Barony

# Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data for Barony with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p High settings, the combo delivers 202 FPS average, which drops to 127 FPS at 1440p High — a reduction of approximately 37%. Moving to 4K High, the average falls to 67 FPS, which is roughly 47% lower than the 1440p result and 67% below the 1080p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases points toward the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts.

The scaling behavior becomes more pronounced when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 316 FPS average, a figure that suggests the CPU is capable of pushing very high frame rates when graphical load is minimal. At 1440p Low, the average drops to 199 FPS — a 37% reduction. At 4K Low, the average is 104 FPS, representing another 48% drop from 1440p. The consistent percentage decreases across settings indicate that the RTX 2070 SUPER's rendering throughput is the dominant constraint as resolution climbs, rather than any CPU bottleneck emerging at lower resolutions.

Interesting nuance emerges when comparing the Medium preset results, which include min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 235 FPS with a minimum of 200 and maximum of 270. At 1440p Medium, the average is 148 FPS with min/max of 126/171. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 78 FPS with min/max of 66/89. The spread between minimum and maximum FPS narrows slightly as resolution increases — from a 70 FPS range at 1080p to a 45 FPS range at 1440p and a 23 FPS range at 4K. This tightening suggests that at higher resolutions, where the GPU is more heavily loaded, frame time variance becomes more consistent, whereas at lower resolutions, CPU-side variability can create larger swings.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story with steeper drops. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 145 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, this falls to 91 FPS — a 37% reduction. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 48 FPS, which is 67% below the 1440p figure and represents a 67% drop from 1080p Ultra. The fact that 4K Ultra lands at 48 FPS — below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth — suggests that this combination is not well-suited for maximum graphical fidelity at 4K in Barony.

The data implies that for this game, the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component across all resolutions, but particularly at 1440p and above. The CPU's headroom is evidenced by the 316 FPS result at 1080p Low, which indicates the processor can feed frames far faster than the GPU can render at higher settings. The scaling pattern — roughly 37% drops from 1080p to 1440p and 48-67% drops from 1440p to 4K depending on preset — aligns with the GPU's pixel throughput capabilities rather than any CPU limitation.

# CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F brings substantial processing resources to this pairing. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge codename), built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, this processor offers a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB shared L3. This configuration places the CPU in the 94th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69,996.

The CPU's benchmark results provide context for its gaming performance. The passmark single-thread score of 4,691 and multi-thread score of 36,470 indicate strong per-core performance and robust multi-core throughput. The floating-point math score of 77,955 and integer math score of 120,788 suggest the processor handles compute-heavy workloads efficiently. These figures align with a processor that should not bottleneck a mid-range GPU in most gaming scenarios.

In Barony specifically, the measured FPS at 1080p Low — 316 FPS average — demonstrates that the CPU can drive extremely high frame rates when the GPU is not the constraint. This result is particularly telling because roguelike games often have simulation and logic threads that can stress CPU performance. The fact that this combo reaches over 300 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the 9700F's single-thread performance is more than adequate for Barony's game logic.

The CPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69,875, delta 0.2%), Intel Core i7-14700KF (avg score 70,163, delta -0.2%), AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avg score 69,515, delta 0.7%), and Intel Core i7-14700K (avg score 69,355, delta 0.9%). This clustering within a 1% range indicates that the 9700F performs essentially on par with these high-end processors in general benchmark terms, even though it has fewer cores than some of them. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration with a 5.50 GHz boost clock appears well-balanced for gaming workloads that favor higher clocks over raw core counts.

The memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s with dual-channel DDR5 support and ECC capability provides ample data throughput for the CPU to feed the GPU. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 24 lanes ensures the GPU has a high-bandwidth connection, though the RTX 2070 SUPER uses PCIe 3.0 x16, which is backward compatible. The 65 W TDP for this CPU is notably efficient, allowing sustained boost clocks without excessive thermal constraints.

# FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra settings for this combo?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 145 FPS, which is the lowest of the four settings presets at this resolution but still well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the 4K Medium preset compare to 1080p Medium in terms of minimum FPS?

A: At 4K Medium, the minimum FPS is 66, while at 1080p Medium the minimum is 200. This represents a 67% reduction in the minimum frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested configurations in Barony?

A: This combo ranks 1,678 out of 2,935 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle portion of all tested systems for this game.

Q: Does the CPU show signs of bottlenecking at any resolution?

A: The data suggests no CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 316 FPS average, indicating the processor can deliver frame rates far beyond what the GPU can render at higher settings.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 199 FPS average while Ultra produces 91 FPS — a difference of 108 FPS, representing a 54% reduction in performance from Low to Ultra.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 20,282. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, scores 20,480 (1% higher), while the Intel Arc B570 scores 20,556 (1.3% higher) and the Intel Arc A750 scores 20,582 (1.5% higher).

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on target resolution and desired frame rates. At 1080p, all settings presets deliver playable performance. The Low preset achieves 316 FPS average, which is excessive for most displays but useful for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium at 235 FPS and High at 202 FPS both provide excellent headroom above 1440p and 4K thresholds. Ultra at 145 FPS remains very smooth, making it the recommended choice for 1080p users seeking maximum visual quality without sacrificing frame rate.

At 1440p, the settings hierarchy shifts. Low delivers 199 FPS, Medium 148 FPS, High 127 FPS, and Ultra 91 FPS. All presets remain above 90 FPS, which means 1440p users can comfortably select High or even Ultra depending on their preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate headroom. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 126 ensures consistent performance without significant dips, making it a safe recommendation for users who prioritize frame time stability.

At 4K, the situation becomes more constrained. Ultra drops to 48 FPS average, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stuttering. High at 67 FPS is borderline playable but may experience occasional dips. Medium at 78 FPS with a minimum of 66 provides the best balance, offering smooth gameplay with moderate visual quality. Low at 104 FPS is the only preset that provides substantial headroom at 4K, though it sacrifices graphical fidelity.

The data suggests that the optimal experience depends on the user's display resolution. For 1080p, Ultra is the clear recommendation, as 145 FPS average provides both high visual quality and smooth motion. For 1440p, High at 127 FPS strikes the best balance between image quality and performance, with Ultra at 91 FPS also viable for those who prioritize visuals. For 4K, Medium at 78 FPS is the recommended choice, as it maintains a minimum of 66 FPS while offering better visual fidelity than Low. Users with 4K displays who demand Ultra settings may need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS, as the 48 FPS average indicates the RTX 2070 SUPER is stretched to its limits.

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination holds a rank of 1,678 out of 2,935 tested combos in Barony. This places the system in the 57th percentile of all tested configurations — meaning roughly 43% of tested combos perform better and 57% perform worse. This middle-tier ranking reflects the GPU's position in the market, as the RTX 2070 SUPER sits in the 65th percentile versus all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 20,282.

The CPU's strong performance — 94th percentile versus all CPUs with a score of 69,996 — indicates that the processor is not the limiting factor in this combo's ranking. The GPU, being from the previous generation (Turing architecture, released in 2019), is the component that holds the system back relative to more modern configurations. The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores — the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (1% higher), RTX 3070 Mobile (1.2% higher), Intel Arc B570 (1.3% higher), and Intel Arc A750 (1.5% higher) — are all clustered within a narrow performance band, suggesting the RTX 2070 SUPER remains competitive with mid-range options from later generations.

The ranking in Barony specifically suggests that this game is not particularly demanding on the combination, as the system achieves playable frame rates at all resolutions except 4K Ultra. The 1,678 rank out of 2,935 indicates that while many systems outperform this combo, a substantial number also perform worse. For a game released in 2015, the measured performance is respectable, with the system capable of exceeding 300 FPS at 1080p Low and maintaining above 60 FPS at 4K Medium.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo in Barony is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 316 FPS average
• Medium: 235 FPS average, 200 FPS minimum, 270 FPS maximum
• High: 202 FPS average
• Ultra: 145 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 199 FPS average
• Medium: 148 FPS average, 126 FPS minimum, 171 FPS maximum
• High: 127 FPS average
• Ultra: 91 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 104 FPS average
• Medium: 78 FPS average, 66 FPS minimum, 89 FPS maximum
• High: 67 FPS average
• Ultra: 48 FPS average

Only the Medium preset at each resolution includes minimum and maximum FPS data, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range from minimum to maximum is 70 FPS, indicating some variability but generally stable performance. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 45 FPS, suggesting more consistent frame delivery as the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. At 4K Medium, the range tightens further to 23 FPS, showing that at higher resolutions, frame times become more uniform — a characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios where the render workload dominates.

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows consistent scaling. At 1080p, Low to Medium increases average FPS by 81 FPS (235 to 316), Medium to High decreases by 33 FPS (235 to 202), and High to Ultra decreases by 57 FPS (202 to 145). At 1440p, the corresponding values are 51 FPS increase (148 to 199), 21 FPS decrease (148 to 127), and 36 FPS decrease (127 to 91). At 4K, they are 26 FPS increase (78 to 104), 11 FPS decrease (78 to 67), and 19 FPS decrease (67 to 48). This pattern shows that the performance cost of each settings tier is proportionally smaller at higher resolutions, where the GPU is already heavily loaded.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the defining component in this combo's Barony performance. Built on the TU104 chip with Turing architecture at 12 nm TSMC process, this GPU features 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. It includes 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores, though Barony — being a roguelike from 2015 — is unlikely to leverage ray tracing or DLSS features. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz, with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 448.0 GB/s bandwidth.

The GPU's benchmark results show a passmark G3D score of 18,169 and a passmark GPU compute score of 7,557. The DirectX 12 score of 67 and DirectX 11 score of 151 indicate compatibility with modern APIs, though Barony's age suggests it may not fully utilize these features. The GPU sits in the 65th percentile versus all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 20,282, placing it in the mid-range of the performance spectrum.

In Barony, the GPU's role becomes evident when examining the resolution scaling. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game at all tested settings, as none of the measured results show signs of memory capacity limitations. The 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth provides adequate throughput for texture streaming at 4K resolutions. The pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s define the GPU's raw fill rate capabilities, which directly impact performance at higher resolutions.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores — the Quadro M4000M, RTX 3070 Mobile, Arc B570, and Arc A750 — are all within 1.5% of its score, indicating that the RTX 2070 SUPER remains competitive with these options. However, the GPU's age (released 2019) and 12 nm process node mean it consumes more power (215 W TDP) than newer alternatives. The FP32 performance of 9.062 TFLOPS provides the compute throughput necessary for modern game rendering techniques, though Barony's simpler visual style does not heavily stress this capability.

The GPU's performance ceiling is clearly visible in the 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS average. This figure suggests that the RTX 2070 SUPER's fill rate and shading capacity are insufficient for maximum settings at 4K in this game, despite the game's relatively modest graphical demands. The 67 FPS at 4K High and 78 FPS at 4K Medium show that the GPU can handle 4K with adjusted settings, but the 48 FPS at Ultra indicates a hard limit to its rendering capability at this resolution. The 104 FPS at 4K Low demonstrates that when pixel load is reduced, the GPU can still deliver high frame rates, confirming that its bottleneck is in raw pixel throughput rather than any architectural deficiency.