Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card, where even a powerful 12-core processor cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations at higher settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions paint a clear picture of a pairing that is only viable at lower graphical presets.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end desktop processor from the Core 12th Gen series, built on the Alder Lake architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a formidable component for modern workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, its performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs.

However, in Archeage, the CPU's role is largely secondary. The data shows that while the processor is capable, the game's frame rates are not limited by it. For instance, at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 60.2 FPS, but when the resolution is increased to 4K with the same Low settings, the FPS drops to 26.2. This significant drop indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU. The i7-12700KF's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2526, should be more than sufficient for an MMORPG like Archeage, which often relies on single-threaded performance for game logic and network handling.

The processor's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14400 and Intel Core i9-12900HX, show nearly identical average benchmark scores, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 12700KF performs on par with these other chips. Yet, the measured FPS in Archeage shows little variation that could be attributed to the CPU, reinforcing the notion that the graphics card is the limiting factor. The CPU is not the star of this show; it is merely providing a stable foundation that the GPU cannot fully utilize.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Examining the measured FPS data, the most playable experience is achieved at 1080p with Low settings, yielding an average of 60.2 FPS. This is the only configuration that reaches the 60 FPS threshold, which is typically considered the minimum for a smooth experience in a fast-paced MMORPG. Moving up to Medium settings at 1080p drops the average to 53.4 FPS, which is still playable but not as fluid. High settings at 1080p result in 37.9 FPS, which may be acceptable for some but is noticeably less smooth.

At higher resolutions, the situation becomes more challenging. At 1440p, even Low settings only manage an average of 41.6 FPS, while Medium drops to 36.7 FPS. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it yields only 26.4 FPS at 1080p, 19.7 FPS at 1440p, and a mere 7.6 FPS at 4K. These numbers are too low for a playable experience. The data strongly suggests that for the best balance of visual quality and performance, players should stick to 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs about 6.8 FPS, but the visual improvement may be worth it for some. However, for competitive play or large-scale battles where frame rate is critical, Low settings at 1080p is the only viable option.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. When moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 60.2 to 41.6, a reduction of 18.6 FPS. This is a significant 30.9% decrease, which is far more than the 33% increase in pixel count, indicating that the GPU is struggling to keep up. The trend continues from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, where the FPS falls from 41.6 to 26.2, another 37% decrease.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the FPS goes from 37.9 at 1080p to 27.3 at 1440p and then to 12.5 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, with the FPS more than halving. This non-linear decline in performance with increasing resolution is a clear indicator that the AMD Radeon RX 570's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth are being overwhelmed. The GPU's pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s and texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s are simply not sufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in Archeage. The data implies that the limiting component is unequivocally the graphics card.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Archeage, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 1664 out of 1727 combos. This places it in the bottom 3.6% of all tested systems, which is a poor showing for a CPU that is in the 89th percentile of all processors. The low ranking is almost entirely due to the GPU's performance. The RX 570, while in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, is clearly not suited for modern gaming at higher resolutions.

This ranking underscores the mismatch between the high-end CPU and the mid-range GPU. The combo's rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities, but rather proof of how much the GPU holds it back. In a game like Archeage, which is not particularly demanding on the CPU, the i7-12700KF's potential is wasted. The data suggests that this combo would perform much better in a game that is more CPU-intensive, but for this specific title, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance. The rank indicates that most other tested combinations, even those with weaker CPUs, likely outperform this setup due to having more balanced or powerful graphics cards.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is a graphics card based on the Polaris 20 chip, using the GCN 4.0 architecture. It has a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz, with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. Its 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs are typical for a mid-range card of its generation. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 32084 in Geekbench OpenCL and 42752 in Geekbench Vulkan, placing it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs.

The benchmark results in Archeage directly reflect the GPU's limitations. The card's 4 GB of VRAM is likely a major constraint, especially at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS is a slideshow-like 7.6, which is unplayable. Even at 1080p with Ultra settings, the card only manages 26.4 FPS. The GPU's performance is consistent with its age and market position, but it is clearly not enough for a game released in 2014 if you want to play at high settings. The data shows that the RX 570 is the bottleneck, and its performance ceiling is around 1080p Medium settings, where it can achieve 53.4 FPS. The card's closest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with delta percentages of 0.2%, but these are modern cards that would likely perform much better in actual gaming scenarios.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings is the only configuration that achieves an average of 60.2 FPS, making it the best choice for a smooth experience.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091. However, the FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, indicating the CPU is not the limiting factor.

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

A: The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a steep decline, such as from 60.2 to 26.2 FPS at Low settings. This indicates the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the primary bottleneck.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Archeage?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 26.2 on Low settings, with Ultra settings producing only 7.6 FPS, which is unplayable.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1664 out of 1727 combos, placing it in the bottom 3.6% of tested systems for this game.

Q: What is the playable FPS threshold for this game?

A: The data shows that the only config reaching 60 FPS is 1080p Low. At 1080p Medium, it drops to 53.4 FPS, which may still be considered playable for some.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 26.2 FPS
• Medium: 18.5 FPS
• High: 12.5 FPS
• Ultra: 7.6 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 41.6 FPS
• Medium: 36.7 FPS
• High: 27.3 FPS
• Ultra: 19.7 FPS

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 60.2 FPS
• Medium: 53.4 FPS
• High: 37.9 FPS
• Ultra: 26.4 FPS

The data shows a clear hierarchy: lower resolutions and settings yield higher FPS. The only configuration to hit 60 FPS is 1080p Low. The drop from 1080p Low to 1080p Medium is 6.8 FPS, while the drop from Medium to High is 15.5 FPS, indicating that the High preset is significantly more demanding. At 1440p, all settings fail to reach 60 FPS, with even Low settings only achieving 41.6 FPS. At 4K, the performance is uniformly poor, with the highest FPS being 26.2 on Low settings. This breakdown reinforces the conclusion that the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the limiting factor, and the system is only suitable for 1080p gaming at lower presets.