Archeage

# Archeage CPU/GPU Performance Analysis

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a playable but inconsistent Archeage experience across resolutions and settings. This combination ranks 1603rd out of 2761 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the benchmark database. The data shows a system that can handle 1080p gaming comfortably at most settings, but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K Ultra, where the average drops to just 23 FPS. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance and the GPU's solid mid-range capabilities create a pairing that is balanced at lower resolutions but becomes GPU-limited as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 3000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture with a 7 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boosts up to 4.20 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark results show a multithreaded PassMark score of 17700 and a single-thread score of 2562, indicating solid all-around performance for an MMORPG like Archeage, which historically benefits from both single-thread responsiveness and multi-thread background processing.

In the context of Archeage's measured frame rates, the CPU's role becomes clear when examining the scaling pattern. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 142 FPS average, which is nearly 2.5 times the 4K Ultra result of 23 FPS. This massive difference suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15045 and single-core score of 2124 indicate that it has sufficient processing power for MMO environments with many players and NPCs, though the game's 2014 release date means it may not fully utilize all 12 threads.

The Ryzen 5 3600 sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 17035. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1260P (0.2% faster), the Intel Core i5-11400 (0.2% faster), the AMD EPYC 7573X (0.2% faster), and the AMD EPYC 7742 (0.2% slower). These tight margins show that the CPU is competitively positioned in its performance class, though the delta percentages are negligible in real-world gaming scenarios.

For Archeage specifically, the CPU's 3DMark scores provide insight into thread scaling: 2-thread score is 1361, 4-thread score is 2579, 8-thread score is 3844, and max-thread score is 4603. The scaling from 2 to 4 threads shows a 89% improvement, while 4 to 8 threads shows 49% improvement, and 8 to max threads only 20% improvement. This indicates diminishing returns beyond 8 threads, suggesting that Archeage likely utilizes 4-8 threads effectively, and the Ryzen 5 3600's 12 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game engine overhead.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth, along with a base clock of 1700 MHz, game clock of 2400 MHz, and boost clock of 2990 MHz. The GPU has 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, delivering 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a PassMark G3D score of 17631 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322. Its percentile ranking is 59th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (0.7% faster), the AMD Radeon R9 370X (1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (1% slower), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (2.1% slower). This positions the RX 9060 as a solid mid-range performer, though the 8 GB VRAM capacity may become a constraint at higher resolutions and settings in memory-intensive scenes.

In Archeage, the GPU's role is clearly demonstrated by the frame rate progression across settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 58 (Ultra) to 142 (Low), with Medium and High at 126 and 86 respectively. At 1440p, these numbers drop to 39 (Ultra), 95 (Low), 85 (Medium), and 58 (High). At 4K, the results are 23 (Ultra), 55 (Low), 49 (Medium), and 33 (High). The pattern shows that Ultra settings consistently produce the lowest frame rates, dropping below 60 FPS even at 1080p, which indicates that the GPU's compute resources are heavily taxed by the game's maximum visual fidelity settings.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and 8 GB VRAM appear sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the significant FPS drops at 4K suggest that either memory capacity or bandwidth becomes a limiting factor. The transition from 1080p Ultra (58 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (39 FPS) represents a 33% reduction, while the transition from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (23 FPS) represents a 41% reduction, indicating progressively worsening performance scaling as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck in this system. From 1080p to 1440p, average FPS across all settings drops by approximately 33-35% (e.g., High settings: 86 FPS to 58 FPS, a 33% reduction; Low settings: 142 FPS to 95 FPS, a 33% reduction). From 1440p to 4K, the drops become more severe, ranging from 41% to 43% (High settings: 58 FPS to 33 FPS, a 43% reduction; Low settings: 95 FPS to 55 FPS, a 42% reduction).

This non-linear scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance remains constant regardless of resolution, so if the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect frame rates to remain similar across resolutions. Instead, the consistent and significant FPS drops as resolution increases indicate that the RX 9060's rendering capabilities are the constraint.

The settings scaling at each resolution also supports this conclusion. At 1080p, the difference between Low (142 FPS) and Ultra (58 FPS) is 84 FPS, representing a 59% reduction. At 1440p, the difference between Low (95 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) is 56 FPS, a 59% reduction. At 4K, the difference between Low (55 FPS) and Ultra (23 FPS) is 32 FPS, a 58% reduction. The consistent percentage reduction across resolutions suggests that the GPU's compute units are similarly taxed by the settings changes regardless of resolution, but the absolute FPS values become lower as pixel count increases.

The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where this combination consistently achieves above 60 FPS, with Medium (126 FPS), Low (142 FPS), and High (86 FPS) all exceeding that threshold. Only Ultra at 1080p falls below 60 FPS at 58 FPS average. At 1440p, only Low (95 FPS) and Medium (85 FPS) exceed 60 FPS, while High (58 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) fall short. At 4K, all settings produce sub-60 FPS results, with the best being Low at 55 FPS and the worst being Ultra at 23 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 + AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination in Archeage is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 142 FPS average
• Medium: 126 FPS average (107 min, 145 max)
• High: 86 FPS average
• Ultra: 58 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 95 FPS average
• Medium: 85 FPS average (72 min, 98 max)
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 39 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 55 FPS average
• Medium: 49 FPS average (41 min, 56 max)
• High: 33 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

At 1080p, the system delivers excellent performance for most settings. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 107 FPS and maximum of 145 FPS, indicating smooth frame pacing with no severe dips. The High preset at 86 FPS remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, while Ultra at 58 FPS is marginally below it, suggesting that players seeking maximum visual quality at 1080p may experience minor stuttering in demanding scenes.

At 1440p, the performance becomes more varied. Low and Medium settings maintain good frame rates at 95 and 85 FPS respectively, with the Medium preset showing a minimum of 72 FPS and maximum of 98 FPS. The High preset at 58 FPS is just below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be acceptable for some players but not ideal for competitive gameplay. Ultra at 39 FPS is noticeably sluggish and not recommended for smooth play.

At 4K, the system struggles across all settings. Even Low settings produce only 55 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium at 49 FPS with a minimum of 41 FPS shows significant frame drops, while High at 33 FPS and Ultra at 23 FPS are simply too low for enjoyable gameplay. The 4K results clearly indicate that the RX 9060's 8 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for this resolution in Archeage.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combination in Archeage?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves above 60 FPS across most settings. At 1080p, Low, Medium, and High settings all exceed 60 FPS, with only Ultra falling slightly below at 58 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle Archeage at 4K resolution?

A: No, the measured data indicates that 4K performance is poor across all settings. The best 4K result is 55 FPS at Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium, High, and Ultra settings produce 49, 33, and 23 FPS respectively, making 4K gameplay impractical.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035, which is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i7-1260P and AMD EPYC 7742, and 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i5-11400 and AMD EPYC 7573X. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming performance.

Q: What is the GPU's performance ranking compared to similar graphics cards?

A: The Radeon RX 9060 ranks in the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. It is 0.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and 1% faster than both the AMD Radeon R9 370X and AMD Radeon RX 7700.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so significantly from 1080p to 4K?

A: The frame rate drops by approximately 50-60% from 1080p to 4K across all settings. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU's processing capability remains constant regardless of resolution. The RX 9060's 8 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are insufficient for the increased pixel count at 4K.

Q: Is the Medium preset playable at all resolutions?

A: The Medium preset is playable at 1080p (126 FPS average) and 1440p (85 FPS average), but at 4K it produces only 49 FPS average with a minimum of 41 FPS, which may result in noticeable stuttering during intense gameplay moments.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 86 FPS average provides an excellent balance between visual quality and performance. Players who prioritize frame rate above all else can use the Low preset at 142 FPS for competitive play, while those who want maximum visual fidelity can attempt Ultra at 58 FPS, though they may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 126 FPS with a minimum of 107 FPS offers a very smooth experience with minimal risk of frame drops.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset at 85 FPS average (72 min, 98 max) is the recommended choice, as it provides smooth gameplay with good visual quality. The Low preset at 95 FPS is also viable for players who prefer higher frame rates, while the High preset at 58 FPS is borderline and may cause frustration in fast-paced scenarios. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for any gameplay scenario.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that this system is not well-suited for this resolution. The Low preset at 55 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but even it falls short of the 60 FPS target. Players who want to play Archeage at 4K should consider reducing the resolution or upgrading the GPU, as none of the tested settings provide a satisfactory experience at 3840x2160.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1080p with either the Medium or High preset, delivering 126 FPS and 86 FPS respectively with no significant frame drops. At 1440p, the Medium preset at 85 FPS provides the best balance, while 4K should be avoided with this hardware combination. The data clearly shows that this pairing is optimized for 1080p gaming, with acceptable 1440p performance at medium settings and inadequate 4K performance across all settings.