Undisputed

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B580 pairing delivers a distinctive performance profile in Undisputed, one that is heavily dictated by resolution and preset selection. The data shows a combo that can deliver exceptionally high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles to maintain fluid motion at 4K with higher graphical fidelity. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand where this combination excels and where its limitations become apparent.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high frame rate?

A: The data clearly indicates 1920x1080 as the strongest resolution. At this resolution, the combo achieves 221 FPS on Low, 159 FPS on Medium, and 132 FPS on High settings, which are all significantly higher than the frame rates measured at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's score of 83807. This indicates nearly identical performance between the two processors in general computing benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B580 is placed in the 68th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 23021. This suggests it is a mid-to-upper tier performer, but not at the very top of the performance stack.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured average FPS is 115, with a minimum FPS of 98 and a maximum FPS of 132. This data point provides a frame time variance of 34 FPS during the test.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to the 4K Ultra preset?

A: The 1080p Low preset achieves an average of 221 FPS, which is over five times higher than the 39 FPS average recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This demonstrates the massive performance cost of rendering at 4K with maximum graphical detail.

Q: Does the CPU have a high percentile ranking compared to all CPUs?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. This high ranking indicates that it is among the top 4% of processors for overall performance based on its average benchmark score of 84003.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is built on TSMC's 5 nm process and features the Xe2-HPG architecture. It has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 2670 MHz, which is also its boost clock, indicating a fixed operating frequency. The GPU is rated for a TDP of 190 W and requires a 450 W power supply.

In the context of Undisputed, the GPU's role appears to be the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions. The data shows a clear drop in frame rates as resolution increases. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 132 at 1080p to 95 at 1440p and then to 60 at 4K. This pattern suggests that the Arc B580's 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and its 456.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth become limiting factors when the pixel count and texture detail increase.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers is interesting. Its average benchmark score is 23021, placing it near the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which has a score of 23061, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, with a score of 22895. This places it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. The measured results in Undisputed reflect this mid-range positioning; it is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but its performance degrades significantly at 4K, especially with Ultra settings, where it only manages an average of 39 FPS.

The data also highlights the importance of settings. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is substantial, with a 62 FPS difference in average frame rate. This suggests that while the GPU has enough raw power for 4K at lower presets, its architectural limits are exposed when all graphical features are enabled, likely due to the increased shading, texturing, and memory pressure.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The CPU is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003.

This processor is exceptionally powerful, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731. In Undisputed, its role seems to be more about ensuring consistent frame delivery rather than being the primary bottleneck. The evidence for this is that frame rates scale almost entirely with resolution and settings, which are GPU-centric variables.

For instance, at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 221 FPS. This very high frame rate suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to reach this level. Even at this high frame rate, the CPU is not the limiting factor, as it can likely produce even more frames. The CPU's high Passmark single-thread score of 4823 and its multi-thread score of 60860 indicate a strong ability to handle the game's logic and physics.

The CPU's performance is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, being only 0.2% faster in average benchmark score. This means that in a game like Undisputed, the choice between these two CPUs would likely have no measurable impact on the frame rates, as the GPU would be the performance ceiling at most settings. The 290K Plus's strength lies in its ability to avoid being a bottleneck, even in the most CPU-intensive scenarios, allowing the Arc B580 to perform to its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B580 combination is ranked 2117 out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed. This ranking places it in the bottom 25% of all tested system configurations for this specific game. This is a notable finding, given the high individual benchmarks of both the CPU and GPU.

This low ranking is likely due to the fact that the ranking considers all tested combos, which would include systems with much more powerful GPUs. The Arc B580, while a capable mid-range card, is not a high-end GPU. Its 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs means there are many faster graphics cards that, when paired with a high-end CPU, would achieve much higher frame rates in Undisputed, especially at 4K.

The data implies that this specific pairing is not optimized for maximum performance in Undisputed. The CPU is certainly capable, but it is paired with a GPU that holds it back from achieving top-tier results. The combo's rank is not a reflection of a weak CPU, but rather proof of the GPU being the limiting factor. For users seeking the highest possible frame rates or 4K Ultra settings, this pairing would not be competitive with systems using higher-end GPUs. The 2117 rank indicates that the performance ceiling of this combo is significantly lower than the top 25% of tested systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the combo's performance across different resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo performs exceptionally well. The Low preset achieves an average of 221 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 159 FPS, with a minimum of 135 FPS and a maximum of 183 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 132 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 85 FPS. All settings at this resolution are highly playable, with even the most demanding preset providing a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but drops noticeably. The Low preset achieves an average of 160 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 132 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 95 FPS. The Ultra preset sees a significant drop to an average of 61 FPS. This resolution is still viable for high-refresh-rate monitors, but users will need to use lower presets to fully utilize them.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes the primary concern. The Low preset achieves an average of 101 FPS, which is still quite playable. The Medium preset delivers an average of 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 60 FPS, which is the bare minimum for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding a low average of just 39 FPS, which would be considered unplayable for most users.

These results show a clear and consistent pattern: the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can provide high frame rates. At 4K, users will need to significantly lower settings to achieve a playable frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is recommended for users who prioritize visual fidelity, as it still maintains an average of 85 FPS. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the High preset at 132 FPS or the Medium preset at 159 FPS are excellent choices, offering a great balance between visual quality and speed. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution, as even Ultra is highly playable.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is a strong recommendation, providing an average of 95 FPS, which is smooth for most gaming scenarios. The Medium preset at 115 FPS is ideal for competitive play or for users with 120Hz+ monitors. The Ultra preset, at 61 FPS, is borderline; it is playable but may not feel as smooth. The Low preset at 160 FPS is the best option for maximizing frame rate, but it comes at a significant cost to visual quality.

For 3840x2160, the choice is more constrained. The Low preset at 101 FPS offers the best playable experience, but with a major reduction in graphical detail. The Medium preset at 73 FPS is also viable. The High preset at 60 FPS is the limit for a smooth experience, but it leaves no headroom for frame drops. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for general play.

The data suggests that the most consistent experience across all resolutions is achieved with the Medium or High presets. These settings provide a good balance between performance and visual quality, ensuring a smooth frame rate without requiring the user to compromise too heavily on graphical detail.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals significant insights about the limiting component in this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 132 at 1080p to 95 at 1440p, a 28% decrease. From 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops from 95 to 60, a 37% decrease. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 72 FPS, representing a 55% reduction in performance.

This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound system. As the resolution increases, the GPU must render more pixels, which puts more stress on its compute units and memory bandwidth. The CPU's role remains relatively constant, but the GPU's workload increases exponentially with the pixel count.

This is further confirmed by the performance at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the FPS is 221. At 1440p Low, it drops to 160, a 28% decrease. At 4K Low, it drops to 101, a 37% decrease from 1440p. The relative performance drops are very similar to those seen at High settings, which suggests that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck, regardless of the graphical preset.

The data strongly implies that the Intel Arc B580 is the limiting factor in this pairing. The CPU, with its 96th percentile ranking, is not holding back performance. As resolution increases, the GPU's limitations become more apparent, leading to the significant frame rate drops. This is not a sign of a poorly balanced system, but rather a clear demonstration of where the performance ceiling lies. To improve 4K performance, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, as the current one is already at its limits.