Archeage

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a fascinating set of results in Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG. The data reveals a system where a modern, massive GPU is often held in check by a mid-range 2019 processor, yet still delivers high frame rates across most settings. This analysis examines the measured FPS data for this specific combination, interpreting what the numbers say about the roles of the GPU and CPU, how the combo ranks against others, and which settings offer the best experience.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a formidable piece of hardware on paper, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. Its specifications are extreme: a boost clock of 2407 MHz, a massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, and a staggering 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. With 21760 shading units and 680 texture mapping units, its theoretical peak is 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The data shows it occupies the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, though its average benchmark score of 77712 places it within 2.4% of rivals like the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB.

In Archeage, the GPU's role is primarily to render the game world, and its massive memory pool is almost certainly not a bottleneck. The game, from 2014, is unlikely to exceed even a fraction of the 32 GB VRAM available. This leaves the GPU with ample resources for texture streaming and draw calls. The benchmark results support this, showing that the GPU is capable of high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 170 FPS, and at 4K with Low settings, it still manages 124 FPS. This suggests the RTX 5090 D is not being fully utilized at lower resolutions and settings, where the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The GPU's strength is more apparent at higher resolutions and settings, where the rendering load increases. For instance, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 52, a clear sign that the GPU is finally being pushed, but the sheer complexity of an MMORPG scene with many characters and effects at 4K Ultra proves to be a heavy burden even for this card.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance scaling as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 170 FPS at 1080p to 149 FPS at 1440p, and then to 124 FPS at 4K. This is a drop of 21 FPS from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 25 FPS from 1440p to 4K. This scaling is relatively mild, indicating that at Low settings, the system is not purely GPU-bound even at 4K. The CPU is likely still a significant contributor to the frame time, preventing the FPS from scaling more dramatically with resolution.

The pattern changes at higher settings. At High settings, the average FPS is 141 at 1080p, 124 at 1440p, and 76 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a significant 48 FPS, which is a 38.7% reduction. Similarly, at Medium settings, the FPS goes from 164 at 1080p to 143 at 1440p, and then to 112 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings is 31 FPS, a 21.7% reduction. This steeper decline between 1440p and 4K at higher settings indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as the rendering resolution and fidelity increase. The data implies that at 1080p and 1440p, especially on Low or Medium settings, the Ryzen 5 3600 holds the system back. In contrast, at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the RTX 5090 D's workload becomes substantial enough to make the system more GPU-limited.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. It has 32 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 15045 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2124 in single-core, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 17035 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-11400, which is only 0.2% behind.

In Archeage, the CPU's role is critical for handling game logic, physics, and the many entities in an MMORPG world. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 3600 is a limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the FPS of 170 is high, but the difference between 1080p Low (170 FPS) and 1440p Low (149 FPS) is only 21 FPS. This relatively small drop when resolution increases by 78% suggests that the CPU is already near its limit at 1080p, preventing the GPU from pushing much higher. The single-threaded performance, which is crucial for MMOs, is moderate; a score of 2124 in Cinebench R23 single-core is decent but not exceptional. This likely means that in busy scenes with many players or NPCs, the CPU can become a bottleneck, capping the frame rate despite the GPU's immense power. The 12 threads are likely more than enough for Archeage, but the per-core performance of the 3600 is what holds the combo back from exceeding the 170 FPS mark seen at 1080p Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 170 FPS average
• Medium: 164 FPS average, with a minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 188 FPS
• High: 141 FPS average
• Ultra: 122 FPS average

At 1080p, the frame rates are consistently high. The difference between Low and Ultra is 48 FPS, showing that settings have a substantial impact in this resolution range. The fact that even at Ultra the game stays above 120 FPS average indicates a solid experience, though the CPU is likely preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 149 FPS average
• Medium: 143 FPS average, with a minimum of 122 FPS and a maximum of 165 FPS
• High: 124 FPS average
• Ultra: 90 FPS average

At 1440p, the trend continues. Low and Medium settings both average above 140 FPS, which is excellent. High settings still deliver a smooth 124 FPS. The drop to 90 FPS at Ultra is notable, representing a 27.4% decrease from High, as the GPU begins to work harder with more demanding effects and shadows.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 124 FPS average
• Medium: 112 FPS average, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS
• High: 76 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

At 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. Low and Medium settings remain very playable, with averages above 110 FPS. High settings are still acceptable at 76 FPS, but Ultra settings drop to 52 FPS, which is a significant performance hit. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 36 FPS, a 32% reduction, highlighting the increased GPU load from higher quality textures and effects.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 340th out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage. This puts it in the top 12.3% of all combinations, which is a strong showing. However, the ranking also reveals the bottleneck. The RTX 5090 D is an exceptionally powerful GPU, and the fact that this combo doesn't rank higher suggests that the Ryzen 5 3600 is holding it back. The top 339 combos likely feature faster, more modern CPUs that can feed the GPU more effectively, especially at lower resolutions.

This rank of 340 confirms the GPU's raw power, which can push high frame rates even with a modest CPU. The data shows that at 1440p and 4K, the combo still performs admirably, but it is not reaching the heights that the GPU alone could achieve. The ranking indicates that while this is a high-performing combination, it is not an optimal pairing. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking, compared to the GPU's 92nd percentile, further confirms this imbalance. The system is leaving performance on the table, particularly in scenarios where the CPU is the limiting factor, such as 1080p gaming or in CPU-intensive MMO situations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Archeage with this combo for a high refresh rate experience?

A: At 1440p, the combo averages 149 FPS on Low settings and 143 FPS on Medium, which is ideal for a 144Hz monitor. Even at 4K, the average FPS is 124 on Low settings, making it a viable option for a 120Hz display.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra, as the average FPS drops to 52. This is a significant decrease from the 76 FPS at 4K High, indicating the GPU struggles with the highest fidelity settings at this resolution.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1260P and the AMD EPYC 7742, and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-11400 and the AMD EPYC 7573X, showing it is virtually tied with these processors.

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

A: At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 170 on Low to 122 on Ultra, a difference of 48 FPS. This shows that even at a lower resolution, the game's settings have a considerable impact on performance.

Q: Can this combo maintain a stable 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, at 4K with Medium settings, the combo averages 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS, ensuring a stable experience above 60 FPS. Even at 4K High, the average is 76 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top 10% of all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 340th out of 2761 combos, which places it in the top 12.3% of tested systems. While not in the top 10%, it is still a high-ranking performance combination.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for the best experience across different resolutions.

For 1080p gaming, the High settings at 141 FPS average offers a great balance of visual fidelity and performance, ensuring a smooth experience on most high-refresh monitors. For those with 144Hz or higher displays, Low or Medium settings are recommended, as they push the average FPS to 170 and 164 respectively, with Medium also showing a minimum of 139 FPS.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the standout choice. It delivers an average of 143 FPS with a minimum of 122 FPS, which is an excellent combination for competitive and immersive play. The High setting is also viable for a more visually rich experience at 124 FPS average. For maximum visual quality, Ultra still provides a playable 90 FPS average.

For 4K resolution, the Medium preset is the clear winner for a high-performance experience. It averages 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth for 4K gaming. The High preset is a good compromise for better visuals at 76 FPS average, but the drop in performance is noticeable. The Ultra preset, at 52 FPS average, is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, as it dips below 60 FPS territory.

In summary, the Medium preset offers the best overall experience across all three resolutions, providing a significant boost in frame rate over High and Ultra while still maintaining a higher visual quality than Low. The only exception is at 1080p, where High is a better balance if you don't need the absolute highest frame rates. For pure performance, Low is the fastest, but Medium is the optimal point where the performance gain over Low is minimal and the visual improvement is substantial.