To The Core

To The Core is an idle game where the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B370 combo delivers playable frame rates, but the data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics processor. The measured results show a clear ceiling: even at 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate peaks at 132 FPS, while the 4K Ultra preset drops to just 30 FPS. This indicates that while the 20-core CPU provides ample processing headroom, the Arc B370's integrated-class performance is the definitive bottleneck, capping the experience well below what the processor alone could theoretically support.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor built on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration is designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads, and its benchmark scores reflect that strength—the Cinebench R23 multi-core score stands at 42,216, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. For an idle game like To The Core, which typically relies on frequent, lightweight calculations rather than sustained single-thread bursts, this CPU is substantially overprovisioned.

The data supports this interpretation: across all measured resolutions and settings, the frame rates are consistently limited by the GPU rather than the CPU. When comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 265 sits within a narrow performance band. It trails the AMD EPYC 4464P by just 0.3% in average benchmark score (64,823 vs. 64,640), while edging out the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by 0.3% (64,438) and the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7% (64,202). These deltas are negligible in gaming terms, meaning that swapping to any of these rivals would produce virtually identical FPS results in To The Core—the bottleneck is elsewhere.

The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (102.4 GB/s bandwidth) provide a solid foundation for feeding the GPU, but the actual workload never stresses this infrastructure. Even at the highest settings, the game's logic is simple enough that the CPU's PassMark multi-thread score of 49,682 and single-thread score of 4,689 are far beyond what is required to maintain the observed frame rates. In essence, the Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end desktop part being asked to do a light-duty job, and it does so without becoming a limiting factor at any point in the test matrix.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 capable of running To The Core at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at playable, not ideal, frame rates. The measured data shows an average of 30 FPS at 4K Ultra, 37 FPS at 4K High, 43 FPS at Medium, and 51 FPS at Low. This means 4K is technically playable but requires dropping to Low settings to approach a smoother experience.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its closest rival in terms of overall CPU performance?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265 has an average benchmark score of 64,640, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD EPYC 4464P (64,823) and 0.7% lower than the AMD EPYC 9124 (65,104). It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64,438) and 0.7% faster than the AMD EPYC 7343 (64,202). These differences are within the margin of noise and have no practical impact on gaming performance.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The data indicates that Medium at 1080p delivers an average of 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS, which is the best balance of visual quality and smoothness. Ultra at 1080p drops to 78 FPS, while Low hits 132 FPS, but Medium offers the most consistent experience without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so significantly from 1080p to 4K?

A: The drop is due to the GPU being the primary limiter. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 97, but at 4K High it falls to 37—a reduction of 61.9%. This steep scaling curve indicates that the Intel Arc B370's raw pixel throughput, measured at 48.00 GPixel/s, is insufficient to handle the increased resolution demands, whereas the CPU's performance remains constant regardless of resolution.

Q: Is this combo ranked well among all tested combinations?

A: No, it ranks 2,750 out of 2,991 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all configurations. This low ranking is driven by the GPU's weak performance relative to other tested graphics cards.

Q: Does the CPU's integrated graphics affect the measured results?

A: No, the measured FPS data is specifically for the Intel Arc B370 discrete GPU, which is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with a 25 W TDP. The Core Ultra 7 265's own integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 32EU) is separate and not used in these benchmarks, as the system is configured to use the Arc B370 as the primary output.

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

For the best overall experience, the Medium preset at 1080p is the clear recommendation. The measured data shows an average of 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS, which provides a smooth and consistent frame pacing that is ideal for an idle game where constant background updates are common. Dropping to Low at 1080p yields 132 FPS, but the visual degradation is unnecessary given that Medium already clears the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin.

At 1440p, Medium remains the sweet spot, delivering an average of 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS. This is the only 1440p preset that maintains a minimum above 60 FPS, making it the acceptable choice for users with 1440p displays. High at 1440p falls to 65 FPS average, which is playable but risks dips below 60 in busy scenes, while Low at 89 FPS is smoother but sacrifices too much visual detail for an idle game.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. The data shows that Low is the only preset that breaks the 50 FPS barrier, averaging 51 FPS. Medium drops to 43 FPS, High to 37 FPS, and Ultra to 30 FPS. If 4K is a priority, Low is the only viable option, but the 51 FPS average is borderline for a genre that benefits from high refresh rates due to frequent UI updates. In summary, the recommended presets are: 1080p Medium, 1440p Medium, and 4K Low, based on the measured minimum frame rates ensuring a stable experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2,750 out of 2,991 tested combos in To The Core, placing it in the bottom 8% of all configurations. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU: the Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of just 1,184. Its nearest GPU rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1,186, 0.2% faster), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190, 0.5% faster), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192, 0.7% faster), all of which are older, low-power parts.

In contrast, the CPU is in the 93rd percentile, meaning the processor is performing at a high level while the GPU drags the overall combo down. The delta between the CPU and GPU percentiles—93 versus 5—illustrates a massive imbalance. This is not a case of a mid-range GPU being paired with a mid-range CPU; it is a top-tier 20-core processor paired with an entry-level integrated graphics solution. The combo rank of 2,750 out of 2,991 reflects this mismatch, as most other tested combos likely pair more balanced components. If the goal is to improve this ranking, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield far greater gains than any CPU change, as the CPU is already performing near the top of its class.

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

The measured FPS data shows a steep, consistent decline as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 97 at 1080p to 65 at 1440p (a 33.0% reduction), and then to 37 at 4K (a 43.1% reduction from 1440p). This pattern repeats across all presets: Low goes from 132 to 89 to 51 (dropping 32.6% then 42.7%), Medium from 112 to 75 to 43 (dropping 33.0% then 42.7%), and Ultra from 78 to 53 to 30 (dropping 32.1% then 43.4%).

The consistency of these percentage drops—roughly one-third from 1080p to 1440p, then another 40%+ from 1440p to 4K—is indicative of a GPU that is hitting its pixel throughput limits. The Arc B370 has a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s, which are fixed hardware specifications. As the resolution increases, the GPU must process more pixels per frame, and the linear scaling of the FPS drops reflects this hardware ceiling. The CPU, by contrast, has no such resolution-dependent workload; its tasks (game logic, AI, UI updates) are identical at all resolutions.

This is confirmed by the fact that the FPS drops are nearly identical in percentage terms across all settings presets. If the CPU were even partially limiting, we would expect to see smaller percentage drops at lower settings (where the GPU has less work) and larger drops at higher settings—but the data shows uniform scaling. Therefore, the resolution scaling analysis conclusively identifies the Intel Arc B370 as the sole limiting component, while the Core Ultra 7 265 remains underutilized even at 4K Ultra.

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

At 1920x1080, the Intel Arc B370 delivers its best performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 132 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in the entire dataset. Medium follows at 112 FPS average, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS, providing a solid 60+ FPS experience. High drops to 97 FPS average, while Ultra is the most demanding at 78 FPS average. All 1080p presets remain above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution the only one where every setting is playable.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably but remains manageable. Low delivers an average of 89 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium averages 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS, making it the only 1440p preset that guarantees a minimum above 60 FPS. High falls to 65 FPS average, which is playable but less consistent. Ultra drops to 53 FPS average, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that users should avoid Ultra at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low is the only preset that averages above 50 FPS, hitting 51 FPS. Medium averages 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS, indicating that frame pacing will be unstable. High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages just 30 FPS, which is the lowest measured result in the entire dataset. The 4K Ultra figure of 30 FPS is exactly at the edge of playability for an idle game, but the low minimums (e.g., 37 FPS on Medium) suggest that even the higher presets will experience noticeable stutters during complex game states.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently shows the most stable frame pacing, as evidenced by the minimum FPS values being closest to the average (e.g., 95 min vs. 112 avg at 1080p, 64 min vs. 75 avg at 1440p, 37 min vs. 43 avg at 4K). This makes Medium the recommended preset for users seeking a balance between visual quality and consistent performance, given the hardware constraints of this combo.