Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, proves to be a fascinating stress test for a modern flagship GPU paired with a distinctly entry-level processor. The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 produces a dataset that reveals a classic bottleneck scenario, where the CPU's limitations become increasingly apparent as resolution drops. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the three resolutions and four settings presets paint a clear picture of a system whose performance ceiling is defined more by its processor than its graphics card.

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

The scaling behavior from 1080p to 4K is highly diagnostic. At the "Low" settings preset, the average FPS drops from 229 at 1920x1080 to 200 at 2560x1440, and finally to 117 at 3840x2160. This is a substantial 48.9% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K. However, the more telling data point is the "High" preset, where the average FPS falls from 184 at 1080p to 124 at 1440p and then to 71 at 4K, a 61.4% drop from the lowest resolution to the highest. The fact that performance degrades so significantly when moving up in resolution indicates that the GPU is indeed being tasked with more work, but the relatively modest absolute frame rates at 1080p, especially when compared to the GPU's raw capability, suggest the CPU is holding the system back.

If the RTX 5090 were operating without constraint, one would expect the 1080p numbers to be dramatically higher than the 4K numbers. Instead, the gap between 1080p "Low" (229 FPS) and 1440p "Low" (200 FPS) is only 12.7%, which is relatively small. This plateau at higher frame rates is a classic symptom of a CPU bottleneck. The processor, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, is likely maxing out its ability to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. The data implies that at 1080p, the system's performance is heavily limited by the Intel Core i3-12100F, whereas at 4K, the GPU becomes the more significant limiting factor, allowing the CPU to keep up more effectively. The FPS drop from 1440p to 4K is much steeper, with a 41.5% decrease at "Low" settings, showing that the GPU's rendering load is finally catching up to and surpassing the CPU's throughput.

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 Core 12th Gen series, based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores show a strong single-thread performance, with a Passmark single-thread score of 3444 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1932. However, its multi-threaded capabilities are more modest, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015. This profile is typical of an entry-level desktop processor with a 58 W TDP.

In the context of Archeage, an MMORPG with many concurrent players and numerous entities on screen, the CPU's role is critical for handling game logic, network data, and character physics. The data suggests that the i3-12100F is the primary constraint in this pairing. The high single-thread score helps maintain respectable frame rates, but the limited core count likely becomes a bottleneck in busy areas or at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can process them. The benchmark results indicate that while this CPU is far from the slowest, its performance is in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, placing it in a mid-tier position. The nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-9500 and Intel Core 7 1250U, show that the i3-12100F is competitive with older mainstream and newer low-power chips, but it lacks the multi-core grunt of a high-end desktop processor. The measured FPS at 1080p, where the CPU is most likely the limiting factor, are high but not exceptionally so, suggesting the CPU's 4 cores/8 threads are sufficient to reach playable frame rates but are not powerful enough to unlock the full potential of the RTX 5090.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a behemoth of a graphics card, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node. It boasts 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its core clocks are high, with a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz. The GPU's raw compute power is staggering, with 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 21760 shading units. This is a card that sits in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, making it a top-tier performer.

Given such specifications, one might expect Archeage to run at incredibly high frame rates at all resolutions. The data shows that it does, but the GPU is clearly not being used to its fullest. At 4K with "Ultra" settings, the average FPS drops to 48, which is a surprisingly low number for a card of this caliber. This is not a sign of GPU weakness, but rather an indication that the game itself, being from 2014, may have significant CPU overhead or engine limitations that prevent it from scaling perfectly with modern hardware. The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks is exceptional, with a Passmark G3D score of 39650, placing it far above its nearest rivals like the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB. The data implies that the RTX 5090 has more than enough horsepower to handle Archeage; the limiting factor is the combination of the older game engine and the relatively modest CPU. The 32 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for any resolution, and the memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) ensures that texture streaming is unlikely to be a problem.

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

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the "Medium" preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, "Medium" yields an average of 220 FPS with a minimum of 187 FPS, which is only slightly below the "Low" preset's 229 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440, "Medium" provides 183 FPS average with a minimum of 155 FPS, a very smooth experience. Even at 3840x2160, "Medium" maintains a playable 105 FPS average with a minimum of 89 FPS. The "Low" preset does offer higher frame rates, like 229 FPS at 1080p and 200 FPS at 1440p, but the visual quality trade-off is likely not worth the modest FPS gain over "Medium."

The "High" preset is also viable, but the data shows a significant drop in performance compared to "Medium." At 4K, "High" drops to 71 FPS average, which is a 32.4% reduction from "Medium" (105 FPS). The "Ultra" preset, while visually the most demanding, results in an average of 126 FPS at 1080p, which is surprisingly lower than "High" (184 FPS) and "Medium" (220 FPS). At 4K, "Ultra" falls to just 48 FPS, making it a poor choice for anything but the most static scenes. The data suggests that "Medium" is the sweet spot, providing a substantial improvement in visual fidelity over "Low" while maintaining frame rates that are close to the "Low" preset's performance. It appears to avoid the non-linear performance penalty seen with "High" and "Ultra," making it the most efficient preset for this hardware combination in this game.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

Within the database of tested combinations for Archeage, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds a rank of 149 out of 3708 total combos. This places it in the top 4% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing. However, it is crucial to interpret this ranking in the context of the hardware. The RTX 5090 is a top-tier GPU, and its inclusion in this combo likely carries most of the weight in achieving this high rank.

The combo rank suggests that, despite the CPU's limitations, the sheer power of the GPU ensures that this system performs better than the vast majority of other builds in the database. Yet, it also implies that there is significant untapped potential. A system with a more balanced, high-end CPU would likely rank much higher, as the CPU bottleneck is the primary factor holding this combo back from the top positions. The data indicates that the combo is not performing to the level its GPU suggests it should; the CPU is a clear bottleneck, preventing the system from achieving a rank more commensurate with the RTX 5090's capabilities. In the grand scheme, this combo is fast, but it reflects the importance of a balanced build, as the processor's mid-tier standing (68th percentile) contrasts sharply with the GPU's high-tier standing (92nd percentile).

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Archeage?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 229, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the "Low" settings preset.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 or the Core i3-12100F the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests a CPU bottleneck at 1080p. The FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p is relatively small (e.g., 229 to 200 at "Low" settings), indicating the CPU is limiting performance before the GPU can be fully utilized.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with "Ultra" settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 48, which is the lowest average score in the entire measured data set.

Q: Which settings preset provides the highest minimum FPS at 1440p?

A: The "Medium" preset at 2560x1440 has a minimum FPS of 155, which is the only preset at that resolution with a recorded minimum FPS value.

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

A: The combo ranks 149th out of 3708 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between "Low" and "High" settings at 1080p?

A: The average FPS at 1080p on "Low" settings is 229, while on "High" settings it is 184, a difference of 45 FPS.

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

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|:--------- |:------- | ------: | ------: | ------: |

| 3840x2160 | High | 71 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 117 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 105 | 89 | 120 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 48 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 124 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 200 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 183 | 155 | 210 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 85 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 184 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 229 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 220 | 187 | 253 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 126 | - | - |

The "Medium" preset is the only one that provided minimum and maximum FPS data points across all resolutions, suggesting it is the most stable and consistent profile. The "Ultra" preset shows a dramatic drop in performance, particularly at 4K where it averages only 48 FPS, while "Low" at 1080p is the only configuration to break the 200 FPS average barrier, reaching 229 FPS. These numbers clearly show a system that is powerful but constrained by its processor, with the GPU's influence becoming more pronounced at higher resolutions.