Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting case study for modern high-end hardware. The pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a wide range of frame rates that are heavily dependent on both resolution and quality settings. The measured data shows that this combination is capable of exceptional performance at 1080p but encounters significant bottlenecks as resolution scales up, revealing different limiting factors within the CPU and GPU.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It features a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which are critical for a game like Archeage that often relies on single-threaded performance for game logic and network handling. The CPU's benchmark results support this focus: its 3dmark_single_thread score is 1253, and its passmark_single_thread score is 4570, indicating strong per-core performance. This strength is evident in the game's 1080p results, where the CPU is less likely to be the primary constraint.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 304 FPS, and with Medium settings, it reaches 289 FPS. These high frame rates suggest the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain very high output. The L3 cache is 32 MB (shared), which helps with data locality for game assets. The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus is 81, placing it in the top fifth of all CPUs tested. Its average benchmark score is 29713, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE (avgScore 29656, deltaPct 0.2) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (avgScore 29868, deltaPct -0.5). This indicates that while the 9600X is a powerful chip, its computational throughput is in the same league as several other processors, meaning the CPU is not uniquely positioned in terms of raw compute.

However, the data implies that the CPU's role becomes more complex at higher resolutions. While the 9600X is a strong performer, its 6-core/12-thread configuration might become a limiting factor in scenarios with many players or complex calculations, even if the average benchmark scores are competitive. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 7585 and the cinebench_r23_multicore score of 17528.5 show solid multi-threaded capability, but Archeage's engine may not scale perfectly with more threads. The data shows a clear performance cliff when moving from Medium to Ultra settings at 1080p (289 FPS to 134 FPS), which suggests a massive increase in GPU workload rather than a CPU limitation, as the frame rate is still very high. The CPU's role appears to be to provide a stable, high-frequency foundation, which it does admirably, but it is the GPU that dictates the most significant swings in performance based on settings.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a behemoth of a graphics card. It features a massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. This immense memory capacity and bandwidth are overkill for a game from 2014, but they ensure that texture streaming and high-resolution rendering are never constrained by VRAM. The GPU's benchmark scores are equally impressive, with a passmark_g3d score of 44065 and a 3dmark_3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 14326. Its percentileVsAllGpus is 92, indicating it outperforms 92% of all GPUs in the database.

The GPU's role is most clearly defined by the frame rates at higher resolutions. At 4K (3840x2160), the card handles the workload with ease, but the performance scaling shows the GPU's power is being taxed. The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences between settings. The average FPS at 4K ranges from 125 on Low to 52 on Ultra. This is a stark contrast to the 1080p results, where the frame rate is more consistently high. The GPU's massive compute resources (104.8 TFLOPS FP32) are being utilized, but the engine's optimization for a 2014 title likely prevents it from achieving the same scaling as more modern games.

Interestingly, the GPU's nearest rivals in the database are not what one might expect. The nearestRivals list includes the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (avgScore 76904, deltaPct 1.1) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (avgScore 78940, deltaPct -1.6). This is a peculiarity of the benchmark database, as the RTX 5090 D's average score is 77712, which is very close to these mobile GPUs. This does not reflect real-world gaming performance, but it does show that the synthetic benchmark averages can be misleading. In Archeage, the RTX 5090 D's raw power is evident, but the game's engine is the limiting factor for scaling. The 32 GB VRAM is a non-issue; the card will never be VRAM-limited in this title. The GPU's role is to provide the raw horsepower to push high frame rates, and it does so, but the game's age means that the benefits of the card's advanced features are not fully realized.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Archeage?

A: The highest average frame rate measured is 304 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average frame rate of 52 FPS. This is a significant drop from the 125 FPS seen at 4K Low settings.

Q: Is there a large performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the data shows a notable difference. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers an average of 195 FPS, while the High preset delivers 132 FPS. This indicates a substantial increase in GPU workload when moving from Medium to High.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU appear to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the frame rates are very high across all settings (134-304 FPS), suggesting that neither component is a severe bottleneck. However, the drop from 289 FPS on Medium to 134 FPS on Ultra suggests the GPU is being tasked much more heavily, indicating it is the primary driver of performance differences at this resolution.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested hardware combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 10th out of 2761 tested combinations for Archeage, placing it in the top 0.4% of all tested systems.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to the 4K Ultra preset?

A: The 1080p Low preset achieves an average of 304 FPS, while the 4K Ultra preset achieves 52 FPS. This means the 1080p Low preset is approximately 5.8 times faster than the 4K Ultra preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. The data shows a clear pattern: the game is highly scalable, but the cost of Ultra settings is steep.

For users with a 1080p display, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 289 FPS, which is only 15 FPS less than the Low preset (304 FPS) but provides significantly better visual quality. The High preset at 197 FPS is also viable for 144Hz displays, but the jump from Medium to High costs 92 FPS, which is a substantial performance hit for what may be a marginal visual improvement in a 2014 title. The Ultra preset at 134 FPS is still playable on a high-refresh monitor, but it represents a 53.6% reduction in performance compared to Medium.

At 1440p, the Medium preset again offers the best balance. It achieves 195 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh gaming. The High preset at 132 FPS is also a strong option, but the 32% performance drop from Medium to High may not be justified. The Low preset at 219 FPS is the fastest, but it is likely unplayable in terms of visual quality for most users. The Ultra preset at 90 FPS is a significant downgrade and is not recommended for competitive play, but it is still a smooth experience for casual play.

At 4K, the situation is more complex. The High preset at 76 FPS is the only option that approaches the 60 FPS threshold comfortably, and it is the recommended choice for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 112 FPS is also excellent, but the visual difference between Medium and High in an older MMORPG may be minimal. The Low preset at 125 FPS is the fastest but will look dated. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS is not recommended, as it dips below the 60 FPS target and does not provide a consistently smooth experience. Therefore, for 4K users, the Medium preset provides the best combination of visual fidelity and high frame rate, while the High preset is the best choice for those prioritizing visual quality over maximum FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 10th out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage. This is an exceptional ranking, placing it in the top 0.4% of all configurations tested. The data indicates that this is a top-tier setup for this game, despite the game's age. The high rank is likely driven by the RTX 5090 D's immense rasterization power, which is the primary driver of frame rates in this title, especially at higher resolutions.

However, the ranking also highlights that there are 9 other combinations that perform better. While the specific components of those higher-ranked combos are not listed, it is reasonable to infer that they might include CPUs with higher multi-threaded performance or more cache, which could help in MMO environments with many players. The 9600X's performance is strong, but its 6-core/12-thread configuration might not be the absolute best for Archeage's potentially CPU-bound scenarios in large-scale battles. The data shows that the combo is in the 99.6th percentile of performance, which confirms its overall capability. This rank suggests that the system is overkill for most games, but it is still not the absolute pinnacle of performance for this specific title, leaving a small margin for improvement with even more powerful components.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates reveal a detailed picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers average frame rates of 304 FPS on Low, 289 FPS on Medium (with a min of 246 and max of 333), 197 FPS on High, and 134 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show that the system is heavily GPU-limited at this resolution, as the CPU is able to maintain very high frame rates even with the most demanding settings.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are 219 FPS on Low, 195 FPS on Medium (with a min of 166 and max of 224), 132 FPS on High, and 90 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a significant performance drop across all settings, with the Low preset dropping by 28%, Medium by 32.5%, High by 33%, and Ultra by 32.8%. This consistent drop indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the workload scales predictably with resolution.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 125 FPS on Low, 112 FPS on Medium (with a min of 95 and max of 128), 76 FPS on High, and 52 FPS on Ultra. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is even more pronounced, with the Low preset dropping by 42.9%, Medium by 42.5%, High by 42.4%, and Ultra by 42.2%. This further confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate scales almost linearly with the number of pixels rendered. The data shows that the RTX 5090 D is powerful enough to handle 4K, but the demands of Ultra settings at 4K are too much for a consistently smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling analysis reveals a clear and consistent pattern: frame rate drops are almost perfectly proportional to the increase in pixel count. Moving from 1080p to 1440p increases the pixel count by 1.78 times, and the measured frame rate drops by roughly 30-40% depending on the setting. Moving from 1440p to 4K increases the pixel count by 2.25 times, and the frame rate drops by over 40% across all settings.

Specifically, the Low preset drops from 304 FPS at 1080p to 219 FPS at 1440p and then to 125 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset drops from 289 FPS to 195 FPS to 112 FPS. The High preset drops from 197 FPS to 132 FPS to 76 FPS. The Ultra preset drops from 134 FPS to 90 FPS to 52 FPS. The consistency of these drops across all settings is a strong indicator that the GPU is the sole limiting factor in this game. If the CPU were a significant bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller performance drop at higher resolutions, as the CPU workload remains constant while the GPU workload increases.

The data implies that at 1080p, the system is likely CPU-limited at the very highest frame rates, as the 304 FPS on Low is a ceiling that is difficult to exceed with any GPU. However, once the resolution increases, the GPU's rendering workload takes over as the primary constraint. This is a classic sign of a well-balanced system for this particular game, where the CPU is strong enough to not be a bottleneck at standard resolutions, but the GPU's performance is the deciding factor for high-resolution and high-quality settings. The linear scaling also suggests that Archeage's engine is not optimized for modern multi-core CPUs, meaning the 9600X's single-thread performance is being utilized effectively, but its additional cores are not providing a significant advantage.