Undisputed

Undisputed, the boxing sim from Steel City Interactive, presents a fascinating case study in hardware scaling. The measured data for this configuration—an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with an Intel Arc B370—reveals a system that is deeply constrained by its graphics solution, yet capable of producing playable experiences at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, contextualizes the performance within the broader combo database, and examines the specific roles of both the CPU and GPU in shaping the final frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the best-performing settings preset for this combo at 1080p?

A: The data indicates that the "Low" preset at 1920x1080 yields the highest average frame rate at 115 FPS. This is significantly higher than the 83 FPS average seen at the "Medium" preset and the 68 FPS at "High". The "Ultra" preset drops to 44 FPS, making "Low" the clear leader for maximum frame rate.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p compare to 1080p for the "High" preset?

A: At 2560x1440, the "High" preset achieves an average of 49 FPS, which is a 19 FPS drop from the 68 FPS average recorded at 1920x1080. This represents a substantial performance penalty of roughly 28% when moving up in resolution.

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

A: The benchmark results strongly suggest the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B370 scores in the 5th percentile of all GPUs and has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, placing it near the performance level of older discrete GPUs like the ATI Radeon HD 5770. In contrast, the Core Ultra 7 265K is a high-end CPU in the 94th percentile. The massive frame rate drops at higher resolutions are classic signs of GPU limitation.

Q: What is the most consistent frame rate experience offered by this combo?

A: The "Medium" preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum frame rate data, providing a clearer picture of consistency. At 1080p, it averages 83 FPS with a range of 70 to 95 FPS. At 1440p, it averages 60 FPS (51-69 FPS), and at 4K, it averages 38 FPS (32-43 FPS). While other presets may have higher averages, "Medium" is the only one where frame time variance is documented.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for Undisputed?

A: The combo ranks 2592 out of 2813 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, its overall performance level is far below what most other systems achieve.

Q: What is the maximum playable resolution for this system?

A: At 4K (3840x2160), the "Low" preset is the only one that achieves an average frame rate above 30 FPS, hitting 52 FPS. The "Medium" preset at 4K averages 38 FPS, while "High" (31 FPS) and "Ultra" (20 FPS) fall below or at the edge of smooth playability. Therefore, 4K is only realistically playable on "Low" settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data tells a clear story about where this hardware combination finds its sweet spot. At 1920x1080, the "Low" preset delivers a commanding 115 FPS average, a result that dwarfs the 83 FPS average of the "Medium" preset. While the "Medium" preset's 83 FPS is perfectly acceptable for smooth gameplay, the jump to "High" (68 FPS) and "Ultra" (44 FPS) introduces significant frame rate costs. Given that the game is a sports title where fluid motion is paramount, the "Low" preset at 1080p offers the most headroom and ensures a very high refresh rate experience, even if visual fidelity is sacrificed.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more delicate. The "Low" preset still provides a robust 83 FPS average, making it the best choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The "Medium" preset's 60 FPS average is a solid target for standard 60Hz displays and offers a better visual experience than "Low" without dropping below the key 60 FPS threshold. The "High" preset (49 FPS) and "Ultra" preset (32 FPS) are not recommended for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution, as they fall into a range where frame pacing issues can become noticeable.

For 4K resolution (3840x2160), the options are limited. The "Low" preset is the only viable choice for playable frame rates, averaging 52 FPS. The "Medium" preset at 38 FPS is borderline, and the "High" (31 FPS) and "Ultra" (20 FPS) presets are effectively unplayable for a responsive experience. The data suggests that for this combo, the optimal experience is found by prioritizing frame rate over visual quality. The "Low" preset at 1080p provides the definitive best experience, with "Medium" at 1440p serving as a secondary option for those seeking a higher resolution without falling below 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data across resolutions reveals a system that is almost entirely GPU-bound. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on the "Low" preset sees the average frame rate drop from 115 FPS to 83 FPS, a reduction of 32 FPS. The subsequent jump to 3840x2160 on the same preset yields a further drop to 52 FPS, a 31 FPS decrease from 1440p. This linear and steep decline in performance as pixel count increases is the hallmark of a graphics card that is being saturated by the rendering workload.

This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, the "High" preset shows a drop from 68 FPS at 1080p to 49 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 31 FPS at 4K. The frame rate is nearly halved with each significant resolution step, indicating that the Intel Arc B370's shading units, TMUs, and ROPs are the limiting factor. The CPU, with its 20 cores and high boost clock, is not the bottleneck here; its performance is sufficient to feed the GPU, but the GPU simply cannot process the increased pixel data fast enough at higher resolutions. The data implies that any attempt to improve performance at 1440p or 4K would require a more powerful graphics card, as the current one is clearly at its limits.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2592 out of 2813 tested combinations for Undisputed is a stark indicator of its overall performance tier. Languishing in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, this configuration is not designed for high-end gaming. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance; its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 and 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs place it in the entry-level category. This is further corroborated by its closest GPU rivals, which include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, both of which are legacy mobile or low-end desktop parts.

In contrast, the CPU's ranking is in the 94th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, which are modern, high-performance desktop processors. This massive disparity between the CPU's high standing and the GPU's low standing explains the combo's poor overall rank. The system is a classic case of an imbalanced pairing, where a top-tier processor is held back by a low-end integrated graphics solution. The data suggests that this combo would perform far better if paired with a discrete GPU, as the Core Ultra 7 265K is clearly capable of supporting much higher frame rates than the Arc B370 can deliver.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the defining component in this system's gaming performance, and its specifications paint a clear picture of its capabilities. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) built on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a notably low TDP of 25 W. Its performance is anchored by a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rivals, such as the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190) and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186), are over a decade old, demonstrating that the B370's raw 3D rendering power is akin to that of an older entry-level discrete card.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and instead uses a portion of the system's main memory. This is a critical limitation for a game like Undisputed, as the bandwidth and latency of shared memory are typically inferior to dedicated GDDR memory. The GPU's boost clock is rated at 2400 MHz, and its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS. While these numbers are not insignificant, the results in Undisputed show its practical limits. The steep frame rate drops at 1440p and 4K are direct consequences of the GPU's limited shading units (1280) and ROPs (20), which cannot handle the increased pixel fill rate demands. The data shows that the B370 is best suited for 1080p gaming on lower presets, where its performance is adequate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across nine different scenarios. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are as follows: "Low" averages 115 FPS, "Medium" averages 83 FPS (with a minimum of 70 and maximum of 95), "High" averages 68 FPS, and "Ultra" averages 44 FPS. This shows a clear and consistent performance degradation as settings are increased, with a 71 FPS difference between the "Low" and "Ultra" presets.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: "Low" at 83 FPS, "Medium" at 60 FPS (51-69 FPS), "High" at 49 FPS, and "Ultra" at 32 FPS. The trend continues, but the starting point is lower due to the increased resolution. At 3840x2160, the averages are: "Low" at 52 FPS, "Medium" at 38 FPS (32-43 FPS), "High" at 31 FPS, and "Ultra" at 20 FPS. The "Ultra" preset at 4K is the worst-case scenario, delivering an average frame rate that is below the threshold for smooth, playable motion. The data across all resolutions shows a predictable pattern: the "Low" preset offers the highest frame rates, and the "Ultra" preset offers the lowest, with "Medium" and "High" falling in between. The "Medium" preset is the only one where frame time consistency data (min/max) is available, suggesting it may be a more stable point of comparison for the system's performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is an exceptionally powerful processor that is severely underutilized in this configuration. With 20 cores and 20 threads, a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and a robust 30 MB of shared L3 cache, its multi-threaded capabilities are immense. This is reflected in its benchmarks, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35850 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 23085. Its 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its rivalry with the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F confirm its high-end status.

However, in the context of Undisputed, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The measured frame rates, particularly the steep drop-offs at higher resolutions, suggest that the CPU is not the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect frame rates to remain relatively stable across resolutions, as the CPU's workload is largely independent of resolution. Instead, the frame rates plummet as resolution increases, which is a definitive sign of a GPU bottleneck. The Core Ultra 7 265K is far more powerful than what this game requires at these settings. The data implies that the processor has significant headroom to spare, and its performance is being masked by the Intel Arc B370's limitations. In a balanced system, this CPU would be capable of driving a much more powerful GPU to achieve far higher frame rates in Undisputed.