Barony

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination delivers playable frame rates in Barony, but the data reveals a system that is strictly limited by the graphics card at higher resolutions. While the 1080p results are strong, the performance curve from 1080p to 4K shows a steep decline that points directly at the RX 580 as the bottleneck, particularly when settings are raised. The combination ranks 1576th out of 1702 tested configurations, placing it in the lower tier of systems for this roguelike title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation is the key indicator of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 100.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 61.8 FPS, a reduction of roughly 39%. Pushing to 4K High yields only 34 FPS, which is a 66% drop from the 1080p figure.

This scaling behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is capable of feeding the graphics card at 1080p, but the RX 580's compute resources are simply overwhelmed as pixel count rises. The gap between settings also widens dramatically at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 82.1 FPS (154.7 vs 72.6). At 4K, that same gap narrows to just 31.5 FPS (54.2 vs 22.7), confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor and that even dropping to Low settings cannot overcome the raw pixel throughput demands at 4K.

The data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this pairing if a smooth experience is the goal. The 1440p Medium result of 71.1 FPS is respectable, but the 4K Ultra result of 22.7 FPS is firmly in unplayable territory. The scaling pattern indicates that the RX 580, with its 256-bit memory bus and 8 GB of GDDR5, is saturated by the workload at 4K, regardless of the CPU's capability.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Barony?*

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p with Medium settings provides the best balance, delivering 71.1 FPS. The 1080p results are higher, but 1440p Medium offers a significant visual upgrade while staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RX 580 perform at 4K in this game?

A: The RX 580 struggles at 4K. The best 4K result is 54.2 FPS on Low settings, while High settings drop to 34 FPS and Ultra falls to 22.7 FPS. These numbers suggest 4K is only viable with the lowest preset, and even then, the frame rate is not consistently smooth.

Q: Is the i5-11400F holding back the RX 580?

A: The data indicates the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 154.7 FPS, showing the CPU can drive high frame rates. The performance drop at 4K (to 34 FPS on High) is far too steep to be a CPU limitation, pointing to the GPU as the constraining component.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The measured difference is substantial. Low settings produce 154.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 72.6 FPS. This 82.1 FPS gap shows that the RX 580 has the headroom at 1080p to handle higher presets, but the Ultra preset still imposes a significant performance cost.

Q: How does this combo rank against all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1576th out of 1702 tested combinations for Barony. This places it in the bottom 8% of systems, indicating that while it can run the game, it is not a high-performance configuration for this title.

*Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM on the RX 580 sufficient for Barony?*

A: The measured FPS data does not show VRAM capacity becoming a direct issue. The performance drops are consistent with compute and memory bandwidth limits rather than a VRAM overflow, as the game is a roguelike with relatively modest texture requirements.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are solid for a mid-range part, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a single-core score of 2029. In the context of Barony, these specifications are more than adequate.

The game's roguelike nature means it relies heavily on single-threaded performance for game logic and entity updates. The i5-11400F's single-core score of 2029 in Cinebench R23 is strong, and the measured FPS at 1080p Low (154.7 FPS) confirms that the CPU can push frame rates far beyond what the GPU can sustain at higher resolutions. The processor's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 51.2 GB/s provide sufficient bandwidth for this workload.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at the same settings is steep and consistent, which is the hallmark of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across resolutions, but that is clearly not the case. The CPU's percentile ranking of 75th versus all other CPUs also indicates it is a capable part, but it is paired with a GPU that ranks only 53rd percentile, creating an imbalance that favors the processor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combo shows strong performance across all settings. Low settings yield 154.7 FPS, Medium drops to 111.5 FPS, High produces 100.7 FPS, and Ultra is the only preset that dips below the 100 FPS mark at 72.6 FPS. These numbers indicate that the system is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, provided the user is willing to compromise on visual fidelity for the highest frame rates.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains playable but the strain on the GPU becomes apparent. Low settings produce 96.7 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium settings deliver 71.1 FPS, which is smooth. High settings drop to 61.8 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 Hz display. Ultra settings fall to 46.4 FPS, which is noticeably less fluid and approaches the threshold where stutter can become noticeable.

At 4K, the RX 580 is clearly overmatched. Low settings are the only way to get a semi-playable experience, with an average of 54.2 FPS. Medium settings drop to 35.5 FPS, High falls to 34 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 22.7 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a realistic target for this pairing, even at the lowest settings, as the frame rate hovers near the edge of playability and would be subject to dips in more demanding scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i5-11400F and RX 580 ranks 1576th out of 1702 tested combos in Barony. This ranking puts the system in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, which is a sobering statistic for a game that is not graphically demanding. The ranking is driven primarily by the GPU's performance, as the RX 580 is an older architecture with a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

In comparison, the CPU ranks 75th percentile against all other CPUs, which is a stark contrast to the GPU's 53rd percentile. This discrepancy highlights that the system is held back by the graphics card. If the CPU were paired with a more capable GPU, the ranking would likely improve significantly. The nearest rivals for the CPU include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U with a score of 17189 and a delta of 0%, and the Intel Core i7-1260P with a score of 17212 and a delta of -0.2%. These rivals show that the i5-11400F is competitive with other mid-range processors, but the overall combo ranking reflects the GPU's limitations.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 with a score of 13564 and a delta of 0%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 with a score of 13549 and a delta of 0.1%. These comparable GPUs are all older or lower-end parts, which reinforces that the RX 580 is a dated component in the current landscape.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to 1080p as the sweet spot for this combo. At this resolution, even the Ultra preset delivers 72.6 FPS, which is smooth. However, the most balanced choice is High settings at 1080p, which produces 100.7 FPS. This setting offers a significant visual improvement over Low while maintaining a frame rate that is comfortable for fast-paced gameplay.

If the user prefers higher resolution, 1440p with Medium settings is the recommended path. The 71.1 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS target, and the visual upgrade from 1080p is substantial. Pushing to 1440p High at 61.8 FPS is also acceptable, but it leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The 1440p Ultra setting at 46.4 FPS is not recommended, as the frame rate is below the smoothness threshold.

For 4K, the data suggests it is not worth pursuing. Even Low settings at 54.2 FPS are marginal, and the visual compromise required to reach this frame rate negates the benefit of the higher resolution. The measured data indicates that the system is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where the GPU can maintain playable frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is a 14 nm Polaris 20 chip with 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results reflect this.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 8813 and a 53rd percentile ranking against all GPUs place it in the mid-range of the performance spectrum. Its nearest rivals include the GTX 570 and GTX 950, both of which are significantly older parts. In Barony, the GPU's role is to manage the rendering workload, and the data shows it struggles at higher resolutions.

The 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor in this game, as the performance drops are consistent with compute and bandwidth limitations. The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS is sufficient for 1080p gaming, but the demands of 4K rendering overwhelm the Polaris architecture. The 256-bit memory bus provides decent bandwidth, but it is not enough to sustain high frame rates at 4K with higher settings. The GPU's performance at 4K Ultra (22.7 FPS) is a clear indicator that this component is the primary bottleneck in the system, and any upgrade to a more powerful GPU would yield significant gains in this title.