Archeage

# Archeage with Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060

This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 in Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG. The data covers four settings tiers across three resolutions, providing a complete picture of how this combination behaves under varying loads. The combo ranks 1222nd out of 2761 tested combinations, placing it in the 44th percentile of all systems tested for this game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how performance degrades as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p drops average FPS from 163 to 110, a reduction of 53 frames. Moving further to 4K reduces the average to 63 FPS. This scaling pattern shows a roughly 39% performance loss when jumping from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, with another 43% loss from 1440p to 4K.

At Medium settings, the pattern is similar but slightly compressed. The 1080p average of 145 FPS falls to 98 FPS at 1440p, then to 56 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop represents a 47-frame reduction, while the 1440p to 4K drop is 42 frames. This relatively consistent frame loss across resolution steps suggests the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

High settings tell a more constrained story. Starting at 98 FPS in 1080p, the average drops to 66 FPS at 1440p and finally to 38 FPS at 4K. The 32-frame loss from 1080p to 1440p and 28-frame loss from 1440p to 4K indicate diminishing returns as the GPU approaches its limits. Ultra settings show the steepest absolute decline: 67 FPS at 1080p, 45 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K.

The scaling behavior points to a system where the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p, particularly with Low and Medium settings, the CPU likely has more headroom to push frames, as evidenced by the high 163 FPS Low-setting result. As resolution climbs, the RTX 5060's workload increases proportionally, and frame rates converge toward the GPU's performance ceiling. The 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS demonstrates that this combination cannot maintain playable frame rates at maximum settings and maximum resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 2280 MHz with a boost clock of 2497 MHz. Memory operates at 1750 MHz, effectively 28 Gbps. These specifications position the card with 3840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs.

In Archeage, the GPU's role becomes increasingly prominent as settings and resolution rise. The 8 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for this game's demands, as no memory-related stuttering or min-FPS anomalies appear in the Medium settings data where min and max FPS were recorded. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 123 FPS and maximum of 167 FPS, suggesting stable frame delivery without VRAM exhaustion. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 83-112 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it spans 47-64 FPS.

The RTX 5060's benchmark scores indicate it sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score of 20891 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3628 reflect solid mid-range performance. The GPU compute score of 10899 and OpenCL score of 112787 provide additional context for its computational capabilities.

Comparing the RTX 5060 to its nearest rivals, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 1.2% higher on average, while the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 0.8% lower. These small deltas suggest the RTX 5060 performs in a tight competitive band around these older cards. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 and AMD Radeon 860M both score 0.3% lower, indicating the 5060 edges them out slightly.

The GPU's 19.18 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 299.6 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample compute for Archeage's engine. The pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s helps explain why 4K performance degrades significantly — filling 8.3 million pixels per frame at 4K requires substantial pixel throughput, and the 26 FPS Ultra result suggests the card saturates its pixel pipeline at that resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings 10 cores and 10 threads to this combination, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This Arrow Lake-S architecture processor, built on TSMC's 3 nm process, features 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's passmark multi-thread score of 30459 and single-thread score of 4412 place it at the 85th percentile among all CPUs.

In Archeage, the CPU's influence is most visible at lower resolutions where GPU load is lighter. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 163 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them at higher settings. The 1080p High result of 98 FPS versus the 1440p High result of 66 FPS shows a 32-frame difference, which is less than the 53-frame difference at Low settings. This pattern suggests the CPU maintains adequate frame delivery even as GPU load increases.

The Ultra 5 225's Cinebench R23 scores of 25891 multi-core and 3655 single-core demonstrate strong computational capability. Its Passmark data compression score of 302811 and encryption score of 22285 indicate robust general-purpose performance. For an MMORPG like Archeage, which often involves many simultaneous entities and calculations, the 10-core configuration provides sufficient parallel processing headroom.

Comparing the Ultra 5 225 to its nearest CPU rivals, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F shows a 0% deltaPct, meaning they perform essentially identically in average benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 0.2% lower, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 and Intel Core i9-12900T score 0.4% and 0.5% lower respectively. These minimal differences suggest the Ultra 5 225 sits in a well-populated performance tier.

The CPU's 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR5 support provide adequate data throughput for game assets and physics calculations. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU, while present, does not contribute to gaming performance in this configuration. The 65W TDP indicates an efficient processor that maintains performance without excessive power draw.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 provides the most playable experience across all settings. At Medium settings, the system achieves 145 FPS average with a minimum of 123 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. At 1440p, Medium settings yield 98 FPS average, while 4K Medium drops to 56 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5060's average benchmark score of 26331 places it 1.2% below the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT and 0.8% above the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary. It outperforms both the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 by 0.3%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Archeage?

A: The limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p Low settings, the 163 FPS result suggests the CPU has headroom and the GPU may be the constraint. At 4K Ultra with 26 FPS, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 72nd percentile suggests the GPU is the weaker component overall.

Q: What performance can users expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows a 98 FPS average with a minimum of 83 FPS and maximum of 112 FPS. This represents a stable, playable experience for Archeage at 2560x1440 resolution with Medium settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 1222nd out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage, placing it in the middle of the distribution. This rank reflects the mid-range positioning of both the CPU and GPU.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM cause issues in Archeage?

A: The measured data shows no evidence of VRAM-related problems. The Medium settings results at all resolutions show consistent min-FPS values without sudden drops. The 4K Medium minimum of 47 FPS indicates stable memory usage even at high pixel counts.

Settings Recommendations

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combination. At 1080p, Medium delivers 145 FPS average with a minimum of 123 FPS, maintaining high refresh rate compatibility. The 1440p Medium result of 98 FPS average with 83 FPS minimum remains comfortably playable on standard 60 Hz monitors and approaches the threshold for 100 Hz displays.

High settings provide reasonable performance at 1080p with 98 FPS average, but the 1440p High result of 66 FPS and 4K High result of 38 FPS become marginal for smooth gameplay. The step from Medium to High costs 47 FPS at 1080p (145 to 98), a significant reduction that may not justify the visual improvement in a 2014 MMORPG.

Low settings maximize frame rates across all resolutions, achieving 163 FPS at 1080p and 110 FPS at 1440p. This preset suits competitive play or high refresh rate displays. However, the visual compromise may be substantial for an MMORPG where environments and character detail matter.

Ultra settings are not recommended for this combination. The 67 FPS at 1080p is the only Ultra result above 60 FPS, and the 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS is unplayable. The performance cost of Ultra over High is 31 FPS at 1080p (98 to 67), representing a 32% reduction for what is likely a marginal visual gain in a game from 2014.

The optimal configuration depends on the user's display and priorities. For 60 Hz monitors, 1440p Medium provides an excellent experience with 98 FPS average. For 144 Hz displays, 1080p Medium offers the best combination of smoothness and quality. Users with 4K displays should stick to Low settings (63 FPS) or accept Medium at 56 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system produces the following results across settings. Low settings achieve 163 FPS average, representing the highest frame rate in the entire dataset. Medium settings deliver 145 FPS average with a minimum of 123 FPS and maximum of 167 FPS. High settings produce 98 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 67 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra spans 96 FPS, indicating that settings have a dramatic impact on performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down notably. Low settings yield 110 FPS average, a 53 FPS reduction from 1080p. Medium settings produce 98 FPS average with a minimum of 83 FPS and maximum of 112 FPS. High settings achieve 66 FPS average, while Ultra settings fall to 45 FPS average. The Low to Ultra spread narrows to 65 FPS at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system shows its limits. Low settings deliver 63 FPS average, Medium settings produce 56 FPS average with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 64 FPS. High settings drop to 38 FPS average, and Ultra settings bottom out at 26 FPS average. The Low to Ultra spread compresses further to 37 FPS, showing that the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at 4K.

The Medium settings data includes min and max FPS values at all three resolutions, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the range from minimum to maximum spans 44 FPS (123 to 167). At 1440p, the range narrows to 29 FPS (83 to 112). At 4K, the range compresses to 17 FPS (47 to 64). This tightening range at higher resolutions indicates more consistent frame delivery as the GPU approaches its saturation point.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination ranks 1222nd out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage. This places the system slightly below the median of all tested configurations, reflecting the mid-range positioning of both components.

The CPU contributes positively to this ranking, sitting at the 85th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 36938 places it nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, 0% delta) and slightly above the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, -0.2% delta). This strong CPU performance helps maintain frame rates at lower resolutions where processor load is higher.

The GPU provides a weaker contribution, ranking at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 26331 sits 1.2% below the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT and 0.8% above the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary. This mid-range GPU performance limits the combo's ability to push high frame rates at demanding settings and resolutions.

The combination's rank of 1222 out of 2761 suggests that many systems outperform it, particularly those with higher-tier GPUs. The 44th percentile position means roughly 56% of tested combos achieve better performance in Archeage. This is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows playable but not exceptional performance at 1080p and 1440p, with significant compromises required at 4K.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Archeage, where it can deliver smooth frame rates at Medium to High settings. Users seeking 4K performance or maximum settings would need to consider a higher-tier GPU, while those prioritizing maximum frame rates would benefit from a stronger CPU to complement the RTX 5060's capabilities.