Barony

Barony is a roguelike, but the measured FPS data shows it behaves like a demanding 3D title at higher resolutions. For this combination of an Intel Core i5-14400F and an Intel Arc B370, the experience hinges almost entirely on where you set the resolution and quality preset. At 1080p, this combo is more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay across all tested settings, but at 4K, it falls below the playable threshold of 60 FPS in every configuration. The data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this pairing, where Medium settings provide a comfortable frame rate with only occasional dips.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four quality presets. The database includes average, minimum, and maximum FPS for the Medium preset at each resolution, while other presets report only averages.

1920x1080 (1080p)

At 1080p, the combo delivers excellent performance across the board. The Low preset achieves an average of 144 FPS, which is exactly double the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings produce an average of 92 FPS, maintaining a substantial margin above the threshold. The Medium preset averages 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS, meaning even the lowest recorded frame rate stays well above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which clears the playable threshold but with less headroom than the other settings. This is the only resolution where every single preset, including Ultra, stays at or above 60 FPS on average.

2560x1440 (1440p)

Moving to 1440p, the performance drops are significant but not disqualifying. The Low preset averages 91 FPS. High settings average 58 FPS, which is just 2 FPS short of the playable threshold. The Medium preset averages 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. This means Medium at 1440p is playable on average, but the minimum frame rate dips slightly below 60 FPS, so there can be brief moments of stutter. The Ultra preset averages 42 FPS, which is well below the threshold and not recommended for smooth play.

3840x2160 (4K)

At 4K, the Intel Arc B370 is clearly overmatched. The Low preset averages 47 FPS, which is the best result at this resolution but still 13 FPS short of the playable threshold. Medium settings average 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS. High settings average 30 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS. None of the presets at 4K come close to 60 FPS, and the data indicates that this resolution is not viable for this hardware combination.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Barony at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 66 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 averages 67 FPS. However, the minimum FPS is 57, so the game may occasionally drop just below 60 FPS during intense moments.

Q: Is 4K playable with this combo?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 47 FPS on the Low preset, and all other presets average 35 FPS or lower. No 4K preset reaches the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Ultra preset at 1080p compare to the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra at 1080p averages 66 FPS, while Medium at 1440p averages 67 FPS. They are nearly identical in average frame rate, but the 1080p Ultra configuration has no reported minimum FPS below the threshold, whereas the 1440p Medium configuration has a minimum of 57 FPS.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: Low settings at 1080p average 144 FPS, while Ultra settings average 66 FPS. That is a 78 FPS difference, roughly 54% lower performance when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination provides the highest average FPS in the recorded data?

A: The highest average FPS is 144, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU is likely providing adequate headroom, but the dramatic drops at 1440p and 4K indicate the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting factor. The Intel Core i5-14400F has a substantial benchmark profile, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 and a PassMark multithread score of 25470, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The Arc B370, by contrast, sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184. This massive gap in relative performance explains why the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution climbs.

The scaling between presets at the same resolution reinforces this. At 1080p, dropping from Ultra to Low raises the average FPS from 66 to 144, a 78 FPS swing. At 1440p, the same preset change moves from 42 to 91 FPS, a 49 FPS swing. At 4K, the swing is from 22 to 47 FPS, only 25 FPS. As resolution increases, the absolute FPS gain from lowering settings shrinks because the GPU is already saturated. This is the signature of a GPU-limited configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, lowering graphical settings would not produce such large FPS gains at lower resolutions.

The CPU's role is more apparent at 1080p, where the GPU can produce high frame rates. The i5-14400F's 10 cores and 16 threads, combined with a 4.70 GHz boost clock, provide enough single-thread and multi-thread performance to avoid limiting the Arc B370 at 1080p Low, where the combo averages 144 FPS. However, the CPU cannot compensate for the GPU's lack of raw throughput at higher resolutions. The 3DMark score of 1184 for the Arc B370 places it near the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190, a delta of -0.5%. This is a legacy-class GPU in terms of raw 3D performance, despite being a modern integrated part with DirectX 12 Ultimate support.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is straightforward. At 1920x1080, this combo can run Barony at every preset above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is the most demanding configuration that remains playable. At 2560x1440, the playable settings are Low and Medium. Medium is the best option, averaging 67 FPS, though the minimum of 57 FPS means it is not perfectly smooth at all times. High at 1440p averages 58 FPS, which is technically below the threshold, and Ultra averages 42 FPS.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best average is 47 FPS on Low, and every other preset falls to 35 FPS or lower. The database lists no playable settings at 4K, and the best settings field is null, confirming that this resolution is not viable. For a smooth experience, the user should stick to 1080p for the widest margin of safety, or 1440p with Medium settings if they prefer the higher resolution and can tolerate minor dips.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 3428 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the bottom 8% of all recorded configurations. The ranking reflects the GPU's low relative performance more than the CPU's strength. The i5-14400F is a capable processor, sitting in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which is 0.1% ahead, and the Intel Core i9-11900, which is 0.2% ahead. This level of CPU performance is not the issue.

The Arc B370, however, drags the overall ranking down. Its 5th percentile standing among all GPUs means it is among the weakest graphics processors in the database. The nearest GPU rivals are all legacy parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 is 0.2% ahead, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 is 0.5% ahead, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7% ahead. This GPU is competing with parts from a previous generation, which explains why the combo ranks so low despite having a modern, high-end CPU. The measured FPS data confirms this: the combo can handle 1080p easily, but the GPU's limitations become obvious at 1440p and severe at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS on average is the recommended target.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, so it is the best choice. This is the highest quality preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold, and it provides the full visual experience without dropping below playable frame rates on average.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 67 FPS and is the best playable option. While the minimum FPS is 57, the average is comfortably above the threshold. Users who want a stricter guarantee of 60 FPS should drop to Low, which averages 91 FPS, but Medium offers the best balance of quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The best average is 47 FPS on Low, but this is not enough to qualify as playable. The database assigns no best settings at this resolution, and the recommendation is to avoid 4K with this hardware. For users who insist on 4K, the Low preset is the only option that provides a somewhat playable experience, but it falls short of the standard threshold.