To The Core

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

The measured FPS data for To The Core reveals a clear, predictable scaling pattern as resolution climbs from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, but the magnitude of the drops tells a pointed story about where the bottleneck lives in this AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + Intel Arc B370 pairing. At 1080p High, the combo produces 97 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, that figure falls to 65 FPS — a drop of roughly one-third. Pushing to 4K High, the average sinks to 37 FPS. The pattern is consistent across every settings tier: each resolution step costs approximately 30-35% of the previous frame rate.

What does this scaling imply? The GPU is the dominant limiting factor. The Intel Arc B370, with its 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate, is being driven progressively harder as pixel count increases. The Ryzen 9 9900X, by contrast, has ample headroom — its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32172 and single-core score of 2253 suggest it is not the constraint at these frame rates. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at 1080p and 1440p, with the GPU only becoming the limit at 4K. Instead, the near-linear decline from 132 FPS at 1080p Low to 51 FPS at 4K Low indicates the GPU is saturated even at the lowest settings and highest resolution.

The Low settings row is particularly revealing. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 132 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 89 FPS. At 4K Low, it manages just 51 FPS. That is a 61% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings — a steeper proportional decline than the High settings row, which loses 62% (97 to 37 FPS). This near-identical percentage loss across settings tiers reinforces that resolution, not graphical complexity, is the primary variable taxing the GPU. The Arc B370's 1280 shading units and 20 ROPs are simply not numerous enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K, regardless of how light the scene is.

Interestingly, the Medium settings row provides the only min/max FPS data in the pack. At 4K Medium, the average is 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 and maximum of 50 — a 13 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the average jumps to 75 FPS with a 64-87 range (23 FPS spread). At 1080p Medium, the average reaches 112 FPS with a 95-129 range (34 FPS spread). The widening min-max delta as resolution decreases suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU begins to introduce some frame-time variability, though the averages remain GPU-limited. The Ryzen 9 9900X's 12 cores and 24 threads are not being fully utilized by this idle-genre title, but the architecture's single-thread strength (3dmark single-thread score of 1286) keeps minimums respectable.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is a peculiar piece of silicon. It carries the Panther Lake chip on Intel's 3 nm process, using the Xe3-LPG architecture. Its clock behavior is notable: a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. That boost clock is substantial, yet the GPU's percentileVsAllGpus score sits at just 5 — meaning it outperforms only 5% of all GPUs in the benchmark database. Its 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it in the company of much older hardware; the nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (avg score 1186, deltaPct -0.2%), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (avg score 1190, deltaPct -0.5%), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (avg score 1192, deltaPct -0.7%). This is not a GPU designed for high-end gaming, and the measured FPS data reflects that positioning.

Memory is a critical factor here. The Arc B370 uses System Shared memory — no dedicated VRAM, no dedicated bus width, and bandwidth that is "System Dependent." This means the GPU is pulling from the same DDR5 pool as the CPU, over the same dual-channel memory bus that the Ryzen 9 9900X uses. The CPU's memory bandwidth is rated at 89.6 GB/s, and that figure is shared between the processor and the integrated GPU. For an idle game like To The Core, which likely has modest texture and geometry demands, this shared arrangement may be acceptable at lower resolutions. But at 4K, the increased memory pressure from higher resolution framebuffers could exacerbate the GPU's performance deficit.

The GPU's 25 W TDP and IGP slot width confirm this is an integrated solution, not a discrete card. The absence of any power connectors and the "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs further underscore its mobile/integrated lineage. With 10 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, the feature set is modern, but the raw throughput — 6.144 TFLOPS FP32, 96.00 GTexel/s texture rate — is the real constraint. The measured FPS data aligns with this: the GPU can handle 1080p gaming reasonably well (97 FPS High, 132 FPS Low), but 4K is a struggle (37 FPS High, 30 FPS Ultra).

FAQ

Q: Why does the FPS drop so dramatically from 1080p to 4K?

A: The Intel Arc B370's limited compute resources — 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 and 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate — are overwhelmed by the 4x increase in pixel count from 1080p to 4K. The measured data shows a 62% reduction in average FPS at High settings when moving from 1920x1080 (97 FPS) to 3840x2160 (37 FPS).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X holding back the GPU?

A: No. The CPU's benchmarks (Cinebench R23 multi-core 32172, single-core 2253; Geekbench multi-core 22174, single-core 3010) are far above what this workload requires. The steady FPS decline across resolutions indicates the GPU is the limiting component, not the CPU.

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

A: Based on the measured rows, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently exceeds 60 FPS across all settings (78-132 FPS). At 2560x1440, only Low (89 FPS) and Medium (75 FPS) break 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, no settings tier reaches 60 FPS, with the best being Low at 51 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in raw performance?

A: The Arc B370's 3dmark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, deltaPct -0.2%) and ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, deltaPct -0.5%), and slightly ahead of the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, deltaPct 1.4%). It ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Does the shared memory architecture affect gaming performance?

A: The GPU uses System Shared memory with "System Dependent" bandwidth, meaning it competes with the CPU for the same DDR5 dual-channel bandwidth (89.6 GB/s). This likely contributes to the GPU's poor scaling at higher resolutions, where larger framebuffers increase memory pressure.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested systems?

A: This configuration ranks 2750 out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core, placing it in the bottom 8% of systems. This is consistent with the GPU's low percentile (5th) despite the CPU's strong 92nd percentile ranking.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 132 FPS. Medium averages 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 129 FPS. High averages 97 FPS. Ultra averages 78 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 54 FPS, indicating that even at the highest settings, the system maintains solid triple-digit or near-triple-digit performance.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low averages 89 FPS. Medium averages 75 FPS, with a 64-87 FPS range. High averages 65 FPS. Ultra averages 53 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread narrows to 36 FPS, suggesting the GPU is becoming more of a factor relative to CPU overhead. Only Low and Medium clear the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low averages 51 FPS. Medium averages 43 FPS, with a 37-50 FPS range. High averages 37 FPS. Ultra averages 30 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread compresses further to 21 FPS, confirming that the GPU is the sole bottleneck — no amount of lowering settings can overcome the pixel throughput limitation. None of the 4K configurations reach 60 FPS.

The Medium settings row is the only tier with complete min/max data across all three resolutions, allowing a closer look at frame pacing. At 1080p, the 95-129 FPS range (34 FPS delta) suggests some CPU-induced variability, likely from the 12-core/24-thread Ryzen 9 9900X managing game logic threads. At 1440p, the range tightens to 23 FPS (64-87), and at 4K it narrows further to 13 FPS (37-50). The compression of frame time variance at higher resolutions is classic GPU-bound behavior — when the GPU is the bottleneck, frame delivery becomes more consistent because the workload is uniform.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + Intel Arc B370 combination ranks 2750 out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. That places this system in the bottom 8.1% of all configurations tested for this game. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's low standing in the benchmark hierarchy — the Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the Ryzen 9 9900X sits in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs.

This massive discrepancy between CPU and GPU capability creates an interesting dynamic. The CPU is overqualified for the task, with an average benchmark score of 57498 that places it just 0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 9015 (57555) and 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313 (57399). It trails the Intel Core i9-14900 (58115) by 1.1% and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (58323) by 1.4%. These deltas place the Ryzen 9 9900X in rarified company among server and high-end desktop processors.

The GPU, conversely, is underpowered. Its average benchmark score of 1184 is within 0.5% of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190), and it leads the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168) by 1.4%. These are legacy mobile and entry-level desktop parts from over a decade ago. The Arc B370's 3 nm Panther Lake chip and Xe3-LPG architecture represent modern engineering, but the 25 W TDP and IGP form factor constrain it to integrated-class performance.

The combination rank of 2750/2991 tells a player that this system is not competitive for To The Core at higher resolutions. However, it also suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor — upgrading the GPU (or using a system with a discrete graphics card) would yield dramatic improvements. The CPU's 92nd percentile ranking means it has headroom to drive far more powerful GPUs without becoming a bottleneck.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor built on TSMC's 4 nm process, using the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The 120 W TDP is modest for a 12-core chip, reflecting the efficiency of the Zen 5 architecture. Its 64 MB of L3 cache, split across the chiplet design (2x 70.6 mm² die size, totaling 16,630 million transistors), provides ample cache for game logic and physics.

In To The Core, an idle genre game, the CPU's role is primarily to manage game state, handle UI interactions, and process economy simulation logic. The benchmark data shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X is more than capable of this task. Its passmark single-thread score of 4672 and 3dmark single-thread score of 1286 indicate strong per-core performance, which is critical for games that rely on a primary game thread. The multi-threaded scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core 32172, Geekbench multi-core 22174) are equally impressive, though an idle game is unlikely to fully utilize 24 threads.

The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus of 92 means it outperforms 92% of all processors in the database. Its nearest rivals — the AMD EPYC 9015 (avg 57555, deltaPct -0.1%), AMD EPYC 7313 (avg 57399, deltaPct 0.2%), Intel Core i9-14900 (avg 58115, deltaPct -1.1%), and Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (avg 58323, deltaPct -1.4%) — are all enterprise-class CPUs. This places the 9900X at the top of consumer desktop performance.

The measured FPS data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck in this game. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 132 FPS, which is below the CPU's theoretical maximum for frame generation. The Ryzen 9 9900X's 5.60 GHz boost clock and 4.40 GHz base clock provide sufficient single-thread throughput to feed the Arc B370 at all settings. The narrowing min-max FPS ranges at higher resolutions (34 FPS delta at 1080p Medium vs 13 FPS at 4K Medium) indicate that CPU-induced frame time variability diminishes as the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

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

The measured data provides clear guidance for players using this combo. At 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates. Ultra at 78 FPS is the best visual experience, but High at 97 FPS offers a 24% frame rate headroom with only a modest visual trade-off. Medium at 112 FPS provides even more headroom if frame pacing is a concern. The sweet spot for most players would be High — it maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while offering enhanced visuals over Medium.

At 2560x1440, the choice becomes more constrained. Ultra drops to 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. High at 65 FPS barely clears it. Medium at 75 FPS provides a more comfortable margin, and Low at 89 FPS is the smoothest option. For players prioritizing frame rate, Medium is the recommended preset — it offers a 75 FPS average with a 64 FPS minimum, staying above the playability threshold even in demanding scenes. High is viable for those who prefer visual fidelity, but the 65 FPS average leaves less tolerance for frame drops.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets achieve 60 FPS. Ultra at 30 FPS is borderline playable for an idle game, where real-time action is minimal. Low at 51 FPS is the smoothest option, though still below the ideal threshold. Medium at 43 FPS offers a balance between visuals and performance. For an idle game, where the player is not making split-second decisions, 30-50 FPS may be acceptable, but Low or Medium would provide the more stable experience. The 13 FPS min-max delta at Medium (37-50 FPS) suggests consistent frame delivery, which is more important for an idle game than raw frame rate.

The data implies that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p possible at reduced settings, and 4K only viable at Low settings for players who value resolution over smoothness. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking makes it an unlikely candidate for high-resolution gaming, but for To The Core's idle gameplay, even 30 FPS at 4K Ultra may suffice. Players should prioritize resolution and settings based on their tolerance for frame rate dips, with 1080p High or 1440p Medium offering the best balance of visual quality and performance.