Barony

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional performance in Barony, a roguelike title from 2015. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings are remarkably high, suggesting that this combination is far more powerful than the game’s typical requirements demand. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher settings, while the CPU’s substantial multi-threading capabilities ensure that even the lowest settings produce triple-digit frame rates at 4K.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, which contributes to its strong single-threaded performance. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor scores 4680 points in Cinebench R23 single-core and 941 points in 3DMark single-thread, indicating that its individual cores are highly capable. This is relevant for Barony, which, as a roguelike, often relies on consistent single-thread performance for game logic and procedural generation.

However, the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are equally noteworthy. The processor achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33150 and a 3DMark max-threads score of 10075, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. This high level of parallel processing power means the CPU is unlikely to be a bottleneck, even when the game attempts to utilize multiple threads for entity updates or pathfinding. The benchmark data supports this: at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU workload is lightest, the system still achieves 647 FPS. This suggests the 5900X can feed frames at an astonishing rate without becoming a limiting factor.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 5900X is closely matched in average benchmark scores. It sits just 0.2% above the AMD EPYC 4245P and 0.9% above the Intel Core i7-13700F, while trailing the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS by 0.7% and the Intel Core i7-13700 by 1%. These small deltas indicate that in a game like Barony, which is not heavily threaded, the 5900X's performance is more than sufficient to keep pace with any of these alternatives. The data implies that the CPU’s 12 cores provide a comfortable safety margin, ensuring that the game’s logic never stutters or delays the rendering pipeline.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the primary driver of the high frame rates observed. This GPU features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. The memory clock is rated at 1313 MHz, with an effective speed of 21 Gbps. For a game like Barony, which is not known for massive texture loads, the 24 GB VRAM capacity is far beyond what is necessary, but it eliminates any possibility of memory-related stuttering or texture swapping.

The GPU’s compute power is substantial, with 16384 shading units and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. This translates to a FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS. In the context of Barony, this raw power allows for massive over-delivery on frame rates. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS is 98.7, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The RTX 4090’s 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are largely irrelevant for this title, as Barony does not utilize ray tracing or DLSS, but they do not hinder performance.

The GPU sits in the 91st percentile of all GPUs based on average benchmark scores. Its nearest rivals include professional-grade cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4 and Tesla P40, against which it trades blows with deltas of -0.4% and 0.5% respectively. The RTX 4090 is clearly a top-tier consumer part, and the benchmark results in Barony reflect this, showing that the GPU is the definitive performance ceiling for this combo. When the settings increase, the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor, as the CPU has ample headroom.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling as resolution increases, which points directly to the GPU as the limiting component at higher settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 647 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 417.3 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 221 FPS. This is a reduction of approximately 66% from 1080p to 4K, which is a direct consequence of the increased pixel count demanding more from the GPU’s shaders and ROPs.

The scaling becomes more pronounced at higher settings. For example, at High settings, the FPS drops from 424 at 1080p to 267.5 at 1440p, and then to 138.2 at 4K. This represents a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K, similar to the Low setting trend. However, the absolute numbers are lower because the GPU is doing more work per pixel. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 303.9 at 1080p to 191.3 at 1440p, and finally to 98.7 at 4K, a 68% reduction.

This consistent scaling pattern indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the frame rates continue to rise dramatically as resolution decreases, proving that the RTX 4090 is fully utilized. The data suggests that the 5900X can handle the game’s logic and draw calls even at 647 FPS, leaving the GPU to render frames as fast as it can.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Barony, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 55th out of 1702 combos. This places it in the top 3.2% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing given the sheer number of possibilities. The high rank confirms the synergy between the two components, where the CPU’s speed and the GPU’s raw power combine to produce exceptional frame rates.

The rank is likely influenced by the fact that Barony is not a demanding title, and thus even mid-range hardware can achieve high FPS. However, this combo’s placement in the top percentile suggests that it is among the fastest configurations available for this game. The data indicates that while there are 54 other combos that perform better, they likely consist of even newer or more specialized hardware. For a 2020-era CPU paired with a 2022-era GPU, this is a formidable result, showing that the combination has not been made obsolete by newer parts in this specific workload.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the choice of settings depends heavily on the user’s display refresh rate and preference for visual fidelity. At 4K, the Ultra preset delivers 98.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS standard but may not satisfy users with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors. The High preset at 4K offers 138.2 FPS, which is a better match for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz display, providing a smoother experience while still maintaining high visual quality.

For 1440p users, the Ultra preset achieves 191.3 FPS, which is excellent for 144 Hz or even 165 Hz monitors. The High preset jumps to 267.5 FPS, which would be wasted on most displays but offers maximum headroom. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset reaches 303.9 FPS, and the Low preset hits 647 FPS, making this resolution the best choice for competitive play where frame rate is paramount. The data suggests that Ultra settings at 1080p or High settings at 1440p provide the best balance of visual quality and performance for most users, while 4K High is the sweet spot for high-resolution displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 647 FPS on Low settings, 492.6 FPS on Medium, 424 FPS on High, and 303.9 FPS on Ultra. These figures show that even the most demanding preset at this resolution produces frame rates far exceeding any display’s refresh rate, indicating a GPU-bound scenario where the CPU is never stressed.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 417.3 FPS on Low, 309.6 FPS on Medium, 267.5 FPS on High, and 191.3 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is approximately 54%, which is consistent with the increased graphical workload. This resolution still offers extremely high performance, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 221 FPS on Low, 163.9 FPS on Medium, 138.2 FPS on High, and 98.7 FPS on Ultra. The Ultra setting is the only one that dips below the 100 FPS mark, but it remains highly playable. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is roughly 55%, showing that the GPU is capable of handling the resolution with ease, albeit with diminishing returns as settings increase.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: No, the data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 647 FPS, and the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33150 places it in the 90th percentile. The consistent FPS scaling across resolutions indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 240 FPS?

A: At 1080p, all settings except Ultra (303.9 FPS) exceed 424 FPS, so any preset at 1080p will easily surpass 240 FPS. At 1440p, the Low (417.3 FPS) and Medium (309.6 FPS) presets also exceed 240 FPS, while High (267.5 FPS) does as well.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM matter for this game?

A: The 24 GB GDDR6X memory is overkill for Barony, as the game is not texture-heavy. However, the 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensures no memory bottlenecks, allowing for consistent frame times even at 4K.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all others tested?

A: It ranks 55th out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the top 3.2% of all configurations. This is a strong result, indicating it is one of the fastest setups for this title.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with max settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 98.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Even the most demanding settings provide a significant performance buffer.

*Q: Is the CPU's multi-threading important for Barony?*

A: While the game’s logic may not use all 24 threads, the 5900X’s 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33150 ensures that even if the game spawns many entities, the CPU will not become a bottleneck.