Archeage

Archeage is a 2014 MMORPG that, despite its age, still presents a meaningful challenge to modern hardware at higher settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 across a range of resolutions and quality presets. The data shows a system that is clearly capable of delivering smooth frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to show its limitations when pushed to 4K Ultra.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a system that becomes progressively more GPU-bound as resolution increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo produces an average of 92 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 62 FPS, a 32.6% reduction. Pushing further to 4K High, the average falls to 36 FPS, which is another 41.9% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU with an 8 GB frame buffer and a 128-bit memory interface; the rendering load at 4K simply overwhelms the RTX 4060.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically at higher resolutions, which further confirms the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p, the difference between Low (153 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) is 90 FPS. At 1440p, the spread is 61 FPS (103 Low vs 42 Ultra). At 4K, the spread is 35 FPS (59 Low vs 24 Ultra). While the absolute numbers shrink, the percentage drop from Low to Ultra grows: 58.8% at 1080p, 59.2% at 1440p, and 59.3% at 4K. This consistent percentage loss indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor across all resolutions, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card until the pixel fill rate becomes the wall.

The 4K Medium preset offers a slight reprieve, with an average of 52 FPS and a minimum of 45 FPS. This suggests that the jump from Medium to High at 4K is particularly punishing, likely due to increased texture detail and shadow complexity exceeding the 8 GB VRAM capacity. The data implies that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the user must be willing to dial settings down to Low, which yields 59 FPS. This is a marginal difference, indicating that even at the lowest settings, the RTX 4060 is operating near its practical ceiling at this resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1830 MHz with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The benchmark results show that this configuration is fundamentally suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but struggles in the 4K tier. The GPU’s percentile rank against all GPUs is 61, placing it in the upper-midrange of the market.

The memory configuration is the most critical factor in Archeage’s 4K performance. With 8 GB of VRAM, the card is likely hitting capacity limits when textures and geometry are set to High or Ultra at 3840x2160. This is evidenced by the significant FPS drop between Medium (52 FPS) and High (36 FPS) at 4K. In contrast, the drop between Medium and High at 1440p is less severe (91 FPS to 62 FPS), suggesting that at 1440p, the VRAM is sufficient, and the performance loss is more attributable to raw compute limits rather than memory capacity. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is also a limiting factor at 4K, where the larger frame buffer demands more data throughput.

Compute performance is adequate for the game’s age. The RTX 4060’s FP32 throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS is sufficient to handle the DirectX 11 rendering path that Archeage likely uses, as indicated by the Passmark DirectX 11 score of 175. The card’s 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs are well-balanced for the pixel workload at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show that the pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s is just not enough to maintain high frame rates. The GPU’s transistor count of 18,900 million and die size of 159 mm² suggest a dense, efficient design, but efficiency does not compensate for a lack of raw memory bandwidth at extreme resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The data strongly suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck in Archeage at any resolution tested. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and single-core score of 3055 indicate robust multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, which is more than adequate for an MMORPG like Archeage, which typically relies on a few heavily loaded threads for game logic and network processing.

The CPU’s percentile rank against all CPUs is 83, placing it in the top tier of processors. Its average benchmark score of 32279 is virtually identical to its nearest rivals, with a delta of only 0.1% compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and 0.2% compared to the Intel Core i9-11900. This indicates that the i5-14400F offers competitive processing power in a mainstream package. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache is beneficial for keeping game data close to the cores, reducing latency in complex scenes with many players or NPCs.

The fact that the FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings—rather than stagnating—proves that the CPU is feeding the GPU adequately. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers at 1080p and 1440p, which is not the case. The jump from 92 FPS at 1080p High to 62 FPS at 1440p High is a 32.6% drop that correlates directly with the increased pixel count, which is a GPU-bound behavior. The CPU’s 65W TDP and 10 nm process node contribute to efficient sustained operation, ensuring that it does not throttle and hold back the GPU in longer gaming sessions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo performs admirably across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 153 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates the CPU and GPU are both operating at their limits for this resolution. Medium settings yield 136 FPS with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS, providing a very smooth experience with headroom for dips. High settings average 92 FPS, and Ultra drops to 63 FPS. The 1080p results suggest that for competitive or high-refresh-rate play, the user can comfortably use Medium or High settings to maintain frame rates above the 90 FPS mark.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts. Low settings still deliver a high 103 FPS average, but Medium drops to 91 FPS (min 78, max 105). High settings average 62 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a 144Hz monitor. Ultra settings average 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that most users consider smooth. At 1440p, the data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot, offering a good balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, with the minimum of 78 FPS ensuring a mostly stutter-free experience.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 is clearly overmatched. Low settings average 59 FPS, which is just shy of 60 FPS. Medium settings average 52 FPS (min 45, max 60), and High settings drop to 36 FPS. Ultra is nearly unplayable at 24 FPS. The 4K data is consistent with the VRAM and bandwidth limitations discussed earlier. The difference between Low and Medium at 4K is only 7 FPS, while the difference between Medium and High is 16 FPS, suggesting a significant quality step that strains the memory subsystem. For 4K gaming, users are advised to stick to Low or Medium presets to maintain playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 2001 out of 3708 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, meaning that roughly 46% of tested combos perform worse in this specific game. While this rank might seem low, it is important to consider the context. The benchmark database likely includes many high-end systems with top-tier GPUs, which skews the ranking. For a mainstream mid-range combo, this rank is respectable, indicating that the system is positioned in the middle of the pack.

The combo’s rank is likely dragged down by the 4K results, where the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM is a severe disadvantage. At 1080p and 1440p, the system would rank much higher, as the performance is competitive with more expensive configurations. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it provides a strong price-to-performance ratio in terms of measured FPS, though pricing is not discussed here. The rank of 2001 out of 3708 also indicates that there are 1707 combos that perform worse, many of which likely feature older or lower-tier components. This system is a solid choice for an MMORPG like Archeage, which is more CPU-dependent than many modern shooters, and the i5-14400F is well-equipped to handle the task.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Archeage at with this combo?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At Medium settings, the combo averages 136 FPS with a minimum of 115 FPS, ensuring a very smooth experience. At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield 91 FPS, which is also playable, but the 4K results are too low for consistent smoothness.

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

A: At 4K, the combo is only playable on Low settings, averaging 59 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52 FPS, and High settings fall to 36 FPS. Ultra settings are not recommended, as they produce an average of only 24 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM is a limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, scores 32233, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226, a delta of 0.2%. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, a delta of -0.2%. This shows the i5-14400F is statistically tied with these processors.

Q: Is the RTX 4060 a bottleneck in this system for Archeage?

A: Yes, particularly at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the FPS scales well with settings, but at 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops. The 128-bit memory bus and 8 GB VRAM are the primary constraints at 4K.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 103 FPS, while Ultra settings average 42 FPS. This is a difference of 61 FPS, representing a 59.2% performance penalty for using the highest quality preset.

Q: Does the combo have enough memory bandwidth for this game?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the 272.0 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient. However, at 4K, the bandwidth is insufficient, causing a substantial performance drop between Medium and High settings. The 8 GB VRAM size is also likely exceeded at 4K High and Ultra settings.