Undisputed

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 produces a compelling performance profile in Undisputed, but the data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by resolution and quality settings. The measured frame rates show a clear hierarchy where the CPU’s six cores and the GPU’s capabilities interact in predictable ways, offering a smooth experience at high refresh rates on lower resolutions while straining at 4K with maximum settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes it within the broader combo database, and examines the specific hardware characteristics that drive these results.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a significant frame rate drop that is consistent with a GPU-bound workload at higher resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 222.7 FPS, which drops to 157.5 FPS at 1440p and further to 102.9 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern shows that the Arc B580 retains substantial headroom even at 1440p, but the 4K Low result indicates the pixel throughput demands are beginning to limit performance.

The gap between resolutions narrows as settings increase. With Ultra settings, the average frame rates are 83.6 FPS at 1080p, 60.4 FPS at 1440p, and 41.9 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is more severe at Ultra (a 50% reduction) compared to Low (a 54% reduction), suggesting that the GPU’s compute and memory subsystems are the primary limiting factors at higher quality presets. The data indicates that the i5-9400, with its 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock, is not the bottleneck at any resolution; the frame rate deltas are driven almost entirely by the Arc B580’s rendering load.

The 4K High result of 60.4 FPS is notable because it exactly matches the 1440p Ultra result of 60.4 FPS. This coincidence suggests that at these settings, the system hits a performance plateau where the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth—456.0 GB/s—are fully utilized, and further increases in resolution or quality yield diminishing returns. The data shows that for competitive play, 1080p is the sweet spot, while 4K is reserved for less demanding presets.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1235 out of 1580 combos for Undisputed. This places it in the lower-middle percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it is far from the bottom of the list. The ranking is likely influenced by the CPU’s age—released in 2018—and its modest six-thread count, which can limit performance in games that scale beyond six threads.

The CPU’s standalone benchmarks show a 50th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2305. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305 (deltaPct 0.2) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (deltaPct 0.2), which are only marginally faster, and the Intel Core i7-8809G (deltaPct -0.6), which is slightly slower. This suggests that the i5-9400 is still competitive with newer entry-level parts, but it lacks the multi-threaded headroom of higher-core-count processors. The combo’s rank of 1235 reflects this reality: the GPU is capable, but the CPU prevents the system from reaching the upper echelons of the ranking chart.

The GPU alone performs better, sitting at the 66th percentile versus all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 760M (deltaPct 0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (deltaPct -0.7), showing that the Arc B580 is competitive with mid-range options. The disconnect between the GPU’s strong individual ranking and the combo’s lower overall rank highlights the CPU’s role as a limiting factor in this pairing.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with a 5 nm process and features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. Its clock speeds are locked at 2670 MHz for both base and boost, which is unusual and suggests a fixed voltage/frequency curve that prioritizes consistency over burst performance. The memory subsystem includes 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a substantial amount of VRAM for the price point, and it ensures that the GPU does not run out of memory at 4K Ultra in Undisputed, where the 41.9 FPS average is likely compute-bound rather than memory-bound.

The GPU’s FP32 throughput of 13.67 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s are moderate by modern standards, but they are sufficient for a sports title like Undisputed which does not require extreme ray tracing or complex shading. The 20 RT cores are present but likely underutilized in this game, as the measured FPS data shows no ray tracing-specific metrics. The GPU’s 190 W TDP and 1x 8-pin power connector suggest it is a power-efficient design, and the PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the 12 GB frame buffer, even at 4K.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance scaling. At 1080p Low, the 222.7 FPS average indicates that the GPU is not fully saturated, and the CPU’s six threads are able to feed it adequately. However, at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 83.6 FPS, which is a 62% reduction from Low, demonstrating that the GPU’s shading units are the bottleneck at higher quality presets. The data suggests that the Arc B580 is well-matched to the i5-9400 at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the GPU’s limits become apparent, particularly at Ultra settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 222.7 FPS on Low, 158.6 FPS on Medium, 128.6 FPS on High, and 83.6 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a smooth scaling curve, with an 18% drop from Low to Medium, a 23% drop from Medium to High, and a 35% drop from High to Ultra. The 1080p results indicate that this is a high-refresh-rate capable system, especially on lower presets, where the frame rates exceed 120 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance decreases but remains playable: 157.5 FPS on Low, 114.7 FPS on Medium, 95 FPS on High, and 60.4 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 27% reduction, while Medium to High is a 17% reduction, and High to Ultra is a 36% reduction. The 1440p High result of 95 FPS is particularly strong for a sports game, suggesting that competitive players can run at 1440p with high settings and still maintain a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to struggle on higher presets: 102.9 FPS on Low, 70 FPS on Medium, 60.4 FPS on High, and 41.9 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Low result is impressive, but the Ultra result falls below the 60 FPS threshold, which is often considered the minimum for a smooth experience. The 4K High result of 60.4 FPS is exactly at that threshold, making it playable but with no headroom for frame rate dips. The data shows that 4K gaming on this combo is best reserved for Low or Medium settings, where the frame rates remain above 70 FPS.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Undisputed with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rates, with 222.7 FPS on Low and 128.6 FPS on High. At 2560x1440, the system still delivers 95 FPS on High, making it a viable option for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets exceed 70 FPS, so 4K is best reserved for less demanding settings.

Q: How does the i5-9400 perform relative to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i3-10305 and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i3-1125G4. It is 0.6% slower than the Intel Core i7-8809G, indicating that it sits at a similar performance level to these entry-level and mid-range parts.

Q: Is the Arc B580 a strong GPU for this game?

A: The Arc B580 ranks at the 66th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, is only 0.7% faster, showing that it is competitive with mainstream options. In Undisputed, the measured FPS data shows it can handle 1080p and 1440p with high frame rates, but 4K Ultra is demanding.

Q: Why does the 4K High result exactly match the 1440p Ultra result?

A: Both settings produce an average of 60.4 FPS. This coincidence suggests that the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth are fully utilized at these settings, and the system hits a performance plateau where the workload is similar despite the resolution difference. This indicates a GPU-bound limit rather than a CPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the combo’s overall ranking in the database?

A: The combo ranks 1235 out of 1580 tested combinations for Undisputed. This places it in the lower-middle range, primarily due to the CPU’s six-thread limitation, even though the GPU individually performs well.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for 4K gaming?

A: The Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 456.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is 41.9 FPS, which indicates that the GPU is compute-bound rather than memory-bound, so the VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game’s requirements.