Barony

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Barony, a roguelike title from June 2015. The measured data shows this pairing ranks 782nd out of 3,717 tested combinations, placing it in the top 21% of all tested hardware pairings for this specific game. Across the tested resolutions and settings, the system never drops below an average of 76 FPS, demonstrating that this hardware is more than sufficient for the game's demands, even at 4K Ultra settings.

FAQ

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

A: The system achieves an average of 320 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is a very high frame rate that far exceeds the refresh rate capabilities of most standard monitors.

Q: How does the CPU perform in synthetic benchmarks relative to its closest competitors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75,779. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, scores 75,738, which is a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trails slightly with a score of 75,488, a 0.4% delta.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 5070 and its nearest rival GPU?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40,377. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 is its closest rival with a score of 40,318, a difference of only 0.1%. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile is 2% behind, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% ahead.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS recorded in the data?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 501 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the game can run at extremely high speeds when graphical demands are minimized.

Q: Does the system maintain playable frame rates at 4K?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 resolution, the average frame rates range from 76 FPS at Ultra settings to 165 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 104 FPS, confirming the system handles 4K without dropping below playable thresholds.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has a launch MSRP of $699. The GPU has a launch MSRP of 549 USD.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. The processor features a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache, along with 1 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. This configuration is a key factor in its strong performance, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

In Barony, a roguelike game that is not typically known for heavy multi-threaded workloads, the CPU's high single-thread performance is likely the more relevant factor. The processor scores 1,292 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2,259 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores are strong indicators of its ability to handle game logic, procedural generation, and AI calculations that often rely on single-threaded performance. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 501 FPS, a scenario where the CPU is often the primary bottleneck. The high boost clock of 5.70 GHz allows for rapid processing of these tasks.

For multi-threaded scenarios, the CPU's 16 cores and 32 threads provide massive headroom. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42,018 and the Geekbench multicore score of 26,736 demonstrate its capability. While Barony may not fully utilize all 32 threads, the sheer processing power ensures that the CPU is never a limiting factor, even when background tasks are running. The processor's average benchmark score of 75,779 is virtually identical to its closest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, both with a 0.1% delta, and it edges out the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 by 0.4%. This indicates a tightly contested top-tier field where the 9950X3D is a leading performer.

The processor's specifications, such as its 170 W TDP and support for DDR5 memory, contribute to its overall performance profile. The 4 nm process node and 16,630 million transistors on a 2x 70.6 mm² die size represent a modern, efficient design. While the game's release date of 2015 suggests it may have older engine limitations, the benchmark results confirm that this CPU provides an exceptional foundation for high frame rate gaming in Barony.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units. The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost clock of 2512 MHz, and the memory operates at 1750 MHz or 28 Gbps effective. This configuration results in a 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 performance rating.

In Barony, the GPU is responsible for rendering the game's visuals, and its role becomes more significant as resolution and settings increase. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 501, but this drops to 229 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This suggests that even at 1080p, the GPU is being tasked more heavily at higher settings. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate falls to 76 FPS, indicating a significant load on the GPU. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures at all tested settings, as evidenced by the stable performance at 4K.

The RTX 5070's benchmark scores, such as 29,137 in Passmark G3D and 172,660 in Geekbench OpenCL, place it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. In its nearest rival comparisons, the RTX 5070's average score of 40,377 is a close match with the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40,318, +0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063, +0.8% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is slightly ahead with a score of 40,870, a -1.2% delta, while the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile is 2% behind. This positions the RTX 5070 as a solid mid-to-high-range performer, though its rivals in this specific benchmark set are not direct consumer gaming cards.

The GPU's capabilities are clearly demonstrated in the measured FPS data. The transition from 1080p to 4K at the same settings shows a substantial performance cost, highlighting the GPU's central role in higher resolution rendering. The 672.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that data can be fed to the processing cores efficiently, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates at 4K. The GPU's TDP of 250 W and requirement of a 600 W power supply are notable specifications, but the performance data shows it delivers the expected level of gaming performance for its class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers outstanding performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 501. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 372 FPS, with a minimum of 317 and a maximum of 428. The High preset yields an average of 320 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 229 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors, even at the highest settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. The Low preset achieves an average of 316 FPS. The Medium preset records an average of 235 FPS, with a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 270. High settings produce an average of 202 FPS, while Ultra settings result in an average of 145 FPS. The data shows a clear scalability, with each step up in settings reducing the frame rate. The minimum FPS of 200 at Medium settings ensures a smooth experience on 1440p displays.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers playable frame rates across all presets. The Low settings preset achieves an average of 165 FPS. Medium settings average 123 FPS, with a minimum of 104 and a maximum of 141. The High preset drops the average to 105 FPS. The Ultra preset brings the average to 76 FPS. While the 4K Ultra performance is lower than other presets, it remains fully playable and demonstrates the system's ability to handle 4K gaming. The data confirms that this hardware combination is powerful enough to provide a high-quality experience at any of the tested resolution and settings combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the relationship between CPU and GPU load. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 501 at 1080p to 316 at 1440p and finally to 165 at 4K. This represents a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This significant drop indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is becoming a more significant factor at higher resolutions, as the number of pixels to render increases substantially.

With High settings, the frame rate drops from 320 FPS at 1080p to 202 FPS at 1440p and then to 105 FPS at 4K. This is a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K, mirroring the Low settings scaling. The similar percentage drop across different settings suggests that the resolution is the primary driver of the performance change. The GPU's workload scales with the number of pixels, and the data shows that the RTX 5070 handles this scaling predictably.

The scaling pattern indicates that the system is not severely CPU-bound at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload does not change with resolution. However, the observed frame rate drops at 4K suggest the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. At 1080p, particularly at Low settings, the CPU likely plays a larger role in achieving the extremely high frame rates. The 501 FPS result at 1080p Low is a strong indicator of a CPU that can handle the game's logic at very high speeds, but as resolution increases, the GPU's rendering capabilities become the determining factor for overall performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's display and performance priorities. For users with a 1080p high-refresh-rate monitor, the Ultra preset is the best choice. It provides an average of 229 FPS, which is more than sufficient for even the fastest 240 Hz or 360 Hz displays. The visual quality improvement from Low to Ultra is significant, and the performance cost is acceptable given the high baseline frame rate.

For 1440p users, the High preset is an excellent balance. It delivers an average of 202 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for competitive or fast-paced gameplay. The Ultra preset at 1440p offers 145 FPS, which is also excellent, but the High preset provides a substantial performance headroom that could be beneficial in more demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 1440p, with a minimum of 200 FPS, also guarantees a very smooth experience.

At 4K, the High settings preset at 105 FPS is a great option for a balance of visual quality and performance. It provides a smooth experience for most gaming scenarios. The Ultra preset at 76 FPS is also playable and offers the highest visual fidelity, making it the choice for users who prioritize image quality over the highest possible frame rates. The Medium preset at 4K, with an average of 123 FPS and a minimum of 104 FPS, is a strong recommendation for those who want a high frame rate at 4K without sacrificing too much visual detail. The data shows that all presets at 4K are playable, but High or Medium offer the best combination of smoothness and visual quality.