Barony

# Barony with AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a robust Barony experience across all tested resolutions, with the data showing a clear GPU-bound profile at higher settings and resolution. The combo ranks 1572nd out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier for this roguelike title. At 1080p, the system achieves triple-digit frame rates even on Ultra settings, while 4K Ultra remains playable at 51 FPS average—proof of the RTX 4070's capabilities in this game. The 16-core, 32-thread Zen 5 processor with a 64 MB L3 cache provides ample headroom, ensuring the GPU is the primary performance determinant in most scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-limited pattern. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 217 at 1920x1080 to 137 at 2560x1440, then to 72 at 3840x2160. This represents a 36.9% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 66.8% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is nearly linear in terms of pixel count—4K has four times the pixels of 1080p, yet the frame rate drops to roughly one-third, indicating the GPU is working hard but not completely overwhelmed.

The Low settings row shows even more aggressive scaling: 340 FPS at 1080p falls to 214 FPS at 1440p (a 37.1% drop) and 112 FPS at 4K (a 67.1% drop). The fact that Low settings at 4K still outputs 112 FPS suggests the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for Barony's texture and geometry demands, even at Ultra HD resolution. The step from Medium to High at each resolution costs roughly 10-15% performance, while Ultra demands significantly more—at 4K, Ultra drops to 51 FPS versus Medium's 83 FPS.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU's 3.00 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost clocks are adequate to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the 340 FPS Low result. However, the scaling pattern suggests that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The 16-core processor's multi-threaded capabilities (35,314 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) show no signs of bottlenecking even at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 300 FPS. The percentile ranking of 95 for the CPU versus all tested processors further confirms that this is a top-tier compute platform, while the GPU's 81st percentile ranking highlights it as the more modest component in this pairing.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, based on the AD104 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture, brings 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs to bear on Barony's voxel-based rendering. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz, combined with 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, deliver the raw compute needed for the game's dynamic lighting and particle effects. The 12 GB memory capacity proved adequate across all tested configurations, with no evidence of texture thrashing or stutter in the measured FPS data.

The memory subsystem is particularly relevant for Barony's procedurally generated environments. The 192-bit bus width and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth allow for rapid texture streaming as new dungeon floors generate. The GDDR6X memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) provides the bandwidth headroom necessary for seamless exploration. The RTX 4070's 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores are present but underutilized in this title, which does not appear to leverage ray-traced effects based on the performance patterns.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 37,648 places it in the 81st percentile of all tested GPUs, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (0.1% slower) and AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% slower). Interestingly, the RTX 4080 Mobile scores 1.3% higher, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 trails by 1.3%. This tight clustering around the 37,500-38,000 score range indicates that the RTX 4070 sits at a performance plateau where minor architectural differences yield small percentage deltas. In Barony specifically, the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3,854 and PassMark G3D score of 26,927 provide context for its gaming capabilities, with the data showing strong DirectX 11 performance (244 in PassMark) but weaker DirectX 12 (103) and DirectX 10 (139) results.

The 200 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest thermal headroom for sustained gameplay sessions, though the data does not include temperature measurements. The 550 W suggested PSU and 1x 16-pin power connector indicate standard power requirements for this class of GPU. Barony's performance scaling from Low to Ultra settings shows the GPU's architecture responds well to shader complexity increases, but the 51 FPS Ultra 4K result suggests players should consider dialing back settings for high-refresh-rate displays at extreme resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on resolution and refresh rate targets. At 1920x1080, every preset delivers playable frame rates, with even Ultra hitting 156 FPS average. For 1080p users with 144 Hz displays, High settings at 217 FPS or Medium at 253 FPS both exceed refresh rate capabilities, making Ultra the only preset that approaches typical high-refresh limits. However, the 156 FPS Ultra result still comfortably exceeds 144 Hz, so maximum quality is viable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the recommendations become more nuanced. High settings produce 137 FPS, which is excellent for 144 Hz displays but falls short of 165 Hz or 240 Hz panels. Medium at 159 FPS provides a modest improvement, while Low at 214 FPS enables very high refresh rates. Ultra at 98 FPS remains smooth but may not satisfy competitive players seeking maximum frame rates. The data suggests that 1440p High offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, with the 137 FPS result providing a comfortable margin above 120 FPS for most gaming scenarios.

The 3840x2160 results reveal the RTX 4070's limits in this title. High presets average 72 FPS, which is playable but below the 90 FPS threshold that many players consider ideal. Medium at 83 FPS with a 71 FPS minimum and 96 FPS maximum provides a more consistent experience, while Low at 112 FPS enables smoother gameplay at the cost of visual detail. Ultra at 51 FPS is the only configuration that dips below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for most players. For 4K displays, Medium settings appear to be the sweet spot—the 83 FPS average with an 71 FPS minimum ensures no significant frame drops during intense combat sequences. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for all presets at this resolution, as evidenced by the absence of stutter-related minimum FPS anomalies in the data.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 1572nd out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the 53.6th percentile of all configurations. This mid-pack ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual component strengths—the CPU ranks in the 95th percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 81st percentile. The ranking suggests that Barony's performance characteristics may not fully utilize the CPU's capabilities, or that the game's engine has specific bottlenecks that this combination does not fully overcome.

The CPU's nearest rivals provide context for its processing power. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX scores 1.6% higher on average, while the Intel Core i9-14900K scores 1.7% higher. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and Ryzen 9 8945HX both trail by 1.6% and 2.0% respectively. This tight 3.7% spread among top-tier processors indicates that the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is competitive with the best consumer and workstation chips available, though it does not lead this pack. The 55 W TDP is notably lower than typical desktop processors, making this a particularly efficient option for mobile or compact systems.

The GPU's ranking context shows similar clustering. The RTX 4070's average benchmark score of 37,648 places it just 0.1% above the Tesla P4 and 0.4% above the RX Vega 56, while trailing the RTX 4080 Mobile by 1.3% and leading the PRO W6400 by 1.3%. This grouping suggests that the RTX 4070 occupies a well-established performance tier, with no dramatic gaps to rivals above or below. In Barony specifically, the combo's 1572nd rank out of 2935 indicates that many configurations with ostensibly similar or weaker components achieve better results, likely due to the game's particular optimization patterns.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Barony?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 at High settings delivers 137 FPS average, which is the highest resolution and quality combination that comfortably exceeds 120 FPS. While 1920x1080 achieves higher frame rates, 1440p provides a superior visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, Medium settings average 83 FPS with a 71 FPS minimum, providing a playable experience. High settings drop to 72 FPS, and Ultra falls to 51 FPS. Low settings achieve 112 FPS but significantly reduce visual quality.

Q: How does the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 77,740 places it within 2% of the Intel Core i9-14900K (which scores 1.7% higher) and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX (1.6% higher). It outperforms the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and Ryzen 9 8945HX by 1.6% and 2.0% respectively.

Q: Is the RTX 4070's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for Barony at Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows no VRAM-related performance degradation at any resolution or settings combination. The 12 GB GDDR6X memory with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth handles 4K Ultra at 51 FPS, though this preset is the only one that drops below 60 FPS.

Q: What settings should I use for a 240 Hz monitor?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings achieve 340 FPS, Medium hits 253 FPS, and High reaches 217 FPS—all exceeding 240 Hz. At 2560x1440, only Low at 214 FPS comes close to 240 Hz, while Medium and High fall short at 159 FPS and 137 FPS respectively.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 1572nd out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the upper-middle range. This ranking reflects the GPU's 81st percentile performance rather than the CPU's 95th percentile, indicating the graphics card is the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured average frame rates across all tested configurations provides a comprehensive view of performance:

At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 340 FPS, Medium achieves 253 FPS with a minimum of 215 FPS and maximum of 291 FPS, High delivers 217 FPS, and Ultra reaches 156 FPS. This resolution shows the most significant spread between presets, with a 184 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down proportionally: Low hits 214 FPS, Medium averages 159 FPS (minimum 136 FPS, maximum 183 FPS), High achieves 137 FPS, and Ultra drops to 98 FPS. The 116 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at this resolution is smaller than at 1080p, indicating the GPU begins to become more constrained.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens further: Low averages 112 FPS, Medium delivers 83 FPS with a 71 FPS minimum and 96 FPS maximum, High reaches 72 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 51 FPS. The 61 FPS range from Low to Ultra at 4K demonstrates that resolution scaling disproportionately affects the highest quality presets. The Medium settings at 4K offer the best consistency, with only a 25 FPS variance between minimum and maximum, while the 96 FPS maximum shows the GPU can burst above its average when scene complexity allows.