Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting benchmark scenario for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by both CPU and GPU capabilities depending on the resolution and settings chosen. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, operates at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, built on the Zen 3 architecture. This CPU configuration, combined with the RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, produces a wide range of frame rates from a highly playable 195 FPS at 1080p Low to a demanding 37 FPS at 4K Ultra, clearly demonstrating where the system's strengths and bottlenecks lie.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. It features a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a significant asset for gaming workloads. In the context of Archeage, an MMORPG known for complex player interactions and world states, this large cache can be particularly beneficial for handling the game's logic and reducing memory latency. The CPU's performance is reflected in its PassMark benchmarks, scoring 20363 in multithreaded tests and 2941 in single-thread tests. These scores place the CPU in the 85th percentile among all tested CPUs, indicating strong overall performance.

When examining the CPU's role in the measured FPS, the data suggests that at lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 195 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it reaches 187 FPS. These high frame rates indicate that the CPU is not the primary limiter at these settings, allowing the GPU to render frames as fast as it can. However, the picture changes when looking at the CPU's nearest rivals. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (score 36945) and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (score 36938). It is also 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (score 37093) and 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-12900T (score 37112). These are very tight margins, suggesting that the 5500X3D is competitive with these other processors, but its performance in Archeage will likely be comparable to them.

The relationship between the CPU's capabilities and the game's results becomes clearer when considering the settings. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 37 FPS, a massive reduction from the 1080p Low figure. While the GPU is certainly burdened at 4K, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads may also struggle to process the increased number of draw calls and game logic required at the highest settings and resolution, contributing to the low frame rate. The data implies that while the 5500X3D is a strong gaming CPU, it is not a limitless resource, and the most demanding configurations can expose its limits. The presence of a 96 MB L3 cache likely helps, but the core count remains a factor in this scenario.

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

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display resolution and preference for frame rate vs. visual fidelity. The data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 195, with Medium following closely at 187 FPS. High drops to 142 FPS, and Ultra is significantly lower at 97 FPS. For players with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, either Low or Medium would be the best choice to maximize smoothness. The Medium preset provides a better visual experience than Low while still delivering an average of 187 FPS, making it the recommended choice for most users at this resolution.

At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 158 FPS, which is still very high. Medium follows at 140 FPS, and High at 95 FPS. Ultra drops to 65 FPS. For a balanced experience at 1440p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, offering nearly 100 FPS more than Ultra and a significant improvement over High. The 140 FPS average is well-suited for most gaming monitors, and the jump from 158 FPS on Low to 140 FPS on Medium is a good trade-off for improved visuals.

At 4K, the situation changes drastically. The Low preset is the only one that provides a comfortable frame rate, with an average of 90 FPS. Medium drops to 80 FPS, High to 55 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 37 FPS. For 4K gaming, the data strongly suggests that the Low preset is the best option for a playable experience, as it is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS. Medium could be considered for users who prioritize visuals, but the 80 FPS average is less stable. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as the 37 FPS average is too low for smooth gameplay in an MMORPG, which often requires quick reactions. The data indicates that this system is best used at 1080p or 1440p with Medium or High settings, rather than pushing for 4K Ultra.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals the shifting balance between CPU and GPU load. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 142 at 1080p to 95 at 1440p, a 33% decrease, and then to 55 at 4K, a further 42% decrease. This pattern suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as resolution increases, as the higher pixel count demands more from the graphics card. The RTX 4070 SUPER, with its 12 GB of memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, is a strong GPU, but it is clearly challenged at 4K with High settings.

The scaling at Low settings is even more revealing. The average FPS drops from 195 at 1080p to 158 at 1440p, a 19% decrease, and then to 90 at 4K, a 43% decrease. The relatively smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p (19%) compared to the drop from 1440p to 4K (43%) indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is likely the bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p. The CPU is able to feed the GPU frames fast enough at these resolutions, but the GPU becomes more stressed at 4K, leading to the larger frame rate drop.

At Medium settings, the 1080p to 1440p drop is from 187 to 140 FPS (25% decrease), and the 1440p to 4K drop is from 140 to 80 FPS (43% decrease). This consistent pattern across all settings, where the 4K drop is the most severe, points to the GPU being the main limiting component at 4K. The CPU, while important, does not show the same degree of scaling issues. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is powerful enough to handle the game's logic at 1080p and 1440p, but the RTX 4070 SUPER's performance at 4K is the deciding factor. The 12 GB of VRAM might also be a factor at 4K, as higher resolutions require more video memory for textures and frame buffers.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 549th out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the top 20% of all systems tested, indicating strong overall performance. The rank is a holistic measure that considers all the measured FPS data points across resolutions and settings, providing a single number to compare against other builds. Being in the 549th position suggests that while this is a high-performing combo, there are many other systems that achieve higher frame rates in this specific game.

This rank is influenced by the system's performance at all settings, including the low 37 FPS result at 4K Ultra. The combo's strong performance at lower resolutions and settings, such as the 195 FPS at 1080p Low, helps to boost its overall rank. However, the 4K Ultra result likely drags the rank down compared to combos with more powerful GPUs. The rank of 549 out of 2761 confirms the balance of the system, but it also highlights that the RTX 4070 SUPER is not an absolute top-tier card for 4K gaming. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p or 1440p, where it can deliver very high frame rates, rather than for 4K gaming at maximum settings.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it has 7168 shading units. These specifications make it a very capable 1440p and entry-level 4K GPU. In the benchmark data, its PassMark G3D score is 29995, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, which has an average score of 43262 (-0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile, with a score of 43268 (-0.1% delta). The RTX 4070 SUPER's average benchmark score is 43223, which is 1% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (score 43667).

The GPU's role in the measured FPS is evident in the resolution scaling. At 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as evidenced by the significant FPS drop when moving from 1440p to 4K. For example, at High settings, the FPS drops from 95 at 1440p to 55 at 4K. This is a 42% decrease, which is more than the 33% decrease seen from 1080p to 1440p. This indicates that the GPU's rendering capabilities are being saturated at 4K. The 12 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for most games at 4K, but it may be a limiting factor in some titles with very high-resolution textures.

The GPU's performance at 1080p and 1440p is excellent, as shown by the high frame rates. At 1080p High, it achieves 142 FPS, and at 1440p High, it achieves 95 FPS. This shows that the GPU is not the limiting factor at these resolutions, and the CPU can keep up. The data implies that the RTX 4070 SUPER is a well-balanced card for this game at 1080p and 1440p, but its performance at 4K Ultra is not ideal for a smooth experience. The 37 FPS at 4K Ultra is a clear indicator that the GPU is struggling with the most demanding settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's performance across all combinations.

1080p:

• Low: The average FPS is 195. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo.
• Medium: The average FPS is 187, with a minimum of 159 and a maximum of 215. This shows a solid, stable performance.
• High: The average FPS is 142. This is a significant drop from Medium but still very playable.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 97. This is a playable frame rate but less smooth than the lower presets.

1440p:

• Low: The average FPS is 158. This is a very high frame rate for 1440p.
• Medium: The average FPS is 140, with a minimum of 119 and a maximum of 162. This is a good balance of visuals and performance.
• High: The average FPS is 95. This is a solid frame rate for 1440p High settings.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 65. This is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action.

4K:

• Low: The average FPS is 90. This is the only 4K preset that provides a consistently smooth experience.
• Medium: The average FPS is 80, with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92. This is slightly less stable than Low.
• High: The average FPS is 55. This is below the ideal 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 37. This is not recommended for a playable experience.

This breakdown shows that the system is most comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, where it can achieve high frame rates across all settings. The 4K results are less impressive, with only the Low preset reaching a smooth 90 FPS average.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for a smooth 60+ FPS experience?

A: Based on the data, 1440p with Ultra settings achieves an average of 65 FPS, which is above 60. For a more comfortable margin, 1440p High (95 FPS) or 1080p Ultra (97 FPS) are also excellent choices. At 4K, only the Low preset (90 FPS) reliably stays above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500X3D compare to its nearest rival, the Ryzen 5 5600F?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 5 5600F's score of 36945. This indicates a very slight performance advantage for the 5500X3D in general benchmarks.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of VRAM sufficient for Archeage at 4K?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, with frame rates dropping significantly from 1440p. While the 12 GB of VRAM is not explicitly measured in the FPS data, the performance at 4K Ultra (37 FPS) suggests that the GPU's overall capabilities are being stressed, which includes its memory.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Medium preset achieves an average of 140 FPS, while High achieves 95 FPS. This is a difference of 45 FPS, indicating that the jump to High settings has a significant performance cost.

Q: How does this system rank overall among all tested combos in Archeage?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 549th out of 2761 tested combos, placing it in the top 20% of all systems tested.

Q: At 1080p, which settings preset provides the highest minimum FPS?

A: The Medium preset has a recorded minimum FPS of 159. The other presets do not have a recorded minimum FPS in the data, so Medium is the only one with a confirmed minimum, which is still very high.