Archeage

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination delivers a playable but heavily tiered experience in Archeage, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The data reveals a system that is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K, making resolution and setting selection critical for a smooth experience.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which are significant figures for an MMORPG like Archeage where single-thread performance often dictates the pace of game logic and UI updates. The processor's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth provide a solid foundation for feeding data to the GPU. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's position among its nearest rivals is tightly contested. Its average benchmark score of 46062 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46098 (a -0.1% delta). This suggests that for the CPU-bound aspects of Archeage, such as processing network data and managing dozens of player entities in crowded zones, the Core Ultra 5 235 is on par with some of the most capable mobile and desktop processors in the dataset. The Passmark single-thread score of 4516 reinforces the idea that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this pairing, as it is well-equipped to handle the game's primary simulation thread.

Given that the measured frame rates show a steep decline when moving from 1080p to 4K, the data implies that the CPU is providing more than enough throughput to keep up with the GPU's demands. At 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 117 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not capping performance at lower graphical loads. The 14 threads and high boost clock are likely sufficient to maintain stable frame pacing in Archeage's less demanding scenes, and the processor's performance percentile suggests it will not be the source of stutter or frame drops in typical gameplay. The data points to a CPU that is performing its role admirably, leaving the GPU as the clear bottleneck in this configuration.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU with 1920 shading units, 30 RT cores, and 240 tensor cores. It runs at a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is a critical detail for Archeage, as the game's textures and draw distances can be demanding, and the 6 GB capacity may become a constraint at higher settings and resolutions. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 14111 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 15290 is closely matched with its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon 680M (15270, 0.1% delta).

The measured FPS data clearly illustrates the GPU's limitations. At 4K Ultra, the system crawls to 19 FPS, which is unplayable, and at 4K High, it only manages 27 FPS. This severe drop in performance at higher resolutions indicates that the RTX 2060's raw compute power and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the pixel throughput required at 3840x2160. The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s are modest by modern standards, and the data suggests that even at 1440p, the GPU is struggling to maintain fluid frame rates above 50 FPS except at Low settings.

The GPU's role in this pairing is clearly the limiting factor. While the CPU is in the 89th percentile, the GPU sits in the 58th percentile, and the measured FPS reflects this disparity. The 1080p results are more promising, with High settings yielding 71 FPS and Low settings reaching 117 FPS, but the GPU's performance degrades rapidly as resolution increases. The 6 GB VRAM may also be a factor at Ultra settings, where texture detail and shadow quality can exceed the available memory, leading to the observed 48 FPS at 1080p Ultra. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 is best suited for 1080p gaming in Archeage, with higher resolutions requiring significant compromises in visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions paints a clear picture of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 117 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 79 FPS, a 32.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the FPS falls to 45, which is a 61.5% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This pattern is consistent across all settings, with the drops becoming more severe as graphical load increases. At Medium settings, 1080p yields 104 FPS, 1440p yields 70 FPS, and 4K yields 40 FPS, showing a similar proportional decline.

This scaling behavior is a textbook indicator of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with pixel count. Instead, the FPS drops dramatically at 4K, with the High settings falling from 71 FPS at 1080p to 48 FPS at 1440p, and then to 27 FPS at 4K. The most extreme example is at Ultra settings, where the frame rate drops from 48 FPS at 1080p to 19 FPS at 4K, a 60.4% reduction. These numbers show that the RTX 2060 is being progressively overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count and the associated memory bandwidth demands.

The data also reveals that the scaling is not linear, which suggests that the GPU's memory subsystem is a significant constraint. The bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s is likely saturated at 4K, especially with higher texture quality settings. The gap between 1440p and 4K is particularly steep, indicating that the jump in pixel count (from 3.7 million to 8.3 million pixels) is too much for the GPU to handle efficiently. The implication is that players using this combo should stick to 1080p for a consistently playable experience, or be prepared for substantial frame rate penalties at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset at 1080p offers the most balanced experience, delivering an average of 104 FPS with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This is a strong result, as it provides a smooth frame rate with only a 13 FPS penalty compared to the Low preset's 117 FPS, while presumably offering better visual quality. The minimum FPS of 89 also indicates that the system can maintain a stable frame rate without significant drops, which is crucial for an MMORPG where sudden encounters or crowded areas can cause performance dips.

For players who prefer higher visual fidelity, the High preset at 1080p yields 71 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 31.7% reduction from the Medium preset. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider ideal for smooth gameplay, and thus should be avoided unless visual quality is the absolute priority. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that provides a frame rate above 60 FPS, hitting 79 FPS, while Medium and High fall to 70 FPS and 48 FPS respectively, making them less ideal for fast-paced gameplay.

At 4K, the data shows that no preset is truly playable. The Low preset at 45 FPS is the only one that approaches a playable range, but it still falls short of the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 40 FPS and High at 27 FPS are both suboptimal, and Ultra at 19 FPS is effectively unplayable. Therefore, the recommendation is clear: for this hardware combo, 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, offering the best balance of performance and visual quality. If a player insists on higher resolutions, they must accept significant compromises and likely settle for Low settings at 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Archeage?

A: The 1080p Medium preset provides the best experience, with an average of 104 FPS and a minimum of 89 FPS. This delivers smooth gameplay without the severe frame rate penalties seen at higher resolutions or with more demanding presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is within 0.2% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098). This indicates near-identical synthetic performance.

Q: Is the GPU a limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows a dramatic drop in performance at 4K, with the Ultra preset achieving only 19 FPS and the High preset at 27 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 2060 cannot handle the pixel throughput required at this resolution.

Q: What is the highest playable frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 117 FPS at 1080p Low settings. The 1080p Medium preset also offers a high frame rate of 104 FPS, which is more balanced for visual quality.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283) and the AMD Radeon 680M (15270), with a delta of 0.1% or less.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the frame rate drops from 71 FPS at 1080p to 48 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 23 FPS or 32.4%. This indicates that the GPU is significantly stressed by the increase in resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average frame rate of 117 FPS. The Medium preset follows closely with 104 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. The High preset achieves 71 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 48 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy where each step up in settings costs a significant number of frames.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. The Low preset achieves 79 FPS, which is the only setting at this resolution that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 70 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS, demonstrating that it can still maintain a playable frame rate in most scenarios. The High preset falls to 48 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 33 FPS, indicating that these settings are not ideal for a smooth experience at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become starkly apparent. The Low preset yields 45 FPS, which is the highest average at this resolution. The Medium preset achieves 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. The High preset drops to 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 19 FPS. These numbers highlight the GPU's inability to handle 4K gaming in Archeage, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS. The data across all resolutions and settings clearly shows that 1080p is the intended resolution for this hardware combination.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination is ranked 2192 out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage, placing it in the bottom 20.6% of all systems tested. This ranking reflects the GPU's relatively modest performance, as the system's overall capability is heavily constrained by the RTX 2060. The CPU's high percentile ranking (89th) is not enough to compensate for the GPU's lower standing (58th percentile), and the measured FPS data confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor.

This rank suggests that there are 569 other tested combinations that perform worse than this setup, but it also means that the vast majority of systems (2191 combos) deliver better performance in Archeage. The ranking is likely influenced by the GPU's struggles at higher resolutions, as the 4K results are particularly poor. The combo's position in the lower fifth of all tested systems indicates that it is not a high-performance configuration for this game, and players using this hardware should temper their expectations regarding visual fidelity and resolution.

The rank of 2192 also implies that the system is best suited for 1080p gaming, as the data shows that it can deliver competitive frame rates at that resolution. However, compared to other combos in the database, this setup is clearly not optimized for Archeage's higher-end requirements. The combination of a strong CPU and a mid-range GPU results in a system that is adequate for entry-level 1080p gaming but falls short when pushed to higher resolutions or demanding presets. This ranking serves as a useful reference point for users to understand where their hardware stands relative to the broader ecosystem of tested configurations.