Archeage

# Archeage with Intel Core i5-14600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

This combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 8th out of 1,727 tested combos in Archeage, placing it in the top 0.5% of all configurations measured. The CPU itself sits at the 93rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU reaches the 94th percentile among all graphics cards, indicating that both components are near the top of their respective performance hierarchies. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings show a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher quality presets, with the CPU's strong single-threaded performance (a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,643) proving sufficient to feed the RTX 5090 even at 1080p Low where the average FPS exceeds 280.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 8 out of 1,727 tested configurations places it in the top tier of systems for Archeage. This is a game from 2014, and the data reflects that older MMORPGs often respond well to high single-thread CPU performance and raw GPU throughput. The Intel Core i5-14600KF achieves an average benchmark score of 49,367, which is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K (49,166) and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49,062). It trails the AMD EPYC 4345P (49,595) by 0.5% and leads the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48,698) by 1.4%. These margins are small, meaning the CPU is not the differentiating factor at this performance level.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 posts an average benchmark score of 84,306, sitting 0.1% ahead of the RTX 5090 D (84,241) and 0.2% ahead of the RTX 5050 Mobile (84,171). It leads the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (83,209) by 1.3% and trails the NVIDIA CMP 40HX (85,637) by 1.6%. The GPU's percentile rank of 94 indicates it is among the fastest cards tested. In Archeage specifically, the combination's rank of 8 suggests that this pairing extracts near-maximal performance from the game engine, likely limited more by game code and engine constraints than by either component.

GPU Role

The RTX 5090 brings 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. This is substantial for a game from 2014, which was designed for systems with far less memory bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 2,407 MHz and base clock of 2,017 MHz, combined with 21,760 shading units and 176 ROPs, provide the raw compute necessary for high frame rates. The memory runs at 1,750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), and the card's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is more than sufficient for Archeage's DirectX 11-era rendering.

The measured FPS data shows the GPU is the dominant factor at higher settings. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 50.9, while 4K High reaches 69.7. This indicates that the game's Ultra preset likely enables effects that are heavy on the GPU, such as high-resolution shadows and post-processing, which the RTX 5090 handles but not at the frame rates seen at lower presets. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 39,650 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,411 reflect its position in the top 6% of all GPUs tested, yet Archeage's older engine does not scale perfectly with this level of hardware.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High achieves 129.1 FPS, while 1080p High reaches 190.1 FPS. For 4K, High settings yield 69.7 FPS, which is playable but not high-refresh. The sweet spot is 1440p, where the system delivers over 120 FPS on High.

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

A: The i5-14600KF scores 49,367 on average, which is 0.4% higher than the i5-14600K and 0.6% higher than the Ryzen 9 5950X. It trails the EPYC 4345P by 0.5% and leads the Xeon Gold 5318H by 1.4%. These differences are within noise for gaming.

Q: Does the RTX 5090's 32 GB VRAM matter for Archeage?

A: Archeage from 2014 does not require 32 GB of VRAM, but the capacity ensures no memory-related stutters or texture pop-in at any resolution. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth also helps maintain consistent frame times.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 4K, Low averages 117.4 FPS, while Ultra drops to 50.9 FPS. This is a difference of 66.5 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a significant GPU load.

Q: How does this combo rank overall?

A: It ranks 8th out of 1,727 tested combinations, placing it in the top 0.5% of all systems tested for Archeage.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 284.4 FPS, which is very high. The CPU's single-thread score of 4,643 in Cinebench R23 suggests it can keep up, but the 1080p Ultra score of 125.3 FPS indicates the GPU becomes the bottleneck as settings increase.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a complete picture of performance scaling. At 1080p, Low settings produce 284.4 FPS, Medium 275.2 FPS, High 190.1 FPS, and Ultra 125.3 FPS. The drop from Low to High is 94.3 FPS, while High to Ultra is another 64.8 FPS. At 1440p, Low delivers 208.9 FPS, Medium 184.3 FPS, High 129.1 FPS, and Ultra 86.4 FPS. The gap between Low and High at 1440p is 79.8 FPS, and High to Ultra is 42.7 FPS.

At 4K, the numbers compress significantly: Low averages 117.4 FPS, Medium 108.8 FPS, High 69.7 FPS, and Ultra 50.9 FPS. The difference between Low and High at 4K is 47.7 FPS, while High to Ultra is only 18.8 FPS. This pattern shows that the Ultra preset at 4K is particularly demanding, likely due to resolution-dependent effects. The 4K Medium score of 108.8 FPS is closer to Low (117.4) than to High (69.7), indicating a non-linear scaling of GPU workload between presets.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals how the system scales with pixel count. At Low settings, 1080p delivers 284.4 FPS, 1440p 208.9 FPS (73.5% of 1080p), and 4K 117.4 FPS (41.3% of 1080p). At High settings, 1080p gives 190.1 FPS, 1440p 129.1 FPS (67.9% of 1080p), and 4K 69.7 FPS (36.7% of 1080p). The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep at High settings, where the FPS drops by 59.4 FPS.

This pattern indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1080p Low, the system may be partially CPU-limited, as the i5-14600KF's 14 cores and 20 threads provide sufficient headroom. However, the 4K Ultra score of 50.9 FPS, which is 40.1% of the 1080p Low score, shows that the RTX 5090 is the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are not the limiting factors; rather, the game's engine appears unable to utilize the GPU's full compute capacity in a linear fashion.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that High settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, High delivers 190.1 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most monitors. At 1440p, High reaches 129.1 FPS, which is suitable for high-refresh displays. Even at 4K, High manages 69.7 FPS, which is playable for most users.

Ultra settings impose a significant penalty: at 4K, the FPS drops to 50.9, and at 1440p it falls to 86.4. The difference between High and Ultra is 59.4 FPS at 1080p (from 190.1 to 125.3), which is substantial. Medium settings offer a middle ground, with 1080p reaching 275.2 FPS and 4K hitting 108.8 FPS, but the visual fidelity gain from Medium to High is typically worth the FPS cost in a game like Archeage. Low settings are only recommended for competitive play at 1080p, where 284.4 FPS provides maximum responsiveness, though the visual downgrade is noticeable. For most users, High at 1440p is the recommended configuration, as it combines strong visuals with frame rates above 120 FPS.