Barony

# Barony with AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a remarkably strong performance profile in Barony, ranking 2153 out of 3717 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of all system configurations. The measured frame rates across four resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that is capable of high-refresh-rate 1080p play, solid 1440p performance, and even playable 4K, though the scaling behavior between resolutions indicates where the bottlenecks begin to shift. This combination of an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 3 processor with a Turing-architecture GPU demonstrates balanced performance in a roguelike title that clearly responds to both CPU and GPU resources depending on the workload.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep but predictable, and the data reveals a system that transitions from CPU-bound at lower resolutions to GPU-bound at higher ones. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 316 FPS at 1080p to 199 FPS at 1440p—a 37% reduction—and then to 104 FPS at 4K, representing a 67% total drop from the 1080p baseline. This pattern indicates that at Low settings, the RTX 2070 SUPER becomes the limiting factor as resolution climbs, while the Ryzen 7 5800XT has ample headroom at 1080p to push frame rates well beyond what the GPU can sustain at higher resolutions.

The Medium preset tells a similar story with slightly compressed margins: 235 FPS at 1080p drops to 148 FPS at 1440p (37% reduction) and then to 78 FPS at 4K (67% total drop). The High preset shows 202 FPS at 1080p, 127 FPS at 1440p (37% reduction), and 67 FPS at 4K (67% total drop). This consistency across presets—the percentage drops remain nearly identical regardless of quality level—strongly suggests that resolution scaling in Barony follows a predictable GPU-bound curve once the CPU has sufficient headroom. The Ultra preset follows the same pattern: 145 FPS at 1080p, 91 FPS at 1440p (37% reduction), and 48 FPS at 4K (67% total drop).

What is particularly telling is the gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (316 FPS) and Ultra (145 FPS) is 171 FPS, a 54% reduction in performance from the lowest to the highest preset. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 108 FPS (199 to 91), and at 4K it narrows further to 56 FPS (104 to 48). This shrinking delta as resolution increases confirms that the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at 4K, whereas at 1080p the CPU's ability to feed frames allows the full performance range of the GPU to be expressed. The system is clearly not CPU-bound at any resolution tested, since even the most demanding Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves 145 FPS—a figure that would require substantial CPU throughput but is well within the capabilities of the 5800XT.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p as the sweet spot. At High settings, the system delivers 127 FPS average, which comfortably exceeds 60 FPS and approaches high-refresh territory. At 4K High, the average drops to 67 FPS, which is playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: Ultra at 1080p averages 145 FPS, while High averages 202 FPS. That is a 57 FPS difference (28% reduction) for the Ultra preset, indicating that the visual fidelity gain comes at a significant performance cost.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER the limiting factor at 4K in this game?

A: Yes, the scaling data strongly indicates GPU limitation at 4K. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is consistent across all presets (roughly 47-48% reduction), and the gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 56 FPS at 4K, suggesting the GPU is saturated regardless of quality settings.

Q: Can this system handle 240Hz gaming in Barony?

A: Only at 1080p with Low settings, where the average is 316 FPS. At Medium, the average is 235 FPS, which falls short of 240Hz. At High, the average drops to 202 FPS, and Ultra averages 145 FPS. So 240Hz is achievable only with the lowest quality preset.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 5800XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 5800XT has an average benchmark score of 29879, placing it essentially alongside the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (29868, 0% delta), slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS and 7840HS (both 29955, -0.3% delta), and ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X (29713, 0.6% delta). The differences are negligible in real-world terms.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The only min FPS values recorded are for Medium settings: 200 FPS at 1080p, 126 FPS at 1440p, and 66 FPS at 4K. These minimums are close to their respective averages, indicating relatively stable frame pacing at Medium quality.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 Vermeer architecture, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. It features 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache, totaling 4,150 million transistors on a 74 mm² die. This configuration supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and the processor communicates via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

In the context of Barony, the CPU's role appears to be providing sufficient headroom to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions. The 3DMark benchmarks illustrate the processor's threading capabilities: a single-thread score of 959, 2-thread score of 1879, 4-thread score of 3603, 8-thread score of 6141, and 16-thread score of 7683. The near-linear scaling from 4 to 8 threads (3603 to 6141, a 70% increase) and the modest gain from 8 to 16 threads (6141 to 7683, a 25% increase) suggest that Barony likely utilizes up to 8 threads effectively, with diminishing returns beyond that point.

The Cinebench results reinforce this picture: R15 multicore scores 2398 with a single-core score of 338, R20 multicore scores 9993 with single-core at 1410, and R23 multicore scores 23794 with single-core at 3359. These numbers, combined with the PassMark single-thread score of 3535 and multithread score of 28053, place the 5800XT in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. For a roguelike game, where procedural generation and simulation logic can demand significant single-thread performance, the 5800XT's strong single-core showing (boost clock of 4.80 GHz) means the CPU is unlikely to become a bottleneck even when pushing 300+ FPS at 1080p Low.

The nearest rival comparisons show the 5800XT effectively tied with mobile Ryzen 7 parts (7840H, 8845HS, 7840HS) and slightly ahead of the Ryzen 5 9600X in average benchmark score. This places the desktop 5800XT in a competitive position for gaming workloads, where its 8-core/16-thread configuration provides ample parallel processing for both game logic and background tasks.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 7 5800XT and RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 2153 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the 58th percentile (above 42% of all tested configurations). This ranking reflects a system that is solidly mid-to-upper tier, capable of excellent 1080p performance and respectable 1440p play, but not among the top performers that would achieve 4K Ultra at high frame rates.

The GPU component accounts for much of this positioning. The RTX 2070 SUPER sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, -1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, -1.2% delta), and two Intel Arc parts (B570 at 20556 with -1.3% delta, and A750 at 20582 with -1.5% delta). This clustering indicates the 2070 SUPER performs within a narrow band of mid-range GPUs, with the Intel Arc cards slightly edging it out in synthetic benchmarks.

The CPU, ranking in the 81st percentile, is the stronger component in this pairing. The 5800XT's average benchmark score of 29879 places it above the 78th percentile of CPUs, and its nearest rivals are all within 1% of its score. This means the processor is not holding back the GPU; rather, the RTX 2070 SUPER is the more modest performer relative to its peers. The combo rank of 2153/3717 reflects this dynamic—a strong CPU paired with a mid-range GPU yields a result that is better than average but not exceptional, particularly in a game that scales well with GPU power at higher resolutions.

Given that the data shows 4K Ultra at 48 FPS and 4K High at 67 FPS, this combo ranks appropriately for systems that can handle 4K at playable frame rates but cannot push high refresh rates at that resolution. The 1080p numbers (all presets above 145 FPS) and 1440p numbers (all presets above 91 FPS) demonstrate a system that excels at mainstream gaming resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 316 FPS, Medium averages 235 FPS with a minimum of 200 FPS and maximum of 270 FPS, High averages 202 FPS, and Ultra averages 145 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 171 FPS, and even the most demanding preset exceeds 144 FPS, making this resolution entirely suitable for high-refresh displays. The Medium preset's min FPS of 200 FPS indicates that even in taxing scenes, the system holds well above 144 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. Low averages 199 FPS, Medium averages 148 FPS with a range of 126-171 FPS, High averages 127 FPS, and Ultra averages 91 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p is the first configuration that drops below 100 FPS, but it still maintains a comfortable 91 FPS average. The Medium preset's minimum of 126 FPS shows that 1440p gaming at high refresh rates is achievable, though the Ultra preset's lack of min/max data suggests it may be less consistent.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2070 SUPER's limitations become apparent. Low averages 104 FPS, Medium averages 78 FPS with a range of 66-89 FPS, High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 48 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 66 FPS is right at the edge of what many consider playable for fast-paced games, and the Ultra preset's 48 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K gaming, High settings at 67 FPS represent the best balance between visual quality and playability, while Low at 104 FPS offers a smoother experience for competitive play.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset is the only one that provides complete min/max data. At 1080p, the range is 200-270 FPS (a 70 FPS spread), at 1440p it is 126-171 FPS (a 45 FPS spread), and at 4K it is 66-89 FPS (a 23 FPS spread). The narrowing range at higher resolutions further confirms the GPU-bound nature of 4K performance, where frame times become more consistent due to the GPU being fully utilized.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 202 FPS appears to offer the best balance of quality and performance. Medium at 235 FPS provides a marginal 33 FPS improvement but may not justify the visual downgrade for most users. Ultra at 145 FPS is still excellent and could be preferred by those who prioritize image quality, but the 57 FPS difference from High suggests diminishing returns. For competitive play where maximum frame rate matters, Low at 316 FPS is the clear choice, though it sacrifices most visual fidelity.

At 1440p, High at 127 FPS is the recommended preset. It comfortably exceeds 60 FPS and approaches the 144 Hz refresh rate that many 1440p monitors offer. Ultra at 91 FPS is also viable for those who want maximum quality, but the 36 FPS difference between High and Ultra makes High the more sensible choice for maintaining high refresh rates. Medium at 148 FPS is the best option for players with 144 Hz or higher refresh displays who want to stay firmly above refresh thresholds. Low at 199 FPS offers the smoothest experience but at a significant visual cost.

For 4K gaming, the data points to High settings at 67 FPS as the optimal choice. This preset achieves a playable frame rate above 60 FPS while retaining meaningful visual quality. Medium at 78 FPS offers a slight performance boost (11 FPS) and may be preferable for those who prioritize frame rate stability, as it has a recorded minimum of 66 FPS. Ultra at 48 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and should only be considered by players who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness. Low at 104 FPS is the best choice for 4K competitive play, though the visual downgrade may be jarring at this resolution.

In summary, High settings at any resolution provide the most balanced experience for this combination. The system's strength lies in its ability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with minimal compromise, while 4K play is viable but requires accepting either reduced quality (High or Medium) or frame rates below 60 FPS (Ultra). The Ryzen 7 5800XT provides ample CPU headroom across all configurations, ensuring that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions.