Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents an interesting performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050. The measured data shows a clear hierarchy across resolutions, with the game's engine and the components' capabilities interacting in predictable ways. The following analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on how the hardware handles the load at various settings and what that means for the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, indicating that the graphics card is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 82 FPS at 1920x1080 to 55 FPS at 2560x1440, a 33% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 32 FPS, which is a 61% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering, where the RTX 5050's computational resources are increasingly saturated as the pixel count rises.

The scaling pattern is consistent across other settings. With Low settings, the average frame rate goes from 136 FPS at 1080p to 91 FPS at 1440p, and then to 52 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is about 62%, mirroring the High settings trend. Medium settings follow a similar trajectory: 121 FPS at 1080p, 81 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. This consistent ~60% reduction in frame rate when quadrupling the resolution strongly suggests that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU.

The data also reveals that the game becomes increasingly unplayable at 4K as settings increase. The jump from Medium to High at 3840x2160 results in a drop from 47 FPS to 32 FPS, while the Ultra setting pushes the average down to just 22 FPS. This is a steep penalty for the visual fidelity gains, and the 4K Ultra configuration is clearly beyond what this combo can handle smoothly. The 1440p results are more balanced, with High settings delivering 55 FPS, which is a playable, if not silky-smooth, experience. The 1080p results are the most comfortable, with even Ultra settings maintaining an average of 56 FPS.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference is 80 FPS (136 vs 56). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 53 FPS (91 vs 38). At 4K, the gap is just 30 FPS (52 vs 22). This compression of frame rates at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor; as the resolution increases, the relative cost of each setting level becomes a smaller fraction of the total render time, meaning the absolute difference in FPS shrinks even though the percentage difference might not.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, provides a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a crucial factor in the 4K performance. The game's engine at 4K resolution with High or Ultra settings is likely exceeding the memory capacity or saturating the bandwidth, leading to the low average frame rates of 32 FPS and 22 FPS respectively. The GPU's 2560 shading units and boost clock of 2572 MHz are responsible for the raw compute power, but the data suggests that the memory subsystem is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

The GPU's clock speeds are also relevant to the scaling pattern. With a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, the RTX 5050 has a moderate frequency range. The benchmark results indicate that the card's compute capabilities are sufficient for 1080p gaming, where it can push well over 100 FPS on Medium and Low settings. However, as the resolution increases, the demand on the memory interface grows, and the 320.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes a bottleneck, preventing the shading units from being fully utilized.

The GPU's performance percentile vs all GPUs is 66, and its average benchmark score is 21035. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, with a deltaPct of 1.6, meaning the RTX 5050 scores about 1.6% lower on average. This indicates that the RTX 5050 is a mid-range performer, and the Archeage results align with that positioning. The 4K Ultra result of 22 FPS is particularly telling, as it shows the GPU being overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and demanding settings.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is another point of consideration. While the data does not explicitly show memory usage, the sharp drop in performance from Medium to High at 4K (47 to 32 FPS) suggests that the higher settings may be pushing the memory footprint beyond a comfortable level, causing the GPU to resort to slower memory management strategies. This is a common issue for 8 GB cards in modern games at 4K, and the data supports that this is a limiting factor for this specific configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 82 FPS.

Q: How does the performance at 2560x1440 compare to 3840x2160 on Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield an average of 81 FPS, while at 3840x2160, the average drops to 47 FPS. This represents a 42% reduction in performance when moving to 4K.

Q: Is the game playable at 4K with Ultra settings on this hardware?

A: The data shows an average of 22 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating it is not a playable configuration for most users.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the entire dataset?

A: The highest average frame rate is 136 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the frame rate first drop below 60 FPS?

A: The average frame rate drops below 60 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings, where it records 55 FPS. At 1920x1080, all settings remain above 56 FPS.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 91 FPS, while Ultra settings average 38 FPS, resulting in a 53 FPS difference.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For a 1920x1080 display, the High preset offers a strong balance, delivering an average of 82 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS standard and leaves headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 56 FPS, is also viable, though it may dip below 60 FPS in busy areas. The Medium preset at 121 FPS is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual fidelity trade-off may not be worth it for all users.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best recommendation, providing an average of 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. This ensures smooth performance with a decent visual quality. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline; it is playable but may feel less fluid. The Low preset at 91 FPS is a viable option for competitive play, but the visual downgrade is significant. The Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not recommended, as it fails to maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

For 3840x2160, none of the settings achieve a fully smooth experience. The Low preset, with an average of 52 FPS, is the most playable, but it requires a major sacrifice in visual quality. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is also an option, but the frame rate dips to a minimum of 40 FPS, which can be noticeable. The High and Ultra presets, at 32 FPS and 22 FPS respectively, should be avoided for anything other than static screenshots. The data suggests that 4K gaming is not a practical target for this combo, and users should either lower the resolution or accept a significant performance compromise.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is at 1920x1080 with High settings. This configuration provides a high average frame rate without the need to sacrifice visual fidelity. For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, offering a smooth experience that balances performance and quality. The 4K results are uniformly poor, and the data indicates that the RTX 5050 is not well-suited for this resolution in Archeage.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1691 out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage. This places it in the lower half of the database, indicating that while it is not a bottom-tier performer, it is also not among the top configurations for this specific game. The rank reflects the measured FPS data, which shows strong 1080p performance but significant struggles at higher resolutions.

The rank of 1691 suggests that a large number of other hardware pairings are capable of achieving higher frame rates in Archeage. This is likely due to the game's age and its relatively low system requirements compared to modern titles. Many older or mid-range GPUs can handle the game well at 1080p, and the RTX 5050's mid-range positioning means it does not stand out in this context. The combo's performance is adequate but not exceptional, placing it in the middle of the pack.

The CPU's high average benchmark score of 46881, which places it in the 89th percentile, does not translate into a top-tier ranking for this game. This further supports the conclusion that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. The i7-13700K provides ample processing power, but the RTX 5050's capabilities cap the overall performance. The rank of 1691 is a direct result of this bottleneck, as the CPU's strength cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations at higher settings.

This ranking implies that users seeking higher performance in Archeage would need to consider a more powerful GPU. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, so upgrading the graphics card would be the logical step. However, for users with a 1080p monitor, this combo's rank is less relevant, as the measured frame rates are still quite playable. The rank is more indicative of the combo's overall potential, which is limited by the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 136 on Low to 56 on Ultra. The Low setting offers the highest performance, while Ultra still maintains a playable average. The Medium setting records an average of 121 FPS with a minimum of 103 and a maximum of 139, showing good frame time consistency. High settings average 82 FPS, which is a solid result.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 91 on Low to 38 on Ultra. The Low setting is the only one that provides a consistently high frame rate. Medium settings average 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93, which is a good range. High settings average 55 FPS, which is a noticeable drop from the 1080p result. Ultra settings average 38 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 52 on Low to 22 on Ultra. The Low setting is the most playable, but still not ideal. Medium settings average 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 53. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K is a challenge for this hardware, with all settings producing frame rates that are below the 60 FPS target.

The minimum and maximum FPS data, where available, provides insight into frame pacing. At 1920x1080 Medium, the range is 103 to 139, indicating a variance of 36 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the range is 69 to 93, a variance of 24 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the range is 40 to 53, a variance of 13 FPS. This shows that as the resolution increases, the frame rate becomes more stable but also lower, which is expected as the GPU becomes more consistently saturated.

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 benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. Its average benchmark score of 46881 places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it is a high-end processor.

In the context of Archeage, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS data shows that the game is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the steep performance drop from 1080p to 4K. However, the CPU's strong single-thread performance is likely still important for the game's logic and physics calculations, which are often single-threaded in MMORPGs. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz would help in these scenarios.

The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and fast clock speeds should prevent it from becoming a bottleneck in most situations. The data does not show any instances where the CPU is limiting performance, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes. Even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU has less work, the CPU still manages to feed it enough data to achieve 136 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is not a limiting factor.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals further confirms its capability. It is within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and the Intel Xeon w3-2535, and just 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 5900. This shows that the i7-13700K is a competitive performer, and its processing power is more than sufficient for Archeage. The bottleneck clearly lies with the GPU, as the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates than what the RTX 5050 can deliver at higher settings.