To The Core

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Arc B570 pairing delivers a capable 1080p and 1440p experience in To The Core, with 4K requiring settings compromises. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data to show exactly where each component stands and how to optimize the experience.

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. It operates on the AMD Socket AM4 platform with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The processor features a substantial 64 MB of L3 cache, along with 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 cache per core. Its 7 nm process node, built by TSMC, houses 8,300 million transistors across a dual-die design of 2x 74 mm². This is a high-end desktop CPU, as indicated by its 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 5950X shows strong multi-threaded performance. It scores 26,017 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,614 in single-core. The Geekbench scores are 15,233 for multi-core and 2,083 for single-core. PassMark multithread score is 45,424, with a single-thread score of 3,470. The CPU's average benchmark score is 51,947, placing it in the 91st percentile. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, which scores 52,073 (0.2% higher), the AMD EPYC 8124P at 52,121 (0.3% higher), and the Intel Core i9-13900F at 51,730 (0.4% lower). The Intel Core i7-14700 scores 52,301, which is 0.7% higher than the 5950X. This puts the 5950X in a tightly contested performance bracket.

For To The Core, an idle game, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain a stable frame pacing baseline. The 16 cores and 32 threads are far more than the game will utilize, but the high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks, which are often the bottleneck in such titles, are handled efficiently. The data suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at any of the tested resolutions. The frame rates scale primarily with GPU load and settings, not with CPU-bound work. The 5950X's 105 W TDP and DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are more than adequate for feeding the Arc B570 data. The processor's strong single-thread score of 1,614 in Cinebench R23 indicates it can handle the game's logic and UI updates without stuttering, allowing the GPU to do the heavy lifting for rendering.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B570 is a Battlemage-generation GPU (Arc 5 series) built on the Xe2-HPG architecture. It uses the BMG-G21 chip on a 5 nm TSMC process, packing 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). It comes with 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The card has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, along with 18 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities are rated at 11.52 TFLOPS for FP32 and 23.04 TFLOPS for FP16 (2:1). The card's TDP is 150 W, requiring a single 8-pin power connector and a suggested 450 W PSU.

In the context of To The Core, the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate. The benchmark results show a clear scaling pattern. At 1080p, the card is able to produce very high frame rates, ranging from 225 FPS on Low to 133 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, the scores drop but remain very playable, from 152 FPS on Low to 89 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the GPU begins to show its limits, with the average FPS falling to 64 on High and 51 on Ultra. This indicates the Arc B570 is a solid performer for this title at mainstream resolutions, but 4K Ultra is too demanding.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 20,556, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20,534, 0.1% lower), the Intel Arc A750 (20,582, 0.1% higher), the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20,480, 0.4% lower), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20,662, 0.5% higher). The 10 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this game, and the 380 GB/s bandwidth is ample for the textures and data used at the tested settings. The 2500 MHz boost clock is maintained consistently, as there is no variance reported between base and boost, which helps provide a stable frame rate.

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

The measured data shows a clear frame rate progression across resolutions. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves 165 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops this to 111 FPS, a 32.7% decrease. At 4K High, the frame rate falls to 64 FPS, a 42.3% drop from 1440p and a 61.2% drop from 1080p. This pattern is consistent across all settings. For Low settings, the progression is 225 FPS (1080p) → 152 FPS (1440p) → 87 FPS (4K). Medium settings show 191 FPS → 128 FPS → 73 FPS, and Ultra shows 133 FPS → 89 FPS → 51 FPS.

The frame rate drops are substantial as resolution increases, which strongly indicates the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component. The CPU, with its high multi-threaded and single-threaded scores, is clearly capable of feeding frames far faster than the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The percentage drops are roughly similar across all settings, which is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or drop less sharply at higher resolutions, as the GPU would be waiting on the CPU. Instead, the GPU's workload increases with pixel count, and the frame rate falls accordingly.

At 1080p, the system is likely GPU-limited as well, given the very high frame rates, but the headroom is less pronounced. The data suggests that for a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, the 1080p and 1440p settings are ideal, as the system can exceed or meet those refresh rates in most cases. At 4K, the system can only provide a smooth experience on Low settings (87 FPS) or Medium settings (73 FPS), with High and Ultra falling below the 60 FPS threshold for a consistently smooth experience. This makes the GPU the clear target for any future upgrades if higher resolution or higher fidelity is desired.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2380th out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the 20.4th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning about 79.6% of the tested combos performed better in this specific game. This ranking is primarily a reflection of the GPU's performance tier, not the CPU. The 5950X is a top-tier processor, but the Arc B570 is a more mainstream GPU.

The combo's rank is expected given the GPU's 65th percentile overall ranking. In a game like To The Core, where the GPU is the bottleneck, the CPU's strength does not boost the combo's standing as much as it would in a CPU-intensive title. The ranking suggests that while the CPU has significant headroom, the overall system performance is capped by the Arc B570's rendering capabilities. For context, the CPU's rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13900F or Intel Core i7-14700, would likely produce a similar ranking when paired with the same GPU, as the bottleneck remains the same. The 5950X's high core count is irrelevant to the game's performance; the GPU's capabilities are the deciding factor. This rank is a data point showing that the CPU is not holding back the system, but the GPU is the limiting factor for high-end performance.

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

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the Ultra preset yields 133 FPS, which is excellent for most high-refresh monitors. The High preset gives 165 FPS, which is ideal for 165Hz displays. The Medium preset provides 191 FPS, which is great for 144Hz monitors, but the visual fidelity loss may not be worth the extra frames. The Low preset at 225 FPS is only useful for extremely high refresh rate displays (240Hz+), but the graphical downgrade is significant. The best experience at 1080p is the Ultra preset, as it provides a buttery-smooth frame rate with the highest visual quality.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 111 FPS, which is perfect for a 144Hz monitor. The Medium preset gives 128 FPS, which is also a strong choice if you prefer higher frame rates. The Ultra preset drops to 89 FPS, which is still smooth but may not saturate a 144Hz panel. The Low preset at 152 FPS is great for competitive play, but the visual quality is poor. For the best balance of visuals and performance at 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it maintains a high frame rate while keeping the game looking good.

At 4K, the situation changes. The Ultra preset produces 51 FPS, which is unplayable for a smooth experience. The High preset at 64 FPS is borderline, but may feel inconsistent. The Medium preset, at 73 FPS, is the sweet spot, as it clears the 60 FPS threshold and provides a playable experience with decent visuals. The Low preset gives 87 FPS, which is smooth but visually basic. For a 4K display, the Medium preset is the best recommendation, as it offers the best compromise between frame rate and visual fidelity while maintaining a playable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B570 in this game?

A: No. The benchmark data shows the frame rate scales significantly with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The 5950X has a high single-thread score (1,614 in Cinebench R23) and a 91st percentile ranking, indicating it is not the limiting factor.

*Q: What is the best resolution to play To The Core with this combo?*

A: The data indicates 1440p with the High preset (111 FPS) or 1080p with the Ultra preset (133 FPS) provide the best experiences. These settings offer high frame rates and good visual quality. 4K is playable on Medium (73 FPS), but High and Ultra drop below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B570's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B570's average benchmark score is 20,556. It is 0.1% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and 0.1% slower than the Intel Arc A750. It is also 0.4% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M and 0.5% slower than the AMD Radeon R9 M390X.

Q: Is 10 GB of VRAM on the Arc B570 enough for this game?

A: Yes. The measured frame rates at all settings and resolutions do not indicate any VRAM-related performance loss. The memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s is also sufficient for the game's data requirements.

Q: What is the performance ranking of this CPU+GPU combo among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 2380th out of 2991 tested combinations. This places it in the lower 20th percentile, which is expected given the GPU's 65th percentile overall ranking. The high-end CPU does not boost the rank because the GPU is the performance limiter.

Q: What settings should I use for a 4K display?

A: The Medium preset is recommended for 4K, as it yields 73 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Low preset provides 87 FPS, but the High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS and are not recommended for a consistent experience.