Archeage

Archeage, an MMORPG released in 2014, presents a unique performance landscape for the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050. The data reveals a configuration that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with the CPU providing a solid foundation and the GPU dictating the upper limits of graphical fidelity. This analysis examines the measured FPS to understand how these components interact, where bottlenecks arise, and what the optimal experience is for this specific hardware combination.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. This CPU has a TDP of 58W and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11860 and a single-core score of 1674, place it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a capable mid-range performer. In the context of Archeage, an MMORPG that can be sensitive to single-threaded performance, the 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Passmark single-thread score of 3444 are particularly relevant. These suggest the processor can handle the game's core logic and game-world simulation without being a primary limiting factor.

The data shows the CPU has 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per core of L2 cache. For an MMORPG like Archeage, which may involve complex interactions and player positions, this cache configuration helps reduce latency for frequently accessed data. The boost clock of 4.30 GHz is crucial for providing responsive frame times, especially when many players are on screen. The processor's performance in the 3DMark 4-thread test (2859) and 8-thread test (4026) suggests that while it has only four physical cores, its hyper-threading is effective in handling multi-threaded workloads. However, the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the dominant factor in this game's performance, as the FPS varies significantly more with resolution and settings than it would if the CPU were the sole bottleneck.

The nearest rivals to this CPU, based on average benchmark score, are the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% delta), Intel Core i5-9500 (0.3% faster), and Intel Core 5 120UL (0.7% slower). These close scores suggest that the i3-12100F's raw computational power is on par with these other processors. In practical terms for Archeage, this means the CPU can deliver a stable baseline of performance, allowing the GPU to scale its workload based on the graphical settings. The processor's 3DMark max threads score of 4023 is nearly identical to its 8-thread score, which implies that the CPU is effectively saturated at 8 threads and does not gain additional performance from more threads, a common trait for games that do not fully utilize many cores.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 2317 MHz, boosting to 2572 MHz. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 and Passmark G3D score of 17326 place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. This positions it as a solid 1080p and 1440p performer, but the 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor for higher resolutions. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary component responsible for the FPS differences between settings and resolutions, as the CPU performance remains constant while the GPU's load changes.

The RTX 5050 has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s. These specifications, combined with its FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS, define its raw rendering capacity. In Archeage, which is not a graphically demanding title by modern standards, this GPU is more than capable of handling the game's environment and effects at high frame rates. The GPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark score, include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (-0.6% delta), AMD Radeon HD 8970M (-1% delta), and AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (1.6% faster). These comparisons show that the RTX 5050 is in a competitive performance tier, though its specific features like ray tracing cores (20) and tensor cores (80) are likely underutilized in this older MMORPG.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s is adequate for its 8 GB frame buffer. However, the measured FPS at 3840x2160, which drops to an average of 22 FPS on Ultra settings, suggests that the combination of high resolution and high settings overwhelms the GPU's processing power and possibly its VRAM capacity. The data points to the GPU being the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU could theoretically push more frames if the GPU could render them faster. The GPU's Passmark DirectX 11 score of 150, compared to its DirectX 12 score of 66, is interesting, as it suggests that the game may be using an older API where the GPU performs relatively better.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the resolution scaling affects this hardware combo. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 136. This drops to 82 at High and 56 at Ultra. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low setting average is 91 FPS, High is 55 FPS, and Ultra is 38 FPS. At 3840x2160, the numbers fall further to 52 FPS on Low, 32 FPS on High, and 22 FPS on Ultra. This scaling pattern is a strong indicator that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially as resolution increases.

The FPS drop from 1080p Low (136 FPS) to 1440p Low (91 FPS) is a 33% decrease, while the drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low (52 FPS) is a 43% decrease. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load increases quadratically with resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, these drops would be less severe, as the CPU's workload would remain constant. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is doing more of the work, potentially allowing the GPU to render at higher frame rates, but as the pixel count increases, the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth become the constraining factors.

The difference between the Medium and High settings also reveals a trend. At 1080p, Medium yields 121 FPS while High yields 82 FPS, a 32% drop. At 1440p, Medium yields 81 FPS and High yields 55 FPS, a 32% drop. At 4K, Medium yields 47 FPS and High yields 32 FPS, a 32% drop. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions suggests that the settings are uniformly taxing the GPU's shader and texture units, rather than causing a sudden spike in memory usage. The Ultra settings, however, show a much more significant drop from High, with a 32% reduction at 1080p (82 to 56 FPS) and a 31% reduction at 1440p (55 to 38 FPS), indicating that Ultra likely introduces effects that heavily load the GPU.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance, with an average FPS of 121 and a minimum of 103 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience without the performance hit of High (82 FPS) or Ultra (56 FPS). The Low preset at 136 FPS is also viable for competitive play, but the visual quality loss is likely not worth the 15 FPS gain over Medium.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset again appears to be the sweet spot, with an average of 81 FPS and a minimum of 69 FPS. This maintains a playable frame rate that is above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 38 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. For 3840x2160, the data shows that the GPU struggles. The Low preset at 52 FPS is the only option that provides a playable frame rate, while Medium (47 FPS) and High (32 FPS) are below ideal. Ultra at 22 FPS is effectively unplayable.

The recommendation is clear: players using this combo should prioritize the Medium preset for the best balance of visual quality and frame rate. At 4K, they must accept Low settings to achieve a playable frame rate. The data does not show any stutter or frame time issues, as the min and max FPS for Medium settings are relatively close, indicating consistent performance. The user should avoid Ultra settings at all resolutions, as the FPS penalty is severe and the visual improvement is likely minimal for an older game like Archeage.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1691 out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the bottom 39% of all configurations tested, which is a surprising result given the individual component performance. This ranking suggests that while the CPU and GPU are individually capable, their combination does not yield a top-tier experience in this specific game. The rank of 1691 out of 2761 implies that there are 1070 other combos that perform better in Archeage, and 1070 that perform worse.

This mid-to-low ranking is likely due to the game's age and its optimization for older hardware. The RTX 5050, while powerful, may not be fully utilized by Archeage's engine, which might favor higher single-core CPU performance or more VRAM. The combo's rank is not an indictment of the hardware's quality, but rather a reflection of how it interacts with this specific game's engine. For a more modern game, this combo would likely rank higher, but for Archeage, the data shows it is a solid mid-range performer.

The ranking data implies that other combos, potentially with more powerful CPUs or GPUs with more VRAM, achieve higher frame rates. However, the measured FPS shows that this combo can still deliver a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p, which is the primary takeaway. The user should not be discouraged by the rank, as it is a relative measure across all combos, and the absolute FPS numbers are what matter for gameplay. The combo's performance is consistent and predictable, which is a positive attribute for an MMORPG that requires stable frame rates during long play sessions.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

For this section, we present the exact measured average FPS values from the data. At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 136 on Low, 121 on Medium, 82 on High, and 56 on Ultra. The Medium setting has a min FPS of 103 and a max FPS of 139. At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 91 on Low, 81 on Medium, 55 on High, and 38 on Ultra. The Medium setting has a min FPS of 69 and a max FPS of 93. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 52 on Low, 47 on Medium, 32 on High, and 22 on Ultra. The Medium setting has a min FPS of 40 and a max FPS of 53.

The data shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution and settings increase. The 1080p Low setting provides the highest frame rate at 136 FPS, which is more than double the 4K Ultra setting at 22 FPS. The Medium settings across all resolutions provide a consistent frame rate that is roughly 60-70% of the Low setting's performance. The High setting is consistently about 60-65% of the Medium setting's performance. The Ultra setting is the most demanding, often halving the frame rate from the High setting.

These numbers indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the FPS scales almost linearly with the number of pixels being rendered. The CPU's performance is stable, so the FPS differences are entirely due to the GPU's workload. The min FPS values for Medium settings show that the frame pacing is relatively stable, with only a small dip from the average, which is good for gameplay smoothness. The lack of min and max FPS data for other settings suggests they were either not measured or were stable enough to not warrant reporting, but the average values are sufficient for analysis.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth experience at 1080p with this combo?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080, which averages 121 FPS with a minimum of 103 FPS, offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Low preset is faster at 136 FPS, but the visual trade-off is significant.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Archeage?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160, only the Low setting achieves a playable average of 52 FPS. The Medium setting averages 47 FPS, while High and Ultra drop to 32 FPS and 22 FPS respectively, which are not recommended for a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The measured FPS scaling strongly indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, while the CPU's workload remains constant. The CPU provides a stable baseline, but the GPU's rendering capacity determines the final frame rate.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested configurations in Archeage?

A: This combo ranks 1691 out of 2761 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 39% of all configurations. This is a relative ranking, and the absolute FPS numbers show it can still provide a playable experience at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 81 FPS, while the High preset averages 55 FPS. This is a 32% drop in performance, making Medium the better choice for maintaining a frame rate above 60 FPS.

Q: Is the Ultra preset viable at any resolution for this hardware?

A: The data shows that the Ultra preset is not viable. At 1080p it averages 56 FPS, at 1440p it averages 38 FPS, and at 4K it averages 22 FPS. These frame rates are too low for a smooth gaming experience, so the High or Medium presets are recommended instead.