To The Core

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a unique dataset for To The Core, an Idle genre title. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the integrated-class GPU is the primary constraint, while the high-end CPU provides ample headroom. This analysis walks through the scaling behavior, performance ranking, component roles, and practical settings based exclusively on the provided benchmark data.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, which is expected, but the magnitude of the drop offers insight into the system's bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS moves from 97 at 1080p, down to 65 at 1440p, and further down to 37 at 4K. This represents a significant 62% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is similar for other settings, indicating that the rendering workload is scaling heavily with pixel count.

This steep drop-off strongly suggests that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component. A system that is CPU-bound would typically show a much smaller performance gap between 1080p and 4K, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU load increases. Here, the frame rate nearly halves at each major resolution step, which is a classic sign of a GPU reaching its fill-rate or shading limits. The Arc B370's specifications support this, with a 20 ROP count and a 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate, which are modest figures for handling 4K workloads.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution further confirms the GPU-bound nature. At 4K, moving from Low (51 FPS) to Ultra (30 FPS) results in a 41% performance penalty. At 1080p, the same settings change results in a drop from 132 FPS to 78 FPS, a 41% penalty as well. The consistency of this percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the relative cost of the graphical features is uniform, and the absolute FPS is dictated by the GPU's capability at that specific pixel count. The data shows that 1080p is the only viable resolution for high refresh rate play, while 4K is only playable at the lowest settings.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for To The Core, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Arc B370 ranks at position 2750 out of 2991 total combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems for this game. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance, as the CPU is a top-tier part.

The combo rank of 2750 is a stark indicator that the Arc B370 is not suited for demanding gaming scenarios, even in a title like To The Core which might not be graphically intensive compared to AAA shooters. The percentileVsAllGpus score of 5 for the GPU alone reinforces this, placing it in the bottom 5% of all GPUs in the database. The CPU, in contrast, sits at the 87th percentile in its own benchmarks, highlighting a massive performance disparity between the two components.

This pairing is a study in imbalance. While the CPU is ready to feed frames, the GPU cannot keep up. The rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability but rather a measure of the entire system's output. For a user looking at this data, it is clear that this combo is a bottleneck scenario where the GPU drastically limits the overall experience. The data suggests that a more balanced system, with a less powerful CPU and a stronger GPU, would likely achieve a much higher rank in this game.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its role in this system is to render all frames, and the data shows it struggles with the demands of To The Core at higher resolutions. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. Its FP32 performance is rated at 6.144 TFLOPS.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the main system's DDR5 memory. This architecture often results in lower effective bandwidth compared to dedicated VRAM, and the "System Dependent" bandwidth figure confirms this. This shared memory setup is a likely contributor to the performance drops seen at higher resolutions, where the demand for memory bandwidth increases significantly. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it at the 5th percentile, with its nearest rivals being legacy parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M.

In To The Core, the GPU is the clear performance limiter. The 37 FPS average at 4K High settings and 30 FPS at 4K Ultra are not smooth gaming experiences. The benchmark results indicate that the Arc B370 is only capable of providing acceptable frame rates at 1080p, where it can push past the 60 FPS mark on Medium and High settings. The GPU's 25 W TDP and IGP slot width are indicative of its power-efficient design, but they also speak to its limited performance ceiling for gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. The Low preset yields an average of 132 FPS, which drops to 112 FPS on Medium, 97 FPS on High, and 78 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset also shows a min FPS of 95 and a max FPS of 129, indicating some variance but generally stable performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 89 FPS, while Medium averages 75 FPS (with a min of 64 and max of 87). High and Ultra settings average 65 FPS and 53 FPS, respectively. This resolution presents a trade-off; it is playable on lower settings but begins to strain the GPU on High and Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the system is severely challenged. The Low preset is the only one that manages to stay above 50 FPS, with an average of 51 FPS. The Medium preset averages 43 FPS (with a min of 37 and max of 50), while High and Ultra drop to 37 FPS and 30 FPS, respectively. These figures are below the threshold for a smooth gaming experience, indicating that 4K is not a practical resolution for this combo in To The Core, except perhaps at the lowest settings where it is still marginal.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a high-end desktop processor from the 9000 series, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a defining feature, designed to improve gaming performance. The CPU's TDP is 120 W, and it supports DDR5 memory.

In the context of To The Core, the CPU's benchmarks suggest it is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23230 and single-core score of 2080 are strong results. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10081 and single-thread score of 1212 further demonstrate its robust processing power. With an average benchmark score of 39768, it sits at the 87th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, with performance deltas of less than 1%.

Given that the GPU is the bottleneck, the CPU's role is to ensure it is not limiting the frame rate. The data shows that the CPU has significant headroom. At 1080p Low, the system hits 132 FPS, which is likely near the GPU's maximum output for that setting. The CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures that it can feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck, even at lower resolutions where frame rates are higher. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample processing power for the game's background tasks and any auxiliary processes.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in To The Core?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 132, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

*Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in To The Core?*

A: The data shows that at 4K, the highest average FPS is 51 on Low settings. High and Ultra settings only achieve 37 FPS and 30 FPS, respectively, which are generally below the standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, have average scores that are within 0.5% to 0.7% of this figure, indicating very similar performance levels.

Q: What is the performance ranking of this specific CPU+GPU combo in this game?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Arc B370 combo is ranked 2750 out of 2991 tested combinations for To The Core, placing it in the bottom 8% of systems.

Q: What is the CPU's average benchmark score and percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39768, which places it at the 87th percentile when compared to all other CPUs in the database.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 97 at 1920x1080 to 37 at 3840x2160, a decrease of 60 FPS or roughly 62%.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate. For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 resolution is the clear choice. At this resolution, the High preset offers a strong balance, providing an average of 97 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset, at 78 FPS, is also viable for those who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, as it delivers an average of 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS, ensuring that frame times remain relatively consistent. The High preset at 65 FPS is also playable, but the lower minimum frame rates could lead to occasional stutters. For 4K gaming, the data suggests that this combo is not well-suited. The Low preset provides an average of 51 FPS, which is not ideal, but it is the only setting that approaches playability. The Medium, High, and Ultra settings all fall below 45 FPS, making them difficult to recommend for a smooth experience.

In summary, the data indicates that this system is best used at 1080p. For users with a 1440p monitor, Medium settings offer the most stable performance. 4K should be avoided for this game unless the user is willing to accept low frame rates and compromised visual settings. The GPU's performance is the limiting factor across all resolutions, and the settings recommendations reflect that constraint.