Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, is known for large-scale player battles and demanding world rendering. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. The data shows this combo ranks 1677 out of 2761 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database. This is a mobile-oriented setup, given the CPU’s 25W TDP and the GPU’s 115W TDP, suggesting a laptop configuration. The benchmark results reveal a system that can handle the game at 1080p comfortably but struggles significantly at 4K, particularly with higher graphical presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 2.10 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This is a mobile-focused chip, evidenced by its 25W TDP and BGA 2540 socket. For an MMORPG like Archeage, the CPU is critical for handling game logic, network data, and the positions of numerous players and NPCs. The processor’s strong single-thread performance is often more important than its multi-threaded capabilities in such titles.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 2200.5 points in Cinebench R23 single-core and 18911 points in multi-core. It achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 4280 and a multi-thread score of 36811. These scores place the CPU in the 88th percentile of all CPUs in the database, indicating it is a strong performer overall. Compared to its nearest rivals, its average benchmark score of 44466 is virtually identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D, which scores 44573, a mere 0.2% difference. It also sits close to the Intel Core i9-13950HX, which has an average score of 44342, making the Ultra X9 388H 0.3% faster.

For Archeage, the high boost clock of 5.10 GHz is a significant advantage. The game’s engine, despite its age, often relies on a single primary thread for core simulation tasks. The data seems to support this, as the measured FPS at 1080p with Low settings is 136, which is high and suggests the CPU is not a major bottleneck at that resolution. However, the game’s performance is not purely CPU-bound. The high core count of 16 can help with background tasks and streaming in the open world, but the single-core strength is the key driver for maintaining high frame rates in crowded areas. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache also helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, which can reduce latency in game logic.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU-GPU combo in Archeage?

A: The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 1677 out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage, placing it in the lower half of all tested systems.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 44466 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D, which scores 44573, a difference of -0.2%. It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i9-13950HX, which has an average score of 44342.

Q: What is the best performance the combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate at 1920x1080 is achieved with Low settings, reaching 136 FPS. With Medium settings, the average is 121 FPS, and with High settings, it drops to 82 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance percentile compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 4060 is in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 17639 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666, a -0.2% difference. It is 0.3% faster than the AMD Radeon 780M.

Q: What are the frame rate ranges for the Medium setting at different resolutions?

A: At 3840x2160, the Medium setting yields an average of 47 FPS with a range between 40 and 54 FPS. At 2560x1440, the average is 82 FPS, ranging from 69 to 94 FPS. At 1920x1080, the average is 121 FPS, with a range of 103 to 139 FPS.

Q: Does the combo run Archeage at 4K with playable frame rates on Ultra settings?

A: No, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of only 22 FPS, which is generally considered unplayable for a smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: performance degrades as resolution increases. This scaling reveals how the system’s components are stressed under different loads. At 1080p, the CPU and GPU have less work to do, leading to high frame rates. At 4K, the GPU is pushed to its limits, and the frame rate drops significantly.

Starting with the Low settings, the average FPS goes from 136 at 1080p, to 92 at 1440p, and finally to 52 at 4K. This represents a 62% drop in performance from 1080p to 4K. This indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is becoming a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The jump from 1080p to 1440p causes a 32% reduction in FPS, while the jump from 1440p to 4K causes a 43% reduction.

With High settings, the scaling is similar. The average FPS drops from 82 at 1080p to 55 at 1440p, and then to 32 at 4K. This is a 61% total reduction from 1080p to 4K. The more demanding High settings put more strain on the GPU, but the relative scaling is consistent. The data suggests that the RTX 4060’s 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become a bottleneck at 4K, as the frame rate plummets to levels that are not smooth for gameplay. The system is clearly not designed to run Archeage at 4K with high visual fidelity. The sweet spot for this combo appears to be at 1080p, where it can deliver high frame rates across all settings, and 1440p, where it can still achieve playable frame rates on Medium and High settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1677 out of 2761 tested combinations in Archeage. This places the system in the bottom 39% of all tested combos, indicating that while it is far from the weakest, it is not a top-tier performer for this specific game. This ranking is a reflection of the system's overall balance and its limitations at higher resolutions.

Given that the CPU is a high performer (88th percentile), the ranking is likely dragged down by the GPU. The RTX 4060 is in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, which is a more mid-range position. The data shows the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K, which is a significant factor in the overall ranking. This system is likely best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, but it falls behind other combos that feature more powerful GPUs capable of handling higher resolutions. The ranking is a clear indicator that the GPU is the system's primary limiting factor in this MMORPG. In comparison to the CPU's rivals, which have nearly identical average scores, the GPU's performance is what differentiates this combo from others with the same CPU but a different graphics card.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and uses the AD107 chip, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. It is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in its performance, particularly at higher resolutions.

In Archeage, the GPU’s role is to render the game world, handle character models, and process effects. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the game’s textures and assets can push memory usage to its limits. The data shows that the RTX 4060’s average benchmark score is 17639, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. This is a mid-range score, and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7790, perform almost identically, with a -0.2% difference in average score.

The GPU's Passmark G3D score is 19545, which is a measure of its overall 3D rendering performance. Its DirectX 12 score is 76, and its DirectX 11 score is 175. These scores, while specific, paint a picture of a card that is capable for 1080p gaming but not designed for high-end 4K performance. The 115W TDP suggests it is a power-efficient chip, but its performance is limited by its memory bus and VRAM capacity. In the context of Archeage, the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, as evidenced by the significant FPS drop, while at 1080p, it can deliver high and smooth frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combo performs across different resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 136 FPS. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 121 FPS, with a minimum of 103 FPS and a maximum of 139 FPS. High settings yield an average of 82 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 56 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors, even on High settings, and is very playable on Ultra.

At 2560x1440, performance takes a noticeable step down. Low settings produce an average of 92 FPS. Medium settings average 82 FPS, with a range of 69 to 94 FPS. High settings average 55 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 38 FPS. This resolution is still playable on Medium and High settings, but the frame rate on Ultra is less smooth. The transition from 1080p to 1440p causes a significant drop, highlighting the GPU’s limitations.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the combo struggles. Low settings produce an average of 52 FPS, which is borderline playable. Medium settings average 47 FPS, with a range of 40 to 54 FPS. High settings see the average drop to 32 FPS, and Ultra settings plummet to an average of just 22 FPS. These frame rates are not suitable for a smooth gaming experience. The data clearly shows that 4K is beyond the capabilities of this GPU for Archeage, and users would need to lower settings significantly to achieve playable framerates, and even then, the experience would be subpar. The system is best used at 1080p, where it can fully utilize its CPU and GPU potential.