Barony

Barony is an older roguelike that has aged into a surprisingly demanding title at high settings, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination shows a clear performance curve across the three tested resolutions. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly capable at 1080p, strong at 1440p, and only begins to show strain at 4K with the most demanding presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second (FPS) data for this combo shows a classic scaling pattern, but with some notable quirks that speak to the game's engine and the hardware's balance. At 1920x1080, the RTX 5050 and Ryzen 9 9900X produce exceptional frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS hits 302, which drops to 225 at Medium, 193 at High, and 138 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is a substantial 164 FPS, indicating that even at this resolution, the graphics settings have a massive impact on the rendering load.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very high but begins to tighten. The Low preset averages 191 FPS, which is a 111 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium averages 142 FPS, High averages 122 FPS, and Ultra averages 87 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly a 36-37% reduction in average FPS across all settings, which is a significant but expected hit as pixel count increases by 78%.

The jump to 3840x2160 is where the RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus start to become the limiting factor. At 4K, the Low preset still manages a respectable 100 FPS average. However, the Medium preset drops to 74 FPS, High to 64 FPS, and Ultra falls to 46 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steeper than the 1080p to 1440p jump, with a 47-48% reduction in average FPS for each corresponding preset. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is hitting a performance wall that is not purely about fill rate.

The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU, as the massive frame rates are only possible with a strong processor. However, at 4K Ultra, the 46 FPS average shows the GPU is fully saturated. The difference between 4K Low (100 FPS) and 4K Ultra (46 FPS) is a 54 FPS swing, proving that the graphics card is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, not the 12-core CPU. The lack of min/max FPS data for most presets except Medium means we can only see the full frame time variance at that setting, where 4K Medium shows a range from 63 to 85 FPS, indicating some stutter potential.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. For a game like Barony, which is a roguelike that likely relies on single-threaded performance for game logic and world simulation, the 9900X's strong single-core capabilities are crucial.

The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its position. In Cinebench R23, it scores 2253 points in the single-core test and 32172 points in the multi-core test. The single-thread performance, as measured by 3DMark at 1286, is in the top percentile of all CPUs, ranking in the 92nd percentile. This high single-thread score is what allows the system to push 302 FPS at 1080p Low, as the CPU can process the game's frame-to-frame logic faster than the GPU can render frames at that low of a graphical load.

The 9900X's multi-threaded might, with a Passmark multithread score of 54643 and a Geekbench multicore score of 22174, ensures that background tasks and any multi-threaded game systems do not cause hitches. However, the data suggests that Barony is not heavily multi-threaded. The 3DMark score scales from 2519 at 2 threads to 13929 at max threads, showing strong scaling, but the game's FPS does not double when going from 1440p to 1080p, which would be expected if CPU threads were the sole bottleneck.

In the context of this game, the 9900X is overkill. The FPS at 1080p Low is 302, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The CPU's performance is so high that it is never the limiting factor in any of the measured resolutions. Even at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS is 46, the CPU is likely idling, waiting for the GPU to finish its work. This is a case where the processor's capabilities are far ahead of what the game requires, providing a massive headroom that ensures consistent frame delivery without CPU-related stutters.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the entry point into the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2572 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units. The GPU's performance percentile sits at 66, meaning it outperforms about two-thirds of all GPUs in the database.

The RTX 5050's role in Barony is defined by its memory capacity and compute power. At 1080p, the GPU is more than enough to handle the game's demands, pushing 193 FPS at High settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient at this resolution, as the game's textures and assets fit comfortably within that allocation. The card's 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is ample for the game's visual effects.

At 1440p, the GPU remains strong, with a 122 FPS average at High settings. This is a playable and smooth experience. However, the drop from 1080p High to 1440p High is 71 FPS, highlighting the increased pixel load. The 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is being utilized more heavily, but the card still has headroom.

The 4K results are where the RTX 5050's limitations become evident. At 4K High, the average FPS is 64, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. At 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 46, which is below the 60 FPS target most gamers prefer. The primary suspect is the 8 GB VRAM capacity. At 4K with Ultra settings, the game's texture detail and draw distances likely exceed the 8 GB buffer, forcing the system to swap data in and out, which tanks performance. The 128-bit memory bus, while providing decent bandwidth for its class, is not sufficient to handle the massive data throughput required at 4K Ultra.

The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 17326 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2502, show it is a capable mid-range card. Yet, the 4K Ultra result of 46 FPS is a clear indicator that this card is not designed for 4K gaming at maximum settings. It excels at 1080p and handles 1440p well, but 4K requires lowering settings to Medium or Low to achieve smooth frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 138 FPS, which is smooth and well above 60 FPS. Given the massive headroom, there is no reason to lower settings below High, which yields 193 FPS. Even the most demanding preset, Ultra, is playable. For those with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, the Medium preset at 225 FPS or Low at 302 FPS offers the best chance of hitting extremely high frame rates, but the visual quality sacrifice is significant. The High preset at 193 FPS is the sweet spot, offering excellent visuals and a frame rate that exceeds most gaming displays' refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to 87 FPS, which is still very playable and a great experience. The High preset at 122 FPS is ideal for 1440p 120Hz monitors, providing a perfect balance of visual fidelity and smoothness. The Medium preset at 142 FPS is also a strong choice. The Low preset at 191 FPS is overkill and sacrifices too much visual quality for a frame rate that few 1440p monitors can display. For the best experience, High is recommended, as it offers a significant visual improvement over Medium while maintaining a high average FPS.

At 3840x2160, the settings must be chosen carefully. The Ultra preset at 46 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the standard 60 FPS target. The High preset at 64 FPS is borderline, but it may suffer from frame time spikes, as seen in the Medium preset's min FPS of 63. The Medium preset at 74 FPS is the most balanced option, offering a playable frame rate with decent visual quality. The Low preset at 100 FPS is the best for performance but will look significantly worse. For 4K gaming, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides the best trade-off between frame rate and visual fidelity, keeping the average FPS above 70 while not pushing the VRAM to its absolute limit.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1775 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the 60th percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 60% of the systems tested in this game.

This ranking is lower than the individual component percentiles might suggest. The CPU ranks in the 92nd percentile overall, while the GPU ranks in the 66th percentile. The combo's rank of 1775 out of 2935 indicates that the GPU is holding back the overall score in this game. A system with a lower-tier CPU but a higher-tier GPU would likely rank higher in Barony, as the game is more dependent on GPU performance, especially at higher resolutions.

The combo's position in the middle of the pack is due to the disparity between the CPU's high-end performance and the GPU's mid-range capabilities. In a game like Barony, which is not heavily CPU-bound, the 9900X's power is wasted. The RTX 5050 is the defining factor, and its performance at 4K is what drags the combo's rank down. The data shows that this is a well-balanced combo for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not optimized for 4K, which is reflected in its rank.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 193, which is exceptionally smooth and well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The 4K Ultra preset averages 46 FPS, while the CPU has ample headroom. The RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are the primary constraints at this resolution.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X overkill for this game?

A: Yes, the data suggests so. The CPU scores in the 92nd percentile overall and provides massive single-thread performance, but Barony does not appear to be heavily CPU-bound. The FPS is consistently higher than the GPU can deliver, indicating the CPU is never the bottleneck.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 is recommended, yielding an average of 122 FPS. This provides a strong balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 87 FPS is also viable, but High offers a better margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Barony?

A: The combo ranks 1775 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of performance. This is a solid result, but it is not a top-tier ranking due to the GPU's mid-range performance.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Barony?

A: It can, but with compromises. At 4K Medium settings, the average FPS is 74, which is playable. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 46, which may not be ideal for a smooth experience. Lowering settings is necessary for 4K.