Archeage

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a performance profile in Archeage that is heavily dictated by resolution and settings. The data shows a clear progression from a fluid 1080p experience to a taxing 4K one, with the GPU emerging as the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS demonstrates a predictable decline as resolution scales upward from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 96 FPS at 1080p to 65 FPS at 1440p, then further to 37 FPS at 4K. This represents a 31% reduction moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 43% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The overall scaling from 1080p to 4K at High settings shows a 61% decrease in average FPS, indicating that the rendering load at 4K is substantially heavier.

Low settings exhibit a steeper performance curve. The combo achieves 159 FPS at 1080p, which falls to 107 FPS at 1440p and 61 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 62%, nearly identical to the High preset's scaling. This consistency suggests that resolution scaling is the dominant factor, with the GPU's workload scaling roughly linearly with pixel count regardless of the graphics preset.

Medium settings show a similar pattern: 141 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and 54 FPS at 4K. The scaling here is slightly more aggressive, with a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 43% drop from 1440p to 4K. Ultra settings produce the lowest performance, with 65 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The 1440p to 4K drop at Ultra is 43%, matching the High preset exactly.

What the scaling reveals is that the RTX 3060 Ti becomes the limiting factor at 4K across all settings. Even at Low, the 4K result of 61 FPS is barely above the 1080p High result of 96 FPS, showing that the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates at the highest resolution. The gap between Low and High at 4K is 24 FPS, whereas at 1080p the same gap is 63 FPS, indicating that at 4K the GPU is so saturated that settings changes have less relative impact.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip fabricated on an 8 nm process from Samsung. It houses 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. Memory is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Archeage, the 8 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for the measured scenarios, as the data does not show any anomalies that would suggest memory capacity limits. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is a more relevant factor, as the 4K results show the GPU struggling to maintain playable frame rates. The GPU's compute capabilities include 4864 shading units, 152 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 133.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 253.1 GTexel/s.

The FP32 performance of 16.20 TFLOPS is the same as FP16 at 16.20 TFLOPS, indicating a 1:1 ratio. This raw compute power is what drives the 1080p results, where the combo achieves 159 FPS at Low settings. However, the 4K Ultra result of 25 FPS shows that the GPU's capabilities are stretched thin when both resolution and graphical fidelity are maximized.

The RTX 3060 Ti's benchmark scores place it at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16129. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which scores 16014 with a 0.7% delta, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M at 16351 with a -1.4% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT also scores 16361, also a -1.4% delta, while the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 with a 1.7% delta. These results position the RTX 3060 Ti as a mid-range performer, consistent with its 4K limitations observed in Archeage.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Low achieving 159 FPS, Medium at 141 FPS, High at 96 FPS, and Ultra at 65 FPS. The Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 141 FPS while still providing improved visual quality over Low. The 120 FPS minimum at Medium ensures consistent frame times, making it the recommended choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 107 FPS, while Medium drops to 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS. High is still playable at 65 FPS, but Ultra falls to 44 FPS. The Medium preset is the best option here, providing nearly 100 FPS average with a minimum above 80 FPS. This allows for smooth gameplay without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. Low achieves 61 FPS, Medium 54 FPS, High 37 FPS, and Ultra 25 FPS. Only the Low preset maintains an average above 60 FPS, making it the only recommended option for 4K gameplay. The Medium preset at 54 FPS may be acceptable for less demanding players, but the 46 FPS minimum means frame drops will be noticeable.

The data indicates that Ultra settings are not viable at any resolution for this combo, as even at 1080p the 65 FPS average is only marginally above the 60 FPS threshold. The performance cost of Ultra over High is substantial: at 1080p, High achieves 96 FPS while Ultra drops to 65 FPS, a 32% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is 44 to 65 FPS, a 32% reduction as well. At 4K, the drop is 25 to 37 FPS, a 32% reduction. This consistent penalty makes Ultra a poor choice when High delivers significantly better frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. The Low preset averages 159 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. Medium averages 141 FPS with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS. High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 65 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 94 FPS, showing the wide range of performance available at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down. Low averages 107 FPS, Medium averages 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 109 FPS. High averages 65 FPS, and Ultra averages 44 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 63 FPS, indicating that the GPU is becoming a limiting factor. The Medium preset's minimum of 81 FPS shows that even under load, the combo can maintain playable frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the clear bottleneck. Low averages 61 FPS, Medium averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 63 FPS. High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 25 FPS. The Low to Ultra spread narrows to 36 FPS, showing that settings have less impact at 4K. The Medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, making it a risky choice for consistent gameplay.

The data shows that the RTX 3060 Ti can handle Archeage at 1080p and 1440p with ease, but 4K requires significant settings reductions. The Medium preset at 1440p, with a 95 FPS average and 81 FPS minimum, is the sweet spot for this combo, offering smooth performance with moderate visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination ranks 1848 out of 3708 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the 50th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating a mid-pack performance level. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU is a high-end part that does not limit the GPU in this game.

The CPU's benchmark results show it is a top-tier processor. It scores 51731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7303 in single-core, placing it at the 96th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 84003, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at 83807 (0.2% delta), AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83090 (1.1% delta), and AMD EPYC 9135 at 82980 (1.2% delta). The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores higher at 85072 with a -1.3% delta.

The GPU's 59th percentile ranking is the limiting factor in this combo's overall position. The RTX 3060 Ti's average benchmark score of 16129 is closely matched by its rivals, with deltas ranging from -1.4% to 1.7%. This tight grouping indicates that the GPU is a solid mid-range performer, but not exceptional.

The combo rank of 1848 out of 3708 suggests that while the CPU is among the best available, the GPU holds the combo back from higher positions. In a game like Archeage, the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rates, and the RTX 3060 Ti's mid-range performance is reflected in the overall rank.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Archeage with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 delivers the highest frame rates, with Low achieving 159 FPS and Medium at 141 FPS. At 2560x1440, Medium still maintains 95 FPS, while 3840x2160 drops to 54 FPS on Medium, making 1080p the optimal resolution for maximum performance.

Q: Can this combo run Archeage at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which achieves 61 FPS. Medium at 4K drops to 54 FPS, and High falls to 37 FPS. Ultra is not playable at 25 FPS. Players seeking 60 FPS should stick to Low settings at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 16129. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014, a 0.7% delta, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, a -1.4% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT scores 16361, also a -1.4% delta, and the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 with a 1.7% delta.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus ranks at the 96th percentile among CPUs, while the RTX 3060 Ti ranks at the 59th percentile among GPUs. At 4K, the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates even at Low settings, confirming its role as the bottleneck.

Q: What settings preset provides the best experience at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 achieves 95 FPS average with a minimum of 81 FPS. This provides smooth gameplay while offering better visual quality than Low, which hits 107 FPS. High at 65 FPS is playable but less fluid.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Archeage?

A: The combo ranks 1848 out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the middle of the pack. This position is driven by the GPU's mid-range performance, as the CPU is a top-tier part that does not constrain the frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It uses a 3 nm process from TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The base clock is 3.70 GHz, boosting up to 5.80 GHz. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This large cache allocation helps with game data access patterns. The CPU is unlocked for overclocking and has a 125 W TDP. It supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes and includes integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units.

Benchmark results show the CPU's strength. It scores 21727 in Cinebench R20 multi-core and 3067 in single-core. In Passmark tests, it achieves 60860 in multithread and 4823 in single-thread. The data compression score is 698346, encryption is 52563, and floating point math is 214760. These scores place the CPU at the 96th percentile among all CPUs.

In Archeage, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 159 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's limit for frame generation, but the GPU still has headroom at lower resolutions. The CPU's 24 cores and high boost clock ensure that it does not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the CPU has ample processing power to handle the game's logic and rendering commands.

The CPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at 83807 (0.2% delta), AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83090 (1.1% delta), and AMD EPYC 9135 at 82980 (1.2% delta). The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores higher at 85072 with a -1.3% delta. These narrow deltas show that the 290K Plus is competitive with the best CPUs available, making it a strong pairing with the RTX 3060 Ti for this game.