Barony

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a fascinating case study in system bottlenecking within the roguelike title Barony. The data shows a combination where a high-end, 85th-percentile CPU is paired with a GPU that ranks in the bottom 9th percentile of all tested graphics cards, resulting in a predictable but stark performance ceiling. This analysis will break down the measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings to determine exactly where the limits lie.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 159 FPS. When moving to 2560x1440 on the same Low preset, the average drops to 100 FPS, a significant reduction of 59 FPS. Scaling further to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields an average of 53 FPS, meaning that from 1080p to 4K, the performance is nearly cut in thirds.

This steep decline is the primary indicator that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. The CPU, an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, is capable of far higher frame rates, as evidenced by the 159 FPS figure at 1080p Low, which is likely near the game's engine or CPU limit. As the resolution increases, the demand on the GPU's pixel fill rate and shading units grows, and the Arc B390's meager 24 ROPs and 1536 shading units are quickly overwhelmed.

When examining the High preset, the scaling trend continues. The average FPS at 1080p is 102, which drops to 64 at 1440p, and finally bottoms out at 34 at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 38 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 30 FPS. This indicates that the performance penalty is not linear but is consistently steep, reinforcing the idea that the GPU is working at its absolute maximum capacity at higher resolutions, with very little headroom left.

The data implies that for a smooth experience, users must either accept lower resolutions or drastically reduce graphical settings. The 4K numbers are particularly telling; even on Low settings, the combo only manages 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target many consider the baseline for fluid gameplay. This suggests that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this pairing in Barony, regardless of the settings used. The bottleneck is so severe that the CPU's potential is almost entirely untapped at this resolution, leaving the GPU to struggle with the pixel workload.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a formidable processor on paper, built on the Zen 4 architecture with a 5nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are robust, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19088 and a single-core score of 1987. It ranks in the 85th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35909, placing it just ahead of rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 and Intel Core 7 250H.

However, in Barony, the CPU's role is diminished due to the GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the 159 FPS average suggests the CPU is still providing a high frame ceiling, but the GPU cannot maintain this performance as the workload shifts. The game, being a roguelike, may not be heavily multithreaded, but the 8-core/16-thread configuration ensures that even if it were, the 7700X would not be the limiting factor. The data shows that the CPU is essentially waiting for the GPU to finish rendering frames.

The 3DMark benchmarks for the CPU show strong scaling from 2 threads (2112) to 8 threads (7057), indicating good core utilization. Yet, this power is irrelevant when the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it on par with much older, entry-level dedicated graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710. The CPU's high single-thread performance, as seen in its Geekbench single-core score of 2289, is also negated because the rendering pipeline is stalled by the Arc B390's inability to process frames quickly enough.

In essence, the Ryzen 7 7700X is overqualified for this pairing in Barony. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU has plenty of headroom left, but the GPU is the constraining factor. If a more powerful GPU were used, the 7700X could likely push frame rates much higher, but with the Arc B390, its performance is artificially limited. The data suggests that the CPU is not the component to upgrade if seeking better performance in this specific configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance limiter in this setup. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3nm process. Its specifications are modest: 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, but its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR5 RAM, with bandwidth being "System Dependent." This is a critical weakness, as dedicated VRAM bandwidth is a major factor in gaming performance.

The GPU's benchmark score is a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 1482. This score places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710. These are legacy, low-end parts from years ago, which contextualizes the Arc B390's performance level. It is not a gaming GPU in the traditional sense; it is an iGPU designed for basic tasks, and its performance in Barony reflects that.

Looking at the FPS data, the GPU's limitations are evident in the dramatic FPS drops between settings. At 1080p, moving from Low (159 FPS) to Medium (118 FPS) to High (102 FPS) to Ultra (73 FPS) shows a clear performance degradation as visual fidelity increases. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 86 FPS, which is a massive penalty for higher settings. This suggests that the GPU's shading units and texture units are struggling to handle the increased effects and detail levels.

The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, which is low by modern standards, and its pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s combined with the shared memory setup creates a perfect storm for poor high-resolution performance. At 4K Ultra, the combo only manages 24 FPS, which is unplayable. The data strongly implies that this GPU is meant for low-resolution, low-detail gaming or non-gaming tasks, and it is severely outmatched by the CPU in this pairing. The bottleneck is absolute; the GPU dictates that the system is only viable for 1080p gaming at lower presets.

FAQ

Q: Why does the FPS drop so significantly from 1080p to 4K?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component. Its performance, as measured by its 3DMark score of 1482, is extremely low, ranking in the 9th percentile. As resolution increases, the GPU's pixel and texture processing capabilities are overwhelmed, causing the average FPS to drop from 159 at 1080p Low to just 53 at 4K Low.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X holding back the system?

A: No. The CPU is a high-performance part with an 85th percentile ranking. It can achieve high frame rates, as shown by the 159 FPS average at 1080p Low. The data indicates the CPU has ample headroom, but the GPU cannot process frames fast enough to utilize it, making the GPU the definitive bottleneck.

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

A: The data suggests 1920x1080 is the only viable resolution for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the FPS drops below 100 on Low settings, and at 4K, it falls below 60 FPS on all settings, making high resolutions impractical for this pairing.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to other GPUs?

A: Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 puts it in the 9th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710, which are very old, low-end parts. This indicates it is an entry-level integrated GPU, not capable of demanding gaming loads.

Q: Does the CPU's high core count (8 cores, 16 threads) improve performance in this game?

A: The benchmark results do not show a benefit from the high core count in this scenario because the GPU is the bottleneck. The 8-core CPU provides a high ceiling, but the frame rates are consistently limited by the Arc B390's rendering speed, making the extra cores irrelevant to the final FPS output.

Q: What is the performance penalty for using Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, Ultra settings yield an average of 73 FPS, which is 86 FPS less than Low settings. At 4K, Ultra settings produce only 24 FPS, a massive drop from the 53 FPS on Low. The data shows a steep penalty for maxing out settings, confirming the GPU's lack of power.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides the exact measured average FPS values for each resolution and settings combination.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: 24 FPS average
• High: 34 FPS average
• Medium: 39 FPS average (min 33, max 45)
• Low: 53 FPS average

2560x1440 (2K)

• Ultra: 46 FPS average
• High: 64 FPS average
• Medium: 75 FPS average (min 64, max 86)
• Low: 100 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: 73 FPS average
• High: 102 FPS average
• Medium: 118 FPS average (min 101, max 136)
• Low: 159 FPS average

The data shows a clear pattern: the Medium preset is the only one with min and max FPS recorded across all resolutions, suggesting it is the most stable setting. At 1080p, the Medium preset's minimum of 101 FPS is still very high, while the Low preset's average of 159 FPS shows the system's peak performance. The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is the lowest recorded, highlighting the extreme stress placed on the GPU at that configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the user's target resolution and acceptable frame rate.

For 1080p gaming, the data indicates that the Medium preset is the best balance. It provides an average of 118 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and has a minimum FPS of 101, ensuring a smooth experience without major dips. While the Low preset offers a higher 159 FPS average, the jump to Medium gives a substantial visual improvement for a relatively small performance cost (41 FPS drop). The High preset at 102 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset offers more headroom for complex scenes. Ultra at 73 FPS is playable but represents a significant performance penalty.

For 1440p gaming, the data suggests that Low settings are the only way to maintain a high frame rate, with an average of 100 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 75 FPS, which is still acceptable, but the High preset at 64 FPS is nearing the lower bounds of comfort for fast-paced action. Ultra at 46 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

For 4K gaming, the data strongly advises against it. Even on the Low preset, the average FPS is only 53, which is below the 60 FPS target. All other settings at 4K produce averages below 40 FPS, which is likely to feel sluggish and unresponsive. The data implies that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware combination in Barony.

The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p is the "sweet spot," offering a high and stable frame rate with improved visual fidelity over Low. It is the only preset that consistently records min/max FPS, indicating it is the most reliable setting for this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Barony, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2601st out of 2935 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems, which is a low ranking that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's poor performance.

This ranking is surprising given the strength of the CPU. The Ryzen 7 7700X alone sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating a top-tier processor. However, the Intel Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking and its status as an integrated GPU effectively drag the entire system down. The combo's rank confirms the severity of the bottleneck; the CPU's potential is completely squandered by the GPU's inability to keep up.

The data shows that this is a severely unbalanced system for gaming. While the CPU could support a much more powerful dedicated graphics card, the Arc B390 limits the entire experience to entry-level performance. The rank of 2601 out of 2935 confirms that the vast majority of other tested combos are capable of higher frame rates in Barony. This pairing is only suitable for very light gaming at low resolutions and settings, and its overall ranking reflects that it is not a competitive gaming configuration.