Archeage

The data for Archeage, captured with an Intel Core i7-13700K and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor’s strong single-thread performance becomes the deciding factor at 1080p. The combination ranks in the 43rd percentile of tested configurations, indicating a mid-pack standing for this specific MMORPG. The following analysis breaks down the measured frame rates to illustrate where the bottleneck shifts and what settings offer the most consistent experience.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling pattern in the measured data is the dramatic frame rate drop as resolution increases, which clearly identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component at 4K. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 105 FPS on average. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 70 FPS, and at 4K High the average falls to 40 FPS. That represents a 38% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a further 43% reduction from 1440p to 4K. This steep, consistent decline is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 3070’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are unable to keep pace with the increasing pixel count.

The scaling behavior changes when settings are lowered. At Low settings, the 1080p average is 173 FPS, which is 65% higher than the High preset at the same resolution. At 4K Low, the average is 67 FPS, which is 67% higher than 4K High. This suggests that lowering settings reduces the GPU workload enough to allow the CPU to play a more significant role, particularly at 1080p. The fact that 4K Low (67 FPS) is still much slower than 1080p Low (173 FPS) confirms that even at minimal graphics settings, the sheer number of pixels at 4K remains a heavy burden for the RTX 3070.

The data indicates that resolution scaling is not linear. The jump from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing for this combination. For example, at Medium settings, the 1440p average is 104 FPS, but the 4K average is only 59 FPS, a 43% drop. Similarly, at Ultra settings, the 1440p average is 48 FPS, while the 4K average is 28 FPS, a 42% drop. This consistent 40%+ penalty when moving to 4K suggests that the GPU’s memory interface and raw compute are simply saturated at that resolution, regardless of the quality preset.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1589 out of 3708 tested combos for Archeage. This places it in the 43rd percentile of all systems tested, meaning a majority of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates. The ranking reflects a balanced but not exceptional setup for this particular game, which likely rewards high single-thread CPU performance and strong GPU fill rates.

The CPU’s own benchmark percentile is 89, indicating it outperforms 89% of all tested processors in general synthetic workloads. However, the GPU’s percentile is only 61, which is notably lower. This gap suggests that the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing for a game like Archeage, which is consistent with the resolution scaling analysis. The system is not underpowered, but it is not optimized for maximum frame rates in this title either.

The database’s nearest rivals for the CPU include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which has an average score 0.2% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, which is 0.5% higher. These are very small differences, indicating that the i7-13700K is firmly in the middle of a cluster of similarly performing processors. For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% higher average score) and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c (1.5% lower). Again, the deltas are minimal, showing that the RTX 3070 sits in a tight competitive band.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1725 MHz. These specifications are directly relevant to the measured frames in Archeage. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the tested settings, as the data does not show any catastrophic frame rate collapses that would indicate memory swapping.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are substantial, with 5888 shading units and a FP32 performance of 20.31 TFLOPS. Yet, in Archeage, the card’s performance at 4K Ultra is just 28 FPS on average, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. This suggests that the game’s engine places a heavy load on the GPU’s pixel processing and texture filtering, and the RTX 3070’s raw power is not enough to overcome the demands of 4K with maximum quality settings. The 4K Medium average of 59 FPS is more playable, but still not ideal for a high-refresh-rate display.

The GPU’s memory clock is listed as 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. This, combined with the 256-bit bus, yields the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. For a game like Archeage, which may involve large open-world textures and many on-screen characters, this bandwidth is a key factor. The data shows that at 1440p Medium, the average FPS is 104, which is decent, but at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 48. This large gap between Medium and Ultra at the same resolution indicates that the Ultra preset likely increases texture detail and draw distances to a point where the GPU’s bandwidth and shading resources become saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Examining the measured frame rates by resolution and settings provides a clear picture of the system’s capabilities.

At 1920x1080, the i7-13700K and RTX 3070 pair delivers playable frame rates across all settings. The Low preset averages 173 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames than it can render at higher settings. The Medium preset averages 154 FPS, with a minimum of 131 FPS and a maximum of 177 FPS, showing a tightly clustered frame time distribution. The High preset averages 105 FPS, which is still smooth. The Ultra preset averages 71 FPS, which is the lowest at this resolution but still well above the 60 FPS threshold for most players.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates begin to show the GPU’s limitations. The Low preset averages 116 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 173 FPS at 1080p, but still very fluid. The Medium preset averages 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and maximum of 119 FPS. The High preset averages 70 FPS, which is a substantial reduction from the 105 FPS at 1080p. The Ultra preset averages 48 FPS, which is beginning to feel less smooth, and this is where the system starts to struggle with the higher pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3070 becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset averages 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, indicating some frame time spikes. The High preset averages 40 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages 28 FPS, which is not suitable for fast-paced gameplay. The data shows a clear hierarchy: the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while 4K is only viable with Low or Medium settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 30 MB of L3 cache. For a game like Archeage, which is an MMORPG and likely has significant single-threaded simulation logic, the boost clock is a critical factor.

The CPU’s benchmark scores highlight its strength in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23, it scores 2116 in single-core and 30745 in multi-core. The single-core score is particularly relevant for gaming, as many game engines still rely heavily on one or two threads for the main game loop. The 3DMark single-thread score is 1136, and the Passmark single-thread score is 4333. These numbers indicate that the i7-13700K has excellent per-thread performance, which should help maintain high minimum frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

The data supports this. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 173 FPS, which is a high number that suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at that resolution and settings. The fact that the frame rate drops to 105 FPS at 1080p High indicates that the GPU is starting to become the bottleneck. However, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance is what allows the system to reach those high frame rates at 1080p in the first place. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 8193 and max-thread score of 12412 show that the processor has ample capacity for background tasks and streaming while gaming.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a 1080p monitor, the High preset is the best balance, delivering 105 FPS on average. This is a smooth experience that retains visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p produces 71 FPS, which is still playable, but the 34% drop in performance from High to Ultra may not justify the visual gains, especially in a fast-paced MMO environment.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It averages 104 FPS, which is nearly identical to the 1080p High preset, and it provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. The High preset at 1440p drops to 70 FPS, which is acceptable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes with many players. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages only 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and likely to feel choppy in crowded areas.

For 4K gaming, the system is not well-suited for high settings. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is the only 4K option that maintains a playable frame rate. The Medium preset averages 59 FPS, which is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not recommended due to average frame rates of 40 FPS and 28 FPS, respectively. The data suggests that if 4K is the goal, the user would need to accept significant visual compromises or consider a more powerful GPU.

FAQ

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

A: The average frame rate is 105 FPS with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 28 FPS, which is not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: Which setting at 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 averages 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 119 FPS, making it the recommended choice for that resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting in this game?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K. The CPU’s strong single-thread performance allows for high frame rates at 1080p Low.

Q: What is the rank of this specific combo among all tested configurations?

A: This combination ranks 1589 out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the 43rd percentile.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for this system?

A: The lowest minimum frame rate recorded is 50 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. All other tested settings did not report a minimum FPS value.