Barony

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Radeon RX 580 combination lands at rank 3393 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the lower 9% of all pairings. This is a decidedly entry-level position that reflects the age and tier of both components. The data shows a system that can run the game, but with significant compromises required at higher resolutions. Benchmark results indicate this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it delivers solid frame rates, but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K with higher presets.

How This Combo Ranks

With a rank of 3393 out of 3717 combos, this pairing sits in the bottom percentile of tested systems for Barony. That low ranking stems from the GPU's position in the broader market; the RX 580 holds a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, which is below average. The CPU performs relatively better, with the Ryzen 5 5500 sitting in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. The disparity between the CPU and GPU percentiles is telling: the processor has more headroom than the graphics card can utilize at higher resolutions.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals provides context for its capability. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 scores 19,617 on average benchmark, a mere 0.1% ahead of the Ryzen 5 5500's 19,593. The Intel Core i5-12500 is 0.4% ahead with a score of 19,668, while the Intel Core i7-10700F trails by 0.5% at 19,499. The Intel Core i5-11600KF leads the group at 19,723, which is 0.7% ahead. These tight margins show the Ryzen 5 5500 is competitive with a range of mid-range processors from both AMD and Intel, meaning the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this combo.

The GPU's nearest rivals tell a similar story of mediocrity. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile is 0.1% ahead with an average score of 12,940, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is 0.4% ahead at 12,986. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon 740M is 0.5% behind at 12,870, and the AMD FirePro W5100 trails by 0.6% at 12,847. The RX 580's score of 12,928 places it right in the middle of this pack, confirming that it is a mid-pack performer from an earlier generation.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Barony at 1080p smoothly?

A: Yes. The data shows average frame rates of 98 FPS at High settings, 114 FPS at Medium, and 153 FPS at Low settings on 1920x1080. Even Ultra settings deliver 70 FPS, which is above the standard 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: 1920x1080 is the clear sweet spot. At 2560x1440, High settings drop to 62 FPS, which is still playable, but Ultra falls to 44 FPS. At 3840x2160, even Low settings only reach 51 FPS, and High drops to 32 FPS, making 4K largely impractical.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct competitors?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 is essentially tied with its nearest rivals. It is 0.1% slower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, 0.4% slower than the Intel Core i5-12500, 0.5% faster than the Intel Core i7-10700F, and 0.7% slower than the Intel Core i5-11600KF.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking is far above the GPU's 53rd percentile. As resolution increases, the frame rate drops significantly, indicating the GPU is struggling to keep up with the rendering load.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows a minimum FPS of 61 at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with an average of 72 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS line, but dips can be noticeable.

Q: Does the game favor this processor's architecture?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 part running at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16,429 and single-core score of 2,319, show balanced performance that is adequate for Barony's roguelike mechanics.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features a cache hierarchy of 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a 16 MB L3 cache. Memory support includes DDR4 with a dual-channel bus providing 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, fitting the AM4 socket.

The CPU's benchmark results show a well-rounded profile. In Cinebench R23, it scores 16,429 multi-core and 2,319 single-core. Geekbench results are 7,976 multi-core and 1,730 single-core. PassMark tests show a multi-thread score of 19,330 and single-thread score of 3,058. These numbers indicate the processor has sufficient single-thread performance for game logic and AI in Barony, and enough multi-thread capability for background tasks. With a 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, it is comfortably above average.

In this game combo, the CPU's role is to feed frames to the GPU without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low settings, the system hits 153 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of handling high frame rates. However, the GPU's limitations become apparent as resolution increases, shifting the bottleneck away from the CPU. The 3DMark scores, such as 5,386 with 16 threads and 836 single-thread, reinforce that the CPU is a competent mid-range part.

The CPU's nearest rivals all have average scores within 0.7% of the Ryzen 5 5500, which means swapping to any of them would yield nearly identical performance in Barony. The Intel Core i5-12500, for instance, is only 0.4% faster on average, a negligible difference in real-world gaming. This makes the CPU a stable foundation for the system, though it cannot compensate for the GPU's age.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 153 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth. Medium settings average 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. High settings average 98 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings drop to 70 FPS average, which remains playable, though the data does not include minimum or maximum values for this preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates begin to show the GPU's strain. Low settings maintain 97 FPS average, which is still good. Medium settings average 72 FPS, with a minimum of 61 FPS and maximum of 83 FPS, putting the minimum right at the edge of the 60 FPS line. High settings drop to 62 FPS average, which is marginal for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings fall to 44 FPS average, which is below the ideal threshold for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the RX 580 is clearly overmatched. Low settings average 51 FPS, which is borderline playable but not ideal. Medium settings average 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and maximum of 43 FPS, indicating noticeable stuttering. High settings average 32 FPS, which is choppy. Ultra settings average 23 FPS, which is effectively unplayable for most users. The data shows a consistent pattern of frame rate degradation as resolution increases, with the GPU unable to maintain 60 FPS at any settings in 4K.

The measured FPS values are direct results from the benchmark database, and they show a clear hierarchy: 1080p is viable for all presets, 1440p is viable for Low through High, and 4K is only marginal at Low settings. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings at each resolution—97 at 1080p, 61 at 1440p, and 32 at 4K—highlight the increasing frame time variance at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 98 at 1080p to 62 at 1440p, a 37% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops from 62 to 32 FPS, another 48% reduction. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth.

The RX 580 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This was adequate for 1080p gaming when the card launched, but 4K resolution requires substantially more bandwidth to fill the frame buffer. The GPU's 2304 shading units and 32 ROPs are simply not enough to handle 4K rendering at high quality settings in Barony.

The CPU's performance scaling does not follow this steep drop, which confirms it is not the limiting factor. The Ryzen 5 5500's single-thread score of 836 in 3DMark shows it can handle the game's logic, but the frame rate is constrained by the GPU at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 153 FPS, suggesting the CPU can push well beyond the GPU's limits at that resolution. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the sole determinant of performance.

This pattern is typical for a mid-range GPU paired with a capable CPU. At 1080p, the system is balanced, with both components contributing to the result. At 1440p, the GPU starts to become the limiting factor, and at 4K, it is clearly the bottleneck. Users should target 1080p for the best experience, as the difference between 153 FPS at Low and 70 FPS at Ultra is more about visual fidelity than smoothness.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080, the data supports using High settings as the best balance. At 98 FPS average, it provides a smooth experience with better visual quality than Medium's 114 FPS. The difference between 98 and 114 FPS is less noticeable than the visual upgrade from Medium to High. Ultra settings at 70 FPS are also viable, but the drop from High to Ultra may not be worth the 28% frame rate reduction.

At 2560x1440, High settings yield 62 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS line but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. Medium settings at 72 FPS average, with a 61 FPS minimum, offer a safer margin for consistent performance. The recommendation is to use Medium settings at this resolution to avoid dips below 60 FPS. Low settings at 97 FPS are also an option for users prioritizing frame rate over visuals.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets provide a fully smooth experience. Low settings at 51 FPS average are the only viable option, and even then, users should expect occasional dips. Medium settings at 38 FPS and High at 32 FPS are not recommended for gameplay. Ultra at 23 FPS is only suitable for screenshots or static scenes. For 4K, the data suggests accepting Low settings or reducing the resolution to 1440p.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1080p High settings, which delivers 98 FPS average. This provides a high frame rate with good visual fidelity, avoiding the stutter that comes with minimum FPS values at higher resolutions. For users with 1440p monitors, Medium settings offer the best trade-off between image quality and smoothness, with a 61 FPS minimum that keeps the experience mostly fluid. The data is clear: this combo is designed for 1080p gaming, and higher resolutions require significant compromises.