Barony

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the Intel Arc B390 lands near the bottom of the performance hierarchy for Barony. With a combo rank of 2601 out of 2935 tested configurations, this system sits in the 11th percentile, placing it firmly in the lower tier of hardware capable of running the game. The data shows that while the CPU is a solid mid-range performer, the integrated graphics solution dramatically limits the overall experience, making this combo suitable primarily for lower resolutions and modest settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Arc B390 achieves a rank of 2601 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places the system in the bottom 11% of all configurations tested, indicating that most other hardware pairings will deliver higher frame rates. The ranking reflects the severe bottleneck created by the GPU, which holds back an otherwise capable processor.

The CPU itself is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The Ryzen 5 5600F scores an average of 36945 in PassMark benchmarks, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals show how closely matched it is to other mid-range processors: the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36938 (a 0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093 (0.4% higher), and the Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112 (0.5% higher). These negligible differences confirm that the 5600F is a competitive processor, but its potential is wasted when paired with the Arc B390.

The GPU tells a different story. The Intel Arc B390 scores just 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all legacy or entry-level parts: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463 (1.3% lower), the GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% lower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% lower), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% lower). This places the Arc B390 at the very bottom of the GPU performance spectrum, which directly explains the combo's poor overall ranking in Barony.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, which allows it to scale up significantly under load. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities are rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 operations and 15.36 TFLOPS for FP16 operations.

Memory configuration is the most critical limitation here. The Arc B390 uses system shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the system's main DDR4 memory. The memory bus width is also system shared, and bandwidth is system dependent, which creates a significant bottleneck for texture-heavy scenes. In a roguelike like Barony, where procedural generation creates varied environments, the shared memory architecture can cause stuttering when the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth.

The GPU's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, but these theoretical figures do not translate into strong real-world performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 confirms that this is an entry-level part. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so it is feature-complete for modern APIs, but raw throughput is insufficient for demanding workloads. The TDP of 80 W and IGP slot width indicate this is designed for portable or compact devices rather than high-performance desktops.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the combo delivers playable frame rates, but performance degrades sharply as resolution increases. The data reveals that the Arc B390 becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the Ryzen 5 5600F has ample headroom to feed the GPU.

At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 159 FPS average. This drops to 102 FPS at High settings, a 36% reduction. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low setting average falls to 100 FPS, and High drops to 64 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low setting yields 53 FPS, and High falls to 34 FPS. The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low shows a 67% performance drop, which is typical for a GPU with limited memory bandwidth and no dedicated VRAM.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at High settings shows a 37% drop from 102 FPS to 64 FPS, while the transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings shows a 47% drop from 64 FPS to 34 FPS. This accelerating decline indicates that the GPU's memory subsystem becomes progressively more saturated as pixel count increases. The system shared memory architecture means that at 4K, the GPU must access the same DDR4 memory as the CPU, causing contention that further reduces performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs best with a Low preset delivering 159 FPS average. The Medium preset achieves 118 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS and maximum of 136 FPS, providing a solid 60+ FPS experience with some visual improvements. High settings drop to 102 FPS, while Ultra falls to 73 FPS. All 1080p presets maintain playable frame rates, with even the most demanding Ultra preset staying above 70 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance picture changes. Low settings deliver 100 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and maximum of 86 FPS. High settings fall to 64 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience, and Ultra drops to 46 FPS, which may feel sluggish in fast-paced roguelike combat. The 1440p data suggests that Medium is the highest preset that maintains a consistent 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles significantly. Low settings produce 53 FPS, which is the only 4K preset above the 30 FPS playability threshold. Medium delivers 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS and maximum of 45 FPS, while High falls to 34 FPS. Ultra drops to 24 FPS, which is below the standard playability threshold and likely to feel choppy. The 4K results indicate that this combo is not suitable for high-resolution gaming, as even Low settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 118 FPS average with a minimum of 101 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay even in scenes with many enemies or particle effects. The High preset at 102 FPS is also viable, but the jump from Medium to High provides diminishing returns for the 16 FPS loss.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It delivers 75 FPS average with a minimum of 64 FPS, which keeps the experience above the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 100 FPS offers more headroom, but the visual degradation may not be worth the extra 25 FPS. High at 64 FPS is technically playable, but the minimum frame rate data is not provided, so Medium is safer for consistent performance.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only reasonable option, delivering 53 FPS average. Medium at 39 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced games, but Barony's fast combat and procedural generation favor higher frame rates. The data shows that the 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 33 FPS, which could cause noticeable stuttering during intense moments. For 4K gaming, users should stick to Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The overall recommendation is to prioritize the Medium preset at 1080p, as it provides the best combination of visual fidelity and performance. The 118 FPS average with a 101 FPS minimum ensures that the game remains responsive throughout. For users with 1440p monitors, Medium at 75 FPS is the sweet spot, while 4K users should accept Low settings or reduce resolution.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Barony at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. At 1080p, all presets deliver above 60 FPS, with Low at 159 FPS, Medium at 118 FPS, High at 102 FPS, and Ultra at 73 FPS. At 1440p, Low achieves 100 FPS and Medium achieves 75 FPS, while High drops to 64 FPS and Ultra to 46 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 1.3% higher than the GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710 (1443). All of these GPUs are in the bottom percentile of performance.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the most suitable resolution, as it allows for playable frame rates across all settings. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset achieves 73 FPS. For higher resolutions, 1440p Medium is the highest playable option, while 4K is limited to Low settings at 53 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600F rank among CPUs?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600F has an average PassMark score of 36945, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, scores 36938 with a 0% delta, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018 (0.2% higher) and the Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112 (0.5% higher).

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

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, while the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile. The frame rates scale with resolution in a pattern consistent with GPU bottlenecking, particularly at 4K where performance drops sharply.

Q: Can this combo run Barony at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, yes, with an average of 73 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra delivers 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K, Ultra drops to 24 FPS, which is not playable. The Medium preset is the maximum recommended setting for 1440p, while Low is the only viable 4K option.