To The Core

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking contrast in the benchmark data for To The Core. The CPU is a high-end desktop processor, ranking in the 90th percentile against all other CPUs, while the GPU is an integrated graphics solution that ranks in the 9th percentile against all other GPUs. This mismatch defines the performance profile of this combo, making it a fascinating case study in system bottlenecking. The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings reveals exactly where this pairing excels and where it struggles, painting a clear picture of a system whose capabilities are almost entirely dictated by its graphics component.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable trend: performance degrades as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation is steep and revealing. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 147 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset drops the average to 99 FPS, a reduction of 48 FPS or roughly 33%. The jump to 3840x2160 at Low settings results in a further drop to 56 FPS, which is a 43 FPS decrease from the 1440p result and a 62% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets, but the percentage drop is more pronounced at higher resolutions, indicating that the GPU is running out of pixel-pushing capability.

This scaling behavior is a classic symptom of a GPU-limited scenario. The Intel Core i5-14600KF, with its 14 cores and boost clock of 5.30 GHz, is clearly not the limiting factor at these resolutions. The data implies that the Arc B390's rendering throughput, estimated at 7.680 TFLOPS, is being saturated by the increasing pixel count. The 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and the subsequent 43% drop from 1440p to 4K are far larger than what a CPU-bound system would show. In a CPU-bound scenario, the FPS at higher resolutions would remain relatively flat, as the CPU is the bottleneck and the GPU has spare capacity. Here, the FPS plummets, showing the GPU is working at its maximum capacity. For an integrated GPU with a 3 nm process node and a 2500 MHz boost clock, this scaling behavior is expected, as it has a fixed pool of resources to draw from, and the system-shared memory bandwidth becomes a critical constraint as resolution increases.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the dominant force in this configuration, and its specifications dictate the entire gaming experience in To The Core. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it draws from the main system memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a fundamental architectural point that explains why the FPS drops so sharply at 4K. The bandwidth is system-dependent, and at 3840x2160, the demand for texture and frame buffer data likely exceeds what the shared memory bus can efficiently provide. The GPU's base clock of 300 MHz and boost clock of 2500 MHz are the levers it has to work with, but the data shows that raw clock speed cannot compensate for the memory bandwidth bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The GPU's performance percentile is quite low, at 9, placing it in the bottom tier of all tested GPUs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 is a modest result, and its nearest rivals are all low-end NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 520MX and the GeForce GT 710. This confirms that the Arc B390 is not designed for high-fidelity gaming at high resolutions. However, the data shows it can still deliver playable frame rates in an idle game like To The Core at lower settings. The 24 ROPs are responsible for the final pixel output, and the 48 TMUs handle texture mapping. These are limited resources. At 1080p High settings, the combo manages 107 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 33 FPS. The GPU's role is clear: it can handle the workload at 1080p and 1440p with reduced settings, but it is the single point of failure for high-resolution, high-detail gaming.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 147, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with the Ultra preset?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the combo delivers a measured average FPS of 33, indicating a challenging workload for the integrated GPU.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 99 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 58 FPS, representing a 41 FPS difference between the two settings.

Q: Based on the data, is this system more limited by the CPU or the GPU?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU is a high-performance desktop part with a 90th percentile ranking, while the GPU is an integrated solution in the 9th percentile. The significant FPS drops with resolution increases point to the GPU being the bottleneck.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: For the 1920x1080 Medium preset, the measured FPS ranges from a minimum of 105 to a maximum of 143, with an average of 124 FPS.

Q: How does this combo's rank compare to other tested combinations?

A: This combo is ranked 2643 out of 2991 tested combos for To The Core, placing it in the lower portion of the performance spectrum.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested combinations for To The Core, this pairing sits at rank 2643 out of 2991. This places it in the 12th percentile of all combos, indicating that it is outperformed by the vast majority of systems in the database. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limited capabilities, as the CPU is clearly a top-tier component. The data shows a massive disconnect between the potential of the CPU and the realized performance of the system. The combo's rank is likely dragged down by the Arc B390's low benchmark scores and its position in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. While the i5-14600KF is ranked in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, its power is largely untapped in this gaming scenario. The result is a system that performs admirably at low settings and 1080p but falls behind more balanced or GPU-focused configurations. The rank of 2643 suggests that for the same CPU, pairing it with any dedicated GPU from the mid-range or above would likely yield a significantly better frame rate and a higher rank. This data point reinforces the idea that the GPU is the primary determinant of gaming performance in this specific pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides a complete matrix of results across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo shows its best performance. The Low preset yields an average of 147 FPS. The Medium preset comes next with an average of 124 FPS, with a measured minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. The High preset delivers an average of 107 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings up the rear with an average of 86 FPS. These numbers indicate a playable experience across all settings at 1080p, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining a smooth frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable. The Low preset averages 99 FPS, which is still very smooth. The Medium preset averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to an average of 58 FPS. At this resolution, the system is still capable of providing a good experience, but the gap between settings narrows, and the Ultra preset begins to show its limitations. The data shows that at 1440p, the system is more sensitive to settings changes, and the GPU is working harder to fill the extra pixels.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 99 FPS at 1440p. The Medium preset averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. The High preset manages an average of 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to an average of 33 FPS. These numbers show that 4K gaming is a struggle for this combo. While the Low preset is technically playable, the frame rates are inconsistent and the experience is far from ideal. The data from the Medium preset at 4K, with its 41 FPS minimum, suggests that frame pacing could be an issue, leading to noticeable stutters during demanding scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1920x1080. At this resolution, even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 86 FPS, which is well within the range of smooth gameplay. For players with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. The High preset at 1080p, with an average of 107 FPS, is also an excellent option if a higher frame rate is preferred over maximum detail.

For users with a 2560x1440 monitor, the data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot. The 72 FPS average is good, and the visual improvement over Medium or Low is substantial. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with an average of 58 FPS, is acceptable, but the lower frame rate may be noticeable in a game that relies on frequent updates. The Low and Medium presets at this resolution perform well (99 and 83 FPS respectively) but compromise visual quality. The recommendation is to prioritize the High preset for a balanced experience.

At 3840x2160, the data presents a clear challenge. The only preset that maintains an average above 50 FPS is Low, with 56 FPS. The Medium preset at 48 FPS is on the edge of playability, but the minimum of 41 FPS suggests it may not be a consistently smooth experience. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as their averages of 41 and 33 FPS, respectively, are too low for a satisfying experience in an idle game that likely has frequent UI updates. The best experience at 4K would be the Low preset, but users should be prepared for a significant drop in visual fidelity. The data clearly shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a viable secondary option at reduced settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a powerful processor that is largely underutilized in this configuration. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and a single-core score of 4594. Its average benchmark score of 49394 places it just ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which has an average score of 49228 and a deltaPct of 0.3. It also leads the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245. This data confirms that the CPU has significant headroom and is not a bottleneck in To The Core.

The game's genre, Idle, is not typically demanding on the CPU. However, the 14 cores and 20 threads of the i5-14600KF provide plenty of processing power for background tasks and game logic. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensure that it can handle any game-related calculations with ease. The measured FPS across all settings and resolutions shows no sign of a CPU limitation; instead, the performance is entirely constrained by the graphics solution. The data implies that the CPU's role is to provide a stable foundation, and it does so without issue. The low GPU percentile and high CPU percentile are a clear indication that the processor is not the reason for the combo's low rank of 2643. In fact, the CPU is so capable that it could support a much more powerful dedicated GPU without becoming a limiting factor, meaning the system's overall performance is held back solely by the Arc B390.