Barony

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a robust gaming experience in Barony, a roguelike title from 2015. Benchmark data shows this combination provides high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with performance scaling predictably from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 128.2 FPS at Ultra settings, while at 2560x1440 it maintains 76.4 FPS at the same preset. The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, produces 44.1 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and how this combo ranks against other tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings or lower. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 is 67.3 FPS on Medium and 88.5 FPS on Low. High settings at 4K drop to 56.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 44.1 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: Ultra settings are fully playable at 2560x1440, with a measured average of 76.4 FPS. This exceeds the 60 FPS threshold, making it the highest quality preset that remains playable at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287, placing it at the 84th percentile among all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35305, representing a negligible 0.1% difference. The Core i7-12700KF scores 35365, a 0.2% delta.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 273.5 FPS average, while Ultra produces 128.2 FPS. This represents a performance drop of 145.3 FPS when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: Is the GPU's synthetic performance competitive with older high-end cards?

A: The Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021, placing it at the 68th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, scores 23061, a 0.2% difference. Notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower than the Arc B580.

Q: Which component is more critical at 4K resolution?

A: The GPU becomes the primary constraint at 3840x2160, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling. Moving from Medium (67.3 FPS) to High (56.4 FPS) at 4K results in a 10.9 FPS drop, while the same settings change at 1080p yields a 27.7 FPS drop. This indicates the CPU has more headroom at higher resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the Core i7-12700K and the Arc B580 depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the system appears CPU-limited in lower presets, with Low settings hitting 273.5 FPS average. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 68.5 FPS, and from Medium to High costs another 27.7 FPS. This steep scaling suggests the CPU is feeding frames quickly enough that the GPU becomes the bottleneck even at modest quality settings.

At 2560x1440, the picture shifts. Low settings produce 171.4 FPS, Medium drops to 127.2 FPS, and High reaches 113.1 FPS. The delta between Low and Medium is 44.2 FPS, while Medium to High is only 14.1 FPS. This compression indicates the GPU is starting to shoulder more of the workload, but the CPU still has sufficient headroom to maintain high frame rates.

The 4K results demonstrate the GPU's dominance. At 3840x2160, Low settings yield 88.5 FPS, Medium drops to 67.3 FPS, and High falls to 56.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 21.2 FPS, while Medium to High is 10.9 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K produce only 44.1 FPS, showing that the Arc B580's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's role diminishes significantly, as even the most demanding preset cannot push frame rates high enough to stress the 12-core processor.

The scaling pattern indicates a balanced system for most scenarios. At 1080p, the CPU and GPU work in concert, with neither component fully saturated at any preset. At 1440p, the GPU begins to dominate, but the system still delivers playable frame rates at all settings. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the primary constraint, with the CPU providing ample performance headroom.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves a measured average of 128.2 FPS. This is well above the playability threshold and represents the highest quality setting available.

For 2560x1440, Ultra settings also remain playable, with an average of 76.4 FPS. This preset maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while delivering maximum visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the highest playable preset is Medium, producing 67.3 FPS average. High settings at 4K fall short at 56.4 FPS, and Ultra drops further to 44.1 FPS. Low settings at 4K achieve 88.5 FPS, but Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance.

The verdict data confirms these findings: the playable settings for 4K are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best choice. For both 1440p and 1080p, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable, with Ultra being the recommended best setting at each resolution.

The Verdict

This PC can run Barony effectively at most resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra delivering 128.2 FPS average. The 2560x1440 resolution is equally accommodating, as all settings including Ultra (76.4 FPS) remain above the playability threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system is partially playable. Low and Medium settings pass the 60 FPS requirement, with Medium achieving 67.3 FPS. High settings at 4K produce 56.4 FPS, which is below the threshold, and Ultra drops to 44.1 FPS. Users targeting 4K should stick to Medium settings or lower for a consistent experience.

The data indicates a strong overall performance profile. The combination of the Core i7-12700K and Arc B580 handles this roguelike title with ease at mainstream resolutions, with the only compromise occurring at 4K with high or ultra quality presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Core i7-12700K's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are all within a fraction of a percent of its average score of 35287. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305, a delta of 0.1% that is effectively negligible. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35365, showing a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35403, a 0.3% delta, and the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428, a 0.4% delta. These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Barony.

On the GPU side, the Arc B580's average score of 23021 places it near several familiar options. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, a 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, a 0.7% delta, and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, a 1% difference. Any of these GPUs would produce frame rates within a few percent of the Arc B580 in this game, making them viable alternatives for similar performance.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 2844 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the overall distribution. The ranking reflects the balance between the Core i7-12700K's 84th percentile CPU performance and the Arc B580's 68th percentile GPU performance. While the CPU is a strong performer, the GPU holds the combo back in this ranking.

The rank suggests that many other hardware combinations achieve higher frame rates in this game, likely due to more powerful GPUs. However, the actual measured performance shows that this combo delivers playable frame rates at all tested resolutions except 4K High and Ultra. The ranking is a relative measure against all other tested combinations, not an absolute indicator of poor performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 273.5 FPS, Medium achieves 205 FPS, High reaches 177.3 FPS, and Ultra yields 128.2 FPS. All presets provide a substantial margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. Low settings average 171.4 FPS, Medium achieves 127.2 FPS, High produces 113.1 FPS, and Ultra delivers 76.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 95 FPS drop, but every preset remains playable.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates diminish significantly. Low settings average 88.5 FPS, Medium achieves 67.3 FPS, High produces 56.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 44.1 FPS. Only Low and Medium clear the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

The data shows consistent scaling across resolutions and settings. The largest absolute drop occurs when moving from 1080p Low to 4K Low, a difference of 185 FPS. The smallest drop is between 1440p High and 4K High, a difference of 56.7 FPS. No min or max FPS values were recorded in the measured data, so the analysis relies on average frame rates.