Archeage

Archeage is a 2014 MMORPG whose performance on a laptop pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 reveals a system heavily influenced by the CPU. The measured frame rates across resolutions indicate that while the GPU is capable of high output, the game's engine and the processor's characteristics dictate the ceiling in many scenarios. The data provides a clear picture of where each component's workload begins and ends, allowing for a detailed analysis of scaling and playability.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which are significant figures for a mobile part. The processor's cache configuration includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14551 and a single-core score of 1759, indicating strong multi-threaded capabilities and respectable single-thread performance. Its Passmark single-thread score is 3509.

In the context of Archeage, an MMORPG known for its complex calculations and numerous entities in the game world, the CPU's role is substantial. The game's performance at lower resolutions, where the GPU has less work, is often bound by the processor's ability to handle the game's logic. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 153 FPS. This high frame rate reflects the CPU's strong single-thread performance, as the game's main thread is often the limiting factor. The shift from Low to Ultra at 1080p results in a drop from 153 FPS to 63 FPS, which is a massive 90 FPS difference. This drop is too large to be solely attributed to the GPU, suggesting that the CPU's performance is being taxed by the more demanding settings, likely due to increased draw calls and entity management.

The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 84th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 34083. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, which is only 0.3% faster on average, and the AMD EPYC 4244P, which is 0.4% slower. This indicates that the Core Ultra 7 165H is well-positioned among its peers for general performance. However, for a game like Archeage, the specific workload matters more than aggregate scores. The game's reliance on a limited number of threads means that the processor's boost clock of 5.00 GHz is likely the most valuable asset for achieving high frame rates. The data suggests that the CPU is able to feed the GPU adequately at lower settings, but as the preset quality increases, the CPU's workload expands, and it begins to bottleneck the system, particularly at 1080p where the GPU is not the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a high-end mobile GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The GPU has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. Its memory subsystem is robust, with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU's compute capabilities are strong, with an FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 26927 in Passmark G3D and 154858 in Geekbench OpenCL.

The RTX 4070's role in Archeage becomes more apparent at higher resolutions. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is ample for this game, which is not particularly demanding on memory capacity. At 4K with High settings, the system achieves 36 FPS, which is a clear indication that the GPU is being heavily utilized. The transition from 1080p to 4K at High settings shows a drop from 92 FPS to 36 FPS, a 56 FPS reduction. This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the rendering load increases exponentially. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz helps maintain performance, but the sheer pixel count at 4K overwhelms it in the most demanding presets.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 37648, placing it in the 81st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4, which is 0.1% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, which is 0.4% slower. The RTX 4070 Mobile is a closer comparison, being 1.3% faster. This indicates that the GPU is a solid performer, but it is not at the absolute top of the mobile hierarchy. In Archeage, the GPU's performance is the primary driver of frame rates at 4K, particularly at Medium and High settings where the average FPS ranges from 36 to 52. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding, yielding only 24 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most users. This shows that while the GPU is capable, the game's Ultra settings at 4K are simply too demanding for this mobile part.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K, indicating the changing bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 153 FPS, which is the highest frame rate in the dataset. This suggests that the CPU is the primary limiter, as the GPU has minimal work at this resolution and settings level. Moving to 1440p at Low settings, the frame rate drops to 103 FPS, a 50 FPS reduction. This is a significant drop, but it still indicates that the CPU is keeping up, as the GPU is now working harder but not yet saturated. At 4K with Low settings, the frame rate drops further to 59 FPS, a 44 FPS reduction from 1440p. This shows that the GPU is now becoming a more significant factor, but the CPU is still providing enough throughput to maintain a playable frame rate.

The scaling at High settings tells a similar story. At 1080p, the system produces 92 FPS, which drops to 62 FPS at 1440p and then to 36 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 42%, which is less severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p (approximately 33%). This indicates that the GPU is becoming the dominant bottleneck at 4K, as the CPU has more headroom to feed it. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 63 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 21 FPS, while from 1440p to 4K is 18 FPS. This suggests that the game is highly demanding at Ultra settings, and both the CPU and GPU are strained, but the GPU's limitations are more apparent at 4K.

The data suggests that the system is CPU-bound at 1080p for most settings, as the GPU is not fully utilized. As the resolution increases, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor, and at 4K, the system is clearly GPU-bound. The frame rates at 4K for High and Ultra presets (36 FPS and 24 FPS, respectively) are below the 60 FPS target, indicating that users will need to lower settings or accept lower frame rates at this resolution. The Medium preset at 4K offers a compromise at 52 FPS, which is closer to playable but still not ideal for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination in Archeage are as follows:

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 153 FPS average, indicating the CPU's strong single-thread performance is the key enabler.
• Medium settings: 136 FPS average, with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS. This shows a small dip in performance compared to Low, but the frame time variance is still manageable.
• High settings: 92 FPS average, a substantial drop from Medium, suggesting a significant increase in GPU workload.
• Ultra settings: 63 FPS average, the lowest at 1080p, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on the system, likely from both CPU and GPU.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 103 FPS average, a 50 FPS drop from 1080p, indicating a shift toward GPU-bound performance.
• Medium settings: 91 FPS average, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS. This is a 45 FPS drop from 1080p Medium, showing that the GPU is now the primary limiter.
• High settings: 62 FPS average, a 30 FPS drop from 1080p High, further confirming the GPU's role.
• Ultra settings: 42 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target and indicates that Ultra is not a viable preset for smooth gameplay at 1440p.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 59 FPS average, which is just below the 60 FPS target, showing that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is struggling to maintain high frame rates at 4K.
• Medium settings: 52 FPS average, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. This is the most balanced preset at 4K, offering a playable experience for most users.
• High settings: 36 FPS average, a significant drop from Medium, highlighting the GPU's limitations at 4K.
• Ultra settings: 24 FPS average, which is not playable for an MMORPG where responsiveness is critical.

The data shows that the system's performance is highly dependent on the resolution and settings. At 1080p, the CPU is the main bottleneck, and the system can achieve high frame rates. At 1440p, the GPU becomes more of a factor, and at 4K, it is the clear limiting component.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 with Medium settings offers the best balance of performance and visual quality, achieving 136 FPS on average. For higher resolutions, 2560x1440 with Medium settings is the most viable option, with 91 FPS.

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

A: The data shows that at 4K, no preset achieves a consistent 60 FPS. The best result is at Low settings with 59 FPS, and Medium settings with 52 FPS. High and Ultra settings produce 36 FPS and 24 FPS, respectively, which are not smooth.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiter, as evidenced by the high frame rates at Low settings (153 FPS) and the significant drop to Ultra (63 FPS). At 4K, the GPU becomes the main bottleneck, with frame rates dropping to 36 FPS at High settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H compare to its rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 34083, which is 0.3% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H and 0.4% faster than the AMD EPYC 4244P. It is also 0.5% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X.

Q: What is the GPU's performance relative to other cards?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. It is 0.1% slower than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% faster than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. It is 1.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates for the Medium preset?

A: At 1080p, the minimum FPS is 115. At 1440p, the minimum is 78 FPS. At 4K, the minimum is 44 FPS. These are the only presets in the data with recorded minimum frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's priority for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the Medium preset is the most balanced choice across all resolutions. At 1080p, it delivers 136 FPS, which is well above the target. At 1440p, it maintains 91 FPS, still providing a fluid experience. Even at 4K, the Medium preset achieves 52 FPS, which is the closest to the 60 FPS target at that resolution.

The High preset is a viable option for users with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, as it produces 92 FPS, which is still smooth. However, at 1440p, the frame rate drops to 62 FPS, which is acceptable for some but not ideal for fast-paced gameplay. At 4K, the High preset yields only 36 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth play.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for this system, as it fails to maintain 60 FPS at any resolution. Even at 1080p, it only produces 63 FPS, and at 1440p and 4K, it drops to 42 FPS and 24 FPS, respectively. The visual improvements from Medium to Ultra are not worth the significant performance cost in this game.

For the best experience, users should set the resolution to 1920x1080 and the preset to Medium, which provides 136 FPS, or High, which provides 92 FPS, depending on their preference for visual quality. For those with 1440p displays, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it offers 91 FPS and is the only preset that provides a consistently smooth experience at that resolution. For 4K displays, the Low preset is the only option that comes close to 60 FPS, but users may prefer the Medium preset for better visuals, accepting the 52 FPS average.