Barony

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a clear picture for Barony: this is a combination that handles the game with substantial headroom at standard resolutions, but begins to show its limits when pushed to 4K. The recorded data shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample support at lower ones. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, ranking, and practical implications for this specific hardware pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Medium. The measured average at this setting is 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. This is the only resolution where the system cannot run the highest quality settings. High settings at 4K drop to an average of 58 FPS, which falls just below the playable threshold, while Ultra settings plummet to 42 FPS. Low settings at 4K achieve 91 FPS, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset. The most demanding option, Ultra, runs at an average of 80 FPS. This makes Ultra the best setting for this resolution, as it provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing playability. The data shows a comfortable margin, with High at 112 FPS, Medium at 130 FPS, and Low at 175 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the story is similar, with all presets well above 60 FPS. Ultra settings deliver an average of 127 FPS, making it the recommended choice for this resolution. The frame rates scale impressively here: High produces 177 FPS, Medium produces 206 FPS, and Low produces 277 FPS. The minimum recorded at 1080p Medium is 175 FPS, which is still far above the playable threshold, indicating that even the heaviest scenes will not cause noticeable stutter.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates a shifting balance of responsibility between the two components depending on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU is likely the primary driver of performance, as the frame rates are so high that the GPU is not fully saturated. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p is substantial, from 277 FPS down to 127 FPS, but the absolute numbers are so high that neither component is a bottleneck in a practical sense.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a more significant role. The scaling between resolutions shows this clearly: at Ultra settings, the average drops from 127 FPS at 1080p to 80 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of about 37%. At Medium settings, the drop is from 206 FPS to 130 FPS, about 37% as well. This consistent percentage decrease suggests that the GPU's rendering load is the limiting factor, as the resolution increase directly impacts the pixel fill rate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The Ultra preset at 4K achieves only 42 FPS, while the same preset at 1440p achieves 80 FPS, a 47% reduction. The Medium preset at 4K runs at 68 FPS, compared to 130 FPS at 1440p, a 48% drop. This near-linear scaling with pixel count confirms that the Intel Arc B580 is working at its limits. The CPU, with six cores and six threads, has enough headroom at 4K to keep up, as the frame rates are low enough that instruction throughput is not a concern. The recorded data implies that for this game, the GPU is the decisive component at higher resolutions, while the CPU is more relevant for pushing exceptionally high frame rates at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks at 2789 out of 3717 total combos for Barony. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a notable finding given the strong individual benchmark scores of the GPU. The GPU alone sits in the 68th percentile of all graphics cards, while the CPU is in the 47th percentile of all processors. The combination's rank suggests that while the components are individually capable, the pairing does not yield top-tier results for this specific game.

The rank implies that many other combinations of hardware deliver higher frame rates in Barony. This is not a commentary on the absolute performance, which is quite high as shown by the 1080p results, but rather a relative measure against the full spectrum of systems in the database. The high rank of the GPU relative to the overall combo rank indicates that the CPU may be holding the system back in some scenarios, or that the game's engine is not particularly well-optimized for this specific architecture.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are all within a very tight margin. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, which is 0.2% lower than the i5-9400's 2254. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% higher, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% lower. These deltas are negligible, meaning that swapping the i5-9400 for any of these chips would produce nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Barony. The i7-10710U and Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 would be the closest matches if a direct replacement were considered.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a similar clustering. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP has an average score of 23061, which is 0.2% lower than the Arc B580's 23021 average. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, 0.7% lower, and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, 1% lower. These differences are small, so a user with any of these GPUs would see very similar frame rates in Barony at the same settings. The RTX 3080 is technically the closest in raw score, but the RTX 2080's slightly higher score suggests it might offer a marginal performance edge in this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full recorded data set provides a detailed view of performance across all tested configurations.

At 3840x2160, the results are as follows:

• High: 58 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Low: 91 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Medium: 68 FPS average, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS.
• Ultra: 42 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.

At 2560x1440:

• High: 112 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Low: 175 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Medium: 130 FPS average, with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 150 FPS.
• Ultra: 80 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.

At 1920x1080:

• High: 177 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Low: 277 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.
• Medium: 206 FPS average, with a minimum of 175 FPS and a maximum of 237 FPS.
• Ultra: 127 FPS average, minimum and maximum not recorded.

The minimum and maximum values are only recorded for the Medium preset at each resolution, which provides a useful reference for frame time consistency. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 58 FPS is just below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that there are occasional dips. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 111 FPS shows a very stable experience. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 175 FPS ensures no perceptible stutter.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Barony at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings or lower. The Medium preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 68 FPS, while High drops to 58 FPS and Ultra to 42 FPS. The playable settings at 4K are listed as Low and Medium.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 runs at an average of 80 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold. All presets at this resolution are playable.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B580 in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p, frame rates are very high, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. At 4K, the frame rates drop dramatically, which is consistent with GPU limitations rather than CPU limitations.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 2789 out of 3717 tested combos for Barony. This places it in the lower half of the database, despite the GPU's individual 68th percentile ranking.

Q: What GPU would perform similarly to the Intel Arc B580 in this game?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 has a very similar average benchmark score, with a delta of only 0.7% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP and NVIDIA P106-100 are also within 1% of the Arc B580's score.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for this system?

A: The lowest recorded minimum is 58 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 111 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 175 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can run Barony effectively at all tested resolutions, but with significant caveats at the highest resolution. At 1920x1080, the system delivers a flawless experience with Ultra settings averaging 127 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also clears the threshold comfortably with 80 FPS. At 3840x2160, the story changes: the system can only maintain playable frame rates at Low or Medium settings, with Medium providing 68 FPS on average.

The verdict by resolution confirms this analysis. For 3840x2160, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best choice at 68 FPS. For 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, and Ultra at 80 FPS is the recommended setting. For 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra at 127 FPS being the clear winner.

The data shows that this hardware pairing is more than sufficient for Barony at mainstream resolutions, offering high frame rates that would satisfy any player. The only compromise is at 4K, where the user must choose between visual fidelity and smoothness. The system is a strong performer for this game, but not a top-tier one, as indicated by its 2789th rank out of 3717 combos. The Intel Arc B580's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456 GB/s bandwidth are clearly sufficient for this roguelike, and the CPU's six cores provide no observable limitation at standard settings. For a player targeting 1080p or 1440p, this is an excellent combination. For 4K enthusiasts, the Medium preset is the practical ceiling.