Barony

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 delivers a playable, if not spectacular, experience in Barony, a roguelike that is far more demanding on the GPU than the CPU at higher resolutions. The data shows a clear narrative: this combo is a 1080p champion that struggles to maintain smooth framerates at 4K, with the graphics card serving as the primary bottleneck as resolution scales. The combination ranks in the lower 9th percentile of tested configurations, making it a strictly entry-level pairing for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and predictable performance cliff as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 153 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth for any monitor. However, moving to 1440p drops that average to 97 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 51 FPS. This represents a 67% reduction in average framerate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, a substantial hit that clearly indicates the GPU is being pushed to its limits.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the High preset. At 1080p, the average is 98 FPS, which is still comfortably playable. At 1440p, this drops to 62 FPS, and at 4K it plummets to 32 FPS. The delta between 1080p and 1440p is 36 FPS, while the delta between 1440p and 4K is 30 FPS. This suggests the performance degradation is relatively linear, with each resolution step costing roughly 30-36 FPS at High settings.

Ultra settings tell the most brutal story. At 1080p, the average is 70 FPS, which is playable. At 1440p, it drops to 44 FPS, which is borderline. At 4K, the average falls to 23 FPS, which is essentially unplayable for a game requiring any degree of responsiveness. The data indicates that the RX 580, with its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus, simply runs out of pixel-pushing capability at 4K, regardless of the settings preset.

The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, shows no signs of bottlenecking at any resolution. The framerate drops are entirely consistent with GPU-bound behavior: as resolution increases, the load on the graphics card grows exponentially while the CPU workload remains relatively static. The fact that the 4K Medium preset (38 FPS) is significantly lower than the 1080p Ultra preset (70 FPS) further confirms that the RX 580 is the ceiling for this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of Barony, this combination ranks 3393 out of 3717 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8.7% of all configurations tested for this game, which is a sobering statistic. The rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, as the i3-12100F sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database. Rather, it is the GPU dragging the overall combo down; the RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, but its age and architecture limit its performance in more modern titles.

When compared to other tested combos, this pairing is clearly at the entry-level tier. The rank of 3393 out of 3717 means that roughly 324 other combinations perform worse, but it also means over 3,300 perform better. This is not a combo for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming or any form of 4K gaming. It is a functional 1080p setup that can handle older or less demanding titles with ease, but it will struggle with the graphical demands of Barony at higher settings and resolutions.

The CPU's nearest rivals provide context for its standalone performance. The Intel Core 3 N355 scores 13492, a 0% delta from the i3-12100F's average score of 13494. The Intel Core i5-9500 is 0.3% behind, while the Intel Core 5 120UL is 0.7% ahead, and the Intel Core i7-1250U is 1.1% ahead. This indicates the i3-12100F is a competent budget processor that punches at the level of older i5 parts, offering solid single-threaded and multi-threaded performance for its class.

For the GPU, the RX 580's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% faster), the AMD Radeon 740M (0.5% slower), and the AMD FirePro W5100 (0.6% slower). This shows the RX 580 is still competitive with mid-range mobile GPUs and older desktop parts, but it is far behind modern desktop offerings.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Barony at 60 FPS on a 1080p monitor?*

A: Yes, at 1080p, the data shows average framerates of 153 FPS at Low, 114 FPS at Medium, 98 FPS at High, and 70 FPS at Ultra. All four presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold, making this a solid 1080p setup for this game.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: No, the measured data shows 4K averages of 51 FPS at Low, 38 FPS at Medium, 32 FPS at High, and 23 FPS at Ultra. Only the Low preset approaches playability, but the experience is still below the ideal 60 FPS target.

*Q: Which component is the bottleneck for this combo in Barony?*

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the limiting component. The CPU, Intel Core i3-12100F, has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz and 4 cores, which is sufficient for this title. The GPU's performance drops significantly as resolution increases, indicating it is the primary constraint.

Q: How does the i3-12100F compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, while the Intel Core 3 N355 scores 13492, resulting in a 0% delta. They are effectively equal in performance, though the i3-12100F has a higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz compared to the N355's unspecified clock speed.

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

A: At 1440p, the Medium preset yields an average of 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS. The High preset drops to 62 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom.

Q: Is the RX 580 a good match for the i3-12100F in this game?

A: The pairing is balanced for 1080p gaming, as the CPU is not a bottleneck at that resolution. However, at 1440p and above, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, preventing the CPU from reaching its full potential in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average framerates are 153 FPS at Low, 114 FPS at Medium, 98 FPS at High, and 70 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset includes a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, indicating a stable experience with minimal frame drops. The other presets do not have recorded minimum or maximum values, but the averages suggest consistent performance.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop to 97 FPS at Low, 72 FPS at Medium, 62 FPS at High, and 44 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset again provides the only recorded range, with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This shows that at 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot for maintaining a playable framerate, while Ultra dips below 45 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the averages fall further to 51 FPS at Low, 38 FPS at Medium, 32 FPS at High, and 23 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS, which is a narrow range that highlights the GPU's inability to handle 4K rendering. The High and Ultra presets are below the 30 FPS threshold, making them unsuitable for actual gameplay.

The data reveals a few key trends. First, the jump from Low to Medium settings costs an average of 39 FPS at 1080p, 25 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. This diminishing penalty suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is already saturated, so the additional load from higher settings has less impact on the absolute framerate. Second, the jump from Medium to High costs 16 FPS at 1080p, 10 FPS at 1440p, and 6 FPS at 4K. Finally, the jump from High to Ultra costs 28 FPS at 1080p, 18 FPS at 1440p, and 9 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is disproportionately expensive at 1080p, which may indicate a specific rendering feature that heavily taxes the GPU at that resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it connects to the motherboard via an Intel Socket 1700 with PCIe Gen 5 support for 16 CPU lanes.

In Barony, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions, but it is still a capable performer. The benchmark data shows a single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark and 1674 in Cinebench R23, indicating strong per-core performance. The multi-threaded scores are also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 7252. This level of performance is more than sufficient for a roguelike game, which typically relies on single-threaded performance for game logic and AI.

The 4-core, 8-thread configuration is adequate for this title. The game does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded, as the CPU's 3DMark scores show a significant jump from 2 threads (1659) to 4 threads (2859), but a smaller jump from 4 to 8 threads (4026). This suggests that the game can utilize up to 4 cores effectively, but additional threads provide diminishing returns. The i3-12100F's boost clock of 4.30 GHz ensures that the game's main thread runs at high speed, which is critical for maintaining consistent framerates.

The CPU's 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it is a solid mid-range performer. It is not a high-end part, but it is far from a bottleneck in this game. The data shows that at 1080p, the RX 580 is the limiting factor, as the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough frames to reach 153 FPS at Low settings. At higher resolutions, the CPU's workload decreases relative to the GPU, so it becomes even less of a constraint.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the best choice if you prioritize visual quality over maximum framerate. The measured average of 70 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a smooth experience. However, if you prefer a higher framerate for competitive play or a high-refresh-rate monitor, the High preset at 98 FPS is a better option. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is also viable, but the visual quality difference between Medium and High is typically more noticeable than the framerate difference.

For a 1440p display, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. The average of 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS ensures a consistently smooth experience. The High preset at 62 FPS is also playable, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes, and the minimum framerate is not recorded. The Ultra preset at 44 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS target and may feel sluggish.

For a 4K display, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 51 FPS. The Medium preset at 38 FPS is playable but not ideal, and the High and Ultra presets are too demanding, with averages of 32 FPS and 23 FPS respectively. If you are gaming at 4K, it is recommended to use the Low preset and accept the visual compromises, or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The data shows that the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with a framerate range of 61-83 FPS. At 1080p, the Ultra preset provides the best visual experience while maintaining a 70 FPS average. For users who prioritize framerate, the High preset at 1080p (98 FPS) or the Low preset at 1440p (97 FPS) are strong alternatives. Ultimately, the choice should be guided by your display's resolution and refresh rate, as well as your tolerance for visual compromises.