Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, places a heavy load on both processor and graphics hardware. For the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination, the measured frame rates show a configuration that is playable at lower resolutions and settings but quickly becomes overwhelmed as graphical demands increase. The data reveals a pairing where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong multi-threaded capabilities keep performance viable at more moderate settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, a clear indicator of the graphics card's limitations. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 63.3 FPS, which drops to 44.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 25.8 FPS at 4K. This progression is not linear; moving from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 30% of the frame rate, but the jump from 1440p to 4K costs an additional 42%, illustrating the exponential cost of pixel pushing on the RX 570.

The scaling pattern shifts with higher settings. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 37.0 FPS at 1080p to 27.6 FPS at 1440p, a 25% drop, and then to 12.2 FPS at 4K, a 56% drop from the 1440p figure. This suggests that while the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions, the constraint becomes more severe as both resolution and settings increase, with the 4K Ultra result of 7.8 FPS being nearly unplayable. The data indicates that this combination is firmly in 1080p territory for a smooth experience, with 1440p being a stretch only for those who can tolerate lower frame rates.

The fact that the frame rate drops by over half when moving from 1080p to 4K at any given setting points to a system where the GPU's memory bandwidth and fill rate are saturated. The RX 570’s 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the pixel throughput required at 4K, making the resolution scaling a direct reflection of the graphics card’s architectural limits rather than any CPU constraint.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570, based on the Polaris 20 chip with a GCN 4.0 architecture, operates at a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz. These clocks, while modest by modern standards, are the engine behind the card's performance. The data shows that in this MMORPG, the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The 4K High setting result of 12.2 FPS and the 4K Ultra result of 7.8 FPS are clear evidence that the card's compute throughput, rated at 5.095 TFLOPS FP32, is insufficient for the workload.

The card’s memory configuration, with a 256-bit bus and 7 Gbps effective memory speed, provides 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a crucial factor in Archeage, as the game’s textures and draw calls at higher settings demand significant memory throughput. The frame rate drop from 20.3 FPS at 4K Medium to 12.2 FPS at 4K High suggests that the card is struggling to maintain its memory bandwidth, leading to a proportional decrease in performance. The GPU’s 74th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 30158, places it in the mid-range, but its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, which are more modern designs with higher performance, highlighting the RX 570’s age.

The GPU’s 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs are the physical resources that must handle the pixel and texture work. At 1080p Low, the card can deliver 63.3 FPS, but as the resolution and settings increase, these units become the limiting factor. The data suggests that the RX 570 is capable of handling Archeage’s engine at 1080p, but its 4 GB VRAM capacity is a potential concern for texture-heavy scenes at higher settings, even if the measured FPS does not directly show a memory capacity issue.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Archeage with this CPU and GPU combination?

A: Based on the data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system achieves consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 29.1 on Ultra to 63.3 on Low, while at 1440p, the best average is 44.1 FPS on Low, and at 4K, all settings produce averages below 26 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 570 perform relative to its closest competitors in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 570 has an average benchmark score of 30158, which is 0.2% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, and 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M60. This indicates that in general compute workloads, its performance is closely matched with these other cards, despite being an older architecture.

Q: Can this system run Archeage at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 7.8 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is well below the threshold for smooth gameplay and is effectively unplayable. The GPU is not capable of handling the combined load of 4K resolution and Ultra settings in this game.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the difference is substantial. The Low setting provides an average of 63.3 FPS, while Ultra drops to 29.1 FPS. This represents a 54% reduction in frame rate, showing that the Ultra preset places a significant load on the GPU.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking, and what does it mean for this game?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28631. This high ranking means it is a strong processor, and in the measured results, it does not appear to be the primary bottleneck, as the FPS scales with resolution, a classic sign of GPU limitation.

Q: Is the frame rate difference between 1440p and 4K larger than the difference between 1080p and 1440p?

A: Yes. For example, at High settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 37.0 to 27.6 FPS, a 9.4 FPS decrease. The drop from 1440p to 4K is from 27.6 to 12.2 FPS, a 15.4 FPS decrease. This shows the scaling cost is not linear and increases with resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 63.3, which is the highest recorded for any configuration. Medium settings yield 57.5 FPS, while High settings drop to 37.0 FPS. The Ultra setting brings the average down to 29.1 FPS. This shows a clear gradient where each step up in settings costs a significant number of frames.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates become more constrained. Low settings average 44.1 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings produce 39.4 FPS, and High settings drop to 27.6 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p averages only 14.5 FPS, which is a marginal experience. The data shows that 1440p is only viable for this system if the user is willing to compromise on settings, and even then, the frame rates are below 45 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. Low settings average 25.8 FPS, which is just at the edge of playability for some. Medium settings drop to 20.3 FPS, and High settings fall to 12.2 FPS. The Ultra setting at 4K is the worst performer, with an average of 7.8 FPS, which is essentially a slideshow. The data indicates that this resolution is not recommended for this hardware combination in Archeage.

The overall pattern is consistent: the RX 570’s performance degrades predictably as resolution increases, and the settings multiplier has a compounding effect. The jump from 1080p Low to 1080p Ultra is a 34.2 FPS drop, while the same settings change at 1440p is a 29.6 FPS drop, and at 4K it is an 18.0 FPS drop. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that the difference between settings is less pronounced, as the pixel fill rate is the dominant constraint.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In the context of Archeage, this CPU provides a robust foundation. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19087 and a single-core score of 2694. This multi-threaded performance is beneficial for an MMORPG, which often has to manage many player characters and world events simultaneously.

The CPU’s 85th percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 28631 place it in the top tier of processors. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-12600 with an average score of 28654, are only 0.1% faster. This indicates that the Ryzen 7 3700X is not a performance liability in this system. The measured FPS data supports this, as the frame rates scale heavily with resolution, a classic sign that the GPU is the limiting factor rather than the CPU.

However, the CPU’s role is not entirely passive. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 63.3 FPS, which is a relatively high frame rate that requires a capable processor to feed the GPU. The Ryzen 7 3700X’s 16 threads and 32 MB of L3 cache help ensure that the game logic and draw calls are processed without bottlenecking the RX 570. If the CPU were weaker, the frame rates at lower resolutions and settings would likely be lower, as the GPU would be waiting on the CPU to send render commands.

The fact that the data shows a smooth degradation from 1080p to 4K suggests that the CPU is keeping up with the GPU’s demands. The 8-core design and high boost clock are sufficient for Archeage’s single-threaded and multi-threaded components. In this pairing, the Ryzen 7 3700X is a strong partner that allows the RX 570 to be the primary determinant of performance, which is the expected behavior in a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU’s performance is not the reason for the low frame rates at 4K; that responsibility lies squarely with the graphics card.