Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600. This analysis examines the measured frame rates across resolutions and settings to understand the balance between the CPU and GPU in this specific configuration. The data indicates a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions but struggles under the combined load of 4K resolution and maximum graphical fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combination reveals a steep and consistent drop in performance as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 118 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average falls to 79 FPS, a reduction of approximately 33%. Scaling further to 4K at Low settings, the average FPS drops to 45, which is only 38% of the 1080p performance. This demonstrates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the sheer number of pixels, even when the visual complexity is low.

This trend is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 71 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p, and finally to 27 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at High settings represents a 44% performance loss. The pattern strongly suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the limiting factor at 4K. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory are being saturated by the demands of the higher resolution, leading to significant frame rate penalties. The data shows that the transition from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, but the jump to 4K is crippling, making that resolution unsuitable for playable frame rates with this setup.

For 1080p and 1440p, the scaling is more manageable. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings is from 105 FPS to 71 FPS, a 32% drop. This is a more typical scaling curve for a mid-range GPU. The behavior indicates that while the GPU is still the primary workload carrier, the CPU (Intel Core i5-9400) is not a bottleneck at these resolutions, allowing the GPU to perform its duties without being starved of data. The severe drop at 4K, however, points to the GPU hitting a wall, likely related to fillrate and memory bandwidth, rather than a CPU limitation.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600, based on the Navi 23 chip and RDNA 2.0 architecture, is the central component driving these results. Its boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz provide the processing power, but the 128-bit memory bus width, paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory at a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s, is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The benchmark data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 19, which is unplayable. This indicates that the GPU's compute capabilities and memory subsystem are simply overwhelmed by the combination of 4K resolution and the highest in-game settings.

The GPU's role becomes less dominant at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the RX 6600 has enough headroom to push high frame rates, with the Low preset reaching 118 FPS. The transition from Low to Medium at 1080p only costs 13 FPS (from 118 to 105), suggesting that the GPU has spare capacity. However, the jump from Medium to High is a 34 FPS drop (from 105 to 71), and from High to Ultra is a further 22 FPS drop (from 71 to 49). This non-linear scaling indicates that the more demanding settings, particularly Ultra, introduce a significant load on the GPU's shading units and memory system, even at 1080p.

The GPU's performance percentile is at 63, placing it above average. Its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores include the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (deltaPct 0) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (deltaPct -0.1). This context shows that while the RX 6600 is a solid performer, it is not designed for extreme resolutions. The data from this game confirms this, as the GPU consistently fails to maintain 30 FPS at 4K on High or Ultra settings. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the higher memory requirements for textures and geometry can push the card to its limit, contributing to the observed frame rate collapse.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations for Archeage, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 holds the rank of 2887 out of 3708 total combos. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems for this specific game. This ranking is a holistic measure that considers performance across all tested resolutions and settings. While the system performs admirably at 1080p, its poor performance at 4K drags down its overall standing.

The rank is more reflective of the GPU's limitations than the CPU's. The RX 6600's average benchmark score is 19036. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation (deltaPct 0.4) and the NVIDIA Tesla K20m (deltaPct -0.3), have similar overall compute scores. However, in a game like Archeage, the 4K performance is a significant part of the evaluation. Since the RX 6600 fails to deliver playable frame rates at 4K on higher settings, the combo's overall rank suffers compared to systems with more powerful GPUs.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a mid-range part. The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its performance is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (deltaPct -0.2) and the Intel Core i3-10305 (deltaPct -0.4). In the context of this game, the CPU's rank is less critical than the GPU's, as the data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The combo's rank of 2887 suggests that users with this setup should not expect top-tier performance, but rather a solid experience at 1080p and a playable one at 1440p with adjusted settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the target resolution. For a 1080p display, the highest preset that maintains a consistently smooth experience is High, which yields an average of 71 FPS. While the Ultra preset is technically playable at 49 FPS average, the significant drop from High suggests that the visual gains are not worth the performance cost, and the system may feel less responsive in crowded scenes. The Medium preset at 105 FPS is the best choice for players who prioritize a high refresh rate experience, as it offers a substantial frame rate advantage over High while still providing a visually pleasing image.

At 1440p, the recommended settings are more conservative. The High preset provides an average of 48 FPS, which is on the borderline of smoothness. For a more stable experience, the Medium preset at 71 FPS is the superior choice. It offers a significant 23 FPS improvement over High while maintaining a good level of visual detail. The Low preset at 79 FPS is even faster, but the reduction in visual quality may be too noticeable for some players. The data indicates that 1440p Medium is the sweet spot for this resolution, balancing visual fidelity and performance.

For 4K resolution, the data is clear: this combination is not suitable for high or ultra settings. The High preset averages only 27 FPS, which is below the threshold for playable smoothness. The Medium preset at 40 FPS is marginally better, but it still falls short of a consistent 60 FPS experience. The Low preset at 45 FPS is the only playable option at this resolution, but it requires a major compromise in visual quality. Given these results, players with a 4K monitor should strongly consider running the game at 1440p instead to achieve a far better balance of image quality and performance.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 71.

Q: Is this combination capable of 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, but only with lower settings. At 1440p, the Low preset averages 79 FPS and the Medium preset averages 71 FPS. The High preset averages 48 FPS, which is below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K performance compare to 1080p performance?

A: The performance drop is severe. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 45, which is 73 FPS lower than the 118 FPS achieved at 1080p Low. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 19.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 60 FPS target at 1080p?

A: The High preset at 1080p averages 71 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. For a higher refresh rate, the Medium preset averages 105 FPS.

Q: What is the limiting factor in this system for Archeage?

A: The data suggests the AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the primary bottleneck, especially at 4K resolution where the frame rates drop dramatically, indicating the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute power are insufficient for that resolution.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database?

A: The combo ranks 2887 out of 3708 tested combinations for Archeage.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 plays a supporting role in this configuration. It is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks is average, with an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it in the 47th percentile. Its nearest rivals in CPU performance are the Intel Core i7-10710U (deltaPct 0.3) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (deltaPct 0.4), indicating it is a solid mid-range part.

In the context of Archeage, the CPU's role is less critical than the GPU's. The measured FPS data shows that the system can achieve high frame rates at 1080p (118 FPS on Low), which indicates the CPU is not a significant bottleneck at that resolution. The i5-9400 has enough single-core and multi-core performance to feed the RX 6600 with data at 1080p and 1440p. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU's performance becomes irrelevant to the final frame rate, as the GPU is unable to process the frames fast enough.

The processor's 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are adequate for gaming. The lack of multi-threading (6 threads vs. 12 on some rivals) could be a factor in heavily populated MMO areas, but the data does not show this as a primary issue. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent with a GPU-bound system, suggesting the CPU is keeping up with the GPU's demands. Overall, the i5-9400 provides a stable platform that does not artificially limit performance in this game until the GPU is overwhelmed by high resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 45 FPS
• Medium: 40 FPS (min 34, max 46)
• High: 27 FPS
• Ultra: 19 FPS

At 4K, the average frame rates are consistently low. The difference between Low and Medium is 5 FPS, while the difference between Medium and High is 13 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 8 FPS. This shows a rapid degradation in performance as settings increase, with Ultra being nearly unplayable.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 79 FPS
• Medium: 71 FPS (min 60, max 81)
• High: 48 FPS
• Ultra: 33 FPS

At 1440p, the Low and Medium presets offer playable frame rates, with Medium providing a solid 71 FPS average. The High preset drops to 48 FPS, and Ultra is not a smooth experience at 33 FPS. The data shows a clear threshold where the High and Ultra presets become too demanding for this GPU at this resolution.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 118 FPS
• Medium: 105 FPS (min 89, max 121)
• High: 71 FPS
• Ultra: 49 FPS

At 1080p, the system performs well. The Low and Medium presets provide excellent frame rates, with the Medium preset showing a minimum FPS of 89, ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset is still very good at 71 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only one that dips below 60 FPS, averaging 49 FPS, which is a significant drop from High. This indicates that the Ultra preset introduces a substantial additional load on the GPU, likely due to advanced effects and draw distances.