To The Core

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics presents a curious case in To The Core. As an idle game, the title is not traditionally demanding, yet the data reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution. The CPU, a 10-core Arrow Lake part, is a modern desktop processor, while the GPU is an integrated solution with a 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs. This pairing produces playable frame rates at lower resolutions, but the experience degrades rapidly as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and clearly indicts the integrated GPU as the primary bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 97 FPS at 1920x1080 to 65 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 32 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 37 FPS, meaning the 4K result is only about 38% of the 1080p performance. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload at higher resolutions overwhelms the available fill rate and shading power of the Intel Arc B370.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing. The difference between 65 FPS and 37 FPS at High settings represents a 43% performance loss for a 2.25x increase in pixel count. This disproportionate drop suggests that the GPU is not just struggling with pixel throughput but is also hitting memory bandwidth limitations, as the Arc B370 relies on system shared memory. At 1080p, the configuration manages a respectable 97 FPS, but the headroom is minimal; the data shows that this is the only resolution where the combo consistently delivers a smooth experience on High settings.

Comparing the Low and Ultra presets at each resolution further highlights the GPU constraint. At 1080p, the spread is 54 FPS, from 132 FPS on Low down to 78 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 36 FPS (89 to 53), and at 4K, it narrows further to 21 FPS (51 to 30). This compression of performance at higher resolutions indicates that while the preset changes the quality of the effects, the underlying pixel count is the dominant factor limiting performance. The Arc B370 simply cannot maintain higher frame rates when the resolution scales, regardless of the visual fidelity requested.

The data shows that the 1080p to 1440p transition is the breaking point. While 1080p High yields 97 FPS, 1440p High drops to 65 FPS, which is still playable but shows a 33% performance hit. The jump to 4K is where the experience becomes marginal, with even the Low preset only achieving 51 FPS. The conclusion is inescapable: this integrated GPU is only suitable for 1080p or lower resolutions in this title, and the CPU has ample headroom to spare.

Settings Recommendations

For the best measured experience, the 1920x1080 High preset offers the optimal balance of visual quality and performance. The data shows an average of 97 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. While the Low preset delivers a higher 132 FPS, the 35 FPS gain is unlikely to be worth the visual sacrifice in an idle game where the action is often static. Conversely, the Ultra preset drops to 78 FPS, which is still playable but introduces a 19 FPS penalty over High for what is likely a marginal improvement in visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the most sensible choice. It achieves an average of 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS, ensuring that frame times remain consistent. The High preset at 65 FPS is acceptable, but the Medium preset provides more headroom for complex scenes. The Low preset at 89 FPS is smooth but sacrifices too much detail for a game that benefits from a clean presentation. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is the least recommended, as it approaches the threshold where stuttering may become noticeable.

The 3840x2160 resolution is not recommended for this configuration, as even the best-case scenario is marginal. The Low preset averages 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset averages 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 FPS, indicating that frame pacing will be inconsistent. The High and Ultra presets, at 37 and 30 FPS respectively, fall below the standard for a smooth experience and should be avoided. The data suggests that users with a 4K display should either run the game at a lower resolution, such as 1440p, or accept a compromised frame rate.

The benchmark results indicate that the Medium preset is the best setting for most scenarios, as it offers a significant improvement over Low without the performance cost of High or Ultra. At 1080p, Medium yields 112 FPS, which is a 15 FPS improvement over High and only 20 FPS behind Low. At 1440p, Medium delivers 75 FPS, which is the sweet spot for that resolution. The only exception is at 4K, where the Medium preset's 43 FPS is still too low, making Low the only viable option.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the definitive limiting factor in this configuration. Its specifications are modest: 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units. The boost clock sits at 2400 MHz, which allows for a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. However, the most significant constraint is its memory configuration, which is "System Shared." This means the GPU relies on the system's main DDR5 memory, and its bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," making it a potential bottleneck in high-resolution scenarios.

The GPU's performance metrics are low, as evidenced by its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 and its 5th percentile ranking against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which underscores its position as a basic integrated solution. The 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is minimal for modern gaming, and the 10 ray tracing cores are present but likely underutilized in a title like To The Core.

The GPU's 25 W TDP and "IGP" slot width confirm its integrated nature, with no power connectors or dedicated display outputs of its own. This is a processor-integrated graphics solution, not a discrete card. The data shows that its performance ceiling is reached quickly, and it is the sole reason why the frame rates at 4K are so low. The CPU, with its 20 MB of L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, is not the bottleneck; the GPU's inability to process pixels fast enough is.

The core count of 1280 shading units is low, but the clock speed of 2400 MHz helps somewhat. In To The Core, the game's simple graphics are still enough to saturate this GPU at higher resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 132 FPS shows that the GPU can handle the workload at low pixel counts, but the performance drops off a cliff as resolution increases. This is a textbook example of a GPU-bound scenario where the processor is waiting for the graphics unit to finish its work.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of the configuration's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the performance is generally good. The Low preset averages 132 FPS, Medium averages 112 FPS (with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 129), High averages 97 FPS, and Ultra averages 78 FPS. This shows a clear and predictable performance curve, with each preset step costing roughly 15-20 FPS. The minimum frame rates for Medium (95 FPS) suggest that even in demanding scenes, the experience remains fluid.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 89 FPS, which is still good. Medium averages 75 FPS (minimum 64, maximum 87), providing a stable experience. High averages 65 FPS, and Ultra drops to 53 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 36 FPS, which is significant. The minimum frame rate for Medium (64 FPS) indicates that some scenes will be less smooth, but it remains within an acceptable range.

At 3840x2160, the performance is poor across all presets. Low averages 51 FPS, Medium averages 43 FPS (minimum 37, maximum 50), High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 37 FPS is particularly telling, as it shows that the experience will have noticeable stutters. Even the Low preset, which is the best performer, cannot maintain a solid 60 FPS. The data shows a consistent pattern: for every resolution jump, the average FPS drops by roughly 30-40%, making 4K an impractical choice.

The frame time consistency, as indicated by the min/max values for Medium settings, also degrades with resolution. At 1080p, the spread between min and max is 34 FPS. At 1440p, it is 23 FPS. At 4K, it is 13 FPS. While the absolute spread narrows, the relative impact on the average frame rate increases, meaning the stutter becomes more noticeable at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame pacing as the pixel load increases.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + Intel Arc B370 combo ranks 2750th out of 2991 tested combinations in To The Core. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems, which is unsurprising given the GPU's lowly 5th percentile ranking. The CPU, by contrast, is a solid performer, ranking in the 85th percentile against all CPUs. This massive disparity between the CPU and GPU performance is the defining characteristic of this pairing.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the general benchmark database include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (with a delta of 0%), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (with a delta of -0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (with a delta of -0.4%). These scores show that the Core Ultra 5 225 is competitive with mid-range Ryzen parts. However, this strength is entirely wasted in this combo, as the GPU cannot translate the CPU's compute power into frame rate.

The GPU's nearest rivals are all significantly older or lower-end parts. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 is just 0.5% ahead, and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 is 0.2% behind. This places the Arc B370 in the same performance tier as graphics cards from over a decade ago. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 confirms this, as it is a very low score for a modern benchmark.

The ranking of 2750 out of 2991 is a direct result of the GPU's limitations. In a game like To The Core, which is an idle game and not graphically intensive, this combo still struggles to achieve high frame rates at 4K. The data shows that if a user were to pair this CPU with a more capable discrete GPU, the ranking would improve dramatically. As it stands, the combo is heavily unbalanced, with the CPU's potential left untapped.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the configuration consistently delivers high frame rates. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 97, and at Low it is 132. The 2560x1440 resolution is playable, but the 3840x2160 resolution is not recommended, as even the Low preset only averages 51 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to the Low preset at 1080p?

A: The benchmark results show a 54 FPS difference. The Ultra preset averages 78 FPS, while the Low preset averages 132 FPS. This indicates that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy performance cost, and the Low preset is significantly faster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the definitive bottleneck. The Intel Arc B370 has a 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The frame rate scaling with resolution confirms this, as performance drops sharply when the pixel count increases, a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates for the Medium preset?

A: The measured minimum FPS for the Medium preset is 95 at 1920x1080, 64 at 2560x1440, and 37 at 3840x2160. This shows that the frame pacing becomes less consistent as resolution increases.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2750th out of 2991 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested for To The Core, which is a direct result of the integrated GPU's limited performance.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 more comparable to a modern or legacy GPU?

A: The benchmark data shows its nearest rivals are the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570. This places its performance level alongside legacy graphics solutions from over a decade ago, rather than any modern discrete GPU.