Barony

The pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 in Barony produces a fascinating dataset that reveals a clear shift in system bottleneck depending on resolution. At 1080p, the frame rates are extraordinarily high, suggesting the CPU is the primary limiter, while at 4K, the GPU takes over as the dominant constraint. This analysis examines the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, interprets the CPU and GPU roles based on their architectural specifications and benchmark scores, and provides context on how this combo ranks against others.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data for this combo shows a classic pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases, but the curve is unusually steep due to the game's nature. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 360 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 227 FPS, a reduction of 133 FPS or roughly 37%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 119 FPS, which is a further drop of 108 FPS from the 1440p figure.

This scaling pattern tells a clear story about the limiting component. The massive frame rates at 1080p indicate that the CPU is working near its limit, as the GPU is capable of rendering frames faster than the processor can feed it. The 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and the 4-thread score of 2859 for the i3-12100F suggest that while single-thread performance is decent, the 4-core/8-thread configuration can become a bottleneck in high-FPS scenarios. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a significant drop, but the system still maintains very high averages of 227 FPS on Low, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take on more of the load.

However, the most telling data point is the 4K results. At 4K High, the average FPS is 76, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 54 FPS. This represents a substantial performance penalty that is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios. The RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus width provide ample bandwidth, but the sheer number of pixels at 3840x2160 requires significant compute power. The fact that the 4K Ultra setting yields 54 FPS suggests that the GPU's pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s are being fully utilized.

The medium settings at each resolution provide an interesting middle ground. At 1080p Medium, the average is 268 FPS, which is still exceptionally high. At 1440p Medium, the average is 169 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it is 88 FPS. The min FPS numbers for Medium settings are notable: 228 at 1080p, 144 at 1440p, and 75 at 4K. These minimums suggest that even in the most demanding scenes, the system maintains playable frame rates across all resolutions.

The data implies that for competitive play at high refresh rates, 1080p is the sweet spot, but for visual fidelity at 4K, users will need to compromise on settings. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial—65 FPS—which indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at that resolution. Conversely, the gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 195 FPS, which is a much larger absolute difference but a smaller relative difference, hinting that CPU limitations are capping the upper end of performance.

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. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, boosting up to 4.30 GHz, and it features a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores paint a picture of a processor with strong single-thread capabilities but limited multi-thread headroom. In Cinebench R23, it scores 1674 in single-core and 11860 in multi-core, a ratio that highlights its efficiency in lightly-threaded workloads.

In Barony, a roguelike game that likely relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and entity updates, the i3-12100F's single-core strength is beneficial. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1659 and 4-thread score of 2859 suggest that the CPU can handle up to four threads efficiently, which is typical for games of this genre. The PassMark single-thread score of 3444 reinforces this, placing it in a competitive position for gaming workloads.

However, the CPU's limitations become apparent at very high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the 360 FPS average suggests the CPU is being pushed to its limits, as the GPU is likely capable of higher output. The percentileVsAllCpus of 68 indicates that this CPU performs better than 68% of all CPUs in the database, but it is not a top-tier part. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355 with an average score of 13492 and the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452, showing that it sits in a mid-range performance bracket.

The L2 cache configuration of 1.25 MB per core is notable, as Barony may benefit from cached game state data. The 12 MB L3 cache is shared across all cores, which can help with data sharing in multi-threaded scenarios. The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel memory bus, allows for flexibility in system configuration, though the memory bandwidth is not specified in the data.

The data suggests that the CPU's role in Barony is to maintain a high baseline frame rate, but it cannot sustain the highest possible FPS counts. The 3DMark max-thread score of 4023, which is only slightly higher than the 8-thread score of 4026, shows that there is minimal scaling beyond 8 threads, which is expected given the 8-thread limit. This means that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 4K, but it does cap performance at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo in Barony?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 360, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo produces an average of 54 FPS, which is the lowest measured performance in the dataset.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings?

A: For Medium settings, the minimum FPS values are 228 at 1080p, 144 at 1440p, and 75 at 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as the 360 FPS on Low settings indicates the GPU is capable of higher output than the CPU can feed.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings yield 227 FPS, while Ultra settings yield 104 FPS, a difference of 123 FPS.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at all resolutions?

A: Yes, the lowest average FPS measured is 54 at 4K Ultra, which is still above the threshold for playable frame rates in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1336 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the 45th percentile. This ranking reflects a mid-tier position, which is consistent with the individual components' performance levels. The CPU ranks in the 68th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 58th percentile among all GPUs, but the combination's ranking in this specific game is lower due to the game's engine and optimization.

The ranking suggests that while each component is capable, the pairing may not be optimal for this particular game. The CPU's 4-core/8-thread configuration could be a limitation in a game that might benefit from more cores, even if it is primarily single-threaded. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Barony at any resolution, so the GPU is not a bottleneck in terms of memory capacity.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing sits in the middle of the pack. The fact that it is in the 45th percentile for this game, while the CPU is in the 68th percentile overall, suggests that Barony is not particularly well-suited to this specific CPU-GPU pairing. The data implies that a stronger CPU might yield better results at lower resolutions, while a stronger GPU might be necessary for higher resolutions with higher settings.

The ranking also indicates that there is room for improvement. Users with this combo might consider adjusting settings to achieve a better balance between visual quality and frame rate, as the measured FPS data shows that the system can handle high frame rates at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain high FPS at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance goals. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, with an average of 88 FPS and a minimum of 75 FPS. This is significantly better than the High preset's 76 FPS average and the Ultra preset's 54 FPS average. The Low preset at 4K yields 119 FPS, but the visual degradation may not be worth the performance gain for most users.

At 1440p, the High preset provides an excellent experience with an average of 145 FPS, while the Medium preset offers 169 FPS. The Ultra preset at 104 FPS is also playable, but the jump from High to Ultra may not be visually noticeable enough to justify the 41 FPS drop. For competitive play, the Low preset at 227 FPS is ideal, but for most users, High or Medium will provide a satisfying experience.

At 1080p, all settings provide playable frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 360 FPS and the High preset at 230 FPS. The Ultra preset at 165 FPS is still very smooth and offers the best visual quality. For users with high refresh rate monitors, the Low or Medium presets will maximize frame rates, but for those prioritizing visual fidelity, the Ultra preset is recommended.

The Medium preset consistently offers a good middle ground across all resolutions, with minimum FPS values of 228 at 1080p, 144 at 1440p, and 75 at 4K. This suggests that Medium is the most stable setting in terms of frame time consistency, making it a safe recommendation for users who want a smooth experience without sacrificing too much visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo demonstrates its peak performance. The Low setting achieves an average of 360 FPS, the Medium setting averages 268 FPS with a minimum of 228 and maximum of 308, the High setting averages 230 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 165 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of delivering extremely high frame rates, particularly at lower settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. The Low setting averages 227 FPS, the Medium setting averages 169 FPS with a minimum of 144 and maximum of 194, the High setting averages 145 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 104 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium settings is still above 144, which is suitable for most gaming monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The Low setting averages 119 FPS, the Medium setting averages 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 102, the High setting averages 76 FPS, and the Ultra setting averages 54 FPS. The 4K results show a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate, with the Ultra setting dipping below 60 FPS, which may be noticeable in fast-paced gameplay.

The data reveals that the combo is most comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates across all settings. At 4K, users will need to compromise on settings to achieve smooth gameplay, with Medium being the recommended setting for a balance of quality and performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the GPU is designed for high-resolution gaming. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for Barony's texture and asset requirements.

The GPU's clock speeds are 1900 MHz base, 2041 MHz game, and 2459 MHz boost. These clocks, combined with the 40 RT cores, give the GPU a strong compute capability, as evidenced by its FP32 performance of 25.18 TFLOPS. The PassMark G3D score of 20974 places it in the 58th percentile among all GPUs, indicating solid mid-to-high-range performance.

In Barony, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important at higher resolutions. The 4K Ultra setting at 54 FPS suggests that the GPU is being fully utilized, as the pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s is likely the limiting factor. The 96 ROPs are responsible for pixel output, and at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to render puts a strain on this component.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X with an average score of 15862, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 at 16014, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129. The RX 7700's average score of 15852 is slightly lower than these competitors, but the delta percentages are small, ranging from -0.1% to -1.7%. This indicates that the GPU is competitive with its peers.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is a significant asset, as it prevents memory-related bottlenecks at any resolution. The 4K results show that the GPU is capable of handling the game's demands at Medium settings with an average of 88 FPS, which is a playable frame rate. The GPU's compute performance, as measured by the PassMark GPU Compute score of 10963, suggests that it can handle the game's shader and lighting effects without issue.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, but it is not a limiting factor at 1080p where the CPU takes over. This makes the RX 7700 a well-balanced GPU for this pairing, offering sufficient performance for high-resolution gaming while being constrained by the CPU at lower resolutions.