The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation from 2019, presents a distinct performance profile for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the Intel Arc B580. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by graphics settings and resolution, with the CPU providing a robust foundation. This analysis examines the frame rate data to detail how this combination behaves across different workloads.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a clear and dramatic impact from resolution scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 165 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average drops to 109 FPS, a reduction of approximately 34%. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls further to 60 FPS, which is a 45% decrease from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the graphics card is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The pattern persists across other settings. At High settings, the average frame rate goes from 85 FPS at 1080p to 56 FPS at 1440p, a 34% drop. From 1440p to 4K, the average falls from 56 FPS to 31 FPS, a 45% reduction. This consistent scaling factor suggests a strong correlation between resolution and performance, pointing to the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth as the key constraints.

The scaling behavior is also evident in the Medium settings. The 1080p Medium average is 136 FPS, which drops to 90 FPS at 1440p (a 34% decrease) and then to 50 FPS at 4K (a 44% decrease). The consistency of these percentage drops across different quality presets reinforces that the limiting component is the GPU. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock, does not appear to be a bottleneck, as the frame rate scales almost perfectly with the number of pixels being rendered.

The Ultra preset shows a similar trend but with lower absolute numbers. The 1080p Ultra average is 59 FPS, which falls to 39 FPS at 1440p (a 34% drop) and then to 21 FPS at 4K (a 46% drop). This shows that the relationship between resolution and performance is consistent even at the highest graphical load, confirming that the Intel Arc B580 is the decisive factor in this configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the dominant component in determining frame rates in The Long Drive. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. The data suggests that this bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but becomes a limiting factor at 4K, where the average FPS drops below 60 on all presets except Low.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base and boost of 2670 MHz. This consistent clock speed, combined with 2560 shading units, allows the card to perform well at lower resolutions. For instance, the 1080p Low average of 165 FPS shows the card is capable of high refresh rates when the graphical load is light. The 1080p Medium average of 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS also demonstrates solid performance.

However, the card's performance in this game is not uniform across all settings. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields only 59 FPS, which is a significant drop from the Medium preset's 136 FPS. This indicates that the Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU, likely related to advanced shading or post-processing. The same pattern is seen at higher resolutions, where the Ultra preset becomes unplayable at 21 FPS on 4K.

The benchmark results for the GPU show it has a percentile rank of 68 among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which is 0.2% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which is 0.6% faster. These comparisons in synthetic benchmarks correlate with the measured game data, indicating that the Arc B580 sits in a specific performance tier that is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles with 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 provides a strong processing foundation for this gaming configuration. With 20 cores and 20 threads, it has substantial multi-threading capabilities. Its base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensure high single-threaded performance is available when needed. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the frame rates scale directly with resolution changes, which is a characteristic of GPU-limited scenarios.

The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 42216 points in the multi-core test and 5960 points in the single-core test. Its Passmark multithread score is 49682, and its single-thread score is 4689. These results place the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-end part. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 4464P, which is 0.3% higher, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which is 0.3% lower.

In the context of The Long Drive, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and the simulation of the driving environment. The consistent frame rates across different resolutions at the same settings suggest that the CPU can easily keep up with the data being sent by the GPU. The fact that the 1080p Low setting achieves 165 FPS, which is a very high frame rate, indicates that the CPU is not limiting the maximum achievable performance. The system is clearly balanced in favor of the GPU being the primary performance limiter.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B580 achieves a rank of 2811 out of 3725 total combos. This places it in the lower percentile of all tested systems, despite having a high-end CPU. This ranking is primarily due to the performance of the GPU, which, while competent, does not match the performance of the top-tier cards used in other combinations.

The rank of 2811 out of 3725 (approximately the 75th percentile) indicates that there are many other combinations that achieve higher average frame rates in The Long Drive. This is not surprising, as the GPU is the limiting factor, and many other systems are likely paired with more powerful graphics cards. The CPU's high percentile rank of 93 does not compensate for the GPU's lower percentile rank of 68 in the overall combo ranking.

The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 4K, the system can only manage acceptable frame rates on Low settings. The high CPU performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216, ensures that the system is not leaving any performance on the table from the processor side. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, which limits the combo's overall standing in the database.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 165 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the system can achieve 60 FPS on Low settings. However, on Medium settings, the average drops to 50 FPS, and on High settings, it falls to 31 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K produce an average of 21 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F?

A: In average benchmark score, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, making the two processors nearly identical in performance.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Intel Arc B580 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the Intel Arc B580 is 0.6% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, indicating they are in a similar performance tier.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system for The Long Drive?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high benchmark scores suggest it is not a bottleneck.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 85 FPS. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average frame rate is 56 FPS, a difference of 29 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides a detailed breakdown of the measured average frame rates for each resolution and settings combination.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS is 60.
• Medium: Average FPS is 50, with a minimum of 42 and a maximum of 57.
• High: Average FPS is 31.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 21.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS is 109.
• Medium: Average FPS is 90, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103.
• High: Average FPS is 56.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 39.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS is 165.
• Medium: Average FPS is 136, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 156.
• High: Average FPS is 85.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 59.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For a 1080p display, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 136 FPS and a minimum of 116 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset also provides a solid experience at 85 FPS. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, drops the average to 59 FPS, which may be acceptable for some but is a significant trade-off for the extra visual effects.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 90 FPS, which is fluid for a driving simulation. The Low preset yields 109 FPS, but the visual downgrade is often not worth the performance gain. The High preset at 56 FPS is playable but may feel less smooth, and the Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for a good gameplay experience.

At 4K, the options are limited. The Low preset is the only setting that achieves a playable 60 FPS average. The Medium preset drops to 50 FPS, which is borderline, while High and Ultra settings produce average frame rates of 31 and 21 FPS, respectively. For 4K, users should stick with the Low preset to maintain a consistent frame rate. The data shows that the system is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where higher quality settings can be used without sacrificing performance.