Barony

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a benchmark profile in Barony that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet reveals a significant CPU ceiling at 1080p. The data shows a performance curve that scales predictably with resolution, but the magnitude of the drops between settings indicates where the bottleneck shifts. This combination ranks in the 65th percentile of all tested combos, a position driven more by the GPU’s raw throughput than the processor’s mid-range capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and consistent decline as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a system transitioning from a CPU-limited state to a GPU-limited one. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 437.6 FPS, but this falls to 274.9 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 145.3 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is steep, but the absolute numbers remain high, indicating that the RX 6800 XT is still the dominant force even at 4K.

The pattern becomes more telling when examining the High preset. At 1080p High, the system hits 277.2 FPS, which drops to 173 FPS at 1440p and then to 92.1 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are similar to the Low preset, but the fact that 1080p High (277.2 FPS) is nearly identical to 1440p Low (274.9 FPS) suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor at lower resolutions and settings. When the GPU is given more work at higher resolutions, the FPS drops proportionally, but the CPU’s inability to push beyond roughly 277 FPS in this scenario is a clear indicator of a processor bottleneck.

At the Ultra preset, the scaling is even more pronounced. The system produces 197.1 FPS at 1080p, 127.6 FPS at 1440p, and only 64.7 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is less than half of the 1080p Ultra result, showing that the GPU’s workload at maximum settings and high pixel count is the primary constraint. The data strongly suggests that for this game, the RX 6800 XT is the component that determines the upper limit of performance at 1440p and above, while the i5-11400F becomes the limiting factor only at 1080p with lower graphical loads.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 17181. In the context of Barony, this processor’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and the data shows it does so adequately but not exceptionally.

The CPU’s performance ceiling is most evident at 1080p. At Low settings, the system reaches 437.6 FPS, which is a very high number, but the fact that it does not go higher suggests the CPU’s single-thread and multi-thread capabilities are the limiting factor. The 3dmark single-thread score of 868 and the 3dmark 4-thread score of 3171 indicate moderate single-core strength, which is critical for a roguelike like Barony that likely relies on a single main thread for game simulation. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 shows the 12 threads can handle parallel workloads, but the game’s FPS at 1080p Low is not substantially higher than at 1080p High, which points to a CPU bottleneck that is independent of GPU load.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i5-11400F is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (deltaPct of 0) and only slightly behind the Intel Core i7-1260P and Core Ultra 7 164U (both with a deltaPct of -0.2). This means the processor is not a standout performer, but it is also not a weak link. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient data throughput for the game, but the benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s role is to keep up with the GPU’s demands at lower resolutions, not to lead the performance charge.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the clear performance driver in this combination. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s, which is more than ample for a game like Barony. Its 4608 shading units and 128 ROPs, running at a boost clock of 2250 MHz, provide the raw pixel-pushing power that explains the high frame rates across all resolutions. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 87th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49982, confirms its high-end status.

The GPU’s dominance is visible in the 4K results. At 4K High, the system still manages 92.1 FPS, which is a playable and smooth experience. The 4K Ultra result of 64.7 FPS is lower but still usable, and the fact that the GPU can handle 4K at all with such high frame rates reflects its 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Arc A550M (deltaPct of 0.5) and the NVIDIA RTX A1000 (deltaPct of -1.7), which shows that the RX 6800 XT is slightly above average in its performance tier.

The GPU’s role becomes even clearer when comparing settings at the same resolution. At 1440p, the difference between Low (274.9 FPS) and Ultra (127.6 FPS) is a 54% reduction in performance, which is entirely attributable to the GPU’s workload increasing with graphical fidelity. This is a typical GPU-bound scenario, where the processor has enough headroom to feed the GPU, and the FPS drops are directly proportional to the increase in shader complexity and memory usage. The 16 GB VRAM capacity ensures that memory is never a bottleneck, even at 4K Ultra with high-resolution textures.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 437.6 (Low) to 197.1 (Ultra). The High setting produces 277.2 FPS, and Medium produces 326.1 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy: Low is nearly double the performance of Ultra, and the gap between Medium and High is 49 FPS, indicating that the graphical settings have a significant impact on frame rate at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to a range of 274.9 (Low) to 127.6 (Ultra). High produces 173 FPS, and Medium produces 203.8 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly consistent across all settings, with an average reduction of about 37% in FPS. This is a substantial drop, but it is expected given the 78% increase in pixel count from 1080p to 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS falls to a range of 145.3 (Low) to 64.7 (Ultra). High produces 92.1 FPS, and Medium produces 109.8 FPS. The 4K results are the most demanding, and the Ultra preset drops below the 70 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable to some players. However, the Low preset still achieves 145.3 FPS, which is a very smooth experience even at 4K. The data shows that for a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 4K, the Medium or High presets are the sweet spot, while Low is reserved for maximum frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 595th out of 1702 tested combos. This places it in the 65th percentile of all systems, meaning it outperforms about two-thirds of the tested configurations. This is a respectable ranking, but it is not in the top tier, which is typically reserved for combinations with top-of-the-line CPUs and GPUs.

The ranking is likely held back by the CPU’s mid-range position. While the GPU is in the 87th percentile, the CPU is only in the 75th percentile, and the combination’s ranking reflects the CPU’s limitations at lower resolutions. The data suggests that if the CPU were upgraded to a higher-tier processor, the combo’s rank would improve significantly, especially at 1080p where the CPU bottleneck is most apparent. However, the current ranking is still strong, and the system is capable of delivering high frame rates in Barony across all tested scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 277.2 FPS is the recommended setting, as it provides a nearly three-fold increase over the 60 FPS standard while maintaining visual quality. The Ultra preset at 197.1 FPS is also viable for players who prioritize image quality, but the drop to 197.1 FPS is noticeable compared to High.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 203.8 FPS is the best balance of performance and visual fidelity, as it stays well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most gaming monitors. The High preset at 173 FPS is also excellent, but the Medium preset offers a 30 FPS advantage with only a minor visual difference. For 4K, the Medium preset at 109.8 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a smooth experience above 100 FPS. The High preset at 92.1 FPS is also acceptable, but the Ultra preset at 64.7 FPS is best avoided unless a 60 Hz monitor is used, as the frame rate is right at the edge of playability.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Barony?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 437.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is the combo more CPU-limited or GPU-limited at 4K?

A: At 4K, the combo is clearly GPU-limited, as evidenced by the significant drop in FPS from 145.3 (Low) to 64.7 (Ultra), which is a direct result of the GPU’s workload increasing with settings.

Q: How does the i5-11400F compare to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U’s score of 17189, resulting in a deltaPct of 0.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 595th out of 1702 tested combinations, placing it in the 65th percentile of all tested systems.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best experience at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset at 203.8 FPS provides the best experience at 1440p, offering a high frame rate well above 144 FPS while maintaining good visual quality.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has a memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s, which is delivered via 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus.