Barony

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers exceptional performance in Barony, a roguelike title that clearly favors high frame rates. The data shows this combination is capable of pushing well beyond the refresh rate of most monitors at 1440p, and even at 4K, it maintains playable, fluid performance. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS results to explain exactly what this combo offers and how to get the most out of it.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination for Barony?

A: The combination ranks 448th out of 1702 tested combos. This places it in the top 26% of all configurations tested for this specific game, indicating a high-performing pairing.

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

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 98.5 FPS at 3840x2160 on High settings. Even at the demanding Ultra preset, it achieves 69.2 FPS, which is comfortably playable.

Q: What is the best resolution for maximizing frame rates?

A: At 1920x1080, the combo produces staggering results, with the Low preset hitting 470 FPS and even the Ultra preset reaching 216.3 FPS. This makes it ideal for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4070's average benchmark score is 37283. It is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and 1.9% behind the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A, but it is 2.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5300M.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168. It is 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, showing very close performance to these competing chips.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of quality and performance at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers 190 FPS. This is a significant jump from the 136.7 FPS of the Ultra preset while still offering a high level of visual fidelity, making it a strong recommendation.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. In a game like Barony, which is a roguelike, the CPU is responsible for game logic, procedural generation, and AI calculations. The data shows the i5-10400F has a solid single-thread score of 2541 in Passmark, which is crucial for these tasks that often rely on a few fast cores.

The processor's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant. Its 3DMark max-threads score is 4735, and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 10297. While Barony may not scale perfectly with all 12 threads, having them available ensures the game can handle background tasks and complex scenes without bottlenecking the GPU. The CPU's performance is consistent with its rivals; it is 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 in average benchmark score, according to the nearestRivals data. This places it in a competitive tier where CPU bottlenecks are unlikely to be a primary concern.

The 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency. With a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s on a dual-channel DDR4 interface, the CPU has sufficient data throughput to feed the GPU in most scenarios. In Barony, the CPU's job is to maintain a stable frame pipeline. The benchmark results indicate it does so effectively, as the frame rates scale dramatically with resolution changes, which is a classic sign that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher settings, while the CPU holds its own at lower ones.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the dominant component in this pairing. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, it features 5888 shading units and 46 RT cores. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz. For Barony, the GPU's raw rasterization power is what drives the high frame rates. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which is more than enough for the texture and geometry data of this game, even at 4K resolution.

The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial, with an FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS. This power translates directly into the measured FPS. At 1920x1080, the GPU is rarely stressed, producing an average of 301.2 FPS on High settings. This shows the RTX 4070 is not a limiting factor until you push to higher resolutions. The GPU's average benchmark score of 37283 places it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, confirming its high-end status.

The data shows the GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is tight. It is only 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and 2.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile in average benchmark scores. However, in real-world Barony testing, the combination's rank of 448 out of 1702 suggests the pairing is well-balanced. The RTX 4070's 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU requirement are manageable for most desktop systems, making it a practical choice for a high-performance build.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how settings affect performance. At 4K, the Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding 69.2 FPS. While this is playable, the jump to High at 98.5 FPS offers a significant 42% performance increase for what is likely a minimal visual difference in a roguelike. For a smoother 4K experience, High is the recommended preset.

At 2560x1440, the choice becomes more about refresh rate. The Ultra preset delivers 136.7 FPS, which is excellent for 144Hz monitors. However, the High preset at 190 FPS is better suited for 165Hz or 240Hz displays. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot, as it provides a substantial performance boost while retaining most of the visual quality. The Medium preset at 217.6 FPS is also viable for competitive play, but High offers a better balance.

For 1080p, the GPU is so powerful that even the Ultra preset at 216.3 FPS is far beyond the capabilities of most monitors. The Low preset at 470 FPS is only relevant for esports-level competitive play where every frame counts. For general use at 1080p, the Ultra or High preset is recommended, as the performance is already so high that there is no need to compromise on visuals. The best experience across all resolutions is achieved by selecting the High preset, as it consistently offers a massive frame rate advantage over Ultra while maintaining high visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 448th out of 1702 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the top 26% of all configurations, which is a strong result. This ranking is achieved through the synergy of a capable 6-core CPU and a high-end GPU. The i5-10400F, with its 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, provides enough processing power to keep the GPU fed with data.

The GPU, ranking in the 81st percentile among all GPUs, is the primary driver of the high frame rates. The data shows that this pairing is not bottlenecked in a significant way. At 1080p and 1440p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, indicating the GPU is working efficiently. The rank suggests that while there are 447 faster combinations, this setup offers a level of performance that is in the upper echelon for this game. The closest CPU rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7552 and Intel Core i5-8500, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, meaning the i5-10400F is not leaving any performance on the table.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy based on resolution and settings.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the frame rates are as follows:

• Ultra: 69.2 FPS
• High: 98.5 FPS
• Medium: 115 FPS
• Low: 154.4 FPS

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance scales up significantly:

• Ultra: 136.7 FPS
• High: 190 FPS
• Medium: 217.6 FPS
• Low: 295.4 FPS

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the GPU is clearly not the bottleneck:

• Ultra: 216.3 FPS
• High: 301.2 FPS
• Medium: 347.4 FPS
• Low: 470 FPS

The data shows a consistent pattern: dropping from Ultra to High yields a substantial gain at every resolution. At 4K, this is a 29.3 FPS increase; at 1440p, it is a 53.3 FPS increase; and at 1080p, it is an 84.9 FPS increase. This makes the High preset the optimal choice for maximizing performance without a major visual penalty. The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, but the performance is already so high at other settings that it is unnecessary for most users. The Medium preset provides a middle ground, but High is the clear winner for a balanced experience.