Barony

Intel Core i5-10400F paired with Intel Arc B370 delivers a playable but heavily GPU-limited experience in Barony, with the data showing a clear ceiling at 1080p that falls off sharply at higher resolutions. The combo ranks in the 8th percentile (2701 out of 2935 tested combos), indicating that while the CPU has ample headroom, the integrated-class GPU is the primary bottleneck across all measured settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It runs at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosts up to 4.30 GHz, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 256 KB of L2 per core. The CPU supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth. In the context of Barony, a roguelike title that relies on procedural generation and simulation rather than massive thread counts, this processor's specifications are more than sufficient for the game's logic.

Benchmark data supports this assessment. In Cinebench R23, the i5-10400F scores 10283 in multi-core and 1451 in single-core tests. Its Geekbench scores are 6257 multi-core and 1420 single-core. The PassMark multithread score sits at 12115, with a single-thread score of 2541. These numbers place the CPU in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14185. The nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% higher score), AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% higher), Intel Core 7 160UL (0.3% lower), and AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.6% lower) — all essentially matching the i5-10400F's raw compute output.

The CPU's role in this game's measured frame rates becomes evident when comparing resolution scaling. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 144 FPS; at 4K Low, it drops to 47 FPS. This 3x resolution increase causes a 67% frame rate reduction, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is not the limiting factor here — the data indicates that even at 1080p Ultra (66 FPS), the processor has enough headroom to push higher if the GPU could keep up. The 3DMark scores show scaling from 688 single-thread to 4748 max-threads, suggesting the CPU can handle the game's single-threaded roguelike logic without issue, while its 12 threads provide ample margin for background tasks.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts to 2400 MHz, with a 25 W TDP. Crucially, it uses System Shared memory, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM — the GPU borrows from system RAM, and memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent."

This shared memory architecture is the defining weakness of this combo. The GPU's pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in that benchmark are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (0.2% higher), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (0.5% higher), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (0.7% higher) — all aging discrete parts from over a decade ago, which underscores how limited this integrated GPU is.

The GPU's impact on Barony is unmistakable. At 1080p, dropping from Low to Ultra reduces average FPS from 144 to 66 — a 54% performance penalty. At 1440p, the same settings change drops FPS from 91 to 42 (54% penalty), and at 4K, from 47 to 22 (53% penalty). This consistent ~54% penalty across resolutions indicates that the GPU is the binding constraint; the settings slider directly taxes the GPU's limited compute and memory bandwidth. The minimum FPS data reinforces this: at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 91 FPS, but at 4K Medium it falls to 30 FPS, showing that the shared memory system struggles as resolution increases and memory pressure grows.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, but the choice depends heavily on the target resolution and acceptable frame rates. At 1080p, Medium delivers 107 FPS average with a minimum of 91 FPS and maximum of 123 FPS. This is the sweet spot — it provides smooth gameplay with a comfortable margin above typical 60 FPS thresholds, and the minimum frame rate indicates no severe stutters. High at 1080p yields 92 FPS, still playable, but the 15 FPS drop from Medium suggests diminishing returns for the extra visual fidelity.

At 1440p, Medium drops to 67 FPS average with a 57 FPS minimum and 78 FPS maximum. This is still playable, though the minimum frame rate approaches the 60 FPS threshold. Low at 1440p gives 91 FPS, which is smoother but sacrifices visual quality. High at 1440p produces 58 FPS, which is borderline for a roguelike where reaction time matters. The data suggests that for 1440p, Low is the safer choice for consistent performance, while Medium is acceptable if the player tolerates occasional dips below 60 FPS.

At 4K, the picture is grim. Medium yields 35 FPS average with a 30 FPS minimum and 41 FPS maximum — playable only in the most forgiving sense. Low at 4K gives 47 FPS, which is the best 4K option, but still below the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra at 4K produce 30 FPS and 22 FPS respectively, which are not recommended for a game requiring quick reflexes. For the best experience per the measured rows, 1080p Medium is the clear recommendation, offering 107 FPS average with a 91 FPS minimum. If higher resolution is mandatory, 1440p Low at 91 FPS is the next best option, sacrificing visual detail for smoothness.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2701 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, confirming that this is a low-end pairing by the benchmark database's standards. The rank reflects the GPU's severe limitations more than the CPU's capabilities — the i5-10400F is a competent mid-range processor, but the Arc B370's integrated nature and shared memory hold the entire system back.

The rank is consistent with the GPU's percentile standing. The Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and the combo's 8th percentile rank in this game is slightly higher, suggesting the CPU contributes some positive headroom that lifts the overall performance slightly above what the GPU alone would suggest. Conversely, the CPU's 68th percentile ranking shows that in isolation, the processor is far more capable than the combo result implies. The delta between the CPU's percentile and the combo's rank highlights the extent of GPU bottlenecking: a top-tier CPU would not meaningfully improve these frame rates, as the GPU is saturated.

In practical terms, this rank means that most other tested combos will outperform this pairing in Barony. The nearest rival GPUs in synthetic benchmarks — ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, and AMD Radeon HD 7650M — are all from 2010-2012 era, yet they match the Arc B370's raw score. This suggests that the Arc B370 is competitive with decade-old discrete GPUs, which is a poor starting point for a modern gaming experience, even in a relatively lightweight roguelike title.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a consistent pattern of GPU-bound scaling. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings drops average FPS from 107 to 67, a 37% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium drops FPS from 67 to 35, a 48% reduction. The full 1080p-to-4K jump at Medium results in a 67% FPS loss (107 to 35). At Low settings, the same resolution jump shows a 67% drop (144 to 47). These percentages are nearly identical across settings, which is the hallmark of a GPU-limited system.

The data indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU workload is resolution-independent. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally with the number of pixels, which is exactly what a GPU-bound scenario looks like. The Arc B370's System Shared memory exacerbates this: as resolution increases, the memory bandwidth demand grows, but the shared memory system cannot provide dedicated bandwidth, causing frame rates to plummet.

The minimum FPS data reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 91 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it's 57 FPS; at 4K Medium, it's 30 FPS. The minimum frame rates drop by roughly 50% with each resolution step, mirroring the average FPS drops. There is no evidence of CPU frame-time spikes causing stutters — the minimums scale smoothly with resolution, indicating consistent GPU-bound performance. For players, this means that lowering resolution is the most effective lever for improving frame rates, as the CPU has no headroom to compensate for GPU limitations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: Based on measured data, 1080p Medium offers 107 FPS average with a 91 FPS minimum and 123 FPS maximum. This is the only configuration that maintains a minimum frame rate above 90 FPS, providing the smoothest experience. At higher resolutions, frame rates drop below 60 FPS even on Low settings.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so much from 1080p to 4K?

A: The drop is consistent across settings: at Low, FPS falls from 144 to 47 (67% reduction); at Medium, from 107 to 35 (67% reduction); at High, from 92 to 30 (67% reduction); at Ultra, from 66 to 22 (67% reduction). This uniform scaling indicates the GPU is the bottleneck, as its shared memory system cannot handle the increased pixel load.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F strong enough for this game?

A: Yes, the CPU is not the limiting factor. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1451 and multi-core score of 10283, combined with a 68th percentile ranking, show ample processing power. The proof is in the resolution scaling: if the CPU were weak, frame rates would not drop so predictably with resolution increases.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to other GPUs?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 5th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (0.2% higher), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (0.5% higher), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (0.7% higher) — all ancient discrete GPUs that match its performance.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this combo?

A: If 60 FPS is the target, only 1080p Medium (107 FPS), 1080p High (92 FPS), 1080p Ultra (66 FPS), and 1440p Low (91 FPS) meet that standard. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 67 FPS but the minimum falls to 57 FPS, which may cause noticeable dips. 4K is not playable at 60 FPS on any setting.

Q: Does this combo rank well compared to other tested systems?

A: No, it ranks 2701 out of 2935 combos in Barony, placing it in the bottom 8% of tested configurations. This low rank is driven by the GPU's limitations, as the CPU itself ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs.