Archeage

Intel Core i5-12400 pairs with AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT in Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG that remains demanding at high settings despite its age. The data shows this combination lands at rank 893 out of 3708 tested combos, placing it comfortably in the top quarter of all systems. The CPU provides six cores and twelve threads with a 2.50 GHz base clock boosting to 4.40 GHz, while the GPU offers 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The measured results reveal a system that is clearly GPU-limited at higher resolutions but becomes increasingly CPU-bound as resolution drops, making settings choices far more impactful than they appear at first glance.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 brings six physical cores and twelve threads to this MMORPG, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This is a 10 nm Alder Lake-S part on Intel Socket 1700, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel interface. For a game like Archeage, which originated in 2014 but has seen continuous updates, the thread count matters more than raw single-thread speed because MMO environments tend to spawn many entities and player characters simultaneously. The CPU's L3 cache is 18 MB shared, which helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores.

Benchmark data shows this CPU scores 15989 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2257 in single-core, which places it at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals in aggregate performance include the AMD EPYC 7643 with a delta of -0.1%, the Intel Core i7-1355U at -0.3%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 at -0.7%, while the Intel Core i3-14100F sits 0.9% ahead. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning the 12400 is essentially tied with a range of very different processors in overall compute capability. For Archeage specifically, the 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 and max-thread score of 5890 indicate that the CPU can handle heavy multi-threaded workloads, which is relevant for large-scale PvP battles or crowded cities where the game engine must process many simultaneous actions.

The 65 W TDP is modest, and the fact that this chip is not multiplier-unlocked means overclocking is not an option, but the stock boost behavior appears sufficient. In the measured FPS results, the difference between resolutions at the same settings reveals when the CPU starts to become the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system hits 210 FPS average, which is well beyond what most displays can show, indicating the CPU is keeping pace with the GPU's output. The PassMark single-thread score of 3456 and Geekbench single-core score of 1848 suggest that individual core performance is adequate for the game's primary game logic thread, which is often the bottleneck in MMOs. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1692 and 4-thread score of 3012 show scaling that is not perfectly linear, but the game appears to benefit from the additional cores given the high frame rates achieved at lower resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is built on the Navi 48 chip with RDNA 4.0 architecture at a 4 nm process node from TSMC. It packs 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 raster operation pipelines, along with 64 ray tracing cores. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1660 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2970 MHz, with memory clocked at 2518 MHz effective 20.1 Gbps. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for a game that can load large textures in high-resolution environments.

The GPU's benchmark results show a PassMark G3D score of 26795 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 7260. Its average benchmark score of 13543 places it at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, which is notably lower than what the RX 9070 XT name would suggest. The nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark terms are the AMD Radeon HD 7770M at 0.1% higher, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 at 0.2% higher, and the NVIDIA P106-090 at 0.5% higher, with the AMD Radeon Pro 555 trailing at 1.0% behind. These comparisons are based on the synthetic benchmark averages, not game performance, and they indicate that the RX 9070 XT's aggregate score is dragged down by some tests, likely older DirectX 9 and 10 benchmarks where modern architectures do not excel. The PassMark DirectX 9 score of 353 and DirectX 11 score of 292 are low relative to the G3D score, suggesting that the GPU is optimized for modern APIs rather than legacy ones.

In Archeage, the GPU's role becomes clear when examining the FPS scaling across settings. At 4K Ultra, the system averages only 33 FPS, which is a steep drop from the 49 FPS at 4K High. This indicates that the Ultra preset imposes a significant rendering load that the RX 9070 XT cannot sustain at 4K. The 16 GB VRAM is not the constraint here, as Archeage is not known for extreme texture sizes, but the raw compute throughput at 4K with Ultra effects appears to be the limiting factor. The GPU's FP32 performance is 48.66 TFLOPS, which is high, but the game's engine may not be using modern rendering paths efficiently, given that it originated in 2014.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern that reveals the balance between CPU and GPU load. Starting at 1080p Low, the system averages 210 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 142 FPS, a reduction of 68 FPS or roughly 32%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 81 FPS, which is 129 FPS below the 1080p figure, representing a 61% decrease from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is being pushed harder as resolution increases, while the CPU has headroom at the lower resolution.

At Medium settings, the pattern is similar but with a slightly different slope. 1080p Medium averages 187 FPS, 1440p Medium averages 126 FPS, and 4K Medium averages 72 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 61 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 54 FPS. The High settings show 127 FPS at 1080p, 86 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K, with drops of 41 FPS and 37 FPS respectively. The Ultra settings show 87 FPS at 1080p, 58 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K, with drops of 29 FPS and 25 FPS.

The pattern here is telling. At Low settings, the FPS drops are large between each resolution, indicating the GPU is the primary limiter because the CPU is not being stressed by low graphical load. At Ultra settings, the FPS drops are smaller in absolute terms but larger in percentage terms, which still points to GPU limitation but with the CPU also contributing more pressure. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 210 FPS shows the CPU can push well beyond typical refresh rates, so the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution tested. The GPU is the limiting component throughout, with the RX 9070 XT struggling to maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra but delivering smooth performance at 1080p and 1440p on lower presets.

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

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 210 FPS, which is exceptional for an MMO. Medium settings average 187 FPS with a minimum of 159 FPS and maximum of 215 FPS, showing good stability. High settings drop to 127 FPS average, which is still very smooth. Ultra settings average 87 FPS, which is playable but shows a significant cost for the highest quality preset. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 123 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset roughly halves the performance compared to Low.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected reduction. Low settings average 142 FPS, which is still above 144 Hz for many monitors. Medium settings average 126 FPS with a minimum of 107 FPS and maximum of 145 FPS, keeping the experience smooth. High settings average 86 FPS, which is borderline for high-refresh displays but perfectly playable. Ultra settings average 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for comfortable gameplay. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings is consistent, ranging from 29 FPS at Ultra to 68 FPS at Low.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles at higher presets. Low settings average 81 FPS, which is acceptable for 4K gaming. Medium settings average 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and maximum of 83 FPS, showing playable performance with occasional dips. High settings average 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may feel less smooth. Ultra settings average 33 FPS, which is not recommended for a game that requires quick reactions in PvP scenarios. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more severe than from 1080p to 1440p, confirming that the GPU is the dominant factor at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 893 out of 3708 tested combos in Archeage, placing it in the top 24% of all systems tested. This is a solid result, though not exceptional, given that the GPU's aggregate benchmark percentile is only 55 and the CPU's is 72. The rank suggests that the pairing works well for this game, but there are many faster combinations. The CPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are all within 1% of its average score, meaning that swapping to an AMD EPYC 7643, Intel Core i7-1355U, AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, or Intel Core i3-14100F would likely produce very similar results in Archeage, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the resolutions tested.

The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are much older and slower cards, which is misleading because the RX 9070 XT's modern architecture does not score well on legacy DirectX tests that these older cards were optimized for. In actual game performance, the RX 9070 XT is clearly a capable card, as evidenced by the 210 FPS at 1080p Low and 187 FPS at 1080p Medium. The combo rank of 893 means there are 892 combinations that perform better, which is expected given the GPU's modest percentile ranking. However, the results show that this combo delivers high frame rates at mainstream resolutions, making it a practical choice for Archeage players who want smooth gameplay without resorting to the highest settings at 4K.

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

For 1080p displays, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 187 FPS average with a minimum of 159 FPS ensures no perceptible stutter, and the maximum of 215 FPS shows there is headroom. High settings at 127 FPS are also excellent and provide better visual fidelity, but the difference in immersion between High and Medium is modest for an MMO. Ultra at 87 FPS is playable but does not justify the 100 FPS loss compared to Low. For competitive play, Low at 210 FPS is the optimal choice, though the visual downgrade is noticeable.

At 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset. The 126 FPS average with a minimum of 107 FPS keeps the experience smooth even in crowded areas. High at 86 FPS is acceptable but approaches the threshold where frame drops become noticeable during intense combat. Ultra at 58 FPS is borderline and not recommended for players who need consistent performance. Low at 142 FPS is excellent for competitive play but sacrifices too much visual detail for most players. The sweet spot is Medium, which offers good visuals with a comfortable performance margin.

At 4K, the choices are more limited. Low at 81 FPS is the only preset that provides a consistently smooth experience, though it looks dated. Medium at 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS is also playable and offers better visual quality, making it the best choice for 4K users who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rates. High at 49 FPS is playable but not ideal for a game with fast-paced PvP, and Ultra at 33 FPS should be avoided. Given that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, players with 4K monitors should accept the Medium preset as the practical maximum for a good experience. The data indicates that the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, while 4K requires dropping to Medium or Low to maintain playability.