Archeage

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a highly resolution-dependent experience in Archeage. The data reveals a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial core and thread count ensures consistent frame delivery at lower settings. Benchmark results indicate a configuration that is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gameplay, but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 132 FPS at 1080p to 85.4 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 46.6 FPS, and then further to 49.3 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where the increased pixel count directly impacts the rendering load on the RTX 2060 SUPER. The transition from 1080p to 1440p represents a 35.3% performance loss, while the jump to 4K from 1440p results in a 42.3% loss, indicating that the GPU's 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are progressively saturated.

At High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values. The average FPS goes from 75.4 at 1080p to 49.7 at 1440p, and finally to 30.5 at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K narrows to a 38.6% loss, suggesting that the GPU is already heavily taxed at the lower resolution. The Medium settings curve shows 114.7 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 76.1 at 1440p and 42.1 at 4K. The most demanding setting, Ultra, reveals the harshest scaling: 53.2 FPS at 1080p falls to 33.6 at 1440p and plummets to 20.8 at 4K.

The frame rate deltas between resolution steps indicate that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting component across all settings. The CPU, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at lower resolutions, but the GPU's compute ceiling becomes evident as pixel count rises. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 132 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls efficiently. However, at 4K Ultra, the 20.8 FPS result highlights that the GPU's 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs are insufficient for the combined load of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its multi-threaded capabilities are reflected in benchmark scores such as 32889 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 13813 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. These figures place the CPU in the 93rd percentile versus all CPUs, demonstrating strong processing power that is rarely the bottleneck in Archeage, an MMORPG that often relies on single-thread performance for game logic and network handling.

The CPU's single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4643 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4273, is adequate for maintaining high frame rates in less demanding scenarios. At 1080p Low, the 132 FPS average suggests that the CPU can process game frames quickly enough to avoid limiting the GPU. However, the boost clock of 5.30 GHz is crucial for scenarios with numerous players or complex world interactions, where per-frame CPU work can spike.

The processor's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce latency for frequently accessed data, which is beneficial for MMORPG environments with many entities. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600KF scores 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K with an average benchmark score of 49367 versus 49166, and 0.5% lower than the AMD EPYC 4345P at 49595. This indicates that the CPU's performance is consistent with other high-end desktop processors, providing a stable foundation for the GPU.

The data shows that the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU in this configuration. At 4K resolutions, the CPU's workload does not increase proportionally with the pixel count, so the 20.8 FPS at Ultra is solely attributable to the GPU's limitations. Conversely, at 1080p with lower settings, the CPU's ability to deliver 132 FPS demonstrates that it is not a constraining factor, allowing the RTX 2060 SUPER to operate near its maximum potential.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 75.4 frames per second at 1920x1080 resolution with High settings.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 20.8 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 76.1. This result indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU's high core count and clock speeds can handle the game's processing demands at this resolution.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved in this test?

A: The maximum measured average FPS is 132, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070's score of 19680.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 85.4 on Low settings and 33.6 on Ultra settings, representing a difference of 51.8 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 132 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in this dataset. Medium settings maintain a smooth 114.7 FPS, while High settings yield 75.4 FPS. Ultra settings at this resolution result in 53.2 FPS, which remains playable but indicates the GPU is starting to struggle with the highest graphical preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable but manageable. Low settings average 85.4 FPS, providing a fluid experience. Medium settings achieve 76.1 FPS, and High settings drop to 49.7 FPS. Ultra settings at 1440p produce 33.6 FPS, which is marginal for fast-paced gameplay but may be acceptable for less demanding content in Archeage.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2060 SUPER is clearly overburdened. Low settings yield 49.3 FPS, which is borderline playable. Medium settings average 42.1 FPS, while High settings fall to 30.5 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K produce only 20.8 FPS, which is not suitable for smooth gameplay. The data shows a consistent pattern where each resolution step up halves the available headroom, particularly at higher settings.

The settings scaling within each resolution is also informative. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 78.8 FPS, showing that graphical settings have a significant impact on performance. At 1440p, this gap is 51.8 FPS, and at 4K, it narrows to 28.5 FPS. This narrowing indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU's fixed resources are consumed by pixel shading, leaving less headroom for settings-based performance variations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1312 out of 1727 tested combos in Archeage. This places the configuration in the lower portion of the ranking, which is consistent with the measured performance data showing sub-60 FPS at 4K and only moderate frame rates at 1440p with higher settings.

The rank reflects the GPU's mid-tier status, as the RTX 2060 SUPER sits in the 63rd percentile versus all GPUs. The CPU, in contrast, is a high-end part in the 93rd percentile versus all CPUs. This disparity means the GPU limits the overall system performance, dragging the combo ranking down despite the CPU's strength. The data shows that the CPU's capabilities are underutilized at higher resolutions, where the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

Compared to other combos that might feature the same CPU with a more powerful GPU, this pairing would likely rank higher, as the GPU would not be the limiting factor. Conversely, pairing this GPU with a weaker CPU would likely result in a similar rank, as the GPU would still be the bottleneck. The rank of 1312 out of 1727 indicates that there are 415 combos that perform worse, but the majority of tested configurations deliver better results in Archeage.

The benchmark results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates across all settings, and 1440p at Medium or Low settings for a balance of visual quality and performance. At 4K, the system is not competitive, with even Low settings failing to reach 60 FPS. The rank underscores the importance of matching GPU capabilities to the target resolution and settings, as the CPU's considerable processing power alone cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations.