Barony

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 lands at rank 1634 out of 1702 tested combos in Barony. This places the configuration in the bottom 4% of all tested systems, a result that reflects the GTX 1650's position as a modest performer rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The combo rank is driven overwhelmingly by the GPU, which sits at the 43rd percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU holds a much stronger 73rd percentile ranking. In practical terms, this system is positioned for playable frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but it will struggle to deliver smooth experiences at higher visual fidelity or 4K output.

The data indicates a configuration that is fundamentally balanced toward 1080p gameplay. With the GPU's average benchmark score of 8713 and the CPU's average of 14168, the pairing shows a clear bottleneck in the graphics card for most scenarios in Barony. The rank of 1634 out of 1702 is not a condemnation of the CPU, which outperforms its nearest rivals like the AMD EPYC 7552 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i5-8500 by 1.1%. Instead, it underscores that the GTX 1650 is the limiting factor, especially as resolution and settings increase.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is built on the Turing architecture with a TU117 chip manufactured on a 12 nm process. It carries 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1485 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and memory runs at 2001 MHz (8 Gbps effective). These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the measured FPS data confirms the GPU's limitations.

In Barony, the GTX 1650's role is defined by its 4 GB VRAM capacity. At 1080p, this is sufficient for all tested settings, with average frame rates ranging from 138.8 FPS on Low to 64.6 FPS on Ultra. The GPU's shading units (896) and texture units (56) handle the game's roguelike visuals adequately at lower presets, but the pixel rate of 53.28 GPixel/s and texture rate of 93.24 GTexel/s become strained as settings climb. At 4K, the GPU's 4 GB VRAM is insufficient for High or Ultra settings, with average FPS dropping to 26.4 and 23.4 respectively. The GPU's 43rd percentile ranking among all GPUs places it near rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (0.4% slower) and AMD Radeon 550X (0.4% slower), but it trails the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 by 0.5%.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 the limiting factor in Barony?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 138.8 FPS, but dropping to 4K Ultra reduces this to 23.4 FPS. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking versus the GPU's 43rd percentile confirms the graphics card holds back performance.

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

A: Barely, and only at Low settings. The measured data shows 47.6 FPS at 4K Low, but High, Medium, and Ultra all fall below 33 FPS (26.4, 32.4, and 23.4 respectively), making them impractical for smooth gameplay.

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

A: 1080p is clearly the sweet spot. All settings at 1080p exceed 64 FPS, with Low reaching 138.8 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (87.1 FPS) and High (55.3 FPS) remain playable, while Ultra dips to 40.8 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score of 8713 is 0.4% ahead of the RTX 3050 A Mobile and 0.4% ahead of the Radeon 550X, but 0.5% behind the Quadro P2200. These are negligible differences, indicating similar performance tiers.

Q: Does the CPU's 6-core / 12-thread configuration benefit Barony?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and single-core score of 1453 indicate strong headroom. Since the GPU is the bottleneck, the CPU's capabilities are not fully utilized, especially at higher resolutions where frame rates drop significantly.

Q: What should users expect for frame rate consistency?

A: The data shows no minimum or maximum FPS values, only averages. This means consistency cannot be directly quantified, but the wide gaps between settings (e.g., 138.8 FPS at 1080p Low vs 64.6 FPS at 1080p Ultra) suggest that higher presets will produce more variable performance.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the GTX 1650 delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 138.8 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth for a roguelike. Medium follows at 100.6 FPS, High at 91.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 64.6 FPS. These numbers show that even the most demanding preset at 1080p remains above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution the only one where all settings are viable.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance declines noticeably. Low settings average 87.1 FPS, which remains fluid, but Medium drops to 63 FPS and High to 55.3 FPS. Ultra falls further to 40.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may feel less responsive. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p (46.3 FPS) is proportionally larger than at 1080p (74.2 FPS), indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes more constrained at higher resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings average 47.6 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium drops to 32.4 FPS, High to 26.4 FPS, and Ultra to 23.4 FPS. These figures are all below 30 FPS except for Low, making 4K a poor choice for this combo. The 4 GB VRAM is likely a significant factor, as the higher resolution demands more memory that the GPU cannot provide efficiently.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, performance falls from 138.8 FPS at 1080p to 87.1 FPS at 1440p (a 37.2% reduction), then to 47.6 FPS at 4K (a 65.7% reduction from 1080p). At Ultra settings, the decline is even more pronounced: 64.6 FPS at 1080p drops to 40.8 FPS at 1440p (36.8% reduction) and then to 23.4 FPS at 4K (63.8% reduction from 1080p).

This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is fully saturated at higher resolutions. The 128.1 GB/s memory bandwidth and 4 GB VRAM are insufficient for 4K workloads, causing frame rates to plummet. The CPU, by contrast, shows no such limitation; its 12 threads and 4.30 GHz boost clock provide ample compute power that goes underutilized as the GPU struggles. The data suggests that resolution scaling is the clearest indicator of the GTX 1650's ceiling—users should stay at 1080p to avoid the steep performance cliff.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmarks show solid single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core: 1453) and capable multi-thread results (Cinebench R23 multicore: 10297). Its percentile ranking of 73 vs all CPUs places it well above the GPU's 43rd percentile.

In Barony, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain frame rates. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 138.8 FPS, suggesting the CPU can handle high frame rate scenarios. However, as settings increase, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's additional headroom goes unused. The CPU's nearest rivals—AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% faster), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% faster), Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% faster), and AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (1.2% faster)—all perform within a narrow margin, confirming that the i5-10400F is not the weak link in this configuration.

# Settings Recommendations

For the Intel Core i5-10400F + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combo in Barony, the data points to 1080p as the optimal resolution, with Medium settings providing the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 100.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target and leaves room for demanding scenes. High settings at 91.2 FPS are also viable, offering a modest visual upgrade with only a 9.4 FPS penalty over Medium.

At 1440p, Low settings (87.1 FPS) are the only preset that maintains a comfortable frame rate. Medium at 63 FPS is borderline, while High (55.3 FPS) and Ultra (40.8 FPS) fall short of smoothness. For users who prioritize resolution over detail, 1440p Low is a reasonable choice, but 1080p Medium or High provides a superior experience. At 4K, the system is not recommended for anything beyond Low settings (47.6 FPS), as all other presets dip below 33 FPS, making them unsuitable for gameplay. The optimal experience is 1080p Medium, which balances the GPU's capabilities with the CPU's headroom.