Archeage

ArcheAge, a 2014 MMORPG, is not typically the first title that comes to mind when evaluating a flagship GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Yet, the measured data for this pairing with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 reveals a fascinating bottleneck dynamic that shifts dramatically across resolutions and settings. The benchmark results indicate a system capable of high refresh-rate play at 1080p but one that can be brought to its knees by the most demanding preset at 4K. This analysis dissects the measured FPS to understand where the limits lie.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and expected trend: as resolution increases, average FPS decreases. However, the rate of that decrease is not uniform and is highly dependent on the graphics preset. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 4K is from 168.6 FPS to 115.9 FPS, a reduction of roughly 31%. This is a relatively modest decline, suggesting that at lower settings, the system is not entirely GPU-bound even at higher resolutions. The RTX 4090 has enough headroom to brute-force its way through the pixel count at 4K when the visual load is light.

The story changes drastically at Ultra settings. Here, the FPS falls from 120 at 1080p to just 49.6 at 4K, a staggering 58.7% reduction. This steep cliff indicates a massive increase in GPU workload at the highest preset. The 4K Ultra figure of 49.6 FPS is not just a linear scaling penalty; it represents a point where the GPU is being pushed to its absolute limit by the combination of pixel count and the most demanding shaders and effects. This suggests that the Ultra preset has a disproportionately heavy impact on the rendering pipeline compared to the step from Low to Medium or High.

The intermediate resolutions confirm this pattern. At 2560x1440, the FPS at Ultra is 81.9, which is a 31.75% drop from the 1080p Ultra score. In contrast, the 1440p High score of 123.6 is only 11% lower than the 1080p High score of 139. The data implies that the scaling is more linear and manageable for the GPU up to High settings. The Ultra preset, however, introduces a non-linear penalty, likely due to effects like advanced shadows, reflections, or draw distances that are exponentially more expensive at higher pixel counts. The limiting component at 4K Ultra is unequivocally the GPU, while at 1080p Low, the CPU's single-thread performance becomes a more significant factor.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark data shows a 3dmark single-thread score of 696, which is a moderate result. In an MMORPG like ArcheAge, which is often sensitive to single-core performance for game logic and draw calls, this processor's capabilities are a key variable. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (168.6 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (120 FPS) illustrates this. The 48.6 FPS difference is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's workload, but the ceiling at Low is instructive.

At 1080p Low, the GPU has very little work to do. The fact that the system only reaches 168.6 FPS, rather than a higher number, suggests that the CPU is hitting a performance ceiling. The Ryzen 5 3600's single-thread score of 696 in 3dmark and a Passmark single-thread score of 2562 indicate it can feed frames at a high rate, but it is not a top-tier performer. The data implies that in this scenario, the CPU is the primary limiting factor, preventing the RTX 4090 from pushing the frame rate even higher. This is a classic CPU bottleneck in a lighter-load scenario.

Comparing the 1080p Low to the 1440p Low results (148.5 FPS) shows a 20 FPS drop, which is purely from the increased pixel workload on the GPU. The CPU is still providing a similar level of data, but the GPU is taking slightly longer to process each frame. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache is adequate, but its single-thread performance, relative to the GPU's immense power, is the bottleneck at low resolutions. The data suggests that for this specific combo, the Ryzen 5 3600 is sufficient for 60+ FPS in most scenarios, but it will hold back the RTX 4090 from reaching its absolute maximum potential in CPU-light situations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth, with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a staggering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its 16,384 shading units and boost clock of 2520 MHz give it an immense amount of raw compute power. In ArcheAge, this power is most evident at 4K and with higher settings. The 4K Ultra score of 49.6 FPS is not a sign of weakness, but rather proof of how demanding the game's Ultra preset is at that resolution. This is a heavy workload that would cripple most GPUs.

The scaling from High to Ultra at a fixed resolution highlights the GPU's role. At 4K, moving from High (71.6 FPS) to Ultra (49.6 FPS) is a 30.7% performance loss. This is a massive penalty for one preset level, indicating that Ultra likely enables features that are disproportionately taxing on the GPU's compute and memory subsystems. The 24 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor here, as ArcheAge is not a VRAM-heavy title; the bottleneck is raw shader and pixel processing throughput. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 38194 and its percentile rank of 91 vs all GPUs confirm its high absolute performance.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s proves crucial at 4K, where the demand for texture data and frame buffer access is highest. The data shows that the RTX 4090 can handle 4K High at over 60 FPS, which is a playable experience. However, the step to Ultra is a bridge too far for a smooth 60 FPS target. The GPU's performance is not the issue; rather, the game's Ultra preset seems to be an outlier in its demands. The fact that the card is "End-of-life" according to the fact pack does not diminish its measured capabilities here, which are clearly at the top of the consumer stack.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 168.6, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming at a smooth 60 FPS?

A: The data shows it can at High settings (71.6 FPS), but it falls short at Ultra (49.6 FPS), indicating that a 60 FPS target at 4K requires dialing back from the highest preset.

Q: How significant is the FPS drop from 1440p to 4K on the High preset?

A: The average FPS drops from 123.6 at 2560x1440 to 71.6 at 3840x2160, which is a substantial 42% reduction, highlighting the heavy load of 4K on the GPU.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the CPU appear to be the main limiting factor?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Low preset, the GPU load is minimal, and the 168.6 FPS ceiling suggests the AMD Ryzen 5 3600's single-thread performance (3dmark single-thread score of 696) is the primary constraint.

Q: How does the Ultra preset at 4K compare to the Medium preset at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset averages 49.6 FPS, which is less than half of the Medium preset's 105 FPS average. This indicates a massive performance cost for the visual improvements in the Ultra preset.

Q: What is the combo's performance rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 255th out of 1727 tested combos in this game, placing it in the top 15% of all systems tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 at rank 255 out of 1727 tested combos for ArcheAge. This is a strong showing, placing it in the top 14.8% of all systems. The ranking is a holistic measure of the system's capability across the tested scenarios. While the CPU is not a top-tier part (its percentile vs all CPUs is 76, and it is within 0.3% of rivals like the Intel Core i5-11400), the GPU's massive performance (91st percentile vs all GPUs) compensates to push the overall ranking high.

However, the rank of 255 also implies that there are 254 other combinations that perform better. This is likely due to the CPU bottleneck identified earlier. Systems pairing the RTX 4090 with a higher-performing CPU, one with better single-threaded performance than the Ryzen 5 3600, would likely achieve higher average FPS at lower resolutions and thus rank higher. The data suggests that while this is a very capable system for ArcheAge, the processor prevents it from being a top-100 contender. The 0.2% deltaPct to the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS shows how closely matched the CPU is to its immediate rivals, meaning the ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's contribution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends on the user's display and performance targets. For a 4K display, the High preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 71.6 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as its 49.6 FPS average is a significant compromise in fluidity for what may be a marginal visual improvement. The Medium preset at 4K offers a high 105 FPS, but High presents a better balance of visual quality and performance.

For 1440p displays, the High preset is again the best choice, offering 123.6 FPS. This is a high-refresh-rate experience that is both smooth and visually appealing. The Ultra preset at 81.9 FPS is also viable for users with 120Hz or 144Hz monitors who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. The Low and Medium presets are less desirable as they do not offer a significant FPS advantage over High (148.5 and 142.8 FPS, respectively) and will have a noticeably worse visual presentation.

At 1080p, the situation is more nuanced. The High preset at 139 FPS is excellent. The Ultra preset at 120 FPS is also very good and would be the recommended choice for users with a 120Hz+ monitor who want the best visual quality. The Low and Medium presets provide higher FPS (168.6 and 164.7), but the visual compromise is not worth the small FPS gain, especially since the CPU is likely the limiting factor in these scenarios anyway. The data suggests High or Ultra at 1080p for the best balance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a complete breakdown of the average FPS for each tested configuration:

• 3840x2160 (4K)
• Low: 115.9 FPS
• Medium: 105 FPS
• High: 71.6 FPS
• Ultra: 49.6 FPS

• 2560x1440 (1440p)
• Low: 148.5 FPS
• Medium: 142.8 FPS
• High: 123.6 FPS
• Ultra: 81.9 FPS

• 1920x1080 (1080p)
• Low: 168.6 FPS
• Medium: 164.7 FPS
• High: 139 FPS
• Ultra: 120 FPS

The data reveals that the RTX 4090 is an incredibly powerful card, but its performance is heavily modulated by the game's settings and resolution. The jump from High to Ultra is consistently the most punishing, with performance dropping by 30-40% across all resolutions. The system's ability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p on High settings makes it a top-tier performer for most users. The 4K Ultra result shows a clear limitation, but it is an extreme scenario that the data suggests is not the intended use case for achieving high refresh rates.