Barony

# Barony with AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers exceptional performance in Barony, ranking 1st out of 2935 tested combos in this game. This combination produces frame rates that saturate virtually any display on the market, with the 1080p Low preset hitting 724 FPS average. The data shows a system where the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution climbs, while the CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads with a 96 MB shared L3 cache provide ample headroom for the roguelike's logic-heavy gameplay. With an average benchmark score of 39,768 for the CPU and 77,712 for the GPU, both components sit in the 87th and 92nd percentiles respectively, confirming a high-end pairing that excels across the measured settings and resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear shift in system bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 724 FPS, which falls to 239 FPS at 4K Low — a 67% reduction. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is heavily involved in pushing frames, while the GPU still has headroom. The scaling pattern across all settings shows that the RTX 5090 D's raw throughput becomes the limiting factor as pixel count increases, yet even at 4K Ultra the system maintains 109 FPS, which is far above playable thresholds.

Comparing the Ultra preset across resolutions: 331 FPS at 1080p, 209 FPS at 1440p, and 109 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.9%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 47.8%. This steeper decline at higher resolutions is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are taxed by the increased pixel workload. The Medium preset shows similar behavior: 538 FPS at 1080p, 340 FPS at 1440p, and 178 FPS at 4K — a consistent reduction of approximately 37% per step up in resolution.

The Low preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling, with 724 FPS at 1080p dropping to 457 FPS at 1440p and then to 239 FPS at 4K. This pattern suggests that at Low settings, the CPU's 5.20 GHz boost clock and 16 threads are able to feed frames rapidly, but the GPU's shading units — 21,760 in total — become the constraint as resolution increases. Notably, the High preset delivers 462 FPS at 1080p, 292 FPS at 1440p, and 152 FPS at 4K, indicating that even at High settings, the system remains well above 144 Hz refresh rates at all resolutions.

The data indicates that Barony at 4K Ultra is the most demanding configuration tested, with 109 FPS average. This is still comfortably above 60 FPS, meaning the combo never dips into problematic territory. The limiting component at 4K is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the 67% frame rate drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low, which aligns with the RTX 5090 D's 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput being fully utilized at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 724, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This represents the ceiling for this pairing, showing that the CPU and GPU together can push well beyond typical display refresh rates.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 109 FPS. This is the lowest measured average across all tested configurations, yet it remains well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that even the most demanding preset is highly playable.

Q: Is there a significant difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440, Medium settings produce 340 FPS average, while High settings produce 292 FPS. This 48 FPS difference (approximately 16% reduction) shows that the High preset adds noticeable graphical workload without causing a major performance hit.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures available in the data?

A: The only minimum FPS values recorded are for the Medium preset: 151 FPS at 4K, 289 FPS at 1440p, and 458 FPS at 1080p. These minimums indicate that even the lowest frame rates in the Medium preset are exceptionally high, with no stuttering or drops below 150 FPS in any resolution.

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

A: This combination ranks 1st out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This top-tier ranking reflects the synergy between the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 8 cores and the RTX 5090 D's 21,760 shading units, delivering the best measured performance in the database.

Q: What is the FPS range for the Medium preset across all resolutions?

A: The Medium preset shows average FPS ranging from 178 at 4K to 538 at 1080p. The recorded minimum and maximum values are 151 to 204 FPS at 4K, 289 to 391 FPS at 1440p, and 458 to 619 FPS at 1080p, demonstrating consistent performance scaling.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is built on the Zen 5 architecture with a Granite Ridge codename, manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The 96 MB shared L3 cache is the standout feature for gaming, providing substantial on-die storage that benefits Barony's procedural generation and entity management. The CPU's 120 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth ensure that memory latency and throughput are not bottlenecks in frame delivery.

In Barony, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 724 FPS, which is indicative of the CPU's ability to process game logic and issue draw calls at an extremely high rate. The 16 threads allow for parallel processing of the roguelike's systems, including map generation, enemy AI, and item interactions. The single-thread performance, measured at 1,212 in 3DMark single-thread and 2,080 in Cinebench R23 single-core, supports the game's main thread, which often handles critical simulation tasks.

The benchmark results show the CPU's multi-threaded capability: 23,230 in Cinebench R23 multicore, 18,696 in Geekbench multicore, and 40,009 in PassMark multithread. These scores place the CPU in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 39,768. The nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS (39,603, 0.4% lower), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40,048, 0.7% higher), AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 (39,485, 0.7% lower), and AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (40,081, 0.8% higher). The 9800X3D's performance is tightly clustered with these competitors, but its 3D V-Cache technology — while not explicitly listed in the cache fields — contributes to gaming-specific gains that synthetic benchmarks may not fully capture.

In Barony, the CPU's impact is most pronounced at 1080p, where the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 393 FPS (724 vs 331). This gap narrows at 4K, where the difference is 130 FPS (239 vs 109), confirming that the CPU is less of a factor at higher resolutions. The 5.20 GHz boost clock ensures that the CPU can keep up with the RTX 5090 D's frame output, even in scenarios where the GPU is not fully saturated.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1st out of 2,935 tested combinations in Barony, placing it at the very top of the database. This top ranking is notable given the breadth of hardware tested, and it reflects the balanced nature of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and RTX 5090 D pairing. The GPU alone ranks in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 77,712, while the CPU ranks in the 87th percentile with 39,768. When combined, these components produce frame rates that exceed every other tested system in this game.

The nearest GPU rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904, 1.1% lower), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940, 1.6% higher), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396, 2.1% higher), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605, 2.4% higher). The RTX 5090 D's score is competitive with these, but its gaming-specific features — 170 RT cores, 680 tensor cores, and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory — provide advantages in Barony that synthetic benchmarks may undervalue.

The CPU's nearest rivals show a similar pattern, with the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS, Ryzen AI 9 365, Ryzen AI 7 450, and Ryzen 7 7700 all within 0.8% of the 9800X3D's average score. However, the 9800X3D's combination of high boost clock and large L3 cache gives it an edge in Barony's frame delivery, as evidenced by the combo's 1st place ranking. The data shows that this pairing is not just about raw component scores, but about how the two parts interact to minimize bottlenecks across all tested configurations.

The ranking also underscores the GPU's dominance in this game. With the CPU providing 8 cores and 16 threads, the RTX 5090 D's 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate are able to operate at near-peak efficiency, resulting in frame rates that are 2-3 times higher than what many other systems would achieve at the same settings. The 1st place ranking out of 2,935 combos confirms that no other tested configuration in the database matches this level of performance in Barony.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions. At 1080p High, the system delivers 462 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any display. At 1440p High, the 292 FPS average remains far above the 240 Hz refresh rate of most high-end monitors. Even at 4K High, 152 FPS exceeds the 144 Hz threshold, making this preset the recommended choice for users with high-refresh-rate displays.

The Ultra preset is viable for users prioritizing visual fidelity, particularly at 1080p where it achieves 331 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, 209 FPS still provides a smooth experience, but at 4K Ultra, the 109 FPS average may be limiting for users with 120 Hz or 144 Hz displays. The data suggests that Ultra is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while High is the optimal choice for 4K to maintain higher frame rates.

The Medium preset provides a middle ground, with 538 FPS at 1080p, 340 FPS at 1440p, and 178 FPS at 4K. This preset is useful for users who want to maximize frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality. The minimum FPS values for Medium — 458 FPS at 1080p, 289 FPS at 1440p, and 151 FPS at 4K — indicate that even the worst-case frame times are exceptionally smooth, with no risk of stuttering.

The Low preset is only recommended for competitive or high-refresh-rate scenarios where every frame counts. At 1080p Low, the 724 FPS average is the highest measured, but the visual quality trade-off is significant. At 1440p Low, 457 FPS is still very high, but the graphical downgrade may not be worth the performance gain for most users. At 4K Low, 239 FPS is far above playable, but the visual compromise is substantial. For most players, the High preset at 1440p or 4K provides the best experience, as it balances the 292 or 152 FPS averages with enhanced visual settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. The Low preset produces 724 FPS average, the Medium preset 538 FPS (with minimum 458 and maximum 619), the High preset 462 FPS, and the Ultra preset 331 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 54.3% reduction in average FPS, illustrating the impact of graphical settings on performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 457 FPS, the Medium preset 340 FPS (with minimum 289 and maximum 391), the High preset 292 FPS, and the Ultra preset 209 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, with approximately 37-38% reduction in average FPS for each preset.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers playable frame rates at all settings. The Low preset averages 239 FPS, the Medium preset 178 FPS (with minimum 151 and maximum 204), the High preset 152 FPS, and the Ultra preset 109 FPS. The reduction from 1440p to 4K is steeper, at approximately 48% for most presets, which indicates the GPU is being pushed harder at this resolution.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data. At 1080p, the range is 458 to 619 FPS (a 161 FPS spread), at 1440p the range is 289 to 391 FPS (a 102 FPS spread), and at 4K the range is 151 to 204 FPS (a 53 FPS spread). This narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that frame times become more consistent as the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, reducing the variation caused by CPU-side spikes.

The Low preset shows the most dramatic scaling, with 724 FPS at 1080p dropping to 239 FPS at 4K — a 67% reduction. The Ultra preset shows the least relative scaling, with 331 FPS at 1080p dropping to 109 FPS at 4K — a 67.1% reduction, nearly identical. This indicates that the performance scaling is consistent across settings, with the GPU's workload increasing proportionally with resolution regardless of preset.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB202 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It features 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with a memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus delivers 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures and complex scenes.

In Barony, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU is often not the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 724 FPS Low preset result. However, at 4K, the GPU's 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate are fully utilized, resulting in the 109 FPS Ultra result. The GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput provides ample compute for the game's rendering effects, including lighting, shadows, and particle systems typical of roguelike environments.

The GPU's benchmark results reinforce its high-end positioning. It scores 14,326 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 310,674 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 376,915 in Geekbench Vulkan. The PassMark G3D score of 44,065 and GPU compute score of 28,396 place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. The nearest rivals — AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605) — show that the RTX 5090 D is competitive but not always the top scorer in synthetic tests, yet its gaming performance in Barony is unmatched due to its architecture and memory subsystem.

The GPU's 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Barony, which is not a VRAM-intensive title. This headroom ensures that texture streaming and asset loading do not cause stutters, even at 4K Ultra settings. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth allows for rapid data transfer, which is particularly beneficial in a roguelike where new levels are procedurally generated and loaded frequently. The 5 nm process and 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die contribute to the GPU's efficiency, though its 575 W TDP requires a robust power supply — the suggested PSU is 950 W — and a dual-slot cooler with a 1x 16-pin power connector.