Barony

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces a striking performance profile in Barony, a roguelike title that scales dramatically across resolutions and settings. The measured data reveals a system that can push frame rates into the hundreds, but the relationship between resolution, graphical preset, and the resulting FPS tells a nuanced story about which component is actually doing the heavy lifting. This analysis walks through the measured FPS rows, the architectural characteristics of both parts, and the ranking implications for this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

Barony exhibits extreme frame rate scaling as resolution changes, which is a clear indicator of where the performance bottleneck resides. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 663 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 418 FPS, a reduction of roughly 37%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 219 FPS, which is another 48% drop from the 1440p figure. This pattern shows that even the most demanding settings at 1080p leave massive headroom, and the GPU is not being fully utilized until resolution climbs.

The scaling across presets at each resolution reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p, the difference between Low (663 FPS) and Ultra (303 FPS) is more than 2x, yet even the Ultra figure exceeds the refresh rates of most displays. At 1440p, the spread runs from 418 FPS on Low to 191 FPS on Ultra, with High at 267 FPS and Medium at 311 FPS. The 4K results compress this range: Low produces 219 FPS, Medium 163 FPS, High 140 FPS, and Ultra falls to 100 FPS. The gradient from 1080p to 4K at any given setting is steep, but the gradient from Low to Ultra at a fixed resolution is also substantial, suggesting that both resolution and preset level independently tax the GPU.

The limiting component shifts as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU’s capability to feed frames likely caps the output, given that even Low settings yield 663 FPS — a figure far beyond what most titles can produce. As resolution rises to 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint, evidenced by the 4K Ultra figure of 100 FPS being exactly 3x lower than the 1080p Low figure. The data indicates that this combination is balanced for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, where High settings (267 FPS) still exceed what any conventional monitor can display, while 4K remains playable but requires dropping to High or Medium to stay far above 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the high absolute frame rates. The GPU features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2520 MHz, with a base clock of 2235 MHz. The chip is built on a 5 nm process from TSMC, containing 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. The 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs provide the raw compute throughput needed for high-resolution rendering.

In Barony, the GPU’s memory capacity of 24 GB is far beyond what the game requires, even at 4K Ultra. The game’s release date of 2015-06-22 means it predates modern VRAM-hungry assets, so memory pressure is unlikely to be a limiting factor in any of the measured scenarios. The 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, however, does contribute to the smooth scaling from 1080p to 4K, as the GPU can fetch textures and geometry without stalling. The 2520 MHz boost clock is moderate for the 40-series, but the sheer number of compute units compensates, allowing the card to sustain high frame rates even under load.

The RTX 4090’s benchmark profile places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347. This is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60, which scores 60326 (a 0% delta), and slightly above the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (a 0.3% delta). The closest competitor with a higher score is the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61896, which is 2.5% faster in synthetic benchmarks. These comparisons are for overall GPU performance, not Barony-specific, but they contextualize the RTX 4090 as a top-tier part that should not struggle with any settings in this game.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s performance degrades predictably as settings increase. At 4K, the jump from Low (219 FPS) to Medium (163 FPS) costs 56 FPS, while High (140 FPS) and Ultra (100 FPS) continue the downward trend. This suggests that Barony’s rendering pipeline is sensitive to the quality presets, likely due to increased shading complexity and texture filtering at higher levels. The GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is ample for these workloads, but the game’s engine still shows a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F provides the processing foundation for this combination, and its specifications are modest compared to the GPU’s raw power. The CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. It is built on the Zen 4 architecture with the Phoenix codename, using a 4 nm process from TSMC. The L3 cache is 16 MB shared, and the CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The 65 W TDP indicates a power-efficient part, but the 4.70 GHz boost clock is competitive for gaming workloads.

In Barony, the CPU’s role is most evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is not saturated. The 1080p Low setting produces 663 FPS, which likely approaches the CPU’s limit for this game. The 8400F’s single-thread performance, as measured by 3DMark single-thread score of 951 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2943, suggests it can handle the game’s main thread logic without bottlenecking. However, the 6-core, 12-thread configuration means that any physics or AI computations spread across cores will be handled adequately, though the game’s roguelike nature may not heavily utilize all threads.

The CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are reflected in its benchmark scores: Cinebench R23 multi-core hits 20851, and PassMark multi-thread reaches 24389. These figures place the 8400F in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25005. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24964, a 0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i7-11850H (24935, a 0.3% delta). The AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103, which is 0.4% higher. These close scores indicate that the 8400F is a mid-pack performer, but for Barony, the CPU’s single-thread speed is more critical than its multi-thread throughput.

At 4K, the CPU’s influence wanes, as the GPU becomes the bottleneck. The difference between 1080p Low (663 FPS) and 4K Low (219 FPS) is 444 FPS, a gap that cannot be attributed to CPU changes. Instead, the GPU’s rendering load at higher pixel counts drives this reduction. The 8400F’s 4.70 GHz boost clock ensures that it can feed the GPU at 4K without introducing frame pacing issues, as evidenced by the consistent average FPS across settings at each resolution.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 663, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4090’s benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347, which is essentially tied with the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60326 (a 0% delta).

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded, and at what settings?

A: The lowest average FPS is 100, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance place it above or below its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F’s average benchmark score is 25005, which is 0.2% above the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24964) and 0.4% below the AMD EPYC 9474F (25103).

Q: How much frame rate is lost when moving from 1440p High to 4K High?

A: At 1440p High, the average FPS is 267, while at 4K High, it drops to 140, representing a reduction of 127 FPS.

Q: What is the frame rate range for the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 493, with a minimum of 419 and a maximum of 567.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, even Ultra settings produce 303 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of virtually all monitors. For users with 144Hz or 240Hz displays, High settings (423 FPS) provide a comfortable margin, while Medium (493 FPS) offers even more headroom without a visible quality difference in a roguelike context. Low settings (663 FPS) are unnecessary unless the user has a 360Hz or higher display and prioritizes frame rate above all else.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts toward High settings, which yield 267 FPS. This is sufficient for 240Hz monitors and strong for 144Hz displays. Medium (311 FPS) is also viable, but Ultra (191 FPS) may dip below the refresh rate of high-end monitors, making High the best balance of visual quality and performance. Low (418 FPS) is overkill for most users but remains an option for competitive play.

At 4K, the data suggests that High settings (140 FPS) are the sweet spot, as they provide a smooth experience on 120Hz or 144Hz displays. Medium (163 FPS) is slightly better for frame rate, but the visual difference between Medium and High in Barony may justify the 23 FPS cost. Ultra (100 FPS) is playable on 100Hz monitors but may be too low for users accustomed to higher refresh rates. Low (219 FPS) sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a marginal gain over High. The Medium preset at 4K also has a documented range of 138 to 187 FPS, indicating some frame time variance, whereas High’s average of 140 FPS is likely more consistent.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in Barony is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 663 FPS. The Medium preset averages 493 FPS, with a minimum of 419 and a maximum of 567. High settings produce an average of 423 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 303 FPS. This resolution shows the highest frame rates across all settings, with no minimum or maximum values recorded for Low, High, or Ultra presets.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 418 FPS. Medium settings average 311 FPS, with a range of 264 to 358 FPS. High settings produce 267 FPS on average. The Ultra preset drops to 191 FPS. The 1440p results show a more even distribution across settings, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 227 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 219 FPS. Medium settings average 163 FPS, with a minimum of 138 and a maximum of 187. High settings produce 140 FPS on average. The Ultra preset averages 100 FPS. The 4K results compress the range, with the difference between Low and Ultra being 119 FPS, less than half the 1080p spread.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, and only at certain resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 419 to 567 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 264 to 358 FPS; and at 4K Medium, it is 138 to 187 FPS. These ranges indicate that the Medium preset introduces more frame time variance than other settings, which may be due to dynamic scene complexity in Barony’s procedural dungeons.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 131st out of 3717 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the top 3.5% of all configurations. This high ranking is expected given the RTX 4090’s position as a top-tier GPU and the 8400F’s adequate single-thread performance for the game’s engine. The ranking reflects the combo’s ability to maintain high frame rates across all resolutions and settings, with even the most demanding 4K Ultra preset achieving 100 FPS.

The CPU’s 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU’s 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs combine to produce a system that is well-suited for Barony. The 8400F’s nearest CPU rivals, such as the Ryzen 5 7500F (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i7-13620H (0.4% faster), would likely produce similar results in this game, as the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 4K. The RTX 4090’s nearest GPU rivals, including the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (2.5% faster in synthetic benchmarks), may show slight differences in Barony, but the measured data indicates that this combo is already operating at a level where such differences are imperceptible in practice.

The rank of 131 out of 3717 suggests that while many other combos outperform this pairing, the vast majority do not. This is a strong result for a mid-range CPU paired with a flagship GPU, indicating that Barony does not require a top-tier processor to unlock the RTX 4090’s full potential. The data confirms that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, particularly at 4K, and the 8400F provides enough processing power to avoid becoming a limiting factor at any tested setting.