To The Core

To The Core is an idle game that barely stresses the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, and the benchmark data reflects a system where the Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance boundary. The Ryzen 9 5950X offers 16 cores and 32 threads with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, making it a high-end desktop part from the 5000 series built on the Zen 3 architecture. However, the integrated Intel Arc B390, with its 1536 shading units and 48 texture mapping units, produces frame rates that top out at 147 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor in nearly every scenario tested.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, and manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It operates within a 105 W TDP and supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The CPU's launch MSRP is $799. In synthetic benchmarks, this processor demonstrates substantial multi-threaded capability: it scores 4324 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 26017 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 15233 in Geekbench multi-core. Single-thread performance is also solid, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 944 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1614. The processor's average benchmark score is 51947, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs.

For a game like To The Core, which is an idle genre title, the CPU's massive thread count is largely irrelevant. The measured FPS data shows that the Ryzen 9 5950X's 16 cores are nowhere near being saturated; the bottleneck rests entirely with the Intel Arc B390. When the resolution drops from 4K to 1080p, the FPS increases significantly, which is the classic signature of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU's 3DMark 2-thread score of 1856 and 4-thread score of 3595 indicate that even a fraction of the Ryzen 9's cores could handle the game's logic without breaking a sweat. The data shows that the CPU is never the constraint, as the FPS scales almost entirely with GPU workload rather than CPU workload.

The nearest rivals to the Ryzen 9 5950X in average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX with a deltaPct of -0.2, the AMD EPYC 8124P with -0.3, the Intel Core i9-13900F with 0.4, and the Intel Core i7-14700 with -0.7. These tiny percentage differences mean that swapping the 5950X for any of these alternatives would produce virtually identical results in To The Core, because the game simply does not demand more than a few threads. The 5950X's high single-core performance, evidenced by its PassMark single-thread score of 3470, is more than sufficient for the game's tick-based logic.

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

Q: What is the highest average FPS measured for this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 147 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 99 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 56 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 and a deltaPct of 1.3, followed by the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1460 (deltaPct 1.5), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM at 1446 (deltaPct 2.5), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 at 1443 (deltaPct 2.7). The Arc B390 is only slightly ahead of these older, entry-level parts.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested CPU and GPU pairings in To The Core?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2643 out of 2991 tested combos in this game. This places it in the lower portion of the rankings, consistent with the GPU's low percentile score.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 5950X's 16-core configuration help in this game?

A: No, the data does not indicate any benefit from the 16 cores in To The Core. The game is an idle title that likely runs on a single or few threads. The CPU's 3DMark 2-thread score of 1856 and 4-thread score of 3595 show that even a fraction of the CPU's resources could handle the game, while the FPS is entirely determined by GPU settings and resolution.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS on Low is 147, while on Ultra it is 86. This represents a 61 FPS drop when moving from the lowest to the highest preset, highlighting the GPU's limited shader throughput.

Q: Is there any scenario where the game hits 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 56, which is below 60. However, no 4K row reaches 60 FPS; the highest 4K average is 56 FPS on Low, followed by 48 FPS on Medium, 41 FPS on High, and 33 FPS on Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The measured configuration, pairing the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with the Intel Arc B390, achieves a rank of 2643 out of 2991 total tested combos in To The Core. This is a low ranking, putting the combo in the bottom 12% of all systems tested. The ranking is almost entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B390's performance profile, which sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 1482. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 91st percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 51947.

The disparity is stark: the Ryzen 9 5950X is a top-tier processor, while the Arc B390 is an integrated GPU unit with performance comparable to dedicated graphics cards from over a decade ago. The nearest GPU rivals, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, both score within 2% of the Arc B390. This means that in terms of raw graphics output, the combo is roughly equivalent to a system with a very old, low-end discrete GPU. The CPU's high ranking does not help the combo rank in-game, because To The Core's FPS is bound by the GPU's fill rate and pixel throughput.

The combo's rank of 2643 suggests that most other tested combinations, even those with older CPUs, will outperform this pairing in this specific game, provided they have a more powerful GPU. The data indicates that the CPU is overkill for the workload, and the GPU is underpowered. For reference, the Ryzen 9 5950X's nearest CPU rivals (Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, AMD EPYC 8124P, Intel Core i9-13900F, Intel Core i7-14700) all have average scores within 1% of the 5950X, so swapping the CPU would not change the combo's rank materially. The bottleneck is the GPU, and the rank reflects that.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the Arc B390's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 147 on Low to 86 on Ultra. The Medium preset yields an average of 124 FPS with a minimum of 105 and a maximum of 143. High settings produce an average of 107 FPS. These numbers show that the GPU can provide a playable experience at 1080p, but the gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, representing a 41.5% drop in average FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops significantly. Low settings deliver 99 FPS, Medium delivers 83 FPS (with a min of 71 and max of 96), High delivers 72 FPS, and Ultra delivers 58 FPS. The trend is consistent: each step up in settings reduces the average FPS by roughly 10-15 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it less desirable for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 56 FPS, Medium produces 48 FPS (with a min of 41 and max of 55), High produces 41 FPS, and Ultra produces 33 FPS. No 4K preset reaches 60 FPS average, and the Ultra preset is less than half the speed of the 1080p Low setting. The data shows that the Arc B390 is only suitable for 4K gaming at the lowest settings, and even then, it falls short of a smooth 60 FPS target.

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

The resolution scaling behavior confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component in this combo. From 1920x1080 Low (147 FPS) to 3840x2160 Low (56 FPS), the average FPS drops by 61.9%. Similarly, from 1080p Ultra (86 FPS) to 4K Ultra (33 FPS), the drop is 61.6%. This near-identical percentage drop across different settings presets is a hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario, where the frame rate is inversely proportional to the number of pixels rendered.

The pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the FPS roughly halves, which is close to the expected scaling for a GPU-limited workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU workload would be constant. Instead, the data shows a steep decline, indicating that the Arc B390's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are fully saturated at higher resolutions.

The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which further compounds the GPU's limitations at high resolutions. The lack of dedicated VRAM and reliance on system shared memory likely contributes to the significant FPS drops at 4K. The data suggests that for this combo, resolution is the primary lever for performance; dropping from 4K to 1080p provides a 2.6x improvement in FPS on Low settings, which is a larger gain than adjusting the graphics presets.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance, with an average of 124 FPS and a minimum of 105 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is typically significant in most games. High settings at 1080p still provide 107 FPS average, but the extra visual fidelity may not be worth the 17 FPS loss compared to Medium. Ultra at 1080p drops to 86 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 30.6% reduction from Medium.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset is the safest recommendation, delivering 99 FPS average. Medium at 1440p drops to 83 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, but the minimum FPS of 71 is closer to the edge. High at 1440p falls to 72 FPS, and Ultra drops to 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. For a consistent experience above 60 FPS, Low or Medium are the only viable options at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets achieve a 60 FPS average. The Low preset provides 56 FPS, which is the closest to a playable experience, but it may still feel choppy in fast-paced scenarios. Medium at 4K yields 48 FPS, and High and Ultra drop to 41 and 33 FPS respectively. The data indicates that the Arc B390 is not suitable for 4K gaming in this title, and users should either lower the resolution to 1440p or accept sub-60 FPS performance. The best overall experience, balancing visual quality and frame rate, is the Medium preset at 1920x1080, which offers the highest minimum FPS (105) among all presets that still provide a substantial visual upgrade over Low.