Barony

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a performance profile that varies significantly across resolutions in Barony, with the data indicating a clear transition from a GPU-bound experience at 4K to a highly capable, high-refresh-rate setup at 1080p. Measured results show the combination comfortably exceeding the 60 FPS threshold at 1080p and 1440p across all tested presets, while 4K presents a more demanding scenario where only the Low and Medium settings maintain playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination is presented as average frame rates, with no minimum or maximum values recorded for any resolution or settings preset. The performance scaling across the four quality settings is consistent at each resolution, though the magnitude of the impact differs.

At 3840x2160, the Arc B580 produces an average of 89.6 FPS on Low settings. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 67 FPS, a drop of 22.6 FPS from Low. The High preset yields an average of 56 FPS, which is 11 FPS below Medium and falls under the 60 FPS playability threshold. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 42.5 FPS, which is 13.5 FPS lower than High and 47.1 FPS below the Low preset result.

At 2560x1440, performance is substantially higher. The Low preset achieves an average of 171.5 FPS. Medium scales down to 128.6 FPS, a reduction of 42.9 FPS. High produces an average of 110.2 FPS, while Ultra maintains an average of 78 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 93.5 FPS, indicating that the preset selection has a considerable impact on the final frame rate.

At 1920x1080, the results show the highest performance levels. The Low preset reaches an average of 273 FPS. Medium delivers 203.2 FPS, and High produces 174.3 FPS. The Ultra preset, while being the most demanding, still achieves an average of 123.5 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 149.5 FPS, showing that even the heaviest settings leave ample performance headroom for high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the Intel Core i5-14400F is not a limiting factor for this game at any resolution tested, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution and preset changes. The GPU, the Intel Arc B580, is the primary determinant of performance, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings.

The scaling between 1080p and 1440p shows a performance reduction that aligns with the increased pixel count. For example, the High preset drops from 174.3 FPS at 1080p to 110.2 FPS at 1440p, a 36.8% decrease. The Ultra preset drops from 123.5 FPS to 78 FPS, a 36.8% decrease as well. This consistent scaling pattern across presets suggests that the rendering workload is scaling uniformly with resolution, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

The transition from 1440p to 4K shows a more dramatic performance drop. The High preset falls from 110.2 FPS at 1440p to 56 FPS at 4K, a 49.2% reduction. The Ultra preset falls from 78 FPS to 42.5 FPS, a 45.5% reduction. This steeper decline at 4K indicates that the Arc B580's rendering capabilities are being pushed much harder, and the CPU's role becomes even less significant.

At 1080p, the very high frame rates, particularly the 273 FPS on Low, suggest that the CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU efficiently. The data does not show any signs of CPU bottlenecking, as frame rates continue to scale with GPU load changes. The Core i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, provides ample processing power for the game's logic and draw calls, allowing the Arc B580 to operate at its full potential across all tested configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is identified as the best setting.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the highest quality option that remains playable, with an average of 67 FPS. The High preset falls short of the threshold at 56 FPS, and Ultra is not viable at 42.5 FPS. Therefore, Medium is the recommended setting for 4K, providing a playable experience while offering a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset.

At 2560x1440, all four presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 78 FPS, making it the best setting for this resolution. This allows users to enable the highest visual quality while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the playability threshold, suitable for smooth gameplay on standard 60 Hz monitors and even some higher refresh rate displays.

At 1920x1080, all presets are highly playable, with the Ultra preset achieving an average of 123.5 FPS. This makes Ultra the clear best setting for 1080p, offering the maximum visual fidelity while still providing frame rates well above 60 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors up to 120 Hz.

The Verdict

The benchmark data shows that this PC configuration is capable of running Barony with playable performance at all three tested resolutions, though the available quality settings vary.

At 3840x2160, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on the Low and Medium presets. The best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 67 FPS. Users targeting 4K will need to compromise on visual quality, as the High and Ultra presets are not playable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on all four presets, from Low at 171.5 FPS to Ultra at 78 FPS. The best playable setting is Ultra, providing a high-quality experience with a comfortable performance margin.

At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on all four presets, with the Ultra preset achieving an average of 123.5 FPS. This resolution offers the best overall experience, allowing for maximum visual settings and high frame rates.

The data confirms that this combination is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Barony, with the 1080p Ultra setting providing the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 4K experience is possible but requires a reduction in settings to maintain playability.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Barony at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The data shows playable frame rates at 4K on the Low preset (89.6 FPS) and Medium preset (67 FPS). The High preset (56 FPS) and Ultra preset (42.5 FPS) do not meet the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 2560x1440, with an average of 78 FPS. All other presets (High, Medium, Low) also exceed 60 FPS at this resolution.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset, the combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B580 achieves an average of 123.5 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B580 in this game?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution and preset changes, which is typical of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid limiting the GPU at all tested settings.

Q: How does the performance at 4K compare to 1440p?

A: The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is significant. For example, the High preset drops from 110.2 FPS at 1440p to 56 FPS at 4K, a 49.2% reduction. The Ultra preset drops from 78 FPS to 42.5 FPS, a 45.5% reduction.

Q: Which resolution provides the best experience for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: The 1920x1080 resolution provides the highest frame rates. The Low preset reaches 273 FPS, and even the Ultra preset achieves 123.5 FPS, making it suitable for monitors with refresh rates up to 120 Hz. The 1440p Ultra preset at 78 FPS is also viable for 60 Hz to 75 Hz displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2846 out of 3717 tested combos for Barony. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance distribution for this game. While the configuration is capable of running the game smoothly at 1080p and 1440p, its 4K performance is limited, which likely contributes to its overall rank. The rank indicates that a majority of tested hardware combinations perform better in this specific game, but the data confirms that this setup is fully capable of providing a playable experience at the two most common gaming resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14400F, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which has an average score 0.1% higher, and the Intel Core i9-11900, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS has an average score 0.2% lower, and the Intel Core i7-12800H is 0.5% higher. These CPUs would likely produce very similar frame rates in Barony when paired with the same GPU, as their overall processing capabilities are nearly identical.

For the Intel Arc B580, the nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which has an average score 0.2% lower, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which is 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 has an average score 0.7% lower, and the NVIDIA P106-100 is 1% lower. When paired with the same CPU, these GPUs would deliver performance in Barony that is within a few percentage points of the Arc B580, meaning users with these alternative graphics cards can expect a similar gaming experience in terms of frame rates at each resolution and preset.