Archeage

Archeage is a 2014 MMORPG that remains playable on modern hardware, and this pairing of a Ryzen 5 2600 with an RTX 4070 SUPER shows a wide performance envelope depending on how you configure it. The data reveals a system that can handle the game at high refresh rates at 1080p, but one that starts to buckle under the load of 4K Ultra settings. This is not a uniform performance curve; the scaling from Low to Ultra reveals where the CPU and GPU each become the limiting factor, and the results are instructive for anyone building a machine for older MMOs with modern parts.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: performance degrades as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation varies dramatically based on the quality preset. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 150 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 131.8 FPS, a reduction of roughly 12%, and then to 91.2 FPS at 4K Low, which is another 31% drop. This pattern indicates that at Low settings, the GPU is still the primary driver of performance, but the CPU is starting to create a bottleneck as resolution drops.

However, the picture changes when you look at the High and Ultra presets. At 1080p High, the system hits 124.3 FPS, which is only 17% lower than the 1080p Low result. At 1440p High, it drops to 96.8 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 54.4 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at High settings is a massive 44% loss, which is a much steeper cliff than the 31% loss seen at Low settings. This suggests that the game’s High preset introduces graphical effects that are heavily GPU-dependent, such as higher-resolution textures and more complex shading, which the RTX 4070 SUPER handles well at 1080p but struggles with at 4K.

The most telling data point is the Ultra preset. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 95.2 FPS, which is still playable. But at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 62.6 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it collapses to 34.9 FPS. The gap between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is a 63% performance loss. This indicates that Ultra settings in Archeage are exceptionally demanding, likely pushing effects like draw distance and shadow quality to extremes that overwhelm even a modern GPU like the RTX 4070 SUPER when paired with a mid-range CPU from 2018.

The limiting component shifts as you move up the resolution and settings ladder. At 1080p Low and Medium, the CPU is likely the primary constraint, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The Ryzen 5 2600’s six cores and 12 threads are sufficient, but its older Zen architecture limits single-thread performance, which is critical for MMO gameplay. At 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as the RTX 4070 SUPER is simply not capable of rendering that many pixels with the highest fidelity settings in this title. The sweet spot for this combo appears to be 1440p with Medium or High settings, where the balance between CPU and GPU load is more even.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Archeage at 4K smoothly?

A: At 4K with High settings, the measured average FPS is 54.4, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced combat. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 34.9 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data shows that 4K is only viable at Low (91.2 FPS) or Medium (79.7 FPS) settings.

Q: What is the best resolution for 144Hz gaming?

A: At 1080p, the combo achieves 150 FPS on Low and 140.3 FPS on Medium, which are both above 144 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset (131.8 FPS) comes close to 144 FPS, while Medium (123 FPS) and High (96.8 FPS) fall short. You would need to stick to 1080p Medium to consistently hit 144 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost going from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 124.3. At 1440p High, it is 96.8. This represents a performance drop of approximately 22%, which is significant but manageable for most players.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER overkill for this game?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER is a very capable GPU, but the data shows it is not overkill. At 4K Ultra, it produces only 34.9 FPS, indicating the game can still stress it heavily. The GPU’s 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs suggests it is a high-end part, but Archeage’s Ultra settings are demanding enough to bring it to its knees.

Q: How does the CPU choice affect performance at lower resolutions?

A: At 1080p Low, the system hits 150 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited. The Ryzen 5 2600’s single-thread score of 2239 in Passmark is modest by modern standards, suggesting that a newer CPU could push higher frame rates at 1080p. At 4K Ultra, the CPU is less of a factor, as the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Q: What is the most stable performance profile for this game?

A: The data suggests 1440p with Medium settings provides a balanced experience, with an average FPS of 123. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and shows less variation between presets, making it a reliable choice for consistent gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Archeage, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 5 2600 and RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 568th out of 1727 combos. This places it in the upper third of all tested systems, which is a solid result given the age of the CPU. The rank reflects the overall performance across all measured settings, and it shows that while the GPU is a top-tier part (84th percentile), the CPU is holding the combo back from a higher placement.

The CPU itself ranks in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19616. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-11600KF, which scores 19740 (0.6% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, which scores 19508 (0.6% lower). This puts the Ryzen 5 2600 in a performance class with modern mid-range mobile and desktop chips, but it lacks the single-thread performance of newer generations. The GPU, meanwhile, ranks in the 84th percentile, with nearest rivals like the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42653, 0.2% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42723, 0.3% higher). The GPU is clearly the stronger component in this pairing.

The 568th rank out of 1727 combos suggests that in Archeage, this system is outclassed by many newer CPU and GPU combinations, particularly those with more modern processors. However, it is also ahead of a significant number of systems, meaning it can still deliver a playable experience in most scenarios. The rank is a composite measure, so the system’s strong GPU performance at higher resolutions is offset by its weaker CPU performance at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the data points to 1440p with Medium settings as the optimal configuration. This yields an average of 123 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for an MMO. Moving up to High at 1440p drops the frame rate to 96.8 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices some smoothness for marginal visual gains. At 1080p, Medium (140.3 FPS) is the best choice for high refresh rate monitors, as it stays above 144 FPS and looks better than Low.

Ultra settings are not recommended for this combo. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 95.2 FPS, but the visual improvement over High is minimal in most MMOs. At 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 62.6 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it becomes unplayable at 34.9 FPS. The performance cost of Ultra is simply too high for the benefit. If you have a 4K monitor, the data suggests using Low (91.2 FPS) or Medium (79.7 FPS) settings, as High (54.4 FPS) dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

For players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low (150 FPS) is the clear winner. This setting is ideal for competitive play or for users with high refresh rate monitors. The difference between Low and Medium at 1080p is only about 6.5% (150 vs 140.3 FPS), so Medium is generally the better choice unless you are chasing maximum frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured FPS reveals a consistent pattern across all resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates range from a high of 150 FPS on Low to a low of 95.2 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset sits in between at 140.3 FPS, and High is close behind at 124.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 54.8 FPS, which shows the significant impact of settings on performance.

At 1440p, the range narrows slightly. Low hits 131.8 FPS, Medium 123 FPS, High 96.8 FPS, and Ultra 62.6 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is about 21%, which is the largest single-step decline at this resolution. This indicates that the High preset introduces a significant graphical workload. At 4K, the range is compressed further. Low achieves 91.2 FPS, Medium 79.7 FPS, High 54.4 FPS, and Ultra 34.9 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 56.3 FPS, which is similar to the 1080p gap, but the absolute values are much lower.

Looking at resolution scaling within a single preset, Low shows the smallest relative drop, going from 150 to 131.8 to 91.2 FPS as you move from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. Medium follows a similar trend, with 140.3, 123, and 79.7 FPS. High shows a steeper decline, with 124.3, 96.8, and 54.4 FPS, and Ultra is the steepest, with 95.2, 62.6, and 34.9 FPS. This data confirms that the High and Ultra presets are more demanding per pixel than Low and Medium.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a six-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, released in 2018. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, with a 65W TDP. In the context of Archeage, its performance is a mixed bag. The multi-threaded capabilities are solid, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186, but the single-thread score of 1579 in the same test is relatively low by modern standards.

Archeage, like most MMORPGs, relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic, NPC AI, and network code. The Ryzen 5 2600’s single-thread score of 2239 in Passmark places it well below more modern CPUs, which can exceed 4000 in the same test. This explains why the combo is CPU-limited at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The CPU’s 12 threads help with background tasks and multi-tasking, but they do not compensate for the lack of raw single-core speed.

The CPU’s 16 MB of shared L3 cache is adequate for the game, but the 46.9 GB/s memory bandwidth is modest. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the GPU is fully saturated. However, at 1080p, the CPU’s performance ceiling is evident, capping frame rates around 150 FPS. For a 2018 CPU, this is respectable, but it is the primary reason why this combo ranks 568th rather than higher. The CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 4070 SUPER, but it is not a perfect match for a game that favors fast single-core performance.