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 processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Cezanne codename) using a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boosts up to 4.20 GHz. This CPU sits in the 79th percentile against all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 20875. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, scores 20897, placing the Ryzen 5 5500 just 0.1% behind. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE matches at 20900, again a 0.1% difference, while the AMD EPYC 7J13 is 0.1% ahead at 20845. The Intel Core i5-12600T leads this group at 20917, a 0.2% margin.

For Barony, a roguelike title, the CPU's single-thread performance often dictates gameplay responsiveness. The processor's single-core Cinebench R23 score is 2319, and its 3DMark single-thread score is 836. These figures indicate solid per-core capability, which matters for a genre where procedural generation and game logic updates can create bursty, single-threaded workloads. The 12 threads provide headroom for background tasks and any multi-threaded elements within the game engine, but the measured FPS data suggests the GPU carries most of the rendering load.

The 16 MB of L3 cache is shared across all cores, and the dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth provides adequate data throughput for this combination. The CPU's PCIe Gen 3 interface, while older than Gen 4, does not bottleneck the RTX 3080 in this title based on the frame rates observed. The processor's passmark multithread score of 19330 and physics score of 896 show it can handle complex simulation tasks without becoming the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 450.1 FPS, which indicates the CPU is capable of feeding frames at very high rates. The data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the system maintains 208.8 FPS, suggesting the CPU is not a primary constraint in most configurations.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings provides a clear picture of how this combo behaves. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 450.1 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the dataset. Medium produces 334.8 FPS, High achieves 286.1 FPS, and Ultra drops to 208.8 FPS. All four presets at 1080p exceed 200 FPS, so any setting level offers smooth gameplay. The step from Low to Ultra costs 241.3 FPS, a 53.6% reduction, but even the most demanding preset remains far above typical display refresh rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern continues with Low at 283.1 FPS, Medium at 211.7 FPS, High at 182.6 FPS, and Ultra at 132.6 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p still maintains a playable frame rate above 130 FPS. At 3840x2160, the numbers become more telling: Low achieves 146.5 FPS, Medium reaches 110.6 FPS, High holds 96.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to 69.2 FPS. The 4K Ultra setting is the only configuration in the dataset that dips below 100 FPS.

For the best experience balancing visual fidelity and performance, the High preset at 1440p stands out. It delivers 182.6 FPS, which is 49.9 FPS higher than the 4K High result and only 28.5 FPS below the 1080p High figure. The High preset at 1080p offers 286.1 FPS, but the visual difference between 1080p and 1440p is substantial. At 4K, the Medium preset at 110.6 FPS provides a solid experience, while High at 96.7 FPS is acceptable for players prioritizing image quality. The Ultra preset at 4K, at 69.2 FPS, is the only setting that risks noticeable frame pacing issues on high-refresh displays.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the workload distribution between CPU and GPU. At High settings, the system moves from 286.1 FPS at 1080p to 182.6 FPS at 1440p, a 36.2% reduction, then to 96.7 FPS at 4K, a further 47.0% reduction from 1440p. This scaling pattern indicates the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. The total drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 189.4 FPS, representing a 66.2% decrease.

At Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic in absolute terms. The 1080p Low result is 450.1 FPS, dropping to 283.1 FPS at 1440p (a 37.1% reduction) and then to 146.5 FPS at 4K (a 48.3% reduction from 1440p). The total loss from 1080p to 4K at Low is 303.6 FPS, or 67.4%. This steeper decline suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is closer to being a limiting factor at 1080p, but the GPU still dominates the scaling curve.

The Medium preset shows 334.8 FPS at 1080p, 211.7 FPS at 1440p (36.8% lower), and 110.6 FPS at 4K (47.8% lower from 1440p). Ultra settings produce 208.8 FPS at 1080p, 132.6 FPS at 1440p (36.5% lower), and 69.2 FPS at 4K (47.8% lower from 1440p). Across all four presets, the percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p hovers around 36-37%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is consistently around 47-48%. This consistent pattern indicates a purely GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom even at the lowest resolution tested.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 522nd out of 1702 tested combos in Barony. This places the system in the upper third of all configurations, specifically at the 69.3rd percentile. The ranking reflects the balance between the CPU's mid-range position and the GPU's high-end capability. The RTX 3080, with its GA102 chip on an 8 nm process, holds the 80th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 35787. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro Duo at 35860 (0.2% ahead), the AMD Radeon 880M at 35646 (0.4% behind), and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE at 36101 (0.9% ahead).

The CPU's contribution to this ranking is significant but secondary. With a 79th percentile standing, the Ryzen 5 5500 performs close to several Intel and AMD alternatives, yet none of these rivals would shift the combo ranking dramatically in a game like Barony. The data shows that the GPU's 80th percentile positioning aligns closely with the combo's rank, suggesting the RTX 3080 is the primary driver of this system's placement. The 522nd rank out of 1702 means the combo outperforms roughly 69% of all tested configurations, which is consistent with a high-end GPU paired with a capable mid-range CPU. The gap between this combo and the top-ranked systems likely stems from CPUs with higher single-thread performance, though the measured FPS results indicate this combo already delivers excellent frame rates in Barony.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Barony?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 450.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The next highest is Medium at 334.8 FPS, followed by High at 286.1 FPS and Ultra at 208.8 FPS, all at 1080p.

Q: Does this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the 4K Ultra preset delivers an average of 69.2 FPS, which exceeds 60 FPS. However, it is the only configuration in the dataset that falls below 100 FPS, so players targeting higher refresh rates should consider the Medium preset at 110.6 FPS or High at 96.7 FPS.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 20875, while the Intel Core i5-12500 scores 20897, a difference of 0.1%. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE scores 20900 (0.1% ahead), and the Intel Core i5-12600T scores 20917 (0.2% ahead). The AMD EPYC 7J13 scores 20845, which is 0.1% behind.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the system achieves 286.1 FPS at 1080p and 96.7 FPS at 4K, a difference of 189.4 FPS. This represents a 66.2% reduction when moving from 1080p to 4K resolution.

Q: Which resolution and preset combination offers the best balance of performance and visual quality?

A: The 2560x1440 High preset at 182.6 FPS provides strong visual quality while maintaining a frame rate well above 144 Hz displays. For 4K users, the Medium preset at 110.6 FPS offers a smooth experience, while the High preset at 96.7 FPS is still viable.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in Barony?

A: This combo ranks 522nd out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all configurations. The ranking reflects the RTX 3080's strong performance (80th GPU percentile) paired with the Ryzen 5 5500's solid mid-range capabilities (79th CPU percentile).

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive view of performance.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 450.1 FPS average. The Medium preset delivers 334.8 FPS, representing a 25.6% reduction from Low. High settings produce 286.1 FPS, which is 14.5% lower than Medium. The Ultra preset reaches 208.8 FPS, a 27.0% drop from High. The total range from Low to Ultra at 1080p spans 241.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset records 283.1 FPS average. Medium settings achieve 211.7 FPS, a 25.2% decrease from Low. High settings deliver 182.6 FPS, which is 13.7% lower than Medium. Ultra settings produce 132.6 FPS, a 27.4% reduction from High. The range from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 150.5 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 146.5 FPS average. Medium settings reach 110.6 FPS, a 24.5% reduction from Low. High settings deliver 96.7 FPS, which is 12.6% lower than Medium. Ultra settings produce 69.2 FPS, a 28.4% drop from High. The range from Low to Ultra at 4K is 77.3 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern where the percentage reduction from Low to Medium is roughly 25% across all resolutions, from Medium to High is approximately 13-14%, and from High to Ultra is about 27-28%. This consistent scaling indicates that the preset tiers affect the same rendering features proportionally, regardless of resolution. The absolute FPS values at 1080p are exceptionally high, with even Ultra exceeding 200 FPS. At 1440p, all presets remain above 130 FPS. At 4K, only the Ultra preset dips below 90 FPS, while the Low preset still achieves 146.5 FPS. This performance profile makes the combo well-suited for high-refresh gaming at 1080p and 1440p, with solid 4K capability at lower presets.