Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting test case for modern flagship hardware. The combination of AMD's Ryzen 5 7400F processor and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card produces a wide spectrum of performance across resolutions and settings, revealing a title where the CPU often plays a more significant role than the GPU. The data indicates that while the RTX 5090 is a formidable piece of silicon, the overall experience in Archeage is heavily modulated by the processor's capabilities and the game's own engine limitations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show that Archeage's performance scales in a non-linear fashion as resolution increases, pointing to a complex interplay between the CPU and GPU. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 235 FPS, but this drops to 183 FPS at 1440p and further to 105 FPS at 4K. This represents a 22% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 43% reduction from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take on more load as the pixel count increases, but the CPU is still a limiting factor at the lower resolution.

The pattern is more pronounced at Low settings. Here, the system hits 245 FPS at 1080p, 205 FPS at 1440p, and 117 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is only 16%, suggesting that at these lower graphical loads, the Ryzen 5 7400F is the primary bottleneck, preventing the RTX 5090 from stretching its legs. The larger 43% drop from 1440p to 4K shows the GPU finally becoming more relevant, yet the absolute numbers remain high, underscoring that even a top-tier GPU is not fully utilized in this older title.

High settings tell a similar story with a steeper initial curve. The system produces 184 FPS at 1080p, 124 FPS at 1440p, and 71 FPS at 4K. The 33% hit from 1080p to 1440p is significant, and the subsequent 43% decline to 4K is consistent. This suggests that at High settings, the graphical load is sufficient to start engaging the RTX 5090 more seriously, but the CPU's single-thread performance is still capping potential frame rates at the lower resolutions.

The Ultra preset is where the GPU's limitations in this specific title become starkly apparent. The system manages 126 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and a mere 48 FPS at 4K. The scaling here is brutal, with a 33% drop to 1440p and a 43% drop to 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS is the only sub-60 FPS average recorded in the entire dataset, indicating that the combination of 4K resolution and the game's Ultra settings creates a workload that overwhelms even the RTX 5090's capabilities in Archeage, likely due to the engine's poor optimization for modern hardware.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. It features a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications are relevant because Archeage, like many MMORPGs, is known to be sensitive to single-core performance. The data supports this, as the frame rates at 1080p, regardless of settings, are exceptionally high, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to achieve 184 FPS or more on all presets except Ultra.

The processor's benchmark scores highlight its strengths. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072. Its Passmark multithread score is 25645, and its single-thread score is 3689. These figures place it in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32750. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, with performance deltas of 0.1% and -0.2%, respectively, showing that the 7400F is well within the normal range for a modern mid-range processor.

The fact that the RTX 5090, with its 21,760 shading units and 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, cannot push past 245 FPS at 1080p Low settings points directly to the CPU as the limiting component. The GPU's immense power is being held back by the processor's ability to issue draw calls and manage game logic. This is a classic CPU-bound scenario. Even at 4K, the gap between Low (117 FPS) and Ultra (48 FPS) is substantial, showing that while the GPU is more engaged, the CPU's performance ceiling still defines the upper boundary of playability.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 245 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: Yes, at 4K with Low, Medium, and High settings, the average frame rates are 117, 105, and 71 FPS, respectively. However, at 4K with Ultra settings, the average drops to 48 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 7400F compare to its closest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32750. It is effectively tied with the Intel Core i5-14600T, which scores 32707 and has a delta of 0.1%. It is also 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, which scores 32812.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 the primary bottleneck at 1080p resolution?

A: No, the data suggests the opposite. At 1080p, frame rates are exceptionally high (184 FPS at High, 245 FPS at Low), which indicates that the CPU's performance is the limiting factor, not the GPU.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset yields an average of 205 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 85 FPS. This is a 120 FPS difference, demonstrating the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

Q: What is the combined rank of this system among all tested combos for Archeage?

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 88th out of 2761 tested combos for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all 2761 tested system combinations for Archeage, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds the 88th position. This ranking places it in the top 3.2% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a very high-performing combination overall. Given the age of the game, this result is expected, as modern high-end components can produce massive frame rates, and the ranking is likely dominated by systems with even more powerful processors that can better feed the GPU.

However, the ranking also reflects the CPU's influence. While the RTX 5090 is a top-tier card, its performance in this title is heavily dependent on the processor. The 88th rank suggests there are 87 other system configurations that achieve higher average frame rates. These could include combinations with CPUs that have higher single-thread performance or more cores that are better utilized by the game's engine. The data implies that while this is a powerful setup, it is not the absolute best for Archeage, likely due to the CPU bottleneck observed at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering 184 FPS. This is well above the refresh rate of most high-end monitors and ensures smooth gameplay. While the Low preset achieves 245 FPS and Medium achieves 235 FPS, the visual fidelity gains from High are substantial and the frame rate remains exceptionally high. The Ultra preset at 1080p still provides 126 FPS, which is also a strong option for those prioritizing image quality, but the 46% drop from High makes it less appealing from a performance-per-visual standpoint.

At 1440p, the High preset is again the recommended choice, producing an average of 124 FPS. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Medium preset offers 183 FPS, which is better for competitive play, but the visual trade-off from High is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 85 FPS is still playable, but it represents a 31% reduction from High, making High the better balance of quality and speed. The Low preset's 205 FPS is only useful for maximizing frame rates at the expense of visuals.

For 4K gaming, the High preset yields 71 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for very fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 105 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a high frame rate. The Low preset at 117 FPS is the best for pure performance, but it may look too sparse for some players. The Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is likely to feel less fluid. Therefore, Medium is the best overall choice for 4K, with High being a viable alternative for those who prefer better visuals over a higher frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates for this system configuration.

1920x1080

• Low: 245 FPS
• Medium: 235 FPS (minimum 200 FPS, maximum 270 FPS)
• High: 184 FPS
• Ultra: 126 FPS

2560x1440

• Low: 205 FPS
• Medium: 183 FPS (minimum 155 FPS, maximum 210 FPS)
• High: 124 FPS
• Ultra: 85 FPS

3840x2160

• Low: 117 FPS
• Medium: 105 FPS (minimum 89 FPS, maximum 120 FPS)
• High: 71 FPS
• Ultra: 48 FPS

The data shows a clear hierarchy across all resolutions, with Low settings providing the highest frame rates and Ultra the lowest. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a range of 200-270 at 1080p, 155-210 at 1440p, and 89-120 at 4K. This suggests that Medium is the most stable preset in terms of frame pacing, with the minimum FPS remaining above 60 at 1440p and 4K. The absence of min/max data for other presets limits the analysis of frame time consistency, but the average values provide a solid basis for understanding the performance ceiling of this combination.