Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents a unique performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. The measured data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher settings, but transitions to a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions and settings, showcasing the extreme capabilities of both components. The benchmark results indicate a wide performance envelope, from highly demanding 4K Ultra settings to exceptionally high frame rates at 1080p Low.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the performance bottleneck lies for this configuration. At 1080p Low, the system produces an average of 295 FPS. This figure is remarkably high and suggests that the CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is capable of feeding frames at a rate that even the RTX 4090 can handle at this low graphical load. However, this is not purely a CPU limit; it is a combination of both components operating near their peak.

Moving up to 2560x1440 Low, the average FPS drops to 203.1, a 31.2% decrease from the 1080p result. This significant drop indicates that the GPU is starting to become a more limiting factor as the pixel count increases. The trend continues at 3840x2160 Low, where the average FPS falls to 112.9. This represents a 61.7% reduction from the 1080p Low score, demonstrating that the RTX 4090’s workload is scaling substantially with resolution, even on Low settings.

The scaling pattern is different at higher graphical presets. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops from 125.7 FPS at 1080p to 81.2 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 48 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is a 35.4% reduction, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 40.9%. This shows a more consistent scaling factor, indicating that at Ultra settings, the GPU is the primary constraint across all resolutions. The data suggests that at 1080p and 1440p with lower settings, the CPU’s performance ceiling is being approached, but at 4K, the GPU’s rendering capabilities are the definitive limiting factor. The 4K Ultra average of 48 FPS highlights the extreme demand of this setting, pushing even the top-tier RTX 4090 to its limits.

Settings Recommendations

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is achieved at the High preset. At 1920x1080, the High preset yields an average of 180.2 FPS, which is a substantial 54.5 FPS higher than the Ultra preset’s 125.7 FPS. The visual difference between High and Ultra in an MMORPG of this era is often minimal, while the performance cost is significant. The data shows that High provides a smoother experience with a clear margin.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 120.9 FPS, which is excellent for a high-refresh-rate monitor. This is 39.7 FPS higher than the Ultra preset’s 81.2 FPS. This makes High the recommended choice for 1440p gaming, as it comfortably surpasses the 60 FPS threshold and provides headroom for smoother gameplay. The Medium preset at 1440p offers an even higher 180.3 FPS, but the jump from High to Medium is not as visually significant as the jump from Ultra to High.

For 4K gaming, the recommendation changes. The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 66.4 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The Medium preset provides a more comfortable 103.9 FPS, making it the superior choice for 4K if frame rate is a priority. The Low preset at 4K achieves 112.9 FPS, but the graphical sacrifices are likely too severe for most users. The Ultra preset at 4K, with its 48 FPS average, should be avoided for a consistently smooth experience. The data indicates that High is the best all-rounder, but for 4K, Medium offers the best performance-to-quality trade-off.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 295, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming at Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 48 FPS. While technically playable, this is below the 60 FPS target that many gamers prefer for a smooth experience.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 180.2 FPS at 1920x1080 to 120.9 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 66.4 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 63.2% decrease from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the main bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p Low, the system is likely CPU-limited, as the frame rate of 295 FPS is exceptionally high and may be constrained by the game engine’s processing speed rather than the GPU’s rendering capability.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 180.3 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 81.2 FPS. This means the Ultra preset is 55% slower than Medium, a significant performance penalty.

Q: How does the combo rank among other tested systems for this game?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 20th out of 1727 tested combos for Archeage, placing it in the top 1.2% of all configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rate data provides a detailed view of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 295 FPS on Low, 265.1 FPS on Medium, 180.2 FPS on High, and 125.7 FPS on Ultra. The progression shows a clear and consistent performance cost for increased graphical fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 203.1 FPS for Low, 180.3 FPS for Medium, 120.9 FPS for High, and 81.2 FPS for Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 22.8 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is 39.7 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is particularly demanding. The 1440p results show a similar pattern to 1080p but with a general downward shift of approximately 30-40% across all settings.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 112.9 FPS for Low, 103.9 FPS for Medium, 66.4 FPS for High, and 48 FPS for Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium narrows to just 9 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra remains substantial at 18.4 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS is the lowest recorded score, and even the High preset barely exceeds 60 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming with this combo is feasible, but only at lower settings for high-refresh-rate play.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested configurations for Archeage, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds the 20th position out of 1727 total combos. This places it in the 98.8th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is one of the most powerful configurations available for this title. The ranking reflects the exceptional performance of both components.

The CPU itself is ranked in the 96th percentile when compared to all other CPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 70074 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, which scores 70104, a negligible 0% difference. It also slightly outperforms the AMD EPYC 9115 by 0.3% and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by 0.5%. This indicates that the i7-14700K is a top-tier processor that is not leaving any performance on the table.

Similarly, the RTX 4090 ranks in the 91st percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 66473 is competitive with its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA Tesla T4, which is just 0.4% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56, which is 0.9% slower. The high rank of the overall combo is a direct result of pairing these two high-performing components, ensuring that neither is a significant bottleneck in most gaming scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its large L3 cache of 33 MB shared and per-core L2 cache of 2 MB are designed to feed data to the cores efficiently. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 44534 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6287 in single-core, showing strong performance in both threaded and single-threaded tasks.

In the context of Archeage, an MMORPG that is often sensitive to single-thread performance, the CPU’s high boost clock is critical. The measured results at 1080p Low, with an average of 295 FPS, indicate that the CPU is capable of processing the game’s logic and draw calls at a very high rate. The 28 threads also provide ample headroom for background tasks and the game’s multi-threaded elements, such as physics and AI. The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score of 4472 and multi-thread score of 52392 reinforce its capability.

The data suggests that the CPU’s role is most prominent at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU is not fully taxed. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the primary limiter, as the RTX 4090 could theoretically render more frames if the CPU could supply them faster. However, as resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, and the CPU’s high performance ensures it does not further restrict frame rates. The i7-14700K’s architecture and high clocks make it a perfect match for the RTX 4090, ensuring that the system is balanced and capable of maximizing performance across various settings and resolutions.