Archeage

Archeage is a demanding MMORPG even in 2025, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile produces a distinct performance curve across resolutions. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s strong single-threaded capabilities help push frame rates to very high levels at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, explains the role of the key components, and provides specific settings recommendations based on the data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic graphics-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases, but with some notable exceptions depending on the quality preset. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 221 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 149 FPS, a reduction of 72 FPS (or roughly 33%). At 4K Low, the average falls to 85 FPS, which is another 64 FPS drop (approximately 43%) from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the RTX 5090 Mobile is being pushed to its limits at higher resolutions, and the CPU is no longer the primary bottleneck.

The scaling is even more pronounced at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 91 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, that number drops to 61 FPS (a 30 FPS loss). At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 35 FPS, which is a 26 FPS drop from 1440p. This pattern suggests that the 4K Ultra preset is particularly punishing, likely due to a combination of high-resolution textures and heavy post-processing effects that are common in MMORPGs. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra results in a 33% performance hit, while the transition from 1440p to 4K results in a 43% hit, showing that the cost of each resolution step increases as pixel count grows.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data, including minimum and maximum FPS figures. At 1080p Medium, the average is 197 FPS with a minimum of 167 FPS and a maximum of 227 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 133 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium (65 FPS) is still above the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider playable, but the gap between the average and minimum (11 FPS) suggests some frame-time variance in busy scenes.

The data indicates that the limiting component changes depending on the resolution. At 1080p, the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance (evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030) is able to feed the GPU well enough to reach over 200 FPS at Low settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows exponentially, and the RTX 5090 Mobile becomes the bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as even at Low settings the system cannot exceed 85 FPS on average. This is a typical pattern for high-end mobile hardware, where the GPU’s thermal and power constraints (95 W TDP) limit its ability to handle 4K rendering compared to desktop counterparts.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is the dominant component in this system for gaming performance. It features 24 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of memory bandwidth for a mobile GPU, and it is likely sufficient for Archeage’s texture streaming at 4K resolution. The GPU’s 31.80 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is also significant, though the benchmark results suggest that raw compute is not the limiting factor in this game; rather, it is the memory bandwidth and rasterization throughput that matter more.

The GPU’s clock speeds are relatively modest for a flagship product: a base clock of 990 MHz and a boost clock of 1515 MHz. This is likely a reflection of the thermal and power constraints of a mobile form factor. The 95 W TDP is quite low for a GPU with this much hardware (10,496 shading units, 328 TMUs, 112 ROPs), which explains why the performance at 4K is not as high as one might expect from the specifications alone. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the system only averages 35 FPS, which is a clear sign that the GPU is hitting its power limits.

The GPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 45,152. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (which is actually 0.5% slower) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (which is 0.8% slower). This is interesting because the RTX 4070 Ti is a desktop card, while the RTX 5090 Mobile is a laptop part; despite this, the mobile chip manages to perform on par with the desktop card in synthetic benchmarks. However, in Archeage, the mobile GPU’s performance at 4K is clearly limited, likely due to the power constraints mentioned earlier.

In terms of memory, the 24 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for Archeage, which is a 2014 title and does not have the massive texture packs of modern AAA games. The GPU’s memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) and the 256-bit bus width combine to deliver the 896.0 GB/s bandwidth. This bandwidth is likely not fully utilized at 1080p, but at 4K, it becomes more important. The fact that the 4K Medium preset (76 FPS) performs significantly better than 4K High (52 FPS) suggests that the High preset’s additional texture filtering and shadow quality settings are increasing the memory pressure.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Archeage?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p High, the system averages 90 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and at 1440p Medium it averages 133 FPS. While 1080p can reach over 200 FPS on Low, the visual fidelity is significantly lower, and 4K drops below 60 FPS on High settings.

Q: Can this system handle Archeage at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K Low, the system averages 85 FPS, and at 4K Medium it averages 76 FPS. However, at 4K High, the average drops to 52 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 35 FPS. For a playable experience above 60 FPS, you would need to stick to Low or Medium settings at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 Mobile compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 45,152. It is 0.5% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (score 45,384) and 0.8% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (score 44,795). It is 1% slower than the Intel Arc A730M (score 45,592) and 1.8% slower than the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (score 45,972).

Q: What is the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compared to its rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76,212. It is 0.1% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (score 76,155) and 0.6% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (score 75,779). It is 0.4% slower than the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (score 76,492) and 0.4% slower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX (score 76,513).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 221 FPS, which suggests the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU. However, the gap between 1080p Low (221 FPS) and 1080p Medium (197 FPS) is only 24 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is starting to become a factor at Medium settings. At 1080p Ultra (91 FPS), the GPU is clearly the limiting component.

Q: What is the frame time variance at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured data for 1440p Medium shows an average FPS of 133, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. This represents a variance of 39 FPS between the minimum and maximum, indicating that there are some scenes that are more demanding than others, but the minimum FPS is still well above 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile ranks 770th out of 3,708 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the top 21% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a mobile platform. The rank is likely influenced by the fact that many of the higher-ranked combos include desktop components with higher power limits and better cooling solutions.

The CPU’s performance percentile is 95% against all CPUs, which means it is in the top 5% of all processors tested. This is a very high ranking, and it indicates that the Ryzen 9 8945HX is not a limiting factor in most scenarios. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (0.1% faster), the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (0.6% slower), and the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (0.4% slower). This shows that the CPU is competitive with the best mobile and desktop processors available.

The GPU’s performance percentile is 84% against all GPUs, which is lower than the CPU’s percentile. This is expected, as mobile GPUs are typically limited by their power envelope compared to desktop counterparts. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, which is a desktop card with a higher power limit, yet the mobile RTX 5090 Mobile manages to be 0.8% faster in synthetic benchmarks. However, in Archeage, the GPU’s 95 W TDP likely prevents it from sustaining high clocks under load, which is reflected in the 4K performance figures.

The combo rank of 770 out of 3,708 is a solid result, but it is not in the top tier. The data suggests that while the CPU is excellent, the GPU’s mobile form factor limits its ability to compete with the very best desktop combos in this game. The 4K Ultra result of 35 FPS is a clear indicator that this combo is not designed for maxed-out 4K gaming in Archeage, but it is very capable at 1080p and 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how the system performs across three resolutions and four quality settings. The data is presented below in a structured format.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest performance:

• Low: Average 221 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average 197 FPS, with a minimum of 167 FPS and a maximum of 227 FPS.
• High: Average 134 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Ultra: Average 91 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably:

• Low: Average 149 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average 133 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS.
• High: Average 90 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Ultra: Average 61 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor:

• Low: Average 85 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS.
• High: Average 52 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.
• Ultra: Average 35 FPS, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the difference between Low and Medium settings is relatively small (e.g., 221 FPS to 197 FPS at 1080p), while the difference between High and Ultra is much larger (e.g., 134 FPS to 91 FPS at 1080p). This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces a significant performance penalty, likely from high-end shadow and lighting effects.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user’s resolution and target frame rate. For a 1080p display, the Medium preset is the best choice for most users. It delivers an average of 197 FPS with a minimum of 167 FPS, which is more than enough for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset at 134 FPS is also viable, but the 63 FPS drop from Medium to High is substantial, and the visual improvement may not justify it for all users. The Ultra preset at 91 FPS is playable but not ideal for competitive play, as the minimum FPS was not recorded but the average suggests some dips may occur.

For a 1440p display, the Medium preset is again the standout choice. It provides an average of 133 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS, which is excellent for a 1440p panel. The High preset at 90 FPS is also good, and it offers better visuals for games that are not as fast-paced. The Ultra preset at 61 FPS is right at the edge of the 60 FPS threshold, so it is only recommended for players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate and are willing to tolerate occasional dips.

For a 4K display, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset averages 85 FPS, which is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience above 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 76 FPS, which is also playable, but the minimum FPS of 65 FPS indicates that there will be some frame drops in heavy combat scenarios. The High preset at 52 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay, and the Ultra preset at 35 FPS is only suitable for screenshots or cinematic viewing, not actual play.

The data clearly shows that the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and visual quality across all three resolutions. It provides the highest minimum FPS at 1440p (113 FPS) and 1080p (167 FPS), and it is the only preset at 4K that maintains a playable frame rate above 60 FPS on average. For users with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, the Low preset at 221 FPS may be preferable for competitive play, but for general use, Medium is the recommended starting point.