To The Core

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in To The Core, an Idle game released on February 14, 2024. The benchmark data shows this combination is capable of high refresh rate gameplay at lower resolutions, while 4K demands more from the graphics card. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions, settings, and component roles, using only the provided data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 165 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 111 FPS, a reduction of 54 FPS. The most significant step is to 4K High, where the average falls to 64 FPS, which is 101 FPS lower than the 1080p result.

This scaling suggests that at 1080p, the system is likely not fully constrained by the GPU. The jump from 1080p to 1440p shows a 32.7% decrease in frame rate, while the jump from 1440p to 4K shows a 42.3% decrease. The larger drop at higher resolutions indicates the Intel Arc B570 becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The Ultra preset amplifies this trend. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 133 FPS. This falls to 89 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and further to 51 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest measured in the entire dataset, showing that the most demanding settings at the highest resolution push this combo to its limits.

The data also shows diminishing returns when lowering settings at 4K. While 4K Low achieves 87 FPS, this is still far from the 225 FPS seen at 1080p Low. The resolution itself, rather than the game's settings, appears to be the dominant factor in performance loss at 4K.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, also known as Battlemage, and uses the BMG-G21 chip. It operates at a consistent 2500 MHz for both base and boost clocks. The card features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing 380.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This bandwidth is a crucial resource for handling the increased data throughput demanded at higher resolutions.

In To The Core, the GPU's role is most evident in the 4K results. The difference between 4K Low (87 FPS) and 4K High (64 FPS) is 23 FPS, showing that the GPU's compute and memory resources are being taxed by higher quality settings. The Ultra preset at 4K (51 FPS) reinforces this, as it represents the heaviest load on the graphics card.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 20556, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, scores 20582, a delta of -0.1%. This puts the B570 in a very tight competitive bracket with its predecessor, suggesting similar raw performance capabilities. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534, a delta of 0.1%, showing the B570 is essentially performance-equivalent to that mobile part in general compute.

For a game like To The Core, which is an Idle genre title, the GPU's 10 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for the textures and data at 1080p and 1440p. However, the 4K performance drop suggests that the 380.0 GB/s memory bandwidth may become a bottleneck when pushing 8.3 million pixels.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a Zen 4 architecture processor built on a 5 nm process, with 8 cores and 16 threads. It has a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The processor's cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB of L3 cache.

In the context of To The Core, an Idle game that typically does not demand extreme multi-threaded performance, the 7700X provides ample headroom. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19088 and a single-core score of 1987. This single-core strength is often more relevant for game logic and frame pacing.

The CPU sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35909. Its nearest rivals are all within a tight margin: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 scores 35802 (0.3% delta), the Intel Core 7 250H scores 35728 (0.5% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 scores 35719 (0.5% delta). This indicates the 7700X is a solid mid-to-high tier performer, well-matched to avoid bottlenecking the B570 in this game.

The data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. Even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate peaks at 225 FPS, the 8-core processor with a 5.40 GHz boost clock is capable of feeding the GPU. The scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K is more consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU's role diminishes as the GPU's workload increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear matrix of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. All figures are average FPS unless otherwise noted.

At 1080p, the performance is strong across the board. Low settings yield an average of 225 FPS. Medium settings produce 191 FPS, with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 219 FPS. High settings drop to 165 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 133 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 92 FPS, showing that settings have a significant impact even at this resolution.

At 1440p, the averages are lower but still respectable. Low settings achieve 152 FPS. Medium settings produce 128 FPS, with a minimum of 109 FPS and a maximum of 147 FPS. High settings yield 111 FPS, and Ultra settings result in 89 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 63 FPS, a narrower spread than at 1080p.

At 4K, the performance becomes more demanding. Low settings produce 87 FPS, which is still playable but far from high refresh rate territory. Medium settings yield 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. High settings drop to 64 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 51 FPS. The Low to Ultra spread at 4K is only 36 FPS, indicating the resolution is the dominant constraint.

The Medium preset is the only one that includes minimum and maximum FPS data across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 162 FPS ensures smooth gameplay. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 109 FPS is still above 60 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 62 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but the average of 73 FPS shows it is close to the edge.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2380 out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the lower half of all tested system configurations, specifically in the 20.4th percentile of combos.

This ranking might seem low given the strong 1080p performance, but it reflects the fact that To The Core is a lightweight Idle game. Many other combos, potentially with higher-end GPUs or CPUs, can achieve higher frame rates, especially at 4K. The rank of 2380 suggests that while this combo is competent, it is not near the top of the performance charts for this title.

The CPU's individual ranking is much stronger, sitting in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU ranks in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. The combo's lower rank relative to its component percentiles indicates that the game's performance is likely more dependent on the GPU than the CPU, and the B570's mid-range position drags the overall combo ranking down.

In practical terms, the combo's rank means it outperforms 611 other tested combinations but is surpassed by 2380. This is not a top-tier result, but for a game like To The Core, the measured frame rates show it is more than adequate for a smooth experience at 1080p and 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p, the High preset at 165 FPS offers an excellent balance. It is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many monitors. The Ultra preset at 133 FPS is also viable if visual fidelity is prioritized, but the 32 FPS sacrifice may not be worth it for a game in this genre. The Low preset at 225 FPS is excessive unless the user has a very high refresh rate display.

For 1440p, the High preset at 111 FPS is the sweet spot. This is smooth and provides a good visual experience. The Medium preset at 128 FPS is also a strong option, offering a higher frame rate with a small visual compromise. The Ultra preset at 89 FPS is playable but may not feel as fluid, especially if the user is accustomed to higher refresh rates.

For 4K, the data suggests using the Low preset at 87 FPS for the best playable experience. The Medium preset at 73 FPS is also viable, but the minimum FPS of 62 shows it can dip close to 60 FPS. The High preset at 64 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 51 FPS is not recommended for consistent smoothness. For 4K gaming, users should stick to Low or Medium to maintain a playable frame rate.

Overall, the High preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, users must compromise with Low or Medium settings to achieve acceptable performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 144 FPS?

A: At 1080p High, the combo achieves 165 FPS. At 1440p, the maximum average is 152 FPS at Low settings. To consistently hit 144 FPS, 1080p is the safe choice.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 87. At 4K Medium, it is 73 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K only reaches 51 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rival?

A: The Intel Arc A750 has an average benchmark score of 20582, a delta of -0.1% from the B570's 20556. This indicates they are virtually performance-equivalent in general compute.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking and strong single-thread scores are sufficient for the frame rates measured.

Q: What is the difference between 1080p Ultra and 1440p Ultra?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 133. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 89 FPS, a decrease of 44 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium?

A: The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 62 FPS, with an average of 73 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS.