Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, exhibits a performance profile that is heavily dictated by both resolution and the graphics preset selected. The measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination reveals a wide spectrum of frame rates, from highly playable at 1080p to challenging at 4K. The benchmark results indicate a system that scales predictably with graphical load, but whose ultimate ceiling is constrained by the engine and the demands of the Ultra preset.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a dramatic shift in average frame rates, with the magnitude of the drop varying significantly based on the chosen settings. At the Low preset, the average FPS declines from 174.2 at 1080p to 117.3 at 1440p, and finally to 69.1 at 4K. This represents a substantial drop of 60.4% from 1080p to 4K. The Medium preset follows a similar trajectory, starting at 156.1 FPS at 1080p, falling to 102.5 FPS at 1440p, and settling at 59.7 FPS at 4K, a 61.8% reduction.

The High preset shows a more pronounced scaling effect. At 1080p, the system achieves 107.2 FPS, which drops to 71.7 FPS at 1440p and then to 41.4 FPS at 4K. The percentage loss from 1080p to 4K here is 61.4%. The Ultra preset, however, presents a starkly different picture. It begins at a relatively lower 72.3 FPS at 1080p, falls to 46.6 FPS at 1440p, and plummets to 26.2 FPS at 4K. This is a 63.8% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K.

The data suggests that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the FPS cost of increasing pixel count is severe across all presets. The frame rate drop is not linear; the gap between 1080p and 1440p is often larger than the gap between 1440p and 4K in absolute terms, but the relative percentage loss is consistent. This indicates a GPU-bound scenario at 4K, where the pixel throughput demands overwhelm the graphics card's capabilities, especially with the more demanding High and Ultra presets.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 provides the processing foundation for this configuration. It is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In the context of Archeage, an older MMORPG, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-threaded prowess and more about maintaining consistent frame pacing. The processor's passmark single-thread score of 3058 and 3dmark single-thread score of 836 indicate competent per-core performance.

The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. For instance, at 1080p with the Low preset, the system reaches 174.2 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the Ryzen 5 5500's single-thread performance is sufficient to feed the GPU at lower graphical loads. The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth are adequate for the game's demands. However, the CPU's overall average benchmark score of 20875 places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a capable mid-range part but not a top-tier performer.

The data shows a clear separation between CPU and GPU limits. At 1080p Low, the system is likely CPU-bound in certain scenes, but the frame rates are so high that it is a non-issue. As resolution increases, the load shifts entirely to the GPU. The consistent FPS drops across all presets when moving to 1440p and 4K confirm that the Radeon RX 7700 XT's rendering capabilities, not the CPU's calculations, are the deciding factor in these higher-resolution configurations. The Ryzen 5 5500's 12 threads are more than enough for an MMORPG from this era.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this CPU and GPU combination?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 174.2 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to the High preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 71.7 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops significantly to an average of 46.6 FPS, a difference of 25.1 FPS.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the system fail to maintain a 60 FPS average?

A: The system falls below 60 FPS at 3840x2160 on the Medium preset (59.7 FPS), the High preset (41.4 FPS), and the Ultra preset (26.2 FPS). At 2560x1440, it also drops below 60 FPS on the Ultra preset (46.6 FPS).

Q: Is the Radeon RX 7700 XT more powerful than its nearest rival?

A: The average benchmark score for the Radeon RX 7700 XT is 30097, while its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, has an average score of 30109, showing a delta of 0%. The AMD Radeon RX 570 has an average score of 30158, which is 0.2% higher.

Q: How much faster is the CPU compared to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 20875. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, scores 20897, which is 0.1% higher. The CPU is effectively tied with its closest competitors.

Q: What is the performance hit of enabling Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 174.2 FPS, but the Ultra preset reduces the average frame rate to 72.3 FPS. This represents a performance reduction of 101.9 FPS, or roughly a 58.5% drop in average performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its peak performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 174.2 FPS, making it the fastest configuration tested. The Medium preset follows closely with an average of 156.1 FPS, still providing an exceptionally smooth experience. The High preset drops to 107.2 FPS, which remains highly playable for an MMORPG. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 72.3 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, but the data shows a significant cost for the highest visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates begin to compress. The Low preset still leads with an average of 117.3 FPS, which is an excellent result for this resolution. The Medium preset provides a robust 102.5 FPS average. The High preset falls to 71.7 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset, however, drops to a less desirable 46.6 FPS, indicating that this combination of settings and resolution is not ideal for consistent smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset is the only one to provide a comfortable experience, with an average of 69.1 FPS. The Medium preset yields 59.7 FPS, which is marginally below the 60 FPS target. The High preset drops to 41.4 FPS, and the Ultra preset becomes nearly unplayable at 26.2 FPS. The data shows a clear hierarchy where 4K gaming is only feasible with the Low preset for this hardware configuration.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the decisive component in this system's gaming performance. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it provides a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1435 MHz and a boost clock of 2544 MHz, with a game clock rated at 2171 MHz. The card's benchmark scores, such as a passmark_g3d score of 22547 and a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3316, position it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution scales. The measured FPS data shows that the difference between the Low and Ultra presets grows with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 101.9 FPS. At 1440p, this difference grows to 70.7 FPS. At 4K, the gap narrows to 42.9 FPS, but this is because the GPU is so overwhelmed that even the Low preset cannot maintain high frame rates. The GPU's performance is the primary driver of the frame rates at 1440p and 4K, while at 1080p it has enough headroom to allow the CPU to push higher frame rates on lower presets.

The Radeon RX 7700 XT's 35.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial, but Archeage's engine appears to be sensitive to the demands of the Ultra preset. The data suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive for the GPU, as the frame rate drops by nearly half when moving from High to Ultra at the same resolution. This is not a CPU limitation; it is a pure GPU rendering load issue.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended configuration. The data shows an average of 71.7 FPS, which provides a smooth and responsive experience for an MMORPG. This preset offers significantly better visual fidelity than Medium or Low while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the sweet spot for this hardware.

If a higher frame rate is the priority, the High preset at 1920x1080 is an excellent choice, delivering 107.2 FPS. This configuration ensures maximum smoothness and is ideal for competitive or fast-paced gameplay. For users with a 4K display, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 69.1 FPS. While visual quality is reduced, the frame rate is still playable, and it is the only way to utilize the full resolution of a 4K monitor.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for this combination, as it fails to maintain 60 FPS at any resolution, dropping to 26.2 FPS at 4K and 46.6 FPS at 1440p. The performance cost is too high relative to the visual improvements. The Medium preset is a fallback option for 4K users who find Low too sparse, but the 59.7 FPS average is borderline. Ultimately, the data indicates that the High preset at 1440p is the optimal point, balancing image quality and frame rate for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT.