Archeage

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination delivers a playable but demanding experience in Archeage, with performance scaling that clearly favors lower settings and resolutions. The data indicates this is a pairing where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher visual quality presets, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capacity ensures the game remains fluid when settings are reduced. Benchmark results across twelve measured configurations show a spread from 24.5 FPS at 4K Ultra to 141.3 FPS at 1080p Low, revealing a system that requires careful settings management to hit smooth frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF provides a substantial processing foundation for Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG that benefits from strong single-thread performance and ample core counts for handling game logic, network threads, and player character simulation. This CPU features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its architecture, Raptor Lake-R on a 10 nm process, includes a 24 MB shared L3 cache, which helps with the repetitive data access patterns common in MMO environments. The processor’s benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643, alongside a Geekbench single-core score of 2778, indicating robust per-thread capability.

The CPU’s performance relative to its peers reinforces its capability. It ranks in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 49367. Compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 49166, a delta of 0.4%. It is also very close to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which scores 49062, with a delta of 0.6% favoring the Intel part. This suggests that the i5-14600KF is not the limiting factor in this combo, as its compute headroom is substantial.

In the context of Archeage’s measured FPS, the CPU’s role becomes clear when observing how frame rates change with settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 141.3 FPS, which is likely near the upper bound of what the game engine can produce with this hardware. As the resolution increases, the FPS drops significantly, indicating that the GPU is struggling to keep up with the increased pixel workload. This pattern confirms that the CPU is feeding the GPU adequately, and the performance ceiling is dictated by graphics processing rather than processor limitations. The CPU’s high PassMark scores in physics (2449) and integer math (125982) further support its ability to handle the computational demands of an MMORPG without introducing stutter or frame pacing issues.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the decisive component in this pairing, as its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus width, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, directly determine the frame rates at higher settings. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz or 14 Gbps effective. Its Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process, includes 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs, which are critical for pixel throughput. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 18169 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22206.

The GPU’s position relative to its nearest rivals is competitive. It scores slightly lower than the NVIDIA RTX A400, which has an average score of 22307, a delta of -0.5%. It outperforms the AMD Radeon RX 5700, which scores 21670, by 2.5%. This mid-range standing explains why Archeage’s higher presets are challenging. When running at 4K Ultra, the system drops to 24.5 FPS, which is unplayable. At 4K High, it reaches 30.7 FPS, still below the 60 FPS threshold. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game’s textures at 1080p and 1440p, but the computational load of 4K resolution overwhelms its 9.062 TFLOPS FP32 performance.

The GPU’s DirectX 11 score of 151 and DirectX 12 score of 67, from PassMark, indicate that the card is more efficient in older APIs, which aligns with Archeage’s original 2014 release. The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher settings, as lowering the preset from Ultra to Low at 1440p improves performance from 38.6 FPS to 94.5 FPS, a gain of 145%. This massive swing is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where reducing shader complexity and texture filtering has a disproportionate impact on frame rate. The GPU’s 160 TMUs and 283.2 GTexel/s texture rate are adequate for moderate settings but struggle with the draw calls and effects at Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data strongly suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance for this combo. At 1080p Medium, the system delivers 128.6 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, while at 1440p Medium, it achieves 85.7 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS target for most displays. These numbers represent a significant improvement over High and Ultra presets without the visual degradation of Low. For instance, at 1440p, High settings yield 55.8 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold, whereas Medium provides a 54% improvement.

At 4K resolution, no preset is truly playable. The highest acceptable option, Low, produces 54.8 FPS, which is marginal for fast-paced combat, but Medium drops to 49.2 FPS, and High falls to 30.7 FPS. For users with 4K monitors, the recommendation is to either accept Low settings or lower the resolution to 1440p. The data indicates that Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot, as it maintains a high frame rate while preserving enough graphical detail for an MMORPG’s world and UI elements. Low settings at 1080p achieve 141.3 FPS, but the visual impact of reduced shadows and textures is noticeable, making Medium the more balanced choice for extended play sessions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank in Archeage is 1057 out of 1727 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of all systems measured. This ranking reflects the RTX 2070 SUPER’s age and performance class, as it is outclassed by newer GPUs in the database. The CPU’s high percentile ranking does not compensate for the GPU’s mid-pack position, confirming that the graphics card is the limiting factor. The rank indicates that many other combinations of CPUs and GPUs achieve higher frame rates in this game, particularly those with more recent graphics cards.

Despite the modest rank, the combo performs adequately at lower resolutions. The data shows that this pairing can deliver high frame rates at 1080p, which is likely the target resolution for most users. The rank of 1057 out of 1727 suggests that while there are better options, this combination is not obsolete. It sits above the median, and for a game like Archeage, which is not graphically intensive compared to modern titles, the RTX 2070 SUPER still has enough power to provide a satisfactory experience if settings are managed correctly.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At High settings, the system delivers 86.5 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 55.8 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 30.7 FPS at 4K, a further 45% reduction. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is increasingly saturated as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the drop is similar but less severe in percentage terms: 141.3 FPS at 1080p falls to 94.5 FPS at 1440p (33% drop) and then to 54.8 FPS at 4K (42% drop). The fact that the relative drop is similar across settings indicates that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and fill rate are the primary constraints, rather than shader complexity.

The scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is not involved in the bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, but the data shows a clear decline, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation. The i5-14600KF’s strong single-core and multi-core scores provide ample headroom, so the frame rate is dictated by the RTX 2070 SUPER’s ability to render frames. The conclusion is that for 4K gaming, this combo is not viable beyond Low settings, and for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1080p or 1440p with Medium settings is required.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 141.3 FPS on Low, 128.6 FPS on Medium, 86.5 FPS on High, and 58 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear progression where Ultra is the only preset that fails to hit 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for competitive play. At 2560x1440, the results are 94.5 FPS on Low, 85.7 FPS on Medium, 55.8 FPS on High, and 38.6 FPS on Ultra. Here, Medium is the highest playable setting, while High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance is severely limited. The system produces 54.8 FPS on Low, 49.2 FPS on Medium, 30.7 FPS on High, and 24.5 FPS on Ultra. These figures indicate that 4K is only marginally playable on Low, and even then, the frame rate is not stable enough for demanding scenarios. The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra widens as resolution increases, from a 59% difference at 1080p to a 55% difference at 4K, confirming that the GPU’s raw pixel throughput is the limiting factor. The average FPS values are the only metrics provided, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded, so the analysis relies on these averages to gauge overall smoothness.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The data shows 1080p Medium provides 128.6 FPS, which is smooth and visually acceptable. High settings drop to 86.5 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium offers a better safety margin for frame time spikes.

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

A: At 4K, the highest average FPS is 54.8 on Low settings. Medium drops to 49.2 FPS, and Ultra falls to 24.5 FPS. This indicates 4K is only playable on Low, and even then, the frame rate is below ideal for fast-paced gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combination?

A: The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent drop across all settings, indicating the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU’s benchmark scores, including a 93rd percentile ranking, show it has sufficient headroom.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU has an average benchmark score of 22206, which is 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A400 (22307) and 2.5% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5700 (21670). This places it in the middle of its performance class.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows 85.7 FPS at 1440p Medium, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for most monitors. This is the recommended balance for this resolution.

Q: Does the CPU’s multi-threading capability affect Archeage performance?

A: The CPU’s 20 threads and high multi-core scores, such as 32889 in Cinebench R23, ensure the game logic runs smoothly. The FPS drops at higher resolutions are not CPU-related, as the frame rate scales with GPU load.