Does Upgrading CPU Boost Intel Arc A380 Performance?

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. testing Setup
3. Performance with APEX Legends
4. Performance with Ark Survival Evolved
5. Performance with Battlefield Remastered
6. Performance with BeamNG Drive
7. Performance with Call of Duty Warzone 2.0
8. Performance with CS:GO
9. Performance with New World
10. Performance with PUBG
11. Performance with Cyberpunk 2077
12. Performance with Bioshock Infinite
13. Performance with Borderlands 3
14. Performance with Fortnite
15. Performance with Shadow of the Tomb Raider
16. Conclusion

Intel Arc A380: Does Upgrading the CPU Improve Performance?

Introduction

In this article, we will be exploring the performance of the Intel Arc A380 graphics card when paired with two different CPUs: the Intel Pentium G7400 and the Intel i5-13400F. There has been a lot of speculation about whether upgrading the CPU can significantly improve the performance of the graphics card. To find out, we conducted a series of tests using various popular games and benchmarking tools. Read on to discover the results and determine if upgrading your CPU is essential for maximizing the performance of the Intel Arc A380.

Testing Setup

Before diving into the results, let's take a moment to Outline the testing setup used for this experiment. We paired the Intel Arc A380 graphics card with two different CPUs: the Intel Pentium G7400 and the Intel i5-13400F. The Pentium CPU is a 2-core, 4-thread processor, while the i5 CPU offers 10 cores and 16 Threads. We conducted the tests on a system running on the LGA 1700 socket. It's important to note that when testing the Pentium, we used drivers that were four months old, whereas the i5 test utilized the latest drivers. This significant driver update difference could potentially affect the results.

Performance with Apex Legends

Starting off with Apex Legends, we ran the Game at low settings to ensure a consistent performance comparison between the two CPUs. With the Pentium CPU, the Intel Arc A380 managed an average frame rate of approximately 70 frames per Second (FPS), with a 1% low of 58 FPS. Surprisingly, when paired with the i5 CPU, the average frame rate dropped to 60 FPS, with a 1% low of 58 FPS. However, it's worth noting that the i5 setup resulted in more noticeable stuttering, which could be attributed to driver issues.

Performance with Ark Survival Evolved

Moving on to Ark Survival Evolved, we tested the game at 1080p resolution with medium settings. With the Pentium CPU, the Intel Arc A380 achieved an average frame rate of 56 FPS, with a 1% low of 45 FPS. When paired with the i5 CPU, the average frame rate dropped slightly to 50 FPS, with a 1% low of 47 FPS. Additionally, the i5 setup exhibited more stuttering compared to the Pentium setup. Overall, the average frame rate was lower with the i5 CPU, and the 1% lows were significantly lower as well.

Performance with Battlefield Remastered

Next, we explored the performance of the Intel Arc A380 in Battlefield Remastered on ultra settings at 1080p resolution. The results were impressive, with the graphics card achieving an average frame rate of 130 FPS, along with a 1% low of 75 FPS. These numbers indicate smooth gameplay even on the highest settings. It's worth mentioning that the Intel Arc A380 could likely handle 4K gaming at over 60 FPS on ultra settings, making it a great choice for high-resolution gaming enthusiasts.

Performance with BeamNG Drive

When testing BeamNG Drive at 1080p resolution with medium settings and low textures, the Intel Arc A380 paired with both the Pentium and the i5 CPUs delivered nearly identical performance. The game ran at an average frame rate of around 53 FPS, with a 1% low of 36 FPS. However, we noticed intermittent stutters every five seconds on both setups. Despite these stutters, the game remained playable, and adjusting the frame rate cap to 45 FPS eliminated any frame drops.

Performance with Call of Duty Warzone 2.0

With Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, we set the game to the minimum settings and used FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) set to quality. Surprisingly, both the Pentium and i5 setups yielded the same results, with an average frame rate of 57 FPS. It's worth mentioning that there was a change in the map between the Pentium and i5 tests, which could have affected the performance. Nevertheless, the game remained playable on both setups.

Performance with CS:GO

CS:GO, being a less demanding title, did not exhibit significant differences in performance between the Pentium and i5 setups. Both CPUs paired with the Intel Arc A380 delivered similar results, with average frame rates nearing 300 FPS on low settings at 1080p resolution. The GPU was the primary bottleneck in this Scenario, with CPU performance making little difference.

Performance with New World

In New World, a highly anticipated MMORPG, the performance difference between the Pentium and i5 setups was more pronounced. At 1080p resolution and low settings, the i5 setup averaged around 37 FPS, with a 1% low of 7 FPS. In contrast, the Pentium setup achieved an average frame rate of 30 FPS, with a 1% low of 0 FPS. While the game still exhibited poor optimization, the performance gain with the i5 CPU was noticeable.

Performance with PUBG

Running PUBG at 1080p resolution on very low settings, the Intel Arc A380 paired with the i5 CPU achieved an average frame rate of 76 FPS, with a 1% low of 55 FPS. Comparatively, the Pentium setup was not tested at 1080p but rather at 1440p, yielding a similar average frame rate of 65 FPS and a 1% low of 43 FPS. Both setups experienced some noticeable stutters, but the i5 CPU offered a higher average frame rate and smoother overall performance.

Performance with Cyberpunk 2077

In Cyberpunk 2077, known for its steep GPU requirements, the i5 setup delivered better results compared to the Pentium setup. At 1080p resolution and low settings with FSR set to balance, the i5 CPU achieved an average frame rate of 45 FPS, with a 1% low of 37 FPS. On the other HAND, the Pentium setup struggled to maintain a playable experience, with an average frame rate of 30 FPS and a 1% low of 15 FPS. Although the improvement with the i5 was not groundbreaking, it was a step in the right direction for this demanding title.

Performance with Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite, when tested at 1080p resolution and very high settings, provided excellent performance on both the Pentium and i5 setups. The Intel Arc A380 achieved an average frame rate of around 85 FPS, with a 1% low of 75 FPS. The game was smooth and enjoyable on both CPUs, indicating that the recommended system requirements for this game are easily met with either configuration.

Performance with Borderlands 3

With Borderlands 3 at 1080p resolution and medium settings, the performances of the Pentium and i5 setups were again similar. Both configurations achieved an average frame rate of 45 FPS, with a 1% low of 32 FPS. However, the i5 CPU setup delivered noticeably higher 1% lows, indicating smoother gameplay during intense moments. Although neither setup provided an ideal experience due to occasional stutters, the i5 CPU offered a slightly better overall performance.

Performance with Fortnite

Fortnite presented an interesting case, as the Pentium CPU outperformed the i5 CPU in terms of 1% low performance. At 1080p resolution and medium settings, the Pentium setup achieved an average frame rate of 57 FPS, with a 1% low of 25 FPS. The i5 setup, on the other hand, yielded an average frame rate of 52 FPS, but had a higher 1% low of 42 FPS. Although the i5 setup had a lower average frame rate, the difference was within the margin of error. It's worth noting that the gameplay map used in each setup was different, potentially affecting the results.

Performance with Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Lastly, we examined the performance of the Intel Arc A380 in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p resolution and medium settings, with ray tracing set to offer quality. With the i5 CPU, the graphics card achieved an average frame rate of 43 FPS, exhibiting smooth gameplay. The Pentium setup, on the other hand, yielded an average frame rate of 46 FPS. The GPU was 100% bound on the i5 setup and 96% bound on the Pentium setup, indicating that both CPUs performed similarly in this game.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the performance difference between the Intel Arc A380 graphics card paired with the Intel Pentium G7400 and the Intel i5-13400F CPUs is not significant in most games. While some titles showed a minor performance gain with the i5 CPU, the majority of games yielded similar results on both setups. Therefore, if you already have the Intel Pentium CPU and are considering the Intel Arc A380, there is no urgent need to upgrade your CPU. The Pentium CPU does not severely limit the graphics card's performance, and you can still enjoy a satisfactory gaming experience.