Barony

Barony, a roguelike released in 2015, is not typically associated with high-end hardware demands, but the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile combination reveals a surprisingly wide performance envelope across resolutions and settings. The benchmark results show a system capable of delivering playable frame rates even at 4K, with significant headroom at lower resolutions that points to a CPU-bound scenario in specific configurations. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and scaling characteristics to provide a clear picture of what this specific laptop configuration offers for Barony.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking for Barony among all tested combinations?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile combo ranks 2973 out of 3717 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of all tested systems for this game.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved in the measured data?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 250 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is significantly higher than the 114 FPS average seen at the same resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, showing a delta of only 0.1%. The data indicates a virtual tie in overall processing power between these two mobile chips.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking relative to all other GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile is in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it performs better than the majority of graphics cards in the benchmark database, despite being a mobile variant.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo hit the lowest average FPS?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 38 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 (4K) resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that dips below the 40 FPS mark.

Q: Does the RTX 5050 Mobile have more or less memory bandwidth than a comparable desktop GPU?

A: The RTX 5050 Mobile features 384.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is a key metric for its performance class. The data does not provide a direct comparison to a specific desktop GPU, but this bandwidth is paired with 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame data places this specific hardware pairing at rank 2973 out of 3717 tested combinations for Barony. This ranking, which puts the system in the 20th percentile, is notably lower than the individual component percentiles might suggest. The CPU sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, yet the combined system ranks relatively poorly for this specific game. This discrepancy is a key insight from the data, suggesting that Barony's performance is not primarily limited by the raw processing power of either component, but rather by other factors such as game engine optimization or single-threaded performance.

Examining the CPU's nearest rivals provides context for its strength. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores an average of 76212, with its closest competitor, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, scoring 76155, a mere 0.1% difference. This indicates that for general processing tasks, these two top-tier mobile CPUs are functionally equivalent. However, when paired with the RTX 5050 Mobile for Barony, the system's rank suggests that this raw CPU power does not translate into a top-tier gaming experience for this title. The game's roguelike nature, which often involves procedural generation and complex game state calculations, might be sensitive to specific CPU capabilities that are not captured by the average benchmark score.

The GPU's nearest rivals also offer an interesting point of reference. The RTX 5050 Mobile has an average score of 43268, placing it in a dead heat with the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER (43223). It is a mere 0.9% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile. This shows that while the RTX 5050 Mobile is not a flagship, it is positioned in a competitive performance tier. Despite this, the combined system's rank in Barony is low, reinforcing the idea that the game's performance ceiling is not determined by the GPU's overall compute capability. The data suggests that for Barony, a different hardware combination could potentially achieve a higher rank, even with a less powerful CPU or GPU on paper.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which are significant figures for a mobile part. With 64 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory, this CPU is designed to handle demanding workloads. In the context of Barony, the benchmark data shows that the CPU's substantial multi-threaded capability is not the primary driver of frame rates. The game, being a roguelike, often relies on a single primary thread for game logic, which means the high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is more relevant than the 32 threads for achieving high FPS.

The CPU's benchmark scores illustrate its broad strengths. For instance, its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 42713, while its single-core score is 6030. This multi-core score is over seven times higher than the single-core score, highlighting the massive parallel processing power available. However, in Barony, the measured FPS at 1080p with Low settings (250 FPS) versus 4K with Ultra settings (38 FPS) shows a dramatic scaling with GPU load. At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely underutilized, and the frame rate is likely hitting a ceiling imposed by the CPU's single-thread performance or game engine limits. At 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's powerful cores are waiting for the GPU to render each frame.

The data indicates that the Ryzen 9 8945HX provides more than enough processing power for Barony. Its performance in PassMark's multithread test (51405) and single-thread test (3907) confirms its high standing. The fact that the combo ranks lower than the component percentiles suggest implies that in Barony, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. The game does not appear to be able to fully utilize the 16 cores, and even the high boost clock is likely sufficient to feed the GPU in most scenarios. The performance bottleneck shifts to the GPU as resolution and settings increase, which is a classic sign of a well-balanced system where the CPU has more headroom than the game demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS is 250, which is exceptionally high and indicates a CPU or engine limit, as the GPU is not stressed at this level. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 186 FPS, with a minimum of 158 FPS and a maximum of 214 FPS. High settings yield an average of 160 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 114 FPS. This scaling from 250 to 114 FPS shows a steady increase in GPU load as settings are raised, but even at Ultra, the frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a more pronounced impact from the higher resolution. Low settings produce an average of 158 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 250 FPS at 1080p. Medium settings average 117 FPS, with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 135 FPS. High settings average 101 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 72 FPS. The pattern here is clear: the GPU is becoming a more significant factor, but the system still provides a very playable experience at all settings. The 72 FPS at Ultra 1440p is particularly notable, as it shows the RTX 5050 Mobile can handle high-fidelity rendering at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more demanding for the GPU. Low settings average 82 FPS, which is still respectable for 4K. Medium settings average 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 53 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 38 FPS. This is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS mark, and the Ultra setting at 4K is the only one where the average frame rate is not considered smooth. The data shows a clear progression: 1080p is CPU-limited, 1440p is balanced, and 4K is GPU-limited dropped frames. The 4K Ultra result of 38 FPS suggests that for this game, the RTX 5050 Mobile is not sufficient for maximum settings at the highest resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 384.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. It has a base clock of 1020 MHz and a boost clock of 1500 MHz. With 2560 shading unitshare, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, it is a capable mobile GPU. Its benchmark scores include a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2365 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 84171. These figures place it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-to-high-range performer.

In Barony, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important as resolution and settings are increased. The measured FPS data shows a clear correlation between GPU load and frame rate. At 1080p with Low settings, the GPU is not the bottleneck; the frame rate of 250 FPS is likely limited by the CPU. However, as settings are increased to Ultra at 1080p, the frame rate drops to 114 FPS, showing the GPU's workload growing. The most significant evidence of the GPU's limiting role comes at 4K. The difference between Low (82 FPS) and Ultra (38 FPS) at 4K is a 44 FPS drop, which is a much larger absolute change than the 136 FPS drop seen at 1080p (from 250 to 114 FPS). This indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is the primary performance constraint.

The RTX 5050 Mobile's memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s is a critical factor for 4K performance. The 8 GB VRAM is also sufficient for Barony, which is not a VRAM-intensive game. The data suggests that the GPU's compute power, rather than its memory capacity, is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra. The GPU's performance relative to its rivals, such as being only 0.1% behind the RTX 4070 SUPER in average benchmark score, shows it has the raw power to compete with desktop parts from a previous generation. However, for Barony at 4K Ultra, the data clearly shows that this GPU is pushed to its limits, delivering an average of just 38 FPS, which is below the standard for a smooth experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal setting for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players using a 1920x1080 monitor, the data shows that all settings are playable, with even the Ultra preset averaging 114 FPS. However, the High preset at 160 FPS offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 186 FPS is also excellent for high-refresh-rate displays, providing a substantial margin above 144 FPS. For the absolute best visual experience, Ultra at 1080p is viable, but the 114 FPS average suggests that High might be a more consistent choice if frame pacing is a concern.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that the High preset, with an average of 101 FPS, is the best overall choice. It provides a high level of visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 72 FPS is also playable and offers the maximum visual quality, but the lower average frame rate might be noticeable on a high-refresh-rate monitor. The Medium preset at 117 FPS is a good option for those who prioritize a higher frame rate over visual fidelity, and the Low preset at 158 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum FPS is paramount.

For 4K gaming, the data indicates a significant compromise is required. The High preset at 53 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The Medium preset, with an average of 61 FPS and a minimum of 52 FPS, is the best choice for 4K if a 60 FPS target is the goal)Skip to content. It offers a balanced experience that avoids the sharp drop to 38 FPS seen at Ultra. Players with a 4K display should prioritize the Medium preset to maintain a playable frame rate. The Low preset at 82 FPS is also viable for a smoother experience, but it does not take advantage of the visual improvements offered by the higher settings. In summary, the data recommends High at 1080p and 1440p, and Medium at 4K for the best balance of visual quality and performance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rates are 160 FPS at 1080p, 101 FPS at 1440p, and 53 FPS at 4K. This represents a performance drop of 36.9% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47.5% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 66.9%, which is significant but not linear, indicating that the GPU is not the sole bottleneck at 1080p. The larger relative drop from 1440p to 4K suggests that the GPU is becoming the dominant limiting factor at higher resolutions.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average frame rates are 250 FPS at 1080p, 158 FPS at 1440p, and 82 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.8%, and from 1440p to 4K is 48.1%. The absolute drop from 250 FPS to 158 FPS at 1440p is 92 FPS, which is a massive reduction. This large drop at a relatively modest resolution increase suggests that the 1080p Low result is heavily CPU-limited or engine-limited, and the GPU is not being fully utilized. As resolution increases, the GPU load ramps up, and the frame rate quickly falls to a level that reflects the GPU's actual rendering capability.

The data reveals that the system is CPU-bound at 1080p, particularly at lower settings. The 250 FPS at 1080p Low is a strong indicator of this, as it is a frame rate that is often unattainable for a GPU of this class in more demanding games. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly consistent across settings, but the scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a more significant drop at higher settings. For instance, at Ultra settings, the drop from 1440p (72 FPS) to 4K (38 FPS) is a 47.2% reduction. This suggests that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully saturated, and the frame rate is directly tied to its pixel throughput. The data overall indicates that the RTX 5050 Mobile is the primary performance limiter at 4K, while the Ryzen 9 8945HX is sufficient to support high frame rates at lower resolutions.