Barony

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Barony with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel Arc B370 shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 144 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average drops to 91 FPS, a reduction of 53 FPS. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls further to 47 FPS. This scaling indicates that the Intel Arc B370, with its integrated graphics design and system-shared memory, becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings represents a 36.8% performance loss, while the transition from 1440p to 4K at Low settings represents an additional 48.4% loss. These are substantial drops that suggest the GPU is being pushed well beyond its comfortable operating envelope at higher resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p, the combination can deliver playable framerates even at High settings (92 FPS average), but at 4K, even Low settings only manage 47 FPS.

Looking at the Medium preset across resolutions, the pattern intensifies. At 1080p Medium, the average is 107 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 67 FPS. At 4K Medium, it falls to 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 41 FPS. The minimum frame time data at 4K Medium suggests some inconsistency, though the overall average remains technically playable.

The Ultra preset tells a more sobering story. At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 66 FPS average. At 1440p Ultra, this drops to 42 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 22 FPS, which is below the threshold typically considered acceptable for smooth gameplay. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra represents a 66.7% performance loss, highlighting how quickly the Arc B370's capabilities are exhausted when both resolution and settings are maximized.

The High preset shows a similar trajectory: 92 FPS at 1080p, 58 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p High is 34 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K High is 28 FPS. This relatively consistent drop suggests the GPU is the bottleneck throughout, rather than any sudden shift in system behavior.

The data indicates that this combination is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can handle even demanding presets. At 1440p, users will need to make compromises on settings to maintain acceptable framerates. At 4K, the system is severely constrained, with only the Low preset approaching playability.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p is the most viable resolution. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 92 FPS average, and at 1080p Medium, 107 FPS average. At 1440p, even Low settings only produce 91 FPS, while 4K Low drops to 47 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset perform across different resolutions?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average is 66 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 42 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 22 FPS, making this preset impractical for higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 a limiting factor in this configuration?

A: Yes. The GPU's benchmark percentile ranks at 5% of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are legacy cards like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and ATI Radeon HD 5770. The measured FPS drops across resolutions confirm the GPU is the primary constraint.

Q: What framerates can users expect at 4K with this setup?

A: At 4K Low, the average is 47 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS. At 4K High, the average is 30 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average is 22 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Barony?

A: The combo ranks 2701 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom portion of the database. This ranking reflects the GPU's limited performance capabilities in this title.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 5900X compensate for the GPU's weaknesses?

A: The CPU has strong benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16262 and a single-core score of 1527. However, the resolution scaling data shows that the GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions, so the CPU's power cannot fully offset the GPU's limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2701 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. This places the combo in the 8th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that the vast majority of configurations in the database deliver better performance in this game. The ranking reflects the significant mismatch between the high-end CPU and the entry-level integrated GPU.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 1184, with a percentile ranking of 5% against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, delta -0.2%), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, delta -0.5%), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (score 1192, delta -0.7%), and AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1168, delta 1.4%). These deltas are all within 1.5% of the Arc B370's score, meaning the GPU performs essentially at parity with these older discrete and mobile parts.

The CPU, by contrast, ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41376. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (score 41263, delta 0.3%), Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (score 41215, delta 0.4%), AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (score 41208, delta 0.4%), and Intel Core i7-14650HX (score 41576, delta -0.5%). The CPU is clearly well above average, but its capabilities are largely wasted in this configuration due to the GPU bottleneck.

This rank disparity between CPU and GPU performance is stark. The data suggests that Barony, being a roguelike with relatively modest graphical demands, still cannot be driven effectively by the Arc B370 at higher resolutions. The combo's low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's performance ceiling, which limits the system to lower resolutions and settings for acceptable framerates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS values show a clear progression across settings. Low settings deliver an average of 144 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS and maximum of 123 FPS. High settings achieve an average of 92 FPS. Ultra settings yield an average of 66 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 78 FPS, representing a 54.2% performance difference between the lowest and highest presets.

At 2560x1440, the performance envelope tightens considerably. Low settings average 91 FPS. Medium settings average 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and maximum of 78 FPS. High settings average 58 FPS. Ultra settings average 42 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, a 53.8% difference. Notably, the 1440p Low average of 91 FPS is nearly identical to the 1080p High average of 92 FPS, indicating that resolution scaling and settings scaling have comparable impacts on performance at this tier.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily constrained. Low settings average 47 FPS. Medium settings average 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 41 FPS. High settings average 30 FPS. Ultra settings average 22 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 25 FPS, a 53.2% difference. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium (30 FPS) is the only recorded minimum below 30 FPS in the dataset, suggesting that frame pacing becomes more variable at this resolution.

The data reveals that the relative performance gaps between settings are consistent across resolutions, hovering around 53-54% between Low and Ultra. This consistency indicates that the GPU's scaling behavior is predictable, with each settings tier exacting a similar proportional cost regardless of resolution.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is built on Intel's Xe3-LPG architecture, using the Panther Lake chip on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. It also includes 10 ray tracing cores. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1).

The memory configuration is notable: the GPU uses system-shared memory, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This architecture means the GPU relies on the system's DDR4 memory, which for the Ryzen 9 5900X runs at 51.2 GB/s in dual-channel mode. This shared memory arrangement is a significant factor in the GPU's performance limitations, as it must compete with CPU memory traffic and suffers from higher latency compared to dedicated VRAM.

The GPU's TDP is 25 W, and it has no power connectors, being an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a slot width of "IGP." Its bus interface is also "IGP," and display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent." This integrated nature explains why the GPU's performance is closer to older mobile discrete parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 rather than modern desktop GPUs.

In Barony, the GPU's role is clearly limiting. The 4K Ultra average of 22 FPS and 4K High average of 30 FPS show that the GPU cannot sustain playable framerates at high settings and resolutions simultaneously. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 66 FPS average is respectable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its entry-level positioning.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the High preset (92 FPS average) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. Medium (107 FPS) is also viable for users prioritizing framerate, while Ultra (66 FPS) remains playable for those wanting maximum visual fidelity. The Low preset's 144 FPS average is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

At 1440p, the Medium preset (67 FPS average) is the recommended choice. It provides a smooth experience while maintaining reasonable visual quality. The High preset (58 FPS) is acceptable for users who prefer quality over framerate, but the margin for error is thinner. The Low preset (91 FPS) is viable for competitive play, but Ultra (42 FPS) should be avoided due to inconsistent frame delivery.

At 4K, the Low preset (47 FPS average) is the only practical option. Medium (35 FPS) and High (30 FPS) are borderline, with minimums potentially dropping below 30 FPS. Ultra (22 FPS) is not recommended for any gameplay scenario. The data indicates that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant compromises, and users may prefer to lower resolution to 1440p for a better experience overall.

The consistent 53-54% performance gap between Low and Ultra settings across all resolutions suggests that users can predictably trade visual quality for framerate. For the best experience, matching the preset to the resolution's capabilities is essential: High at 1080p, Medium at 1440p, and Low at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer codename), built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The CPU's cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. The TDP is 105 W, and it uses the AMD Socket AM4 platform with PCIe Gen 4 support.

The CPU's benchmark results show considerable strength. Its 3DMark scores include 9075 for 16 threads, 1852 for 2 threads, 3588 for 4 threads, 6601 for 8 threads, 10075 for max threads, and 941 for single thread. Cinebench R23 results show 16262 for multicore and 1527 for singlecore. Geekbench scores are 14118 for multicore and 2083 for singlecore. Passmark tests show strong multithreaded performance (39002) and solid single-thread performance (3469).

In Barony, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 144 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle the game's demands at high framerates. However, the GPU's limitations become apparent at higher resolutions, where framerates drop regardless of the CPU's capabilities.

The CPU's 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41376, places it well above average. Its nearest rivals include Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (delta 0.3%), Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (delta 0.4%), AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (delta 0.4%), and Intel Core i7-14650HX (delta -0.5%). These deltas are minimal, indicating the 5900X performs essentially at parity with these modern competitors.

The Ryzen 9 5900X's robust multithreaded performance would be beneficial in CPU-intensive scenarios, but Barony's data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for the game's logic, and the 64 MB of L3 cache helps reduce memory latency. However, in this specific combination, the CPU's power is underutilized due to the Arc B370's constraints.