Barony

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an exceptionally powerful combination for Barony, ranking in the top tier of tested systems. This combo achieves frame rates far beyond what is necessary for smooth gameplay at any resolution, with the data showing a strong bias toward GPU-bound performance at higher settings and a CPU-limited ceiling at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this CPU and GPU pairing at rank 182 out of 2935 tested combos for Barony. This top 6.2% placement indicates that this specific configuration is among the most capable systems for this game, outperforming the vast majority of alternatives in the benchmark database. The ranking reflects the combined strength of both components, though the analysis of individual benchmark scores reveals that the GPU is the dominant contributor to this high standing.

The RTX 4090's average benchmark score of 60347 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 5600F's average score of 36945 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. This near-parity in relative performance explains why the combo ranking is so high, as neither component acts as a significant bottleneck in most scenarios. The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with a delta of 0%, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at -0.4%, showing that the 5600F is competitively positioned within its performance class.

What is particularly notable is how this combo's ranking translates into actual gameplay metrics. The measured FPS data shows that even at the most demanding settings, the system never dips below 100 FPS on average. This means that for Barony, a roguelike game, the combo provides a performance buffer that eliminates concerns about frame pacing or stutter during intense gameplay moments. The rank of 182 out of 2935 becomes even more impressive when considering that many of the combos above it likely feature newer or more expensive CPUs, yet the 5600F's Zen 3 architecture with 6 cores and 12 threads proves sufficient for this game's demands.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 serves as the primary performance driver in this combo, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, which is more than adequate for Barony's graphical demands. The GPU's boost clock of 2520 MHz and base clock of 2235 MHz are substantial, and the data shows that these clocks translate directly into the high frame rates observed in the measured results.

The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, featuring 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. This hardware foundation supports 16384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, which collectively deliver the 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. For Barony, this level of compute power means that the GPU can handle the game's visual effects and particle systems without breaking a sweat, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra preset still achieving 100 FPS average.

The RTX 4090's percentile ranking of 88 among all GPUs, combined with its nearest rivals showing deltas of 0% to 2.9%, indicates that this GPU is at the very top of the performance hierarchy. The fact that the measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 522 FPS average suggests that the GPU has substantial headroom even when the CPU is likely limiting performance. The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores also future-proof this combo for any ray tracing or DLSS features that Barony might adopt, though the current data shows no such implementations in the measured settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset at any resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and performance headroom. At 4K, Medium delivers 163 FPS average with a minimum of 138 FPS and a maximum of 187 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate displays. The 1440p Medium setting achieves 311 FPS average with a wider range of 264 to 358 FPS, while 1080p Medium reaches 468 FPS average with a spread of 398 to 539 FPS.

The High preset is also a viable option, particularly for users who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. At 4K High, the system maintains 140 FPS average, at 1440p High it reaches 267 FPS average, and at 1080p High it hits 423 FPS average. These numbers indicate that High is the recommended choice for users with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors at 4K, as the frame rates remain well above the refresh rate threshold in most scenarios.

The Ultra preset, while visually impressive, shows a significant performance cost that may not be justified for competitive or fast-paced gameplay. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 100, which is still playable but represents a 29% reduction from High. At 1440p Ultra, the system achieves 191 FPS average, and at 1080p Ultra it reaches 303 FPS average. The data suggests that Ultra is best reserved for single-player exploration or screenshot purposes, while Medium or High provides the optimal experience for active play sessions.

The Low preset, while achieving the highest frame rates possible, is not recommended for regular play due to the diminishing returns on visual quality. At 4K Low, the system reaches 219 FPS average, at 1440p Low it hits 418 FPS average, and at 1080p Low it achieves a staggering 522 FPS average. These numbers are useful for understanding the system's performance ceiling, but the visual compromise is too severe for a game like Barony where environmental readability can be important for survival.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. Starting at 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its maximum capabilities: Low preset delivers 522 FPS average, Medium achieves 468 FPS average with a minimum of 398 FPS and maximum of 539 FPS, High reaches 423 FPS average, and Ultra maintains 303 FPS average. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the CPU begins to limit performance at lower settings, as the difference between Low and Medium is only 54 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is 45 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 120 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably but still remains exceptionally high. Low preset achieves 418 FPS average, which is a 20% reduction from 1080p Low. Medium delivers 311 FPS average with a range of 264 to 358 FPS, representing a 34% reduction from 1080p Medium. High reaches 267 FPS average, a 37% reduction from 1080p High, while Ultra maintains 191 FPS average, a 37% reduction from 1080p Ultra. The consistency of these percentage reductions across settings suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance demonstrates the GPU's strength while showing clear scaling with settings. Low preset achieves 219 FPS average, which is a 48% reduction from 1080p Low. Medium delivers 163 FPS average with a minimum of 138 FPS and maximum of 187 FPS, representing a 65% reduction from 1080p Medium. High reaches 140 FPS average, a 67% reduction from 1080p High, while Ultra maintains 100 FPS average, a 67% reduction from 1080p Ultra. The fact that the reductions from 1440p to 4K are larger than from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being fully utilized at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases, with the most significant drops occurring at 4K. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS across all settings drops by approximately 20-37%, while from 1440p to 4K, the drop ranges from 48-67%. This asymmetric scaling suggests that the system is CPU-limited at lower resolutions, particularly at 1080p, where the Ryzen 5 5600F's 6 cores and 12 threads at boost clocks up to 4.00 GHz become the bottleneck.

Specifically, at 1080p Low, the 522 FPS average indicates that the CPU is struggling to feed the GPU enough frames, as the RTX 4090 is capable of much higher output. The 20% reduction from 1080p Low to 1440p Low (522 to 418 FPS) is smaller than the 48% reduction from 1080p Low to 4K Low (522 to 219 FPS), which points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor only at 4K. This is further supported by the fact that at 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 119 FPS (219 to 100), while at 1080p, the difference is 219 FPS (522 to 303), showing that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions.

The resolution scaling analysis also reveals that the system is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, as the 4K results show the GPU reaching its limits while the 1080p results show the CPU reaching its limits. The 1440p results, with a range of 191 to 418 FPS across settings, represent the sweet spot where both components are sufficiently utilized without either becoming a significant bottleneck. For users with 1440p 144Hz or 240Hz monitors, this combo delivers an ideal experience, with even the Ultra preset maintaining 191 FPS average.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 provides the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1440p Medium, the system achieves 311 FPS average, while 4K Medium delivers 163 FPS average and 1080p Medium reaches 468 FPS average. The 1440p results show the least bottleneck from either component.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600F compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600F has an average benchmark score of 36945, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 at 36938 (0% delta). It is slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018 (-0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093 (-0.4%), but ahead of the Intel Core i9-12900T at 37112 (-0.5%).

Q: Is the RTX 4090 overkill for Barony?

A: The measured FPS data suggests that the RTX 4090 is significantly more powerful than necessary for Barony, as even at 4K Ultra it maintains 100 FPS average. However, the GPU's 24 GB VRAM and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensure that it will handle any future graphical updates or mods without issue.

Q: What settings should I use for a 4K 120Hz display?

A: The Medium preset is recommended for 4K 120Hz displays, as it achieves 163 FPS average with a minimum of 138 FPS. The High preset at 140 FPS average is also viable, but the Ultra preset at 100 FPS average would not fully utilize a 120Hz display's refresh rate.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any settings?

A: The data indicates CPU limitation at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 522 FPS average. At 1440p and above, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor, as evidenced by the larger FPS drops from 1440p to 4K compared to 1080p to 1440p.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Barony?

A: This combo ranks 182 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the top 6.2% of all systems. This ranking is supported by the GPU's 88th percentile performance and the CPU's 85th percentile performance across all tested hardware.