Barony

Barony is a game that rarely stresses high-end hardware, and this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with the Intel Arc B390 lands in the lower tier of tested combinations, ranking 3300 out of 3717 combos. The data indicates a system where the integrated-class GPU is the overwhelming performance bottleneck, while the 16-core CPU sits largely idle, making this a configuration defined by its graphics limitation rather than its processing potential. Benchmark results show playable frame rates at 1080p, but the experience degrades sharply at higher resolutions, confirming that the Arc B390 is the component that dictates the overall experience in Barony.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured performance of this CPU-GPU pairing places it in the 3300th position out of 3717 tested combos, which puts it in the bottom 11 percent of all systems evaluated for this game. This is a low ranking, and the data makes clear why: the Intel Arc B390 is a severe limiting factor. The combo’s position is not a reflection of the Ryzen 9 5950X’s capabilities, which are substantial, but rather a direct consequence of pairing a top-tier desktop processor with an integrated graphics solution that scores near the bottom of all GPUs. The GPU’s percentile ranking is 9, meaning it performs better than only 9 percent of all graphics cards in the database, a figure that immediately explains the combo’s overall standing.

Looking at the measured frame rates, the picture is consistent. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 159 FPS, which is respectable, but this is the absolute ceiling. As settings and resolution increase, the frame rate falls off dramatically, with 4K Ultra producing just 24 FPS. The combo’s rank of 3300 reflects this reality: it can handle the game at lower fidelity, but it cannot sustain high-refresh-rate gameplay at higher presets. In comparison to other tested systems, this is not a combo that competes with mid-range or high-end gaming rigs; it is firmly in the entry-level category, despite the CPU’s high-end pedigree. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 51947 and its 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs suggest that if the GPU were stronger, this combo would rank much higher. Instead, the GPU’s 9th percentile score and average benchmark of 1482 drag the entire system down. The data is unambiguous: the Arc B390 is the sole reason for this low ranking, and any analysis of this combo must start with that fact.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It features 64 MB of L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus. These are specifications of a high-end desktop CPU, and the benchmark scores confirm its strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 26017 in multi-core and 1614 in single-core. In Geekbench, it achieves 15233 multi-core and 2083 single-core. Its Passmark multi-thread score is 45424, and its single-thread score is 3470. These numbers place it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i9-13900F, which has an average score of 51730 and a deltaPct of 0.4, and the Intel Core i7-14700, with an average score of 52301 and a deltaPct of -0.7. This is a processor that is overkill for Barony.

The game Barony, being a roguelike, does not typically require massive multi-threaded performance. The measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution or settings level. For instance, at 1080p Low, the combo hits 159 FPS, and at 1440p Low, it hits 100 FPS. These are high numbers that drop primarily due to GPU load, not CPU limitations. The Ryzen 9 5950X has more than enough single-thread and multi-thread capability to feed the Arc B390 in this title. The data suggests that even at the highest settings, the CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops are consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The 3DMark scores for the CPU, such as 11597 for max threads and 944 for single-thread, further illustrate a processor that is far stronger than what this game needs. In essence, the CPU role here is to provide an enormous amount of headroom that will never be utilized by Barony, making it a component that contributes to the system’s potential in other applications but not to its ranking in this game. The CPU’s 105 W TDP and 7 nm process node are details that speak to its efficiency, but they do not change the fact that its performance is effectively wasted in this specific pairing.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation pipelines, with 12 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 300 MHz, and it boosts to 2500 MHz. The memory is system shared, meaning it uses the system’s main memory rather than dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is system dependent. This is a critical detail, as shared memory can be a bottleneck in games, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demands increase. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all older or low-end NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 and a deltaPct of 1.3, the GeForce 800M with 1460 and a deltaPct of 1.5, the GeForce GT 625 OEM with 1446 and a deltaPct of 2.5, and the GeForce GT 710 with 1443 and a deltaPct of 2.7. This is a GPU that is not designed for gaming at high settings or high resolutions.

The measured FPS data in Barony reflects this. At 1080p Low, the GPU manages 159 FPS, which is good, but this is the best-case scenario. At 1080p Medium, it drops to 118 FPS, and at 1080p High, it is 102 FPS. At 1080p Ultra, it falls to 73 FPS. The trend continues at higher resolutions. At 1440p, the frame rates are 100 FPS on Low, 75 FPS on Medium, 64 FPS on High, and 46 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the numbers become problematic: 53 FPS on Low, 39 FPS on Medium, 34 FPS on High, and 24 FPS on Ultra. The GPU’s role is clearly the limiting factor. The system shared memory and the low overall performance compared to discrete GPUs mean that the Arc B390 cannot keep up with the CPU’s ability to feed it frames. The 80 W TDP and the fact that it is an IGP with no power connectors further emphasize its position as an entry-level solution. The data shows a GPU that is only suitable for 1080p gaming at lower presets, and even then, it requires a powerful CPU to avoid being the bottleneck, which is exactly what the Ryzen 9 5950X provides. The GPU’s percentile of 9 versus the CPU’s percentile of 91 is the starkest possible illustration of the imbalance in this combo.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU-GPU combo in Barony?

A: The combo ranks 3300 out of 3717 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom portion of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 (deltaPct 1.3), the GeForce 800M with 1460 (deltaPct 1.5), the GeForce GT 625 OEM with 1446 (deltaPct 2.5), and the GeForce GT 710 with 1443 (deltaPct 2.7).

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

A: The highest average FPS is 159, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded, and at what settings?

A: The lowest average FPS is 24, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the CPU’s percentile ranking compared to the GPU’s?

A: The CPU, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU, Intel Arc B390, ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU act as the primary bottleneck in this combo?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The measured FPS drops consistently as resolution and settings increase, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario, while the CPU’s high benchmark scores indicate it has ample headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 159 at 1080p, to 100 at 1440p, and down to 53 at 4K. This represents a drop of 59 FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further drop of 47 FPS when moving from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the frame rates are 118 at 1080p, 75 at 1440p, and 39 at 4K. At High settings, the numbers are 102 at 1080p, 64 at 1440p, and 34 at 4K. At Ultra settings, the frame rates are 73 at 1080p, 46 at 1440p, and 24 at 4K. The percentage drops are substantial. For example, from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, the FPS falls by approximately 67 percent. At High settings, the drop from 1080p to 4K is about 67 percent as well. This scaling behavior is a strong indicator of a GPU-bound system. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would be more similar across resolutions, since the CPU workload would not change as much with resolution. Instead, the sharp declines point directly to the Arc B390’s inability to handle the increased pixel count and memory bandwidth demands.

The fact that the combo can hit 159 FPS at 1080p Low but only 24 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the GPU is being overwhelmed at higher resolutions. The system shared memory architecture of the Arc B390 likely exacerbates this issue, as higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth, which is shared with the system and can become a bottleneck. The data supports the conclusion that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. The Ryzen 9 5950X’s performance does not scale down with resolution in the same way, meaning it is not the cause of these drops. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve playable frame rates at most settings. At 1440p, it can still manage acceptable performance at Low and Medium settings, but at 4K, it is only playable at Low settings, and even then, the 53 FPS average is not ideal for a smooth experience. The data shows a system that is clearly designed for lower-resolution gaming, and any attempt to push higher resolutions will result in a significant performance penalty.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience for this combo in Barony is achieved at 1080p with Low settings, which produces an average FPS of 159. This is the only configuration that comes close to high-refresh-rate territory, and it provides a smooth and responsive experience. However, if the user prefers visual quality over raw frame rate, 1080p Medium is also a viable option, with an average FPS of 118 and a minimum FPS of 101, which is still very playable. The 1080p High setting offers 102 FPS, which is also acceptable, but the jump to Ultra at 1080p drops the average to 73 FPS, which may be too low for some players who prefer consistent high frame rates. The data suggests that 1080p Medium or High offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, with the latter providing a more stable experience when considering the minimum FPS figures.

At 1440p, the situation changes. Low settings yield 100 FPS, which is good, but Medium drops to 75 FPS, and High falls to 64 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is only 46 FPS, which is likely to feel sluggish in a fast-paced roguelike. For 1440p, the recommendation is to stick with Low or Medium settings, as High and Ultra introduce frame rates that may impact gameplay smoothness. At 4K, the combo struggles significantly. Low settings provide 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal, while Medium is 39 FPS, High is 34 FPS, and Ultra is 24 FPS. None of these 4K options are recommended for a good experience, as the frame rates are too low for a game that requires quick reactions. The best 4K option, Low at 53 FPS, is marginal at best.

The overall recommendation is to prioritize 1080p resolution. At this resolution, the combo can handle Medium or High settings with average FPS above 100, which is well within the playable range. Choosing Low settings at 1080p will maximize performance and is the best choice for competitive play or if the user has a high-refresh-rate monitor. The data shows that the Arc B390 is the limiting factor, so adjusting settings is the only way to improve performance. Lowering the resolution from 1440p to 1080p provides a significant FPS boost, often more than 30 percent, which is a more effective way to gain performance than simply lowering settings at a fixed resolution. The measured rows indicate that the combo is best used as a 1080p system, and users should avoid 4K unless they are willing to accept low frame rates.