Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination. The data shows a system that is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with maximum settings. The benchmark results indicate a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution increases, moving from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound scenario at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 144.3 FPS, which is more than double the 56.1 FPS achieved at the same resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the system perform at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate is 60.1 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings, making it a viable option for a smooth 60 FPS experience at this resolution.

Q: Is the game playable at 4K with this hardware?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rate drops to 33.3 FPS on High and 24.8 FPS on Ultra settings. Only the Low preset, at 53.6 FPS, approaches a playable level at 4K.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The frame rate drops from 144.3 FPS on Low to 56.1 FPS on Ultra at 1920x1080, a significant reduction of 88.2 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a substantial load.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has an average benchmark score of 27606, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800's score of 27535.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER falls in the 65th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 22206, placing it slightly below the NVIDIA RTX A400 which has a score of 22307.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and utilizes the TU104 chip. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory running at a 14 Gbps effective speed. These specifications are central to understanding the frame rates observed in Archeage.

The data shows that the GPU's performance is a primary factor in the game's higher resolution and settings. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is a mere 24.8 FPS, a clear sign that the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count and graphical demands. The substantial drop from 47.1 FPS at 4K Medium to 33.3 FPS at 4K High highlights how quickly the GPU's resources are consumed as settings are increased. While the CPU, with its 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the RTX 2070 SUPER becomes the limiting factor as the resolution scales. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22206, contextualizes its position; it is a solid mid-to-high-tier card, but not one designed for the most demanding 4K scenarios in a game like Archeage.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are high, with the Low preset hitting 144.3 FPS. When moving to 1440p, there is a noticeable drop, with the same Low preset falling to 95.4 FPS. This trend continues to 4K, where the Low preset manages 53.6 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K on Low settings is from 144.3 FPS to 53.6 FPS, a 62.8% decrease.

This scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p, the system is likely not fully GPU-bound. The high frame rates, particularly the 144.3 FPS on Low, suggest that the CPU can process the game's logic and draw calls faster than the GPU can render frames at that resolution. However, as the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU's fillrate and bandwidth become the dominant constraint. The frame rate drops are more severe at higher settings, for instance, Ultra settings fall from 56.1 FPS at 1080p to 24.8 FPS at 4K, a 55.8% reduction. This shows that the combination of higher resolution and higher settings multiplicatively increases the load on the GPU. The data suggests that for a stable 60 FPS experience, 1440p with High settings is the ceiling for this configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS varies significantly with settings. The Low preset achieves 144.3 FPS, while Medium yields 130 FPS. High settings produce 86.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 56.1 FPS. This shows a wide performance envelope, from a very high frame rate for competitive play to a playable but less smooth experience on Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS decreases across all settings. Low settings produce 95.4 FPS, which is still excellent for a high refresh rate monitor. Medium follows at 86 FPS, and High is at 60.1 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 39.7 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 55.7 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance is heavily constrained. The Low preset is the only one to exceed 50 FPS, with an average of 53.6 FPS. Medium settings produce 47.1 FPS, High drops to 33.3 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 24.8 FPS. The differences between settings are less pronounced in raw FPS terms at 4K, but the percentage impact is similar; the GPU is so saturated that even small changes in settings have a large relative effect on frame time.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this hardware depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a high refresh rate 1080p display, the Low preset's 144.3 FPS is ideal for maximum smoothness, but the Medium preset at 130 FPS offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. The High preset at 86.5 FPS is also a strong choice for a standard 60 Hz monitor, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium with a comfortable frame rate margin. The Ultra preset at 56.1 FPS is the most visually demanding option but is still playable if visual fidelity is prioritized over frame rate consistency.

At 1440p, the High preset is the clear recommendation. Its 60.1 FPS average is precisely at the target for a 60 Hz monitor, delivering a smooth experience with good visual quality. The Medium preset, at 86 FPS, is an excellent choice for gamers with a 144 Hz monitor who want to stay within the high refresh rate territory. The Low preset at 95.4 FPS offers the highest frame rate but compromises visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 39.7 FPS should be avoided for general gameplay, as the frame rate is too low for a responsive experience.

For 4K resolution, the data suggests that this hardware is not well-suited for high or ultra settings. The Low preset at 53.6 FPS is the only viable option for a somewhat playable experience, but it requires a significant downgrade in visual quality. The Medium preset at 47.1 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets at 33.3 FPS and 24.8 FPS respectively are not recommended for active gameplay. For the best experience at 4K, users should either lower the resolution or accept the Low preset. The overall best experience, balancing visual fidelity and performance, is achieved at 1440p with High settings, which provides a stable 60 FPS.