Undisputed

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark contrast in capabilities within the Undisputed benchmark data. The CPU is a 24-core, 32-thread Raptor Lake Refresh part with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, representing the top of Intel’s desktop lineup. In contrast, the Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. This pairing is unusual: a high-end desktop processor with an IGP rather than a discrete graphics card. The benchmark results for Undisputed are almost entirely dictated by the GPU’s limits, as the CPU’s substantial headroom is not the bottleneck at any tested setting. The data reveals a system where the processor’s theoretical strength is largely untapped, with frame rates constrained by the integrated graphics’ 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The core count and high boost clock of the i9-14900K are far beyond what a sports title like Undisputed requires for physics and game logic. The processor’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and single-core score of 2262.5 confirm its dominance in synthetic workloads. However, the measured FPS in Undisputed shows that this power does not translate into high frame rates because the Arc B390’s integrated nature limits pixel throughput. The GPU’s 1536 shading units and 24 ROPs are the primary constraint. This means that even at the lowest settings, where CPU overhead is typically highest, the system’s performance is still bound by the GPU’s ability to render frames. The CPU is effectively waiting on the graphics solution, making this a GPU-limited scenario across all resolutions and presets.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K’s role in this Undisputed configuration is one of a spectator rather than a participant. With 24 cores and 32 threads, the processor has immense parallel processing capability, which is reflected in its Passmark multithread score of 58674 and Geekbench multicore score of 21697. The boost clock of 6.00 GHz is among the highest available, positioning it as a top-tier performer for single-threaded tasks, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2655. In a game like Undisputed, which is a sports simulation, the CPU is responsible for AI, physics, and game state management. The data suggests that the i9-14900K handles these tasks with ease, but the frame rate is not a measure of its success.

The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is never the limiting factor. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 127 FPS, which is the highest measured value. Even at this point, the CPU is likely not saturated, as the Arc B390 is still the component doing the heavy lifting for rendering. The processor’s 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample bandwidth for game data, but the GPU’s System Shared memory and System Dependent bandwidth create a bottleneck. The i9-14900K’s performance relative to its nearest rivals is marginal; it is 1.2% slower than the AMD EPYC 7413 and 1.7% faster than the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 in average benchmark scores. This data shows that the CPU is well within the expected performance envelope, yet the Undisputed frame rates are not competitive with systems using discrete GPUs, confirming that the CPU’s role is secondary to the graphics solution in this specific test.

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

The measured FPS across the four settings presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as visual fidelity increases. The data provides specific average frame rates for each setting, and the choice of preset is a direct trade-off between smoothness and visual quality. For the best experience, the Low preset is the only one that consistently delivers frame rates above 90 FPS at 1080p, with an average of 127 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches the refresh rates of modern displays, though it does so by sacrificing most graphical effects.

The Medium preset offers a more balanced experience, with an average of 91 FPS at 1080p and a minimum of 78 FPS. This is the highest setting that maintains an average above 90 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a playable experience without dropping to the lowest visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p drops to 76 FPS average, which is still playable but begins to show the GPU’s strain. The Ultra preset is not recommended for any resolution, as it yields an average of 49 FPS at 1080p, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that remains above 60 FPS with an average of 92 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 66 FPS, which is acceptable, but the High preset falls to 55 FPS. Based on the data, the Medium preset at 1080p provides the best balance of performance and visual quality, while the Low preset is the only viable option for 1440p.

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

The frame rate scaling across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 127 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 92 FPS, a reduction of 35 FPS or approximately 28%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 58 FPS, which is a 54% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling is consistent with the Arc B390’s limited pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth, as the resolution increase directly increases the number of pixels the GPU must process.

The pattern is similar for the Medium preset. At 1080p, the average is 91 FPS, which drops to 66 FPS at 1440p and 42 FPS at 4K. The High preset shows an even steeper decline: 76 FPS at 1080p, 55 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling across all presets indicates that the CPU is not a factor in the performance degradation. If the CPU were the limiting component, the frame rate drop would be less pronounced at higher resolutions because the GPU would have more time to render each frame. Instead, the data shows a proportional drop in performance with resolution, which is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. The Arc B390’s System Shared memory, which has System Dependent bandwidth, is likely the primary constraint, as the integrated GPU competes with the CPU for memory access.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2491 out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed. This places it in the bottom 11% of all configurations, which is a poor showing for a system with such a powerful CPU. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s low performance, as the Arc B390’s percentile vs all GPUs is only 9%, indicating that it is in the bottom 9% of all graphics solutions. This is in stark contrast to the CPU’s percentile vs all CPUs, which is 95%, showing that the processor is in the top 5% of all CPUs.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU rankings explains the combo’s overall position. The i9-14900K is a top-tier processor, but its performance is irrelevant when paired with a GPU that is at the 9th percentile. The combo’s rank is dragged down by the GPU’s inability to deliver playable frame rates at higher settings. The data shows that this is not a balanced system; it is a high-end CPU paired with an entry-level integrated GPU. For context, the GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which is 1.3% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which is 2.7% slower. These are legacy entry-level parts, further confirming that the Arc B390 is not designed for gaming at competitive levels. The combo’s rank of 2491 out of 2813 underscores that this pairing is unsuitable for Undisputed at any resolution above 1080p with medium or higher settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo can achieve in Undisputed?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 127 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: No. At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 35, which is not playable for a smooth experience.

Q: How much faster is the i9-14900K compared to its nearest rival in CPU benchmarks?

A: The i9-14900K is 1.7% faster than the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 0.3% slower than the Intel Core i9-14900KF in average benchmark scores.

Q: What is the FPS range for Medium settings at 1080p?

A: The measured average FPS is 91, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rate drops significantly with resolution, indicating a GPU bottleneck, while the CPU’s high benchmark scores show it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2491 out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed.

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

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS results for the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B390 in Undisputed.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS 127.
• Medium: Average FPS 91, Minimum FPS 78, Maximum FPS 105.
• High: Average FPS 76.
• Ultra: Average FPS 49.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS 92.
• Medium: Average FPS 66, Minimum FPS 56, Maximum FPS 76.
• High: Average FPS 55.
• Ultra: Average FPS 35.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS 58.
• Medium: Average FPS 42, Minimum FPS 36, Maximum FPS 48.
• High: Average FPS 35.
• Ultra: Average FPS 22.

The data shows a consistent decline in performance as both resolution and settings increase. The only configuration that achieves an average above 60 FPS at 1440p is Low, while at 4K, no setting reaches 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst-performing configuration, with an average of just 22 FPS. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings show that even this preset can experience dips below the average, particularly at higher resolutions. This breakdown confirms that the Arc B390 is not suitable for high-fidelity gaming, and the system’s performance is limited to 1080p Low or Medium settings for a playable experience.