Archeage

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 presents a classic mid-range build kit for an older MMORPG. The data shows that Archeage is heavily influenced by resolution, with performance shifting from a high-refresh experience at 1080p to a barely playable slideshow at 4K Ultra. The benchmark results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the RTX 5050 has enough headroom to keep framerates high, but it struggles to maintain playable numbers at 4K with high visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent performance drop as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves an average of 136 FPS, which drops to 91 FPS at 1440p Low, and further down to 52 FPS at 4K Low. This scaling pattern suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the workload on the render pipeline increases significantly with pixel count.

The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is a 45 FPS reduction (from 136 to 91), which is a 33% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings sees another 39 FPS decrease (from 91 to 52), a 43% drop. This progressive decline is typical for a GPU with an 8 GB memory buffer and a 128-bit memory bus, as the data shows the RTX 5050 has a memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The bandwidth becomes a bottleneck when pushing 4K textures and geometry.

At Medium settings, the trend is similar but the frame rates are lower. The 1080p Medium average is 121 FPS, dropping to 81 FPS at 1440p Medium, and then to 47 FPS at 4K Medium. At High settings, the 1080p result is 82 FPS, falling to 55 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and High settings widens as resolution increases, indicating that the GPU is also struggling with the increased shader complexity at higher presets.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 56 FPS, which is still playable but notably lower than the High preset. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 38 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 22 FPS, which is not a smooth experience. This data suggests that the limiting component shifts from the CPU to the GPU as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the CPU has more influence on the high framerate, but at 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the frame rate collapses.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Archeage, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 holds a combo rank of 2279 out of 3708 tested combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a direct reflection of the hardware's age and tier. The CPU itself is in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a middle-of-the-road processor. The GPU is in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, which is slightly better than average.

The ranking suggests that while this combo can run the game, it does not deliver top-tier performance. The i5-9400's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (avg score 2259, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (avg score 2246, 0.4% delta), show that the CPU is performing roughly on par with other mid-range processors from its generation. The RTX 5050's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (avg score 21153, -0.6% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (avg score 20713, 1.6% delta), placing it in a similar performance bracket to those older cards.

The data implies that users with this combo should not expect to compete with high-end builds in Archeage. The rank of 2279 out of 3708 means that roughly 61% of tested combos perform better than this one. This is not a condemnation, but rather a positioning. It is a capable setup for 1080p gaming, but it is not a high-refresh-rate 4K monster. The bottleneck analysis points to the CPU limiting performance at lower resolutions, while the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Archeage at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with severe compromises. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 22, which is generally considered unplayable. At 4K High, it averages 32 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it reaches 47 FPS. Only at 4K Low does it become playable, with an average of 52 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this setup?

A: The data suggests 1080p is the sweet spot. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 121 FPS, and at 1080p High, it averages 82 FPS. Both are smooth experiences. At 1440p, the performance is still good, with 91 FPS on Low and 81 FPS on Medium, but the higher resolution demands more from the GPU.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost of 4.10 GHz. In a game like Archeage, the CPU matters most at lower resolutions and settings. The jump from 1080p Low (136 FPS) to 1440p Low (91 FPS) shows a significant drop, indicating the CPU can push high framerates if the GPU is not the bottleneck.

Q: Is the RTX 5050 a good match for the i5-9400?

A: The benchmark data indicates a balanced pairing at 1080p and 1440p. The GPU is strong enough to handle the rendering load, while the CPU can feed it frames at those resolutions. However, at 4K, the GPU clearly runs out of steam, suggesting it is the weaker link at that resolution.

Q: What is the difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 136, while at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 56 FPS. This represents a 80 FPS difference, meaning Ultra is roughly 59% slower than Low. The visual quality increase comes at a high performance cost.

Q: Should I prioritize the CPU or GPU for an upgrade?

A: Based on the data, if you play at 1080p or 1440p, upgrading the GPU would likely yield the biggest gains, as the CPU is already capable of high framerates (136 FPS at 1080p Low). If you want to play at 4K, you need a much stronger GPU, as the RTX 5050 cannot maintain playable framerates at that resolution with high settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS table for Archeage. All values are average FPS unless otherwise noted.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 136 FPS average. This is the highest framerate recorded in the entire dataset.
• Medium: 121 FPS average, with a minimum of 103 FPS and a maximum of 139 FPS. This shows good frame pacing with a tight range.
• High: 82 FPS average. A significant drop from Medium, indicating a large increase in GPU load.
• Ultra: 56 FPS average. This is the lowest 1080p result, but still smooth enough for most players.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 91 FPS average. A solid result for high refresh rate monitors at 1440p.
• Medium: 81 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. The minimum is still above 60 FPS, which is good.
• High: 55 FPS average. This is right at the edge of being comfortable for many players.
• Ultra: 38 FPS average. This is getting into choppy territory and is not recommended for competitive play.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 52 FPS average. This is the only 4K preset that is consistently playable.
• Medium: 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. The minimum is close to the 30 FPS threshold for playability.
• High: 32 FPS average. This is a marginal experience, with noticeable stutters likely.
• Ultra: 22 FPS average. This is the worst result in the dataset and is not a playable experience.

The data shows a clear pattern: the performance headroom is at 1080p, and the system degrades quickly as you move up in resolution. The Medium preset at 1440p offers a good balance, with an 81 FPS average and a minimum above 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with a 9 MB shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In the context of Archeage, this CPU is a solid foundation for the RTX 5050.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 136 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's limit for single-threaded game logic. The CPU's single-core performance is evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, which is modest by modern standards but sufficient for older games. The multi-core score of 6629 in Cinebench R23 shows that it can handle multiple background tasks while gaming.

The jump from 1080p Low (136 FPS) to 1440p Low (91 FPS) is a 45 FPS drop, which is a larger decrease than what would be expected from just a GPU load increase. This suggests that the CPU is also working harder to manage the game's world at higher resolutions, but the primary bottleneck is the GPU. The 6 threads are enough for Archeage, which is not known for utilizing many cores, but the 2.90 GHz base clock means that if the boost is not sustained, performance could suffer.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-9400 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (avg score 2259, -0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i7-10710U (avg score 2248, 0.3% delta). This confirms that the CPU is performing as expected for its class. The 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates that it is not a high-end part, but it is not a weak one either. For this game, the CPU is adequate, but it is the GPU that dictates the high-end performance at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p or 1440p with the Medium or High preset. The Medium preset at 1080p offers an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 121 FPS and a minimum above 103 FPS. This is ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the best choice for a smooth experience, averaging 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. The High preset at 1440p drops to 55 FPS on average, which is still playable but may feel less fluid in crowded areas. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it provides a marginal visual improvement over High while costing a substantial amount of performance.

At 4K, the only playable option is the Low preset, which averages 52 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 47 FPS but has a minimum of 40 FPS, which could lead to noticeable stutters during intense combat or large player gatherings. The High and Ultra presets at 4K should be avoided, as they fall below 32 FPS.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is to use the Medium preset at 1440p. It offers a high average framerate (81 FPS) and a minimum that stays above 60 FPS. If you prefer maximum visual fidelity, the High preset at 1080p is the highest quality setting that still maintains an average above 80 FPS. The data does not support using the Ultra preset at any resolution, as the performance cost is too high for the visual gain.