Archeage

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-12600KF sits in a tightly packed performance cluster. Its average benchmark score of 27,799 is statistically indistinguishable from its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27,896, a mere 0.3% higher, while the Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27,872, also 0.3% above. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE lands at 27,712, just 0.3% below the i5-12600KF. These four processors are effectively interchangeable for gaming workloads, with the largest gap being only 0.6 percentage points across the entire group.

The Intel Arc B390, however, tells a different story. Its average benchmark score of 1,482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which is remarkably low. The nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago. The GeForce GT 520MX scores 1,463, trailing by 1.3%. The GeForce 800M scores 1,460, a 1.5% deficit. The GeForce GT 625 OEM sits at 1,446, which is 2.5% behind, and the GeForce GT 710 rounds out the group at 1,443, a 2.7% gap. In practical terms, the Arc B390 delivers performance comparable to entry-level graphics hardware from the early 2010s, which severely limits what this combination can achieve in modern gaming.

CPU and GPU Roles

For Archeage, the data shows a clear pattern where the GPU is the dominant constraint at every resolution, but the extent of that constraint varies with settings. At 1920x1080, the gap between Low and Ultra presets is substantial. Low settings produce 71 FPS, while Ultra drops to 29 FPS. That is a 42 FPS swing purely from graphical configuration, which indicates the graphics processor is heavily taxed by higher quality settings. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower presets, as evidenced by the 71 FPS result, but the Arc B390 cannot sustain high frame rates when visual fidelity increases.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern emerges with amplified severity. Low settings yield 48 FPS, Medium drops to 43 FPS, High falls to 29 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 20 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 28 FPS reduction. At 3840x2160, the situation becomes critical. Low produces 28 FPS, Medium manages 25 FPS, High drops to 17 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 11 FPS. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings reduces performance from 71 FPS to 28 FPS, a 43 FPS loss that cannot be attributed to CPU limitations.

The CPU's role is secondary in this configuration. With a 10-core, 16-thread design boosting to 4.90 GHz, the i5-12600KF has ample headroom for a 2014 MMORPG. The benchmark data shows strong multi-threaded performance, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 27,575. The processor ranks in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The bottleneck is unequivocally the Arc B390, which ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. At every resolution, the frame rate collapses as settings increase, which is the signature of a GPU-bound system.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Archeage at 1920x1080 with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low and Medium presets. Low settings deliver 71 FPS, and Medium settings deliver 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS. Both clear the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings fall to 43 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS, neither of which meets the playability standard.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1920x1080 for this combination?

A: Medium is the best preset that maintains 60 FPS. It averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. This is the highest quality setting that stays above the playable threshold.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1,482 on the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rival, the GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1,463, which is 1.3% lower. The GeForce 800M is 1.5% lower at 1,460, and the GeForce GT 625 OEM is 2.5% lower at 1,446. These are all legacy parts, indicating very low absolute performance.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The i5-12600KF ranks in the 79th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 27,799, while the Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The frame rate drops dramatically as resolution and settings increase, which is characteristic of GPU saturation.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 43 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 49 FPS. This falls short of the 60 FPS playable threshold, making 1440p gaming untenable on this system.

Q: Does the system achieve playable performance at 3840x2160?

A: No. The best result at 4K is 28 FPS on Low settings. Medium produces 25 FPS, High produces 17 FPS, and Ultra produces 11 FPS. None of these approach the 60 FPS threshold, and the system is not viable for 4K gaming in Archeage.

The Verdict

This PC can run Archeage, but only at 1920x1080 with reduced graphical settings. The verdict data confirms that 1080p is the only resolution where the system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, Low settings deliver 71 FPS and Medium settings deliver 64 FPS, both comfortably above the playable threshold. High and Ultra presets fail to reach 60 FPS, with 43 FPS and 29 FPS respectively.

At 2560x1440, no settings preset achieves 60 FPS. The best result is 48 FPS on Low, followed by 43 FPS on Medium, 29 FPS on High, and 20 FPS on Ultra. The system is not playable at this resolution by any measure. At 3840x2160, the situation is worse. Low settings produce 28 FPS, Medium produces 25 FPS, High produces 17 FPS, and Ultra produces 11 FPS. The verdict indicates no playable settings exist at either 1440p or 4K.

The combination of a strong mid-range CPU and a severely underpowered GPU creates a lopsided system. The i5-12600KF has the processing power to handle Archeage's computational demands with ease, but the Arc B390 cannot translate that into high frame rates at higher resolutions. Users should expect a playable experience only at 1080p with Medium settings, which delivers 64 FPS average and remains above 54 FPS at minimum.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings preset that maintains 60 FPS or higher is Medium. This configuration produces an average of 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. Low settings are also viable at 71 FPS, but Medium provides a better visual experience while still clearing the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, no settings preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest is Low at 48 FPS, followed by Medium at 43 FPS. Since the playable threshold is not met at any setting, there is no recommended preset for this resolution. The system should be run at 1080p for an acceptable experience.

At 3840x2160, the situation is similarly unplayable. Low settings produce 28 FPS, and no other preset exceeds 25 FPS. The verdict data marks no playable settings at this resolution. Users should avoid 4K output entirely with this hardware combination.

The data indicates that 1080p Medium is the optimal configuration for this system. It balances visual quality with performance, staying above the 60 FPS threshold with a 64 FPS average and a minimum above 54 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

This CPU and GPU combination ranks 3,297 out of 3,708 tested combinations in Archeage. That places it in the bottom 11% of all systems in the database for this game. The rank reflects the severe GPU limitation imposed by the Arc B390, which pulls the overall performance down despite the capable processor.

The i5-12600KF itself is a solid performer, ranking in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 27,799 places it alongside high-end options like the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the Core i9-10900K. The processor is not the issue. The Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking, with an average score of 1,482, is the decisive factor. The GPU performs like hardware from a decade ago, and no amount of CPU headroom can compensate for that deficit.

The 3,297 rank out of 3,708 combinations places this system near the bottom of the database for Archeage. It outperforms only 411 other combinations, which are likely systems with even older or more integrated graphics solutions. For a modern MMORPG with modest requirements, this ranking is poor. The system is functional at 1080p Medium, but it cannot handle higher resolutions or more demanding presets. Users seeking a better Archeage experience would need to prioritize a more powerful GPU, as the CPU is already well above the requirements for this game.