Archeage

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

The Intel Arc B580 brings 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For an MMORPG like Archeage, which launched in 2014, this memory configuration is substantial. The card's boost clock sits at 2670 MHz, identical to its base clock, indicating a stable operating point. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the B580 is built around the Xe2-HPG architecture on a 5 nm process from TSMC.

The data suggests that VRAM capacity is not the limiting factor at any tested resolution. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 20, but this is far more likely a compute-bound scenario than a memory capacity issue. The 12 GB frame buffer exceeds what Archeage requires even at 3840x2160, given the game's age. The real constraint appears to be the GPU's raw throughput — its 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 performance — when pushing high pixel counts with demanding settings.

Interestingly, the B580's memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s is a standout figure. Archeage's open-world environments with many player characters can stress texture streaming, and the available bandwidth likely helps maintain consistent frame pacing in crowded zones. The 2375 MHz memory clock (19 Gbps effective) is well-suited to the game's asset-loading patterns, though the measured frame rates at 4K Ultra suggest that even this bandwidth cannot overcome the shading load.

The GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021, places it in the upper-mid range. Its nearest rivals in aggregate scoring include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (deltaPct -0.2) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (deltaPct 0.6), which contextualizes its position. In Archeage specifically, the B580's performance at 4K High (29 FPS) versus 4K Medium (43 FPS) shows a 14 FPS or roughly 48% improvement when dropping from High to Medium, indicating that the game's higher presets carry a heavy GPU cost.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2797 out of 3708 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the 75th percentile of all tested pairings, meaning roughly a quarter of all CPU-GPU combinations deliver better performance in this specific game. The rank is notably lower than what either component achieves in isolation — the CPU sits at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU at the 68th percentile among all GPUs.

This discrepancy warrants investigation. The combo's rank suggests that Archeage's engine may not scale well with this particular pairing, or that the game's workload characteristics create a bottleneck that neither component fully addresses. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads based on Zen 3 architecture (Cezanne) should be adequate for an MMORPG, but the game's single-threaded tendencies could be limiting. The CPU's single-thread score of 836 in 3dmark and 2319 in Cinebench R23 single-core are modest figures.

Relative to the CPU's nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5500 shows a deltaPct of -0.1 against the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, -0.4 against the Intel Core i5-12500, 0.5 against the Intel Core i7-10700F, and -0.7 against the Intel Core i5-11600KF. These margins are tight, all within roughly one percent, suggesting the CPU choice among these options would not dramatically alter Archeage performance. The GPU's nearest rivals similarly cluster closely: -0.2 against the RX 580 2048SP, 0.6 against the RTX 2080, -0.7 against the RTX 3080, and -1 against the P106-100.

The combo's 2797th rank out of 3708 implies that many combinations with seemingly weaker components perform better in Archeage. This could be due to the game's optimization patterns favoring certain architectures or driver behaviors. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 124 FPS, which is strong, but at 4K Ultra it falls to 20 FPS — a 6.2x reduction. This scaling pattern suggests the system is balanced at lower resolutions but becomes GPU-limited at higher ones, which is expected, yet the absolute 4K numbers are low for a GPU of this class.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Examining the measured FPS rows across all three resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, Medium delivers 111 FPS average with a minimum of 94 and maximum of 127. This is close to the Low preset's 124 FPS average but with presumably better visual fidelity. The gap between Low and Medium at 1080p is only 13 FPS (124 vs 111), which is a modest cost for improved visuals.

At 1440p, Medium yields 75 FPS average with a range of 63 to 86, while Low produces 84 FPS. The 9 FPS difference between Low and Medium at this resolution is still manageable, and 75 FPS is above the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 1440p drops to 51 FPS, which is playable but noticeably less fluid.

At 4K, Medium delivers 43 FPS average with a minimum of 36 and maximum of 49. This is the only 4K preset that maintains a playable frame rate, as High drops to 29 FPS and Ultra falls to 20 FPS. The Low preset at 4K achieves 48 FPS, but the visual sacrifice on a 4K display would likely be significant. Medium at 4K appears to be the sweet spot for this combination.

The Ultra preset is consistently problematic across all resolutions. At 1080p, Ultra yields only 51 FPS — less than half of Medium's 111 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 35 FPS, and at 4K it reaches just 20 FPS. The data indicates that Ultra settings impose a severe performance penalty that is disproportionate to the visual gains, likely due to specific effects or draw distance settings that are expensive in Archeage's engine. For players prioritizing smooth gameplay, Medium at 1080p or 1440p is the recommended starting point, with Medium at 4K being viable for those who accept the lower frame rate.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Archeage?

A: The data shows 1080p Medium delivers 111 FPS average with a minimum of 94 FPS, which is the smoothest experience above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 75 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, still playable. At 4K Medium, the average is 43 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS, which is below ideal smoothness but functional.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to Medium in terms of FPS cost?

A: The Ultra preset is dramatically more expensive. At 1080p, Ultra averages 51 FPS versus Medium's 111 FPS — a 60 FPS or roughly 54% reduction. At 1440p, Ultra averages 35 FPS versus Medium's 75 FPS, a 40 FPS drop. At 4K, Ultra averages 20 FPS versus Medium's 43 FPS, a 23 FPS drop.

Q: Is the B580 GPU or the Ryzen 5 5500 CPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: Based on the measured FPS scaling, the GPU appears to be the primary limiter at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 124 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 48 FPS. The resolution scaling suggests that as pixel count increases, the GPU's shading throughput becomes the constraint. The CPU's single-thread performance is adequate for the game's needs at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS observed across all tested configurations?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 36 FPS, which occurs at 4K Medium settings. The next lowest minimum is 63 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 94 FPS at 1080p Medium. The Low and High presets do not have reported minimum FPS values in the data.

Q: How does this combo's rank in Archeage compare to its component rankings?

A: The combo ranks 2797 out of 3708 tested combinations, which is in the 75th percentile. The CPU ranks in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU ranks in the 68th percentile among all GPUs. The combo's rank is slightly lower than both components' individual percentiles, suggesting the pairing is marginally less effective in Archeage than the components are on average.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and High presets at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset averages 84 FPS while High averages 51 FPS. This is a 33 FPS difference, meaning High delivers roughly 39% lower performance than Low. The Medium preset at 75 FPS sits between these two, closer to Low than to High.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that illuminates the system's bottleneck characteristics. At Medium settings, the average FPS progresses from 111 at 1080p to 75 at 1440p to 43 at 4K. This represents a 32.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 42.7% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total reduction from 1080p to 4K is 61.3%.

At Low settings, the progression is 124 FPS at 1080p, 84 at 1440p, and 48 at 4K. This is a 32.3% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 42.9% drop from 1440p to 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops across presets is notable — it suggests the scaling behavior is largely independent of settings, which points to a fixed bottleneck.

The High preset shows 75 FPS at 1080p, 51 at 1440p, and 29 at 4K, with drops of 32% and 43.1% respectively. Ultra follows a similar pattern: 51 to 35 to 20, with drops of 31.4% and 42.9%. This consistent ~32% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~43% drop from 1440p to 4K across all four presets is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU workload is largely resolution-independent. Instead, the FPS drops in near-perfect proportion to the pixel count increase. The pixel count from 1080p to 1440p increases by 77%, but FPS only drops by 32%, which indicates some inefficiency in scaling — the GPU is not fully utilized at lower resolutions. From 1440p to 4K, the pixel count increases by 125%, and FPS drops by 43%, showing the GPU becomes more fully utilized at higher resolutions.

This scaling pattern suggests that at 1080p, the CPU may be partially limiting performance, preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential. The 124 FPS at 1080p Low is strong but not exceptional for a GPU of this class. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. For players targeting high frame rates, 1080p is the most effective resolution, while 4K is only viable at Medium settings with a 43 FPS average.

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

1920x1080: At Low settings, the average FPS is 124. Medium settings produce an average of 111 FPS, with a minimum of 94 and a maximum of 127. High settings reduce the average to 75 FPS. Ultra settings yield the lowest 1080p result at 51 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 73 FPS, with Ultra delivering only 41.1% of Low's frame rate.

2560x1440: Low settings average 84 FPS. Medium settings average 75 FPS, with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 86. High settings average 51 FPS. Ultra settings average 35 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, with Ultra delivering 41.7% of Low's performance. The Medium preset at 1440p offers the best combination of playability and visual quality, staying above 60 FPS on average.

3840x2160: Low settings average 48 FPS. Medium settings average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 49. High settings average 29 FPS. Ultra settings average 20 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 28 FPS, with Ultra delivering 41.7% of Low's frame rate. Notably, the percentage relationship between Low and Ultra remains remarkably consistent across all three resolutions: 41.1% at 1080p, 41.7% at 1440p, and 41.7% at 4K.

The Medium preset's minimum FPS values are instructive. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 94 FPS, which is well above any stutter threshold. At 1440p Medium, the minimum drops to 63 FPS, still above 60. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 36 FPS, which may be perceptible in busy scenes with many players. The maximum values show headroom: 127 FPS at 1080p, 86 at 1440p, and 49 at 4K.

Across all resolutions, the Low preset provides the highest average FPS but with the least visual fidelity. The Ultra preset consistently delivers about 41-42% of the Low preset's performance, suggesting a fixed performance ratio between these extremes. The Medium preset's FPS values fall closer to Low than to High at all resolutions, indicating that the step from Medium to High carries a disproportionate performance cost.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 provides 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are standard for its class. Its TDP of 65 W and PCIe Gen 3 interface are notable characteristics, with the latter potentially affecting GPU communication in bandwidth-sensitive scenarios.

The CPU's benchmark scores reveal its capabilities. In Cinebench R23, it scores 16429 multi-core and 2319 single-core. The single-core score is particularly relevant for MMORPGs like Archeage, which often have significant single-threaded workloads for game logic and network processing. The 3dmark scores show scaling from 836 single-thread to 5386 at 16 threads, indicating reasonable multi-threading efficiency but with diminishing returns beyond 8 threads.

In the context of Archeage's measured FPS, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions but potentially limiting at 1080p. The 124 FPS at 1080p Low may represent a ceiling imposed by the CPU's single-thread performance. The CPU's passmark single-thread score of 3058 places it in a competent range, but not exceptional for modern standards. Its nearest rivals — the Ryzen AI 5 430, Core i5-12500, Core i7-10700F, and Core i5-11600KF — all show aggregate scores within 0.7% of the 5500, indicating that CPU choice among these options would have minimal impact on performance.

The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests it is a solid mid-range processor, but its single-thread performance — as evidenced by the 836 3dmark single-thread score and 233 Cinebench R15 single-core score — may be the limiting factor in Archeage's less optimized moments. In crowded cities or large-scale PvP battles, the game's CPU workload can spike, and the 5500's 6 cores provide sufficient parallel capability, but the per-core performance could be a constraint.

The fact that the combo ranks 2797th out of 3708 in Archeage, lower than either component's individual percentile, suggests that the pairing may not be optimal for this specific game. The GPU's 68th percentile and CPU's 73rd percentile would normally suggest a combo in the 70th percentile range, but the actual ranking is 75th percentile (2797/3708 = 75.4%). This indicates that other combinations with similar components achieve better results in Archeage, possibly due to driver optimizations or architectural synergies that this particular pairing lacks.