Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, remains a demanding title for modern hardware, particularly when paired with a high-end CPU like the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and a mid-range GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strength allows for very high frame rates at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the performance data to show exactly where this combination excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling across resolutions tells a clear story about this system's bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 78 FPS. Moving up to 2560x1440 drops that average to 52 FPS, a 33% reduction. The jump to 3840x2160 is even steeper, with the average falling to just 30 FPS, another 42% reduction from the 1440p result. This pattern of significant frame rate drops with each resolution increase points directly at the RTX 2060 SUPER as the limiting component.

The data suggests the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is not the constraint here. At 1080p Low settings, the system produces 129 FPS, indicating the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames than it can render. When the resolution is raised to 1440p, the frame rate at Low settings drops to 87 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 50 FPS. This consistent drop is the signature of a GPU that is reaching its pixel-pushing limits. The CPU's headroom is further evidenced by its benchmark scores, which place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with a multi-core Cinebench R23 score of 51731.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between the 129 FPS Low and 53 FPS Ultra is 76 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 51 FPS (87 vs 36). At 4K, it narrows to 30 FPS (50 vs 20). This indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that even reducing graphical load has diminishing returns. The frame rate is bound more by the resolution's pixel count than the settings' complexity.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's specifications support this analysis. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. While this is sufficient for 1080p and even 1440p, the 3840x2160 resolution demands significantly more memory throughput and fill rate. The GPU's pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s becomes a hard limit at 4K, explaining the sub-30 FPS averages on High and Ultra settings. This is a classic case of a CPU with high single-thread and multi-thread performance, as seen in its 7303 Cinebench R23 single-core score, being paired with a GPU that is outclassed by the resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for the best playable experience at each resolution. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset stands out as the optimal choice. It delivers an average of 115 FPS, which is only 14 FPS less than the Low preset's 129 FPS but provides a significantly better visual experience. The High preset at 78 FPS is also playable, but the drop to 53 FPS on Ultra makes that preset less desirable for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 97 shows good stability, avoiding major dips.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is again the best balance. The 77 FPS average is highly playable, and the minimum of 66 FPS ensures the frame rate stays within a smooth range. The High preset at 52 FPS is playable for less demanding scenarios, but the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin. The Low preset's 87 FPS is faster but sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a game like Archeage. The Ultra preset at 36 FPS is only suitable for screenshots or turn-based activities, not active combat.

For 3840x2160, the options are limited. The Low preset, with an average of 50 FPS, is the only setting that approaches a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 44 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 38 FPS that may cause noticeable stutter in crowded areas. The High preset at 30 FPS is marginal, and the Ultra preset at 20 FPS is effectively a slideshow. For 4K, the recommendation is to use Low settings and accept the visual compromises, as this is the only way to maintain a frame rate near 50 FPS.

The data suggests that the game is not particularly well-optimized for high-end settings, as the performance cost from Medium to Ultra is disproportionately high. For example, at 1440p, the jump from Medium (77 FPS) to High (52 FPS) is a 33% performance loss, while the jump from High to Ultra (36 FPS) is a 31% loss. These steep penalties are not typical of a well-scaled game. Therefore, the "best" experience is to stay on Medium, which offers a stable frame rate without the extreme cost of the higher presets.

FAQ

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

A: No, not with playable settings. The data shows the best 4K result is 50 FPS on Low settings. At Medium settings, the average drops to 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS. High and Ultra settings are not viable, averaging 30 FPS and 20 FPS, respectively.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo?

A: 1920x1080 is the sweet spot. The system achieves an average of 115 FPS on Medium settings and 78 FPS on High settings. At 2560x1440, the frame rate drops to 77 FPS on Medium, which is still playable but less comfortable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's high benchmark scores (96th percentile) and the sharp FPS drops when resolution increases indicate that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting factor.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093. This is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18159) and 1.5% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18373). Its performance is closely matched with these cards, but it sits below the Intel Arc A770M, which scores 18383.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM on the GPU cause issues at any resolution?

A: The data suggests that VRAM is not the primary issue. The frame rate drops are more consistent with raw compute and fill-rate limitations. However, at 4K Ultra settings, the 20 FPS average could be partly attributed to the 8 GB frame buffer being saturated, but the GPU's compute power is the more likely limiting factor.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 129 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS. This is a 76 FPS difference, showing a massive performance hit for maximum visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1972 out of 2761 tested combos for Archeage. This places it in the 29th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it falls in the lower half of performance for this game. The rank, which is in the bottom third, is a direct result of the GPU's limitations. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU's age and mid-range positioning hold the combo back.

The CPU's high average benchmark score of 84003 and its 96th percentile ranking do not translate to a high in-game rank. This is because Archeage's frame rate is heavily dependent on the GPU, as seen in the resolution scaling analysis. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average score of 18093, is the primary driver of the combo's overall rank. The data shows that a powerful CPU cannot compensate for a GPU that is underpowered for the game's demands.

The rank of 1972 suggests that there are 789 other combinations that perform worse, but there are also many that perform better. The nearest GPU rivals, such as the RTX 3060 Mobile and Radeon RX 460, have very similar benchmark scores, meaning that swapping the GPU for one of these would not likely change the rank significantly. To improve the ranking, a user would need to pair this CPU with a substantially more powerful GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a faster graphics card.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration. Its Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process, features 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs. The GPU's base clock of 1470 MHz and boost clock of 1650 MHz are modest by modern standards. These specifications result in a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 and a Passmark G3D score of 16462, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's memory configuration is a key factor. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. This is paired with a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. While this bandwidth is decent for 1080p and 1440p, it becomes insufficient for 4K, where the frame rate drops to 30 FPS on High settings. The data shows that the GPU's compute power and memory bandwidth are the constraints, not the CPU.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores provide context for its in-game performance. Its Passmark DirectX 12 score of 61 is low, while the DirectX 11 score of 130 is higher, suggesting that the card is better optimized for older APIs. This aligns with Archeage's 2014 release date, which likely uses a DirectX 11 pipeline. The GPU's FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS is a raw measure of its compute capability, and the measured FPS in Archeage shows that this level of performance is only adequate for 1080p gaming at high frame rates. The card's 175 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for its performance class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best:

• Low: 129 FPS average
• Medium: 115 FPS average (97 min, 132 max)
• High: 78 FPS average
• Ultra: 53 FPS average

The Medium preset offers the best combination of smoothness and visual quality, with a minimum FPS of 97 ensuring no major stutters.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly:

• Low: 87 FPS average
• Medium: 77 FPS average (66 min, 89 max)
• High: 52 FPS average
• Ultra: 36 FPS average

The Medium preset remains the best choice, offering a 77 FPS average that is still playable, though the minimum of 66 FPS indicates some dips in demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmed:

• Low: 50 FPS average
• Medium: 44 FPS average (38 min, 51 max)
• High: 30 FPS average
• Ultra: 20 FPS average

The Low preset is the only setting that maintains an average above 50 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 38 FPS shows that even moderate settings can cause frame rate drops below playable levels at this resolution. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for gameplay.