Archeage

# Archeage Performance Analysis: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile

The measured FPS data for Archeage with this mobile combo reveals a system that can handle the game comfortably at 1080p, but struggles significantly as resolution climbs, with a clear shift in bottleneck behavior that suggests the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor at higher settings. The combo ranks 2265th out of 3708 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-mid tier of all tested combos, which is consistent with a mobile GPU that sits at the 67th percentile among all GPUs paired with a CPU at the 83rd percentile. This performance profile shows a system that is well-balanced for esports-style play at lower resolutions but not designed for 4K gaming in this MMO title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the GPU's workload scaling. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 82 at 1920x1080 to 55 at 2560x1440, and then to 32 at 3840x2160. This represents a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 42% drop from 1440p to 4K, resulting in an overall 61% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This steep decline indicates that the rendering pipeline is heavily pixel-bound at higher resolutions, which is typical for a GPU with 8 GB of VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling pattern is similar but with higher absolute numbers. The average FPS goes from 136 at 1080p to 92 at 1440p (a 32% drop) and then to 52 at 4K (a 43% drop from 1440p). The fact that even at Low settings the 4K performance is only 52 FPS suggests that the GPU's raw compute throughput, not just memory bandwidth, is the limiting factor at this resolution.

The Medium settings row provides the only complete min/max data across all resolutions, which is useful for understanding frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 121 FPS with a min of 103 and max of 139, showing a 30% spread between min and max. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 82 FPS with min/max of 69/94, a similar relative spread. At 4K Medium, the average is 47 FPS with min/max of 40/54. The consistency of the frame pacing appears stable across resolutions, suggesting that the bottleneck is uniform rather than caused by occasional CPU stalls.

The Ultra settings tell a more cautionary tale. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 56 FPS, which is already below the 60 FPS threshold many players prefer. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 38 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 22 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is a 61% reduction, identical to the High settings scaling. This consistency across quality presets implies that the resolution scaling behavior is independent of the graphics settings, which is a strong indicator that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at all settings when resolution increases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, featuring 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is modest by modern standards, and the bandwidth figure becomes particularly relevant when analyzing the 4K performance drops. The base clock is 1545 MHz with a boost clock of 1890 MHz, and the memory runs at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it at the 67th percentile among all GPUs, with its nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.7% slower), AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (0.8% faster), Intel Arc B580 (1.3% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile (1.3% slower). This positioning indicates that the RTX 4060 Mobile is roughly comparable to a desktop RTX 2080 in average benchmark performance, which is notable given the mobile form factor.

In Archeage specifically, the GPU appears to be the limiting component at 4K resolution. The fact that even Low settings at 4K only achieve 52 FPS average suggests that the GPU's pixel throughput is the constraint. The GPU has 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 90.72 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 181.4 GTexel/s. These specifications explain why the GPU is challenged at 4K: the pixel rate is insufficient to fill 8.3 million pixels per frame at high frame rates.

The FP32 performance of 11.61 TFLOPS (with FP16 also at 11.61 TFLOPS in a 1:1 ratio) provides context for the compute capabilities. Archeage, being a 2014 MMORPG, does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS features, so the 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores may go underutilized in this title. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 support are modern, but the game's age likely means it relies on older rendering paths.

The memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s appears to be a limiting factor at 4K. When resolution scales from 1440p to 4K, the pixel count increases by 2.25x, and the FPS drop from 55 to 32 at High settings (a 42% reduction) suggests that bandwidth constraints are biting hard. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is likely sufficient for Archeage's textures at 4K, but the bandwidth is not enough to sustain high frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a Meteor Lake mobile processor with 16 cores and 22 threads, running at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The CPU has a 24 MB shared L3 cache, with 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core. The processor has a 28 W TDP, which is typical for a mobile chip, and supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth.

The CPU's benchmark scores show a strong multi-threaded performer: Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and single-core score of 1743. The PassMark multi-thread score is 24873, with a single-thread score of 3468. These numbers place the CPU at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs, with its nearest rivals being the Intel Core i5-14600T (0% delta), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (0.1% faster), AMD Ryzen 5 7400F (0.2% faster), and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (0.4% faster). The near-identical average benchmark scores among these rivals indicate that the Core Ultra 7 155H is well-positioned in the mobile CPU landscape.

In Archeage, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions, but it becomes more relevant at 1080p. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 136 FPS average, which suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at this resolution. The fact that the FPS drops from 136 at 1080p Low to 92 at 1440p Low (a 32% reduction) while the pixel count increases by 1.78x indicates that the GPU is becoming the bottleneck at 1440p even at Low settings.

The CPU's 22 threads are likely more than sufficient for Archeage, which is an older MMORPG that may not utilize many cores effectively. The game's release in 2014 means it was designed for CPUs with far fewer cores, so the Core Ultra 7 155H's 16 cores probably provide headroom that goes unused in this title. The single-thread performance of 1743 in Cinebench R23 is more relevant for gaming, and the 4.80 GHz boost clock should handle the game's main thread without issues.

The memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s is shared between the CPU and the GPU's access to system memory, but since the GPU has its own dedicated 8 GB VRAM, there is no contention for memory bandwidth in this scenario. The L3 cache of 24 MB is generous for a mobile chip and should help with game data locality, though Archeage's engine may not benefit significantly from large caches.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Archeage at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. At 4K High settings, the average FPS is 32, which is playable but below the 60 FPS target. At 4K Low settings, the average improves to 52 FPS, but this is still not a smooth 60 FPS experience. Ultra settings at 4K yield only 22 FPS average, which is not recommended for gameplay.

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 at Medium settings provides 121 FPS average with a minimum of 103 FPS, which is the best balance of smoothness and visual quality among the measured rows. At 1080p High, the average drops to 82 FPS, still playable, but Medium offers a 47% improvement in average FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Mobile compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4060 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 22729, which is 0.7% slower than the RTX 2080 (22895), 0.8% faster than the RX 7700 XT (22549), 1.3% slower than the Arc B580 (23021), and 1.3% faster than the RTX 5060 Mobile (22435). This places it in a tight competitive cluster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Archeage at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 136 FPS average, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU. However, at 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 56 FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase. The CPU has a high 83rd percentile ranking, so it is unlikely to be the primary constraint.

Q: What is the frame time consistency at Medium settings?

A: The Medium settings preset has complete min/max data. At 1080p, the range is 103-139 FPS (average 121). At 1440p, the range is 69-94 FPS (average 82). At 4K, the range is 40-54 FPS (average 47). The relative spread is consistent across resolutions, suggesting stable frame pacing.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Archeage?

A: This combo ranks 2265th out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the lower 39% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the mobile GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, despite the strong CPU performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile ranks 2265th out of 3708 tested combos in Archeage. This ranking places the system in the 61st percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 61% of tested combos perform better in this game. This is a notable discrepancy from the individual component rankings: the CPU sits at the 83rd percentile while the GPU is at the 67th percentile.

The gap between the component percentiles and the combo rank suggests that Archeage is more GPU-bound than CPU-bound in this configuration. The CPU's strong performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core of 15028, single-core of 1743) is not fully utilized by this game, while the GPU's 67th percentile ranking more closely aligns with the combo's overall position. The GPU's nearest rivals include the RTX 2080, which is 0.7% faster, and the RX 7700 XT, which is 0.8% slower, indicating that the RTX 4060 Mobile is a mid-tier performer.

The combo rank of 2265 out of 3708 means there are 1443 combos that perform worse and 2264 that perform better. This places the system in the middle of the pack, which is expected for a mobile GPU with 8 GB VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus. The fact that the CPU is ranked higher than the GPU suggests that if a user were to upgrade this system, the GPU would be the component to prioritize for better Archeage performance.

The ranking also reflects the game's age and optimization. Archeage was released in 2014, and its engine may not scale well with modern hardware. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the system only achieves 136 FPS, which is far below what the CPU's single-thread performance would suggest is possible. This indicates that the game's engine has inherent performance limits that cap the system's potential.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset for this combo in Archeage depends on the user's priority for frame rate versus visual quality. For a smooth 60+ FPS experience at 1080p, Medium settings with an average of 121 FPS is the recommended choice. This preset provides a 47% improvement over High settings (82 FPS) and a 116% improvement over Ultra settings (56 FPS). The Medium preset also has the most complete data, with a minimum of 103 FPS and maximum of 139 FPS, indicating consistent performance.

For users with 1440p displays, Medium settings at 82 FPS average is the only preset that maintains playable frame rates above 60 FPS. Low settings at 1440p provide 92 FPS, which is smoother, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth the 12% performance gain over Medium. High settings at 1440p drop to 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra is not recommended at 38 FPS.

At 4K resolution, no preset achieves 60 FPS. Low settings at 52 FPS is the highest average, but this requires significant visual sacrifices. Medium settings at 47 FPS is a reasonable compromise, while High (32 FPS) and Ultra (22 FPS) are not recommended for gameplay. Users with 4K displays should consider playing at 1440p with Medium settings for a better experience.

The Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer across all resolutions, with 56 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 22 FPS at 4K. The performance cost of Ultra over Medium is substantial: 54% lower FPS at 1080p, 54% lower at 1440p, and 53% lower at 4K. Given that the visual difference between Medium and Ultra in an older MMO like Archeage is likely minimal, Medium is the recommended preset for this system.

For the best overall experience, the data suggests using 1080p with Medium settings, which provides 121 FPS average with a 103 FPS minimum. This ensures smooth gameplay even in crowded areas where frame rates may dip. If a user prioritizes resolution over frame rate, 1440p with Medium settings at 82 FPS is the next best option.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Archeage is as follows:

At 1920x1080 resolution:

• Low settings: 136 FPS average
• Medium settings: 121 FPS average, with a minimum of 103 FPS and maximum of 139 FPS
• High settings: 82 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 56 FPS average

At 2560x1440 resolution:

• Low settings: 92 FPS average
• Medium settings: 82 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 FPS and maximum of 94 FPS
• High settings: 55 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 38 FPS average

At 3840x2160 resolution:

• Low settings: 52 FPS average
• Medium settings: 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS
• High settings: 32 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 22 FPS average

The data reveals several important patterns. First, the scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution is consistent: at 1080p, the range is 136 to 56 FPS (a 59% reduction); at 1440p, the range is 92 to 38 FPS (a 59% reduction); and at 4K, the range is 52 to 22 FPS (a 58% reduction). This consistency indicates that the graphics settings have a uniform impact on performance regardless of resolution.

Second, the resolution scaling at each settings level shows a similar pattern. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 136 to 92 to 52 as resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the FPS drops from 121 to 82 to 47. At High settings, the FPS drops from 82 to 55 to 32. At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 56 to 38 to 22. The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are: Low (62%), Medium (61%), High (61%), and Ultra (61%).

Third, the Medium settings preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions. The frame time consistency is relatively stable, with the min/max spread being 30% at 1080p (103 to 139), 30% at 1440p (69 to 94), and 30% at 4K (40 to 54). This suggests that the game's performance is consistent without major frame hitches or stutters.

The data also shows that the jump from 1080p to 1440p has a smaller impact on FPS than the jump from 1440p to 4K. For example, at High settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 33% (82 to 55), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 42% (55 to 32). This pattern is consistent across all settings presets, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes increasingly constrained as resolution approaches 4K.