Archeage

# Archeage Performance Analysis: Intel Core i5-9400 + AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

This combination of Intel's six-core Coffee Lake CPU and AMD's RDNA 2 GPU produces a mid-table result in Archeage, ranking 1950th out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all tested systems. The pairing demonstrates a clear performance ceiling that shifts between CPU and GPU depending on resolution, with the measured frame rates showing distinct patterns that reveal how each component influences the experience across the game's four quality presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The 1950th position out of 3708 combos places this system slightly above the median tested configuration, suggesting that while it delivers playable performance in many scenarios, it does not stand out as a high-end setup for Archeage. The CPU's 47th percentile ranking among all processors aligns closely with this overall positioning, while the GPU's stronger 72nd percentile standing indicates that the graphics card is the more capable component in this pairing.

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a tightly contested performance tier, with its nearest rivals showing minimal score differences. The i7-1068NG7 scores just 0.2% higher, while the i3-10305 is a mere 0.4% ahead in average benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 trails by only 0.4%, and the i7-10710U is 0.3% behind. This cluster of competitors, all within a 0.8% total spread, suggests that the i5-9400's performance level is a well-populated neighborhood where architectural differences matter less than thermal and power delivery in real-world gaming.

The GPU's ranking context is more interesting. The RX 6700 XT's average benchmark score of 27425 places it within 0.5% of the RTX 3090's 27565, a remarkable proximity given the generational and market-position differences. The RTX 4070 Mobile matches it exactly at 0% delta, while the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell is 1.1% higher and the Radeon Pro Vega 20 sits 1.5% above. This clustering indicates that the RX 6700 XT delivers desktop-class performance that rivals much more expensive options in synthetic benchmarks, though Archeage's specific engine characteristics may not fully leverage this GPU headroom.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT brings substantial graphics resources to Archeage, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs provide ample geometry and pixel processing capacity. Clock speeds are equally robust, with a base of 2321 MHz, a game clock of 2424 MHz, and a boost reaching 2581 MHz, while memory operates at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective throughput.

These specifications translate to a GPU that ranks in the 72nd percentile of all graphics cards, with a PassMark G3D score of 19786 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 2435. The 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 413.0 GTexel/s texture rate indicate a card capable of handling modern game engines with ease. For Archeage, an MMORPG with environments that can become crowded with player characters and effects, the RX 6700 XT's pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s ensures that even dense scenes maintain fill-rate headroom.

The VRAM allocation proves decisive in this game's higher presets. At 4K Ultra, the combination drops to 25 FPS average, while 4K High manages 36 FPS. The step to Medium at 4K yields 53 FPS, and Low produces 59 FPS. This pattern suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity become limiting factors at 4K, particularly when texture quality and draw distances increase. The 12 GB frame buffer is not the constraint, but the 384 GB/s bandwidth may struggle with the data throughput required at 3840x2160 with high-detail assets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides six physical cores and six threads, operating at a 2.90 GHz base clock with a 4.10 GHz boost. Its Coffee Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process, includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, which may become a factor in Archeage's large open-world zones.

Synthetic benchmarks reveal the CPU's capabilities and limitations. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 show a processor that handles threaded workloads reasonably well but lacks the single-thread dominance of newer architectures. The Geekbench multi-core score of 5141 and single-core of 1389 reinforce this profile. With an average benchmark score of 2254 and a 47th percentile standing, the i5-9400 is a solid mid-range performer that should not bottleneck most games, though Archeage's MMO nature often demands strong single-thread performance for game logic and network processing.

The six-thread configuration may prove limiting in Archeage's busier moments. When many players gather in one location, the CPU must process numerous character states, ability effects, and world events. The lack of Hyper-Threading means each core handles one thread, potentially creating contention during heavy loads. However, the 4.10 GHz boost clock helps mitigate this, providing responsive single-thread performance when needed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combination delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce 154 FPS average, Medium reaches 137 FPS with a minimum of 117 and maximum of 158, High achieves 93 FPS, and Ultra drops to 64 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 58.4% reduction in frame rate, indicating that the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as visual quality increases, yet even Ultra remains comfortably playable at 1080p.

Moving to 1440p reveals a similar pattern with expected scaling. Low settings yield 104 FPS, Medium averages 92 FPS with a range of 79 to 106, High produces 63 FPS, and Ultra falls to 43 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 58.7%, nearly identical to the 1080p scaling percentage, suggesting consistent GPU-bound behavior across these settings at this resolution.

The 4K results show where this combination begins to struggle. Low settings maintain 59 FPS, Medium averages 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61, High drops to 36 FPS, and Ultra falls to 25 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 57.6%, again consistent with the other resolutions, but the absolute values place Ultra below playable thresholds and High at marginal levels.

The Medium preset at each resolution provides the most complete data with min/max values. At 1080p, the 117-158 FPS range shows consistent frame delivery. At 1440p, the 79-106 FPS range maintains reasonable consistency. At 4K, the 45-61 FPS range demonstrates that even Medium settings can produce noticeable frame variability at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination suitable for 4K gaming in Archeage?

A: The data shows mixed results at 3840x2160. Low settings achieve 59 FPS and Medium reaches 53 FPS, which are playable, but High drops to 36 FPS and Ultra falls to 25 FPS. Players seeking 4K should use Medium or Low settings for acceptable performance.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at different resolutions?

A: The i5-9400's impact appears consistent across resolutions, as the percentage drop from Low to Ultra remains nearly identical (58.4% at 1080p, 58.7% at 1440p, 57.6% at 4K). This suggests the CPU maintains adequate throughput even when GPU load increases dramatically.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware?

A: The 1440p Medium preset delivers 92 FPS average with a 79-106 FPS range, offering a strong balance of visual quality and smoothness. Alternatively, 1080p High provides 93 FPS with no min/max data available, while 1080p Ultra maintains a solid 64 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 6700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in this system?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 27425 places it within 0.5% of the RTX 3090's score, exactly matching the RTX 4070 Mobile, and trailing the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell by 1.1% and the Radeon Pro Vega 20 by 1.5%. This indicates the GPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM provide enough capacity for Archeage at high settings?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM capacity limitations. The 4K High preset's 36 FPS and Ultra's 25 FPS suggest compute or bandwidth limitations rather than memory exhaustion, as the 384 GB/s bandwidth and 12 GB capacity should handle this game's requirements.

Q: What frame rates can players expect in crowded MMO scenarios?

A: The measured data does not include specific crowd scenarios. However, the CPU's 47th percentile ranking and six-thread configuration suggest that extreme player density could reduce frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU also faces significant load.

Settings Recommendations

The Medium preset emerges as the most balanced choice across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 137 FPS with a 117-158 FPS range, providing headroom for demanding moments while maintaining high refresh rate compatibility. The 1440p Medium result of 92 FPS average with 79-106 FPS range offers an excellent experience for 144Hz monitors, though players on 60Hz displays could comfortably use High settings at this resolution.

For 4K users, the decision requires compromise. Medium at 53 FPS with a 45-61 FPS range is playable but may feel inconsistent during heavy action. Low settings at 59 FPS provide a more stable experience, though the visual downgrade is substantial. Players prioritizing frame rate consistency should choose Low, while those accepting occasional dips can use Medium.

The Ultra preset is difficult to recommend even at 1080p, where it produces 64 FPS. The 58% performance penalty from Low to Ultra at every resolution indicates that the visual improvements may not justify the frame rate cost. High settings at 1440p (63 FPS) or 1080p (93 FPS) provide a better balance than Ultra at any resolution, offering most of the visual benefits with significantly higher performance.

The measured data shows that Archeage scales settings fairly uniformly across resolutions, meaning players can expect similar relative performance drops regardless of their chosen resolution. This consistency makes the Medium preset the safest recommendation for maintaining smooth gameplay across all three tested resolutions, with High as a viable alternative for those with 60Hz displays.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions reveals a predictable pattern. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS decreases by approximately 33-35% across all settings: Low drops from 154 to 104 (32.5%), Medium from 137 to 92 (32.8%), High from 93 to 63 (32.3%), and Ultra from 64 to 43 (32.8%). This consistent reduction indicates that the GPU's rendering load scales linearly with pixel count, with the CPU maintaining sufficient throughput to avoid introducing additional bottlenecks.

The step from 1440p to 4K shows a more dramatic decline. Low falls from 104 to 59 (43.3%), Medium from 92 to 53 (42.4%), High from 63 to 36 (42.9%), and Ultra from 43 to 25 (41.9%). This steeper drop suggests that at 4K, the GPU begins to hit its effective bandwidth or compute limits, particularly as pixel count quadruples from 1440p. The RX 6700 XT's 384 GB/s memory bandwidth may become a constraint at this resolution, especially with higher texture quality settings.

The consistent percentage drops from Low to Ultra at each resolution (all approximately 58%) indicate that the CPU handles the game logic overhead without becoming a limiting factor, even as GPU load increases. The i5-9400's six cores appear sufficient for Archeage's MMO architecture, though the lack of SMT could manifest in extreme scenarios not captured by these measurements.

The overall scaling pattern suggests that 1440p represents the sweet spot for this combination, where the GPU still operates well within its capabilities while the CPU maintains high frame delivery. The 4K results, while playable at lower settings, show that this pairing is better suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p gaming, where the RX 6700 XT's strengths are fully utilized without encountering the memory bandwidth and compute ceiling that becomes apparent at 4K resolution.