Barony

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Cezanne codename) using TSMC's 7 nm process. It carries a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features a 16 MB L3 cache, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 KB L1 per core. Memory support is DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, yielding a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The processor uses a PCIe Gen 3 interface and fits the AMD Socket AM4.

In the context of Barony, a roguelike title, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing rather than raw multi-threaded throughput. The 3DMark single-thread score is 836, while the 2-thread score is 1645. These figures suggest that the processor has adequate single-core performance for the game's logic and entity updates. The 4-thread score of 3151 and 8-thread score of 4593 indicate scaling up to eight threads, but the max-thread score of 5411 shows diminishing returns beyond that point. For a roguelike, which typically has modest thread demands, the 6-core/12-thread configuration provides headroom for background tasks without bottlenecking the main game loop.

The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and single-core score of 2319 place this CPU in the 73rd percentile against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 19593 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (19617, delta -0.1%) and the Intel Core i7-10700F (19499, delta 0.5%). This means the Ryzen 5 5500 sits in a competitive mid-range position. For Barony specifically, the data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 159 FPS average, which indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions; the GPU handles the rendering load while the CPU keeps up with game logic.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture (Panther Lake chip) built on Intel's 3 nm process. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units. The GPU includes 12 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 300 MHz, boosting up to 2500 MHz. Crucially, the memory configuration is "System Shared" — meaning there is no dedicated VRAM, and the GPU draws from system memory. Memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means performance scales with the host platform's memory configuration.

The GPU's FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). Pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. The TDP is 80 W, and it is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors, confirming its mobile or embedded nature. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a low score, and the nearest rivals reflect that: it is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% ahead of the GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% ahead of the GT 710 (1443). These are all legacy entry-level parts, so the Arc B390 is positioned at the very bottom of the performance spectrum. For Barony, this means the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all measured settings. The data confirms this: at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 159, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 73 FPS — a clear sign that the GPU struggles with increased shading and texture work.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a consistent and steep decline as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 102. Moving to 1440p High reduces that to 64 FPS, a drop of 37.3%. At 4K High, the average is 34 FPS, which is 66.7% lower than the 1080p High figure. For Low settings, the progression is 159 FPS at 1080p, 100 FPS at 1440p, and 53 FPS at 4K. The Medium setting shows 118 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings start at 73 FPS at 1080p, drop to 46 FPS at 1440p, and fall to 24 FPS at 4K.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The percentage drops between resolutions are roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count. From 1080p to 1440p, the pixel count increases by 78%, and the FPS drops by roughly 37-40% depending on the setting. From 1440p to 4K, the pixel count increases by 125%, and FPS drops by roughly 47-48%. This suggests the render pipeline is saturated, and the GPU's limited shading units and shared memory bandwidth cannot keep up with the increased pixel throughput.

The CPU, in contrast, shows no signs of being a limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect FPS to remain flat across resolutions. Instead, FPS scales inversely with resolution, confirming that the Arc B390 is the binding constraint. The fact that even at 1080p Low the combo only hits 159 FPS (not multiple hundreds) further indicates the GPU's ceiling is low. For a roguelike like Barony, which is not graphically demanding, the data suggests the integrated GPU is barely adequate for smooth play at lower resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this combo in Barony?

A: The data shows that 1080p Low achieves 159 FPS average, which is the highest measured. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p Medium at 118 FPS offers a good middle ground.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 19593. It is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (19617), 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-12500 (19668), 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-10700F (19499), and 0.7% behind the Intel Core i5-11600KF (19723).

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile among all GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower.

Q: Does the GPU have dedicated VRAM?

A: No, the Arc B390 uses System Shared memory. Its memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combos in Barony?

A: The combo ranks 2601 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 11.4% of all tested systems.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 159 FPS, but increasing resolution to 4K Low drops FPS to 53. The CPU's single-thread and multi-thread scores are competitive, while the GPU sits in the 9th percentile.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2601 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. This puts it in the bottom 11.4% of all tested systems. The rank reflects the extreme performance disparity between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 5 5500 is a mid-range desktop part in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Arc B390 is an entry-level integrated GPU in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

This combination creates a severe imbalance. The CPU has ample headroom to drive the game's logic, but the GPU cannot translate that into higher frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. The rank of 2601 out of 2935 indicates that the vast majority of tested combos outperform this pairing in Barony. The GPU's shared memory architecture and low shading unit count (1536) are the primary reasons for this low standing. Even at 1080p Low, the combo only manages 159 FPS, which is respectable for smooth play but far from the high refresh rates that more capable GPUs could achieve with this CPU.

The rank also suggests that the Arc B390 is the weakest link. If paired with a more powerful discrete GPU, the Ryzen 5 5500 could likely produce significantly higher frame rates. However, as measured, the combo's performance is constrained by the integrated graphics solution, making it suitable only for casual or low-demand gaming scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers four resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 4K) and four quality settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). The full breakdown is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 159 FPS average
• Medium: 118 FPS average, with minimum 101 FPS and maximum 136 FPS
• High: 102 FPS average
• Ultra: 73 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 100 FPS average
• Medium: 75 FPS average, with minimum 64 FPS and maximum 86 FPS
• High: 64 FPS average
• Ultra: 46 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 53 FPS average
• Medium: 39 FPS average, with minimum 33 FPS and maximum 45 FPS
• High: 34 FPS average
• Ultra: 24 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo achieves playable frame rates across all settings. The jump from Low to Medium costs 41 FPS (159 to 118), while the jump from Medium to High costs 16 FPS (118 to 102), and from High to Ultra costs 29 FPS (102 to 73). This indicates that the Medium to High transition is the most efficient in terms of performance cost per setting step.

At 1440p, the combo remains playable at Low (100 FPS) and Medium (75 FPS), but High dips to 64 FPS and Ultra to 46 FPS. The 4K results are largely unplayable for smooth gaming, with only Low achieving above 50 FPS (53 FPS). The Medium setting at 4K has a minimum of 33 FPS, which would result in noticeable stuttering in fast-paced gameplay.

The data shows a consistent pattern: each doubling of resolution roughly halves the frame rate. From 1080p Medium (118 FPS) to 1440p Medium (75 FPS), the drop is 36.4%. From 1440p Medium to 4K Medium (39 FPS), the drop is 48%. This linear scaling is typical of GPU-bound rendering.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate threshold.

For 1080p gaming, the Medium preset at 118 FPS average is the best choice. It provides a significant visual upgrade over Low (159 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. The minimum of 101 FPS ensures no noticeable dips. High settings at 102 FPS are also viable if visual fidelity is prioritized, but the 16 FPS difference between Medium and High is modest. Ultra at 73 FPS is playable but sacrifices 45 FPS compared to Medium, which is a steep cost for marginal visual gains in a roguelike.

For 1440p, the Low preset at 100 FPS is the safest recommendation for consistent smoothness. Medium at 75 FPS is acceptable for most players, with a minimum of 64 FPS still above the 60 FPS line. High at 64 FPS is borderline — it averages slightly above 60 FPS but offers no minimum data to confirm stability. Ultra at 46 FPS is not recommended for action-heavy segments.

For 4K, the data suggests that only Low settings (53 FPS) approach playability. Medium at 39 FPS and High at 34 FPS will likely feel sluggish. Ultra at 24 FPS is unplayable. Given the GPU's constraints, 4K gaming in Barony is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is marginal.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1080p Medium, which offers 118 FPS average with a minimum of 101 FPS. This balances visual quality with performance headroom. If the player prioritizes maximum smoothness, 1080p Low at 159 FPS is the top performer. For players with 1440p displays, 1440p Low at 100 FPS provides a smooth experience without requiring a resolution drop.