 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. It is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, and 2.5-2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM and GT 710, respectively. This indicates the GPU is in the entry-level performance tier.

Q: Is the Core i5-12400F CPU or the Arc B390 GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting component. The CPU ranks in the 73rd percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 9th percentile. Furthermore, frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings—dropping from 95 FPS at 1080p Low to 12 FPS at 4K Ultra—which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What settings preset provides the highest minimum frame rate at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset offers the only reported minimum FPS value of 44, with an average of 51 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS. The Low preset achieves a higher average of 63 FPS but does not report a minimum FPS figure.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in the database?

A: The combo ranks 3313 out of 3725 tested combos in The Long Drive, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This low ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU’s weak performance relative to the CPU.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Long Drive?*

A: Technically yes, but the experience is poor. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 35 FPS at Low, 29 FPS at Medium, 18 FPS at High, and 12 FPS at Ultra. Only the Low preset approaches playability, while Medium and above fall below 30 FPS.

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

The measured data reveals a steep and consistent performance decline as resolution increases, which is definitive evidence of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 95 FPS; moving to 1440p Low drops that to 63 FPS (a 34% reduction), and at 4K Low the average falls to 35 FPS (a further 44% reduction from 1440p). The pattern repeats across all settings, with 1080p Medium at 78 FPS, 1440p Medium at 51 FPS, and 4K Medium at 29 FPS.

This scaling behavior is characteristic of a graphics card running out of fill rate and shader throughput as pixel count grows. The Arc B390 has only 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs, with a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. At 4K (8.3 million pixels), the GPU must process over four times the pixels of 1080p (2.1 million), and the frame rate drops by roughly 60-70% across most presets—slightly more than pure pixel-count scaling would predict, suggesting additional memory bandwidth pressure from the system-shared memory configuration.

The CPU, by contrast, shows no such scaling sensitivity. If the i5-12400F were the bottleneck, frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, or only drop modestly at 4K. Instead, the data shows a near-linear relationship between resolution and FPS, which is the signature of a GPU-limited workload. The 4K Ultra result of 12 FPS is particularly telling—this is not a CPU constraint but the Arc B390 being overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum quality settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested hardware combinations for The Long Drive, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3313 out of 3725 total combos. This places it in the bottom 11.1% of all configurations, which is a poor showing for a modern processor. The ranking is heavily skewed by the GPU’s weak performance, as the CPU itself is in the 73rd percentile of all processors—a top-quartile result.

The disparity between the CPU’s percentile (73) and the GPU’s percentile (9) is stark. The i5-12400F’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047 avg score) and Intel Core 3 201E (19056 avg score), are all within 0.3% of its average benchmark score, indicating that the processor is well-matched to mid-range systems. However, the Arc B390’s nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts from the GT 7xx/8xx era, with the GT 520MX being the closest at 1463 avg score (1.3% slower). This means the GPU is performing at a level comparable to hardware from over a decade ago, which drags the entire combo down to near-bottom rankings.

For context, the combo rank of 3313 means there are only 412 tested configurations that perform worse in this game. Given that the CPU is capable, the only way to improve this ranking would be to pair the i5-12400F with a far stronger GPU. The data suggests that any modern discrete graphics card would yield a substantially better result, as the current bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side.

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

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four quality presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 95 FPS on Low, 78 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 66 and maximum of 90), 49 FPS on High, and 34 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p Low result is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the sole truly smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly: Low averages 63 FPS, Medium averages 51 FPS (minimum 44, maximum 59), High averages 32 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset is the only one in this resolution that maintains an average above 50 FPS, though its minimum of 44 FPS indicates occasional dips below the 45 FPS threshold that many players consider acceptable.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low averages 35 FPS, Medium averages 29 FPS (minimum 24, maximum 33), High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 12 FPS. The 4K Medium preset, with a minimum of 24 FPS, is the only 4K option that stays above 20 FPS throughout, but it still falls short of smooth gameplay standards.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset is the only one that reports both minimum and maximum FPS values, providing a fuller picture of frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 66-90 FPS (a 24 FPS spread), while at 1440p Medium the range narrows to 44-59 FPS (a 15 FPS spread), and at 4K Medium it’s 24-33 FPS (a 9 FPS spread). This tightening range at higher resolutions suggests the GPU is consistently pegged at its limit, reducing variance but also capping peak performance.

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

The data indicates that the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which produces an average of 95 FPS. This is the only measured configuration that delivers a frame rate comfortably above 60 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without any reported minimum FPS drops. For players who prioritize frame rate stability and responsiveness—critical in a driving simulation where input lag affects vehicle control—1080p Low is the clear choice.

If visual fidelity is more important than maximum smoothness, 1080p Medium offers a strong compromise with an average of 78 FPS and a minimum of 66 FPS, meaning it never drops below the 60 FPS threshold. This preset provides better textures and effects than Low while maintaining a playable frame rate. The 1080p High preset (49 FPS average) is borderline, and 1080p Ultra (34 FPS average) is best avoided unless the player accepts significant stutter.

At 2560x1440, the only reasonable option is the Low preset, which averages 63 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p, with an average of 51 FPS and a minimum of 44 FPS, may be acceptable for some players, but the sub-50 FPS average and 44 FPS minimum put it in risky territory for a game that requires precise timing. The 1440p High (32 FPS) and Ultra (22 FPS) presets are not recommended.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets deliver a consistently playable experience. The Low preset averages 35 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard, and the Medium preset averages 29 FPS with a minimum of 24 FPS. Given the data, 4K should be considered a non-viable resolution for this combo in The Long Drive, and players should stick to 1080p or, at most, 1440p Low for a playable session. The verdict is clear: this system is best used at 1080p, where the i5-12400F’s strong CPU performance is at least partially leveraged, even if the Arc B390 still holds the experience back from truly high refresh rates.