Barony

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 a 64 MB L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip demonstrates a strong multi-threaded capability, scoring 38,607 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 45,424 in Passmark multithread. Its single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,450 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3,470. This combination of high core count and competitive single-core speed positions the CPU well for both heavily threaded workloads and lightly threaded tasks, such as those typically found in roguelike games like Barony, which often rely on a single primary game thread.

The measured frame rates in Barony suggest that the CPU is not a bottleneck at the tested settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 338.1 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that indicates the processor can feed the GPU effectively. Even at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS remains high at 115.1, showing that the CPU maintains its performance when resolution increases and the workload shifts more to the GPU. The benchmark data for the 5950X shows that it performs within a narrow margin of its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600K, which has an average score of 49,166 and a deltaPct of -0.2, and the AMD EPYC 4345P, with an average score of 49,595 and a deltaPct of -1.1. This places the 5950X in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, confirming its high-end status. For Barony, the data indicates that the 16 cores are more than sufficient; the game's performance appears to scale well with the CPU's capabilities, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at lower resolutions where CPU load is more significant.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU features a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with a memory clock of 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). It includes 3072 shading units and 24 RT cores, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate. The RTX 4060’s performance in Barony shows a clear scaling pattern with settings. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 338.1 on Low to 251.4 on Medium, 216.2 on High, and 157.0 on Ultra. This trend is consistent at higher resolutions, where the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor. At 1440p, the average FPS ranges from 215.1 on Low to 99.9 on Ultra, and at 4K, it drops to 115.1 on Low and 53.3 on Ultra.

The data reveals that the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM is adequate for Barony at the tested settings, as the game does not appear to exceed this capacity, given the smooth scaling of FPS with resolution. The GPU’s percentile ranking is 66th among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score is 23,181. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4060 is nearly identical in performance to the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which has an average score of 23,321 and a deltaPct of -0.6, and the Intel Arc B580, with an average score of 23,021 and a deltaPct of 0.7. This suggests that the RTX 4060 is a mid-range performer, and in Barony, it provides playable frame rates at all tested settings, though the gap between Low and Ultra is substantial. The GPU’s role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions, where the frame rate drops are more significant, indicating that the graphics card is the primary constraint at 4K Ultra.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions provides insight into which component is limiting performance. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS at High settings drops from 216.2 to 136.8, a reduction of 36.7%. This is a significant decrease, but the frame rate remains well above 60 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS drops further to 73.3, a 46.4% reduction from the 1440p figure. This pattern indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases. At Low settings, the scaling is also notable: 1080p yields 338.1 FPS, 1440p yields 215.1 FPS, and 4K yields 115.1 FPS. The percentage drops are 36.4% from 1080p to 1440p and 46.5% from 1440p to 4K.

These numbers suggest that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, as the frame rate still scales with resolution in a manner consistent with GPU-bound performance. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat regardless of resolution. Instead, the data shows a consistent drop in FPS as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. At 1080p, the high frame rates (over 200 FPS on Low and Medium) indicate that the CPU can handle the game’s logic without issue, allowing the GPU to be the primary driver of performance. At 4K, the frame rates drop to levels that are still playable but show the GPU’s workload increasing. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a drop from 157.0 to 53.3 FPS, a 66% reduction, which further emphasizes the GPU’s role as the limiting component at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 975th out of 1,702 tested combos in Barony. This ranking places it in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is somewhat surprising given the high-end nature of the CPU. The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor for this combo, as the CPU’s strong performance does not translate into a higher rank when paired with a mid-range GPU. The rank reflects the overall system performance, and the RTX 4060’s mid-tier standing pulls the combo down despite the CPU’s top-tier capabilities.

The combo’s performance is best understood by looking at the individual component rankings. The CPU is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 66th percentile. This mismatch means that the system is not balanced for a game like Barony, which appears to be GPU-bound at higher settings and resolutions. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the frame rates are more dependent on the GPU’s performance than the CPU’s. For example, at 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 53.3 FPS, which is a playable but not high frame rate, and this is likely due to the GPU’s limitations rather than the CPU’s. The ranking of 975th out of 1,702 indicates that there are many other combos that perform better, likely those with more powerful GPUs paired with mid-range CPUs, which would be a more balanced configuration for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience in Barony depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Low preset provides the highest average FPS at 338.1, which is far above any display’s refresh rate. The Medium preset at 251.4 FPS and the High preset at 216.2 FPS also offer extremely high frame rates, making any of these settings a good choice for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 157.0 FPS is still very smooth and offers the best visual quality, so it is recommended for players who prioritize graphics over maximum frame rate.

At 1440p, the Low preset delivers 215.1 FPS, which is excellent, while the Medium preset at 158.0 FPS and the High preset at 136.8 FPS are also very playable. The Ultra preset at 99.9 FPS is just below the 100 FPS mark, but it remains smooth and is the best choice for visual fidelity. For 4K gaming, the situation changes. The Low preset at 115.1 FPS is the only setting that provides a frame rate above 100 FPS, making it the recommended choice for smooth 4K play. The Medium preset at 85.1 FPS and the High preset at 73.3 FPS are still playable, but they may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 53.3 FPS is on the edge of playability, and it may be better to lower the settings to maintain a higher frame rate. Overall, the data suggests that the High preset provides a good balance between visual quality and performance at 1080p and 1440p, while at 4K, the Medium preset is the highest setting that maintains a frame rate above 80 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1080p with High settings is 216.2, which is a very high frame rate suitable for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The combo ranks 975th out of 1,702 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of all configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this combo?

A: The data shows the GPU is the limiting factor, as frame rates drop significantly with resolution increases, while the CPU’s high performance does not prevent this scaling.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, the Low preset achieves 115.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 53.3 FPS, a difference of 61.8 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for the GPU?

A: The launch MSRP for the GPU is 299 USD.

Q: What is the CPU’s percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: The CPU is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performance processor.