Archeage

Archeage, an MMORPG released in 2014, presents a unique stress profile that combines large-scale player activity with traditional rendering. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, based on the benchmark data provided. The data reveals a system that is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles significantly at 4K, particularly at higher graphical presets.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features a 65 W TDP and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong single-threaded performance, scoring 3456 in PassMark's single-thread test and 910 in 3dmark_single_thread. Its multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15935 and a PassMark multithread score of 18747.

For an MMORPG like Archeage, which often relies on a few primary threads for game logic and network processing, the i5-12400's single-core strength is critical. The data shows that the CPU sits at the 77th percentile among all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9700, which is 0.1% ahead, and the Intel Core i7-8700, which is 0.2% behind. This indicates that the processor is positioned in a highly competitive mid-to-high tier, providing ample headroom for the game's CPU-bound tasks.

The measured FPS suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 108.8 FPS, which is likely not constrained by the CPU. However, the gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p (108.8 vs 42.1 FPS) indicates that the graphics load is a major factor. The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core are adequate for handling the game's asset streaming and entity management. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 5873, which is close to the max_threads score of 5890, suggests that the processor scales well with additional threads, which can be beneficial in crowded areas of the game world.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, built on the Pascal architecture with the GP104 chip, is an end-of-life product that was released in 2016. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1506 MHz, with a boost clock of 1683 MHz. Its 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 202.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS.

The GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM is a significant asset for an MMORPG, as these games often load large textures for characters, environments, and UI elements. However, the benchmark results show that the GPU is a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K Ultra, the system only achieves 19.1 FPS, which is unplayable. Even at 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 27.3 FPS. The GPU's percentile rank is 51st among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12331. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 (0.7% ahead) and the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER (1.4% behind), indicating it sits in the middle of the performance pack.

The PassMark DirectX 11 score of 100 is notably higher than the DirectX 12 score of 48, which is relevant for a 2014 game that may primarily use older APIs. The GPU's memory clock of 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective) is sufficient for the game's data throughput, but the sheer pixel count at 4K overwhelms the 1070's shading units. This is evident in the FPS drop from 1080p Low (108.8 FPS) to 4K Low (40.1 FPS), which is a 63% reduction, showing the GPU's struggles with resolution scaling.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling. At 1080p, the system is capable of high frame rates: 108.8 FPS on Low, 94.9 FPS on Medium, and 64.1 FPS on High. Moving to 1440p, these figures drop to 68.9 FPS (Low), 65.2 FPS (Medium), and 42.0 FPS (High). At 4K, the performance collapses, with 40.1 FPS on Low, 36.6 FPS on Medium, and 25.4 FPS on High.

The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is from 108.8 to 40.1 FPS, a reduction of approximately 63%. This significant loss indicates that the GTX 1070 is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU's role becomes less relevant as the GPU struggles to fill the increased pixel count. The fact that the FPS at 1080p Low (108.8) is nearly double that of 4K Low (40.1) suggests that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated.

At 1440p, the system is still playable, with 42.0 FPS on High and 65.2 FPS on Medium. This makes 1440p a viable resolution for this combo if settings are managed. The 4K figures, even at Low settings (40.1 FPS), are borderline, and the Ultra preset at 4K (19.1 FPS) is essentially a slideshow. This data implies that for a smooth experience, users should target 1080p or 1440p, and avoid 4K unless they are willing to significantly compromise on visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1458th out of 1727 combos for Archeage. This places it in the lower 16th percentile of tested systems (calculated as rank divided by total combos). This rank is surprisingly low, considering the CPU's 77th percentile standing and the GPU's 51st percentile.

The low rank suggests that while each component is mid-tier on its own, their combination does not synergize well for this specific game. The GTX 1070's age and the game's engine may be limiting factors. The rank indicates that most other tested combinations deliver higher average FPS across the measured presets. This could be because the game is heavily GPU-bound, and the GTX 1070 is simply not competitive with more modern GPUs that feature newer architectures and higher clock speeds.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as its performance is above average. The GPU, however, is a mid-pack performer, and in a game like Archeage that may not be well-optimized for multi-threading, the overall combination suffers. The rank of 1458 suggests that users with this hardware should expect a below-average experience compared to the broader benchmark pool, but the absolute FPS numbers at 1080p and 1440p are still usable.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Archeage at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, the data shows average FPS of 64.1 on High settings and 94.9 on Medium settings at 1920x1080, which are both playable. Even the Ultra preset achieves 42.1 FPS at this resolution.

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

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's single-thread score is high (3456 in PassMark), while the GPU's performance drops significantly from 1080p to 4K, indicating it struggles with pixel fill rates.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: Based on the data, 2560x1440 is viable, with 42.0 FPS on High and 65.2 FPS on Medium. The 1080p resolution offers higher frame rates, but 1440p provides a good balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rival, the GTX 1650 SUPER?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 12331, which is 1.4% lower than the GTX 1650 SUPER's score of 12504. In practice, this means the 1070 is slightly slower in this game's benchmarks.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM on the GTX 1070 sufficient for Archeage?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory is likely sufficient for the game's texture loads, as the FPS drops are more correlated with resolution and preset changes rather than VRAM capacity errors. However, the GPU's raw compute power is the limiting factor.

Q: What does the combo's rank of 1458 out of 1727 mean for the user?

A: This rank indicates that the combination is in the bottom 16th percentile of tested systems for Archeage. It means that most other hardware pairings deliver higher average FPS, so users should not expect top-tier performance.

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

The data suggests that the Ultra preset is not recommended for this hardware. At 1080p, Ultra yields 42.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 27.3 FPS, and at 4K, it is unplayable at 19.1 FPS. The High preset is a better choice, offering 64.1 FPS at 1080p and 42.0 FPS at 1440p. The Medium preset provides the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, with 94.9 FPS at 1080p and 65.2 FPS at 1440p.

For a consistent experience, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the sweet spot, delivering near-100 FPS. If users prefer higher graphical fidelity, the High preset at 1440p is still playable at 42.0 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p yields 108.8 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but sacrifices visual quality. The data indicates that the system can handle 1440p Medium well, but 4K should be avoided entirely, as even Low settings only achieve 40.1 FPS. The best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Medium, offering high frame rates with acceptable visual quality.

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

The following table presents the exact average FPS measurements for each resolution and settings combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|---|---|---|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 108.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 94.9 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 64.1 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 42.1 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 68.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 65.2 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 42.0 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 27.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 40.1 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 36.6 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 25.4 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 19.1 |

At 1080p, the system shows a strong spread, from 108.8 FPS on Low down to 42.1 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results show a tighter grouping, with Low at 68.9 FPS and Ultra at 27.3 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with the highest being 40.1 FPS on Low and the lowest being 19.1 FPS on Ultra. These numbers confirm that the GTX 1070 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides sufficient performance to avoid being a bottleneck at 1080p.