Barony

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT lands at rank 1388 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony, placing it comfortably in the top 37% of all configurations. This is a strong showing for a mid-range pairing, indicating that the system delivers well above-average performance for a game that is not particularly demanding on modern hardware. The combination’s ranking reflects a balanced setup where neither component becomes a glaring bottleneck at typical gaming resolutions, though the data reveals clear scaling patterns that favor lower resolutions and lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1388 out of 3717 tested configurations puts it in the upper-middle tier of all systems benchmarked in Barony. This position suggests that while the hardware is not top-tier, it outperforms the majority of tested combos, which is notable given the game’s 2015 release date and its roguelike genre—titles that often rely more on CPU logic than GPU rendering. The ranking implies that this pairing is well-suited for smooth, high-refresh-rate play at 1080p and 1440p, and it remains capable even at 4K with adjusted settings.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s overall percentile of 71 places it above roughly 71% of all CPUs tested, while the GPU’s percentile of 67 puts it above 67% of all GPUs. When combined, these mid-to-upper percentile scores translate into a system that consistently delivers playable frame rates across the board. The rank also suggests that users can expect a seamless experience in Barony’s procedurally generated dungeons, where frame pacing and consistency matter more than raw peak performance.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing’s rank is respectable but not exceptional, meaning there is headroom for upgrades if users seek higher frame rates at 4K Ultra. However, for the vast majority of players targeting 1080p or 1440p, this combination sits in a sweet spot where it can push high refresh rates without requiring compromises. The data underscores that this is a dependable, balanced build rather than an outlier in either direction.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT plays a central role in shaping Barony’s performance, particularly at higher resolutions where its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus width become relevant. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s provides ample headroom for the game’s texture-heavy environments, ensuring that asset streaming does not become a limiting factor even at 4K. With a boost clock of 2544 MHz and a game clock of 2171 MHz, the card demonstrates strong sustained performance, which is reflected in the measured frame rates.

In Barony, the GPU’s influence is most pronounced at 4K resolution, where the gap between Low and Ultra settings is stark. At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops from 130 at Low to 60 at Ultra, a reduction of over 50%, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution. The card’s 96 ROPs and 549.5 GTexel/s texture rate help maintain decent throughput, but the data shows that running at 4K Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits, resulting in a minimum observed FPS of 82 only at Medium settings.

The GPU’s overall benchmark average score of 22549 places it in the 67th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile (22435, 0.5% higher) and the RTX 4060 Mobile (22729, 0.8% lower). This indicates that the RX 7700 XT is closely matched with those mobile parts in synthetic tests, but in Barony specifically, its desktop-class power delivery and cooling allow it to sustain higher clocks, which benefits frame rates. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support and 12_2 feature level ensure compatibility with modern rendering techniques, though Barony’s simpler graphics mean the card’s capabilities are not fully stressed at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a predictable pattern where the GPU becomes progressively more dominant as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 252, which drops to 159 at 2560x1440 and further to 83 at 3840x2160. This represents a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU has ample headroom to keep up.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced: 395 FPS at 1080p, 249 FPS at 1440p, and 130 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is still above 100 FPS, which demonstrates that the GPU can handle the game comfortably when visual demands are reduced. However, the drop from 1080p to 4K at Low is 67%, suggesting that even with minimal settings, the GPU’s rendering load scales significantly with pixel count.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (395 FPS) and Ultra (181 FPS) is 214 FPS, but at 4K, the difference between Low (130 FPS) and Ultra (60 FPS) is only 70 FPS. This narrowing indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that settings adjustments have a relatively smaller absolute impact, whereas at 1080p, the GPU has enough spare capacity to handle higher settings without major FPS losses. This pattern confirms that the CPU is not a bottleneck in any scenario tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings yield an average of 395 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor. Medium settings average 294 FPS with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS, indicating smooth frame delivery with no significant dips. High settings average 252 FPS, while Ultra settings still manage 181 FPS, making 1080p a non-issue for this combo.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain highly playable. Low settings average 249 FPS, Medium averages 185 FPS with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS, and High averages 159 FPS. Ultra settings at 1440p average 114 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the system shows no signs of struggling at this resolution. The minimum FPS at Medium (157) suggests that even in intense scenes, the frame rate rarely drops below the refresh rate of most 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more variable. Low settings average 130 FPS, Medium averages 97 FPS with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS, and High averages 83 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K average 60 FPS, which is exactly at the standard refresh rate threshold, but the lack of a recorded minimum FPS for Ultra suggests that users may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS in demanding moments. Overall, the data shows that 4K is viable but requires settings adjustments to maintain consistent frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Barony?

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 at High settings (159 FPS average) or Ultra settings (114 FPS average) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, all settings exceed 180 FPS, while 4K requires Medium settings (97 FPS) or below to stay above 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K, the system averages 130 FPS at Low settings and 97 FPS at Medium settings, which are playable. However, High settings drop to 83 FPS and Ultra settings fall to 60 FPS, so users may need to lower settings for a consistent experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The FPS drops significantly from 1080p to 4K (e.g., 252 to 83 FPS at High settings), while the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to drive frame rates above 250 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating no CPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RX 7700 XT has an average benchmark score of 22549, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 5060 Mobile (22435) and 0.8% lower than the RTX 4060 Mobile (22729). In Barony, the desktop GPU’s sustained clocks likely give it an edge over these mobile parts.

Q: What are the CPU’s key specifications relevant to gaming?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support contribute to its 71st percentile ranking among all CPUs.

Q: Is this combo suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: Yes, at 1080p, the system exceeds 181 FPS at all settings, and at 1440p, it stays above 114 FPS at all settings. This makes it ideal for 144Hz or 165Hz monitors, though 4K users should target 60Hz displays.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F provides the computational foundation for this combo, and its specifications are well-matched to Barony’s requirements. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the CPU offers sufficient multi-threading for the game’s procedural generation and AI logic, which can be demanding in roguelike titles. The base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz deliver strong single-thread performance, which is critical for maintaining high frame rates in games that are not heavily multi-threaded.

The CPU’s benchmark results support its role as a non-bottleneck component. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and single-core score of 2024 indicate solid performance, while its 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and multi-thread score of 5652 show balanced capabilities. The PassMark multi-thread score of 16908 and single-thread score of 2981 further confirm that the CPU can handle the game’s demands without holding back the GPU.

In Barony, the CPU’s influence is most evident at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 395 FPS, which suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to sustain extremely high frame rates. The fact that FPS scales down as resolution increases confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the GPU’s rendering load takes over. The CPU’s 12 MB of L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth also help ensure smooth data flow, though these specs are more than adequate for a game of Barony’s age and complexity.

The CPU’s percentile of 71 and average benchmark score of 17177 place it slightly above the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120, 0.3% lower) and slightly below the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239, 0.4% higher). This indicates that the i5-11400F is a competitive mid-range processor that pairs effectively with the RX 7700 XT, delivering a balanced experience across all tested resolutions.