Archeage

Archeage is a 2014 MMORPG that remains sensitive to both processor and graphics hardware, and this combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a distinct performance profile across common resolutions. The data shows a system that can push very high frame rates at 1080p, but which becomes increasingly constrained by the graphics card as resolution climbs to 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured results, contextualizes the components' roles, and explains how this pairing ranks among the 1727 tested combinations.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on Intel's 10 nm process for the LGA 1700 socket. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications place it in the top tier of consumer desktop CPUs, with a percentile rank of 93 among all CPUs tested.

In synthetic benchmarks, the processor shows strong single-thread and multi-thread capabilities. Its Cinebench R23 scores are 4643 for single-core and 32889 for multi-core, while Geekbench scores are 2778 single-core and 15636 multi-core. The PassMark single-thread score is 4273, and the multithread score is 38697. These numbers indicate that the 14600KF has ample headroom for Archeage's MMO workloads, which often involve numerous NPCs, player characters, and world events that stress a few cores heavily.

The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is tight. The Intel Core i5-14600K scores 49166 on average, a 0.4% delta from the 14600KF's 49367 average. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 49595, which is -0.5% relative to the 14600KF, meaning the EPYC is slightly faster. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X scores 49062, a 0.6% delta, and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48698, a 1.4% delta. This means the 14600KF sits in the middle of a very close pack, with no rival exceeding it by more than 1.4%.

For Archeage, the CPU's role is to maintain a stable frame delivery, particularly when the game's logic — such as combat calculations, quest updates, and other player actions — becomes the bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 229.2 FPS, which is a high number that indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor at that point. The processor's single-core performance, evidenced by the 4643 Cinebench R23 single-core score, is adequate to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a high-end graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, using the Navi 31 chip fabricated on a 5 nm process. It has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1387 MHz, with a boost clock of 2394 MHz and a game clock of 2025 MHz. The memory runs at 2500 MHz, or 20 Gbps effective.

In terms of raw compute, the RX 7900 XT has 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs, with 84 ray-tracing cores. Its FP32 performance is 51.48 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 459.6 GPixel/s. The card's benchmark scores include a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623 and a PassMark G3D score of 29009. Its percentile rank among all GPUs is 82, and its average benchmark score is 38358.

The GPU's nearest rivals show a tight grouping. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile scores 38349, a 0% delta from the RX 7900 XT's 38358 average. The NVIDIA CMP 70HX scores 38225, a 0.3% delta, and the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 scores 38494, a -0.4% delta, indicating the RX 7900 XT is slightly faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, a 0.6% delta. This places the RX 7900 XT in a competitive middle ground among its peers.

The GPU's role in Archeage becomes evident when examining the FPS scaling. At 4K Ultra settings, the system manages 39.2 FPS, which suggests the GPU is heavily loaded by the game's graphical effects. The 20 GB VRAM buffer is more than sufficient for Archeage's textures, and the 800.0 GB/s bandwidth helps maintain smooth frame pacing. The GPU's relative performance against its rivals, particularly the 0% delta with the RTX 5080 Mobile, indicates that this card's capabilities are well-matched for the game's demands.

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 that highlights the shift in bottleneck from GPU to CPU. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 229.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 155.6, a 32% reduction. At 4K Low, the FPS falls to 87.6, a further 44% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline with each resolution step indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

For High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 135.1. At 1440p High, it drops to 91.8, a 32% decrease. At 4K High, the FPS is 54.3, a 41% drop from 1440p. The pattern is consistent: each resolution doubling roughly halves the frame rate, confirming that the GPU's pixel throughput is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The Medium settings show a similar trend. At 1080p Medium, the system runs at 202.8 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 135.9, a 33% reduction. At 4K Medium, the FPS is 80, a 41% drop from 1440p. The Ultra settings show the most dramatic decline. At 1080p Ultra, the FPS is 94.5. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 64.1, a 32% decrease. At 4K Ultra, the FPS is 39.2, a 39% drop from 1440p.

These numbers demonstrate that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the frame rates exceed 200 FPS on Low and Medium settings. The GPU becomes the bottleneck at 4K, where even Low settings produce only 87.6 FPS. The data suggests that for 1080p and 1440p gaming, this combo is well-balanced, but at 4K, the GPU is the clear constraint.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 310 out of 1727 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the top 18% of all combinations, which is a strong position given the age of the game and the variety of hardware tested.

This ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing. The 14600KF's strong single-core performance, evidenced by its 4273 PassMark single-thread score, pairs well with the RX 7900 XT's high pixel fill rate of 459.6 GPixel/s. The result is a system that can handle Archeage's MMO demands at 1440p with high frame rates, while still being competitive at 4K with adjusted settings.

The rank of 310 out of 1727 means that 1417 other combos performed worse, while 309 performed better. This puts the combo in the upper echelon, but not at the very top, which is expected given that Archeage is a 2014 title that may not fully utilize the latest hardware features. The GPU's 82nd percentile and the CPU's 93rd percentile both contribute to this ranking, but the game's engine appears to favor the GPU more heavily, as evidenced by the larger FPS declines at higher resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce the highest average FPS at 229.2, followed by Medium at 202.8, High at 135.1, and Ultra at 94.5. The spread between Low and Ultra is 134.7 FPS, indicating that graphical settings have a significant impact on performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain playable but lower. Low settings average 155.6 FPS, Medium averages 135.9 FPS, High averages 91.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 64.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 91.5 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with High settings still exceeding 90 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings average 87.6 FPS, Medium averages 80 FPS, High averages 54.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 39.2 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 48.4 FPS. At 4K, only Low and Medium settings provide frame rates above 80 FPS, while High and Ultra dip below 60 FPS, making them less suitable for smooth gameplay.

The data shows that the combo is most effective at 1080p, where it can push past 200 FPS on lower settings. At 1440p, it remains strong with High settings achieving 91.8 FPS. At 4K, users will need to compromise on quality to maintain playable frame rates, with Medium settings providing 80 FPS and Low providing 87.6 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Archeage?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 2560x1440 with High settings provides 91.8 FPS, offering a good balance between visual quality and smoothness. At 1080p, High settings reach 135.1 FPS, while at 4K, High drops to 54.3 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K's 49166. It is 0.5% slower than the AMD EPYC 4345P, which scores 49595.

Q: Is the GPU's performance close to its nearest competitor?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT has an average benchmark score of 38358. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile scores 38349, a 0% delta, making the two nearly identical in average performance.

Q: What happens to FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K on Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the system achieves 229.2 FPS. At 4K Low, it drops to 87.6 FPS, a 62% reduction that indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 310 out of 1727 tested combinations in Archeage, placing it in the top 18% of all pairings tested.

Q: What are the frame rates for Ultra settings at each resolution?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 94.5. At 1440p Ultra, it is 64.1. At 4K Ultra, it is 39.2, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.