Barony

Barony is a roguelike that does not demand current-generation hardware, yet the measured results for this AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Arc B390 pairing show a configuration that is heavily skewed by its graphics component. The data reveals a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but one that struggles to maintain playable framerates at 4K, with the GPU acting as the definitive limiting factor in almost every scenario.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent performance cliff as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 102 FPS, which drops to 64 FPS at 1440p and further to 34 FPS at 4K. This represents a 67% loss in average framerate from 1080p to 4K on the High preset. The scaling pattern is nearly identical across all quality settings, indicating that the rendering load is scaling directly with pixel count, which is a classic symptom of a GPU-bound system.

Looking at the Low preset, the framerate drops from 159 FPS at 1080p to 100 FPS at 1440p, then to 53 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is less than one-third of the 1080p result, which is a severe reduction. The Medium preset tells the same story: 118 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with results of 73 FPS, 46 FPS, and 24 FPS across the three resolutions.

The fact that the framerate halves or nearly halves with each major resolution jump suggests that the Intel Arc B390 is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The GPU’s memory is listed as "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth, which explains why 4K performance collapses. At 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU enough to reach 159 FPS on Low, but at 4K, the GPU’s fill rate and shared memory constraints become the absolute bottleneck.

The 1440p results are the most telling for this combo’s practical limit. High settings at 1440p produce 64 FPS, which is just on the edge of smooth gameplay. The drop from 1440p to 4K is roughly 47% on High, while the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 37%. This non-linear degradation points to the GPU hitting a memory or compute wall as the resolution increases, not a CPU limitation. The CPU’s performance is consistent across resolutions, so the scaling behavior is entirely attributable to the graphics card.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 11,838 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,541 points in single-core, with a PassMark single-thread score of 3,364. These figures place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, indicating a solid mid-range performer.

For a roguelike like Barony, which is not typically a heavily threaded title, the CPU’s single-core strength is more relevant than its multi-core throughput. The single-thread score of 917 in 3DMark and 1,541 in Cinebench R23 suggest that the CPU has ample headroom for game logic and physics calculations. The measured FPS data supports this, as the 1080p Low preset hits 159 FPS, which is a framerate that would be constrained by CPU draw-call limits on weaker processors, but here it appears the CPU is keeping up.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in overall benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H, which is only 0.1% ahead, and the Intel Core i7-11700, which is 0.5% ahead. This places the 5600X in a competitive position, but the performance delta between these CPUs is negligible for gaming purposes. In the context of Barony, the CPU is unlikely to be the cause of any framerate dips, as even the 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is far more likely a GPU limitation than a CPU one.

The 32 MB of L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for a game of this genre. The CPU’s boost clock of 4.60 GHz is moderate by modern standards, but Barony does not appear to be a clock-sensitive title based on the FPS data. The difference between 1080p and 1440p results at the same settings is substantial, which would not be the case if the CPU were the bottleneck. This confirms that the Ryzen 5 5600X is performing its role adequately, leaving the GPU as the primary constraint.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of which settings are viable at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 102 FPS, which is smooth for most displays. The Medium preset offers 118 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 159 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 73 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant performance cost for marginal visual gains. For 1080p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, offering 118 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS, which ensures no noticeable stutter.

At 2560x1440, the High preset yields 64 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced games but may feel slightly less responsive on high-refresh monitors. The Medium preset at 75 FPS is a better balance, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS. The Low preset at 100 FPS is the smoothest option, but the visual quality may suffer. The Ultra preset at 46 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and would likely feel choppy. The data suggests that Medium is the optimal choice at 1440p, providing a playable framerate with decent visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, all presets struggle to maintain 60 FPS. The Low preset achieves 53 FPS, which is the only playable option, though it is still below the ideal smoothness target. The Medium preset at 39 FPS and High at 34 FPS are marginal at best, and Ultra at 24 FPS is effectively unplayable. For 4K, the Low preset is the only recommendation, and even then, users should expect occasional dips below 50 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a realistic target for this combo, and users should either reduce resolution or accept lower framerates.

The minimum FPS data points, where available, show that the Medium preset at 1080p has a minimum of 101 FPS, which is excellent. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 64 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold. These minimums indicate that the frame pacing is stable, without severe drops that would cause hitches. For the best experience, the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p is the recommended configuration, as it balances framerate and visual quality without pushing the GPU to its breaking point.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this configuration in Barony is 2601 out of 2935 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11% of all systems. This is a low ranking that reflects the GPU’s weak performance. The Intel Arc B390 has a percentile rank of 9 among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms only 9% of the graphics cards in the database. This is a severely underpowered GPU, and it drags the entire combo down despite the capable CPU.

The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which is 1.3% behind, and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, which is 1.5% behind. These are entry-level mobile GPUs from many generations ago, which puts the Arc B390’s performance into perspective. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,482 is its only benchmark, and it is a very low score that aligns with its 9th percentile ranking.

The CPU, by contrast, is in the 75th percentile, which means the processor is far more capable than the graphics card. This mismatch creates a bottleneck where the CPU is waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames. The combo rank of 2601 out of 2935 suggests that most other systems tested, even those with older or lower-end CPUs, likely outperform this setup in Barony because they are paired with more capable GPUs. The data makes it clear that the GPU is the sole reason for this low ranking, and any upgrade path would need to focus on the graphics card rather than the processor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, fabricated on Intel’s 3 nm process. It has 1,536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4. However, its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system’s DDR4 RAM, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent."

This shared memory architecture is the root cause of the GPU’s poor performance in Barony. At 1080p, the GPU can access enough memory bandwidth to produce 159 FPS on Low settings, but as resolution increases, the demand for memory bandwidth grows exponentially. The 4K results, which top out at 53 FPS on Low and drop to 24 FPS on Ultra, indicate that the GPU is starved for bandwidth and fill rate. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are simply insufficient for 4K rendering.

The GPU’s TDP is 80 W, and it is classified as an IGP, which means it shares power and cooling with the CPU. This thermal and power constraint further limits its ability to sustain high clocks under load. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is decent, but the GPU likely throttles under sustained load in a roguelike with constant action. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the GT 520MX and GT 625 OEM, are discrete GPUs from over a decade ago, which shows how far behind modern integrated solutions the Arc B390 is in raw rasterization performance.

In Barony specifically, the GPU’s role is to handle the game’s rendering, which includes procedural dungeon generation and lighting effects. The data shows that at 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 118 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS, which is playable. But the GPU’s lack of dedicated VRAM means it must compete with the CPU for system memory, which can cause hitches in more complex scenes. The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is a clear indication that the GPU is not suitable for high-resolution gaming, and users should stick to 1080p or 1440p with lower settings to get acceptable performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Barony at 4K with playable framerates?

A: The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 24, and at 4K High it is 34 FPS. Even at 4K Low, the average is only 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. This combo is not recommended for 4K gaming.

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

A: The measured results indicate that 1080p Medium offers 118 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS, which is the best balance of quality and performance. At 1440p Medium, the average is 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS, which is also a viable option.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU is in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, which is a GPU-bound behavior.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 2601 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the bottom 11% of systems. The low ranking is primarily due to the GPU’s weak performance.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% ahead of the GeForce GT 710. These are very old entry-level GPUs, indicating the Arc B390’s performance level.

Q: Does the CPU provide enough single-thread performance for this game?

A: Yes, the CPU’s single-thread score of 1,541 in Cinebench R23 and 3,364 in PassMark is more than sufficient. The 1080p Low preset achieves 159 FPS, showing the CPU is not limiting performance at lower resolutions.