To The Core

Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents an unusual profile in To The Core, an idle-genre title. The measured frame rates are consistently playable, but the data reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution rather than its processor. The Arc B390 operates as an integrated GPU (IGP) with system-shared memory, which fundamentally shapes performance across all resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to show exactly where this combo stands, how it scales, and what settings deliver the best experience.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 shows a predictable and steep decline in frame rates, confirming that the graphics processor is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 147 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 99 FPS, a 32.7% reduction. Pushing further to 4K yields 56 FPS, which is a 61.9% drop from 1080p. These percentages illustrate how severely the Arc B390's performance degrades as pixel count increases. The GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not sufficient to maintain high throughput at 4K.

The scaling pattern is consistent across every settings preset. At High settings, average FPS falls from 107 at 1080p to 72 at 1440p (a 32.7% loss) and then to 41 at 4K (a 61.7% loss from 1080p). Medium settings follow suit: 124 down to 83, then 48. Ultra settings, which are the most demanding, show the same trajectory: 86 to 58 to 33. The consistency of these drops indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is not the constraint here; its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and single-core score of 1680 suggest ample headroom for a game of this genre.

What is notable is the gap between 1080p and 1440p compared to the gap between 1440p and 4K. The absolute FPS loss from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 30-40 FPS depending on settings. The loss from 1440p to 4K is smaller in absolute terms, around 15-25 FPS, but the percentage drop is similar. This indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth, which is "System Dependent" and shared with the CPU, becomes a critical factor at higher resolutions. The lack of dedicated VRAM means the Arc B390 must compete with the CPU for memory access, and this contention worsens as the framebuffer demands grow.

FAQ

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

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo provides consistently high frame rates. At Low settings it averages 147 FPS, and even at Ultra it maintains 86 FPS. At 1440p, the average FPS ranges from 58 (Ultra) to 99 (Low), which is playable but less fluid. At 4K, the maximum average is 56 FPS on Low, making it borderline for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039, which places it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, a delta of 0%. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, which is -0.1% relative to the i5-12400F. This shows the i5-12400F is essentially tied with its direct competitors in synthetic tests.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 a discrete graphics card?

A: No. The data shows it is an integrated GPU (IGP) with a bus interface of "IGP" and a slot width of "IGP". It has no power connectors and relies on system-shared memory. Its TDP is 80 W, and it uses the Xe3-LPG architecture on a 3 nm process node.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score translate to gaming performance?

A: The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, a delta of 1.3%. This low percentile ranking aligns with the measured FPS, which shows the GPU struggles to push high frame rates at 4K, especially on higher settings.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 99 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 58 FPS. This is a difference of 41 FPS, or a 41.4% reduction. High settings sit between them at 72 FPS, and Medium at 83 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU in this game?

A: The data suggests no. The GPU's percentile rank (9th) is far below the CPU's percentile rank (73rd). At 1080p Low, the combo hits 147 FPS, which is close to the limits of what this GPU can output. The CPU's strong multi-threaded scores, such as 19433 in Passmark multithread and 9472 in Geekbench multicore, indicate it is not the limiting factor in To The Core.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the defining component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the measured results. It is built on the Xe3-LPG architecture with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its boost clock is 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM; it uses the system's main memory. This is a critical detail because memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means performance can vary based on the rest of the system.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low ranking, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, delta 1.3%) and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, delta 1.5%). These are older, entry-level mobile GPUs, which contextualizes the Arc B390's performance tier. It is not a high-performance part.

In To The Core, this means the GPU is the primary constraint. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 147 suggests the GPU is working at its maximum capacity. The jump to 1440p Low drops the average to 99 FPS, a 32.7% reduction that aligns with the increased pixel workload. The GPU's pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures, and the shared memory architecture likely introduces latency that becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions.

The lack of dedicated VRAM is a significant factor. At 4K, the framebuffer demands are large, and the system-shared memory must handle both the game's data and the operating system's needs. The measured FPS at 4K High (41 FPS) and 4K Ultra (33 FPS) are low, but they are still playable for an idle game. The GPU's FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS is decent for compute, but the memory bottleneck is evident in the scaling data. The 4K Medium row shows a min FPS of 41 and a max of 55, indicating frame time variance that could be noticeable.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of how each settings preset performs at each resolution. For this combo, the optimal choice depends on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the best experience comes from High settings. It averages 107 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. Low settings offer a higher average of 147 FPS, but the visual trade-off is significant. Medium settings at 124 FPS are a good middle ground, but High provides a better balance of visuals and performance. Ultra settings drop to 86 FPS, which is still playable, but the gains over High are likely marginal in an idle game. The data shows that 1080p High is the sweet spot.

At 2560x1440, the user must accept a compromise. High settings average 72 FPS, which is acceptable for most players. Medium settings average 83 FPS and provide a smoother experience, with a min FPS of 71 and a max of 96. Low settings at 99 FPS are the most fluid, but the visual quality is reduced. Ultra at 58 FPS is the least preferable, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the baseline for smooth gameplay. For 1440p, Medium settings are recommended, as they offer a good balance of frame rate and visual quality, with the min FPS of 71 indicating stable performance.

At 3840x2160, the options are limited. Low settings average 56 FPS, which is just below the ideal 60 FPS mark. Medium settings average 48 FPS, with a min of 41 and max of 55. High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. For 4K, Low settings are the only viable option for a semi-playable experience. The user should prioritize lowering settings to maintain a higher frame rate, as the GPU cannot handle the higher presets at this resolution. The measured data shows that 4K playability is marginal at best.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F + Intel Arc B390 combo ranks 2643 out of 2991 tested combinations in To The Core. This places it in the bottom 12% of all combos, which is consistent with the GPU's low performance percentile. The CPU's strong benchmark scores do not compensate for the GPU's limitations in this game.

The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's integrated nature. The Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs means it is outperformed by the vast majority of discrete graphics cards. In the context of To The Core, this results in frame rates that are adequate for an idle game but far from impressive. The combo is not competitive with systems using even entry-level discrete GPUs.

The CPU's performance is not the issue. The i5-12400F is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.3% of its score, showing it is a solid mid-range processor. However, in this pairing, its capabilities are largely unused. The game's FPS is determined by the GPU, and the CPU has plenty of headroom. The 2643rd rank reflects the GPU's bottleneck, not the CPU's lack of ability. For users considering this combo, the data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor and that upgrading the graphics solution would yield significant performance gains.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination. All values are taken directly from the dataset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | High | 41 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 56 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 48 | 41 | 55 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 33 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 72 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 99 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 83 | 71 | 96 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 58 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 107 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 147 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 124 | 105 | 143 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 86 | - | - |

At 1080p, the combo delivers a solid experience across all settings. Low settings achieve 147 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. Medium settings drop to 124 FPS, with a min of 105 and max of 143, indicating stable performance. High settings average 107 FPS, and Ultra averages 86 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 61 FPS, showing a clear performance cost for higher visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the frame rates are lower but still playable. Low settings average 99 FPS, Medium 83 FPS, High 72 FPS, and Ultra 58 FPS. The Medium settings row shows a min of 71 FPS, which is acceptable, but the Ultra setting at 58 FPS is below the 60 FPS mark. The data suggests that Medium is the highest preset that maintains a comfortable average at this resolution.

At 4K, the combo struggles. Low settings average 56 FPS, which is barely playable. Medium averages 48 FPS, with a min of 41 and max of 55. High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is severe, with a 43.4% drop in FPS from 99 to 56 on Low settings. This confirms that the Arc B390 is not suited for 4K gaming in To The Core beyond the absolute lowest settings. The measured data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the target resolution for this combo, with 1440p as a secondary option and 4K as a last resort.