Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, remains a relevant benchmark for modern hardware due to its demanding nature at higher resolutions. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600, using the provided data to interpret how this combination handles the game. The data reveals a component that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with clear implications for the CPU and GPU's respective roles.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and predictable decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 71 FPS at 1080p to 48 FPS at 1440p, a significant fall. The trend continues to 4K, where the average plummets to 27 FPS. This scaling pattern suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the pixel count increase directly impacts the rendering workload.

The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly severe. With High settings, the average FPS falls by 21 frames, from 48 to 27. This is a 44% reduction in performance, which is a larger relative drop than the 32% decrease seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling indicates that the Radeon RX 6600's 8 GB of VRAM and 224.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth are being saturated at 4K, causing a more pronounced performance hit than at lower resolutions.

The data implies that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Archeage. Even at Low settings, the 4K average of 45 FPS is barely playable, and the Ultra preset at 4K yields a mere 19 FPS average, which is a slideshow. The sweet spot for this configuration is clearly at 1080p, where even the most demanding Ultra preset manages an average of 49 FPS. At 1440p, the combo can handle Medium settings (71 FPS) but struggles with High (48 FPS), indicating a hard ceiling for the GPU's capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows for each resolution provide a clear picture of which presets offer the best experience. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 118, but the Medium preset provides a more balanced experience with an average of 105 FPS and a minimum of 89 FPS. The High preset at 71 FPS is still smooth, but the Ultra preset at 49 FPS begins to show strain. For a fluid experience, Medium is the optimal choice, as it offers a substantial frame rate advantage over High while presumably maintaining better visual fidelity than Low.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. The Low preset is the only one that provides a consistently high frame rate, averaging 79 FPS. Medium settings drop to an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, which is still acceptable, but the margin for error is thinner. High settings at 48 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 33 FPS is not recommended for competitive play. The data suggests that Medium is the best compromise at 1440p, offering a playable frame rate while still providing a visual upgrade over Low.

The 4K results are grim for this combo. No preset achieves a comfortable average above 60 FPS. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability with an average of 45 FPS. Medium and High are below 40 FPS, and Ultra is not viable. Based on the measured data, the recommended preset for 4K would be Low, but even then, the experience is likely to be suboptimal. The performance cliff between 1440p and 4K suggests that users should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, indicate a strong modern processor. However, in this game, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The fact that frame rates scale so heavily with resolution, even at Low settings, points towards a GPU bottleneck.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 118. This is a high frame rate, but not exceptionally so, which could suggest that the CPU is starting to become a factor at this resolution. However, the CPU's high single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Passmark single-thread score of 4412, should be more than adequate for an MMORPG. The percentileVsAllCpus of 85 indicates that it outperforms 85% of all CPUs, which is a strong position.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 225 is virtually tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, with a deltaPct of 0. It is also only 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and 0.5% slower than the Intel Core i9-12900T in average benchmark score. This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Core Ultra 5 225 should perform on par with these alternatives. The bottleneck in Archeage is unlikely to be the CPU, given its robust benchmark results and the observed FPS scaling.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination is ranked 2165 out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage. This places it in the 78th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms roughly 78% of them. This is a solid ranking, but it is not near the top, which is expected given the mid-range nature of the GPU.

The ranking reflects the GPU's position in the market. The Radeon RX 6600 has a percentileVsAllGpus of 63, indicating it is better than 63% of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 19036 is nearly identical to that of the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049). This puts the RX 6600 in a specific performance tier, and the combo's rank in Archeage is a direct result of this GPU's capabilities.

The fact that this combo ranks in the middle of the pack suggests that while it is a competent setup for 1080p gaming, it will not excel at higher resolutions. The rank is a holistic measure of performance across all settings and resolutions, and the poor 4K performance likely drags the overall score down. For a 1080p-focused gaming rig, this combo would rank higher in practice, but the measured data includes the 4K results, which negatively impact the overall standing.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the clear bottleneck in this configuration. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, it has a memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 2491 MHz, and it features 1792 shading units. Its benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 15096, are respectable for a mid-range card, but they are not sufficient for high-resolution gaming in a demanding title like Archeage.

The data shows that the GPU's performance collapses as resolution increases. At 1080p High, it manages 71 FPS, but at 1440p High, it drops to 48 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 27 FPS. This is a clear sign that the GPU is running out of memory bandwidth and pixel throughput. The 128-bit memory bus is a limiting factor, as it cannot feed the GPU enough data at high resolutions.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is also a concern. While it is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, it may be insufficient for 4K with high-quality textures. The severe drop in performance from 1440p to 4K suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard limit. The measured minimum FPS data points, such as 34 FPS at 4K Medium and 60 FPS at 1440p Medium, confirm that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame times at higher loads. The GPU is the component that determines the overall experience in this game, and its mid-range status is the primary reason this combo cannot achieve high frame rates at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the performance is generally good. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, while Medium averages 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 and a maximum of 121. High settings average 71 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. The data shows a clear hierarchy, with Low and Medium being the most playable.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are lower. Low averages 79 FPS, Medium averages 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 81, High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The step from Medium to High is a significant 23 FPS drop, indicating that High settings require more GPU resources than the card can comfortably provide at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance is poor. Low averages 45 FPS, Medium averages 40 FPS with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 46, High averages 27 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. None of these averages reach the 60 FPS threshold, and only Low comes close to being playable. The data shows that this combo is not suitable for 4K gaming in Archeage.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Archeage?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. It offers the highest average frame rates across all settings, with the Medium preset achieving 105 FPS and even Ultra reaching 49 FPS.

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

A: No, the data shows it cannot. At 4K, the highest average FPS is 45 on Low settings, and the Ultra preset drops to 19 FPS. This performance level is not suitable for a smooth gaming experience.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of visuals and performance at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice at 1440p. It delivers an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, which is playable. The High preset at 48 FPS is noticeably less smooth.

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

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. The frame rates scale heavily with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891, indicate it is not the constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 2165 out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage. This places it in the upper-middle range, outperforming about 78% of all tested configurations.

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

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p with High settings is 71 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, though not as high as the 105 FPS achieved with Medium settings.