Barony

Barony is a roguelike that is far more demanding on the CPU than on the GPU, and the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 + Intel Arc B370 combination reflects this unusual balance. The benchmark results show a system where frame rates are heavily influenced by resolution, but the underlying bottleneck shifts from the processor at lower settings to the graphics solution at higher resolutions and presets. The data indicates that this pairing offers a smooth experience at 1080p, a capable one at 1440p, and struggles to maintain playability at 4K, particularly on higher quality settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals a system that is primarily limited by its graphics component at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 92 FPS at 1920x1080 to 58 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 34 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average plummets to 30 FPS, which is less than a third of the 1080p performance. This steep decline indicates that the Intel Arc B370, which ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, is unable to keep up with the pixel throughput required at 4K.

The scaling pattern changes slightly with lower settings. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 144 FPS to 91 FPS, a loss of 53 FPS. The subsequent drop to 47 FPS at 4K is a further 44 FPS loss. While the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is similar (around 67% for both High and Low), the absolute frame rates at Low settings are much higher, suggesting that the CPU is able to feed the GPU more effectively when the graphical load is reduced. The fact that Low settings at 4K (47 FPS) outperform High settings at 4K (30 FPS) by a significant margin shows that the GPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the system is more balanced, with the CPU able to keep the GPU fed. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's limited pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s become the limiting factor. The benchmark results indicate that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p, where even Ultra settings achieve a playable 66 FPS, and 1440p is viable for High and Medium settings, but 4K should be reserved for Low settings or users who can tolerate sub-30 FPS frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 plays a critical role in ensuring the system can deliver high frame rates at lower resolutions. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 2 architecture, this processor has a solid foundation for gaming. Its boost clock of 4.20 GHz and base clock of 3.60 GHz provide the single-thread performance necessary for many game engines. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor achieves a single-thread score of 696 in 3dmark and 2124 in Cinebench R23, which are respectable numbers for its generation.

The multi-threaded performance of the Ryzen 5 3600 is also strong, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15045 and a Geekbench multicore score of 7372. This is relevant for Barony, which, as a roguelike, may have simulation and logic threads that can utilize multiple cores. The processor's average benchmark score of 17035 places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms the majority of processors on the market. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1260P and the Intel Core i5-11400, with which it trades blows within a 0.2% margin.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration, except perhaps at the very highest frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system hits 144 FPS, which is a common refresh rate cap. The fact that the 3dmark score for 16 threads is 4605, nearly identical to the max threads score of 4603, suggests that the CPU scales well with additional threads up to a point. This is important for maintaining stable frame times in a game like Barony, where unpredictable events can cause sudden spikes in processing demand. The processor's 32 MB of L3 cache is also a benefit, as it can reduce memory latency for frequently accessed game data.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the clear limiting factor in this system for high-resolution gaming. Its performance, measured by a single 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This score is comparable to older, low-end discrete graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190, and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186. This context is crucial; the Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 25 W TDP, designed for efficiency rather than raw performance.

The GPU's specifications confirm its limitations. It has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, which are low numbers for modern gaming. Its boost clock of 2400 MHz is decent, but the system-shared memory and system-dependent bandwidth mean it must compete with the CPU for memory access. This is a significant disadvantage in a game like Barony, which may have a large memory footprint for its procedural generation. The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS is modest, and its 12.29 TFLOPS FP16 performance is unlikely to be fully utilized in this title.

The benchmark data directly reflects these hardware limitations. The GPU's performance collapses at 4K, where the pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s is insufficient. At 1080p, the GPU is more capable, but the average FPS at Ultra settings drops to 66, which is 26% lower than the High preset's 92 FPS. This shows that the GPU cannot sustain the extra load of Ultra settings even at 1080p. The measured results suggest that the Arc B370 is best suited for 1080p gaming with Medium to High settings, and its performance at 4K is only playable on the Low preset. The data shows that the GPU's role is to provide a baseline of playability, and it is the component that dictates the system's ceiling for visual fidelity.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only with significant compromises. At 4K with Low settings, the average frame rate is 47 FPS. At High settings, it drops to 30 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 22 FPS, which is not a smooth experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for a smooth experience with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At this resolution, all settings presets achieve a playable average frame rate, with Low hitting 144 FPS and Ultra still providing 66 FPS.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its direct rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035. This is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-1260P and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i5-11400, indicating they are effectively in the same performance tier.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 a dedicated graphics card?

A: No, it is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 25 W TDP. Its performance class is comparable to older dedicated cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, based on benchmark scores.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU bottleneck this system in Barony?

A: At lower resolutions like 1080p, the system is more CPU-bound, allowing for high frame rates. At higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the drastic FPS drop.

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

A: At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 144 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 66 FPS. This is a 78 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset is much more demanding on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware is at 1920x1080 resolution. The data shows that the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering an average of 92 FPS. This is nearly 50% higher than the Ultra preset's 66 FPS, and the visual difference between High and Ultra is often more subtle than the performance cost. For users with a 144 Hz monitor, the Low preset at 1080p is the only way to fully utilize the refresh rate, as it hits 144 FPS, but this comes at a significant visual quality cost.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is still playable, with an average of 58 FPS. This is a good option for users who prefer higher resolution over maximum frame rates. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a safer margin, with an average of 67 FPS and a minimum of 57 FPS, ensuring a smoother experience during demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 1440p should be avoided, as its 42 FPS average is below the threshold for a consistently fluid experience.

At 3840x2160, the only remotely playable option is the Low preset, which averages 47 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a slow-paced game. High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they produce 30 FPS and 22 FPS averages, respectively, which will feel sluggish. The recommendation is to prioritize 1080p with High settings for the best combination of visual quality and performance, or to step down to 1440p Medium if a higher resolution is desired.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 + Intel Arc B370 combination in Barony.

1920x1080:

• Low: 144 FPS average
• Medium: 107 FPS average, with a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS
• High: 92 FPS average
• Ultra: 66 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 91 FPS average
• Medium: 67 FPS average, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 42 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 47 FPS average
• Medium: 35 FPS average, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS
• High: 30 FPS average
• Ultra: 22 FPS average

The data reveals a clear pattern. The system is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p on Low settings, and smooth 60+ FPS gameplay on High settings. As resolution increases, the frame rates drop consistently across all settings, with the most severe degradation occurring at 4K. The performance gap between Low and Ultra settings is also consistent, approximately 78 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the Ultra preset has a high cost, and the GPU's limitations become more pronounced at higher resolutions. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows that frame pacing is generally stable, with the minimum being about 85% of the average at 1080p and 1440p, but this stability decreases at 4K, where the minimum is also 85% of the average, but the absolute numbers are low.