Barony

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a surprisingly robust experience in Barony, a roguelike title from 2015. The data shows a configuration that scales cleanly across resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom for the GPU at lower settings and the GPU becoming the definitive bottleneck at 4K. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and remains playable even at the demanding 4K Ultra preset, making it a versatile combo for this genre.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and it has a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy is substantial, featuring 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB L3 cache. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 shows strong performance characteristics. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 15989, while the single-core score is 2257. The Geekbench results align with this, showing a multicore score of 8564 and a single-core score of 1848. The Passmark multithread score of 18747 and single-thread score of 3456 further corroborate the processor's balanced capabilities. This CPU sits in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs tested, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer.

The data for Barony suggests that the CPU is more than adequate for this game. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 302 FPS, a figure so high that it is unlikely to be constrained by the processor's 6 cores. Even at 1080p Ultra, the framerate only drops to 138 FPS, which still suggests the CPU has headroom. The single-thread performance is likely the most relevant factor for a roguelike, which often relies on game logic and entity updates. The i5-12400's 2257 Cinebench R23 single-core score and 910 3DMark single-thread score indicate it can handle these tasks without becoming a limiting factor, especially when compared to its nearest rivals like the Intel Core i3-14100F, which has a 0.9% higher average benchmark score.

The 12 threads and 18 MB of shared L3 cache are likely beneficial for managing the many AI entities, procedural generation, and physics interactions typical of a roguelike. While the game is not new, the data shows that the processor's capability is not a hindrance to achieving high frame rates. The fact that the FPS scales significantly with resolution and settings points to the GPU being the primary performance driver in most scenarios, with the CPU maintaining a consistent floor of performance.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For this particular combo, the choice of settings is a trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate headroom, with the measured data providing clear guidance. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an average of 225 FPS, with a minimum of 191 FPS and a maximum of 258 FPS. This is a massive performance buffer that ensures smooth gameplay even in chaotic scenes. The High preset at 1080p still delivers a very high 193 FPS average, making it a viable option for those who want better visuals without sacrificing the high refresh rate experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers an average of 142 FPS, with a minimum of 120 FPS. This remains an excellent experience for fast-paced action. The High preset at this resolution is also strong, with an average of 122 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the most balanced choice, providing an average of 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, which is perfectly playable and smooth. The High preset at 4K drops to 64 FPS average, which is still within a playable range, but the Medium preset's 74 FPS average with a higher minimum offers more consistent performance.

The Ultra preset is demanding, producing 138 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p, and 46 FPS at 4K. While the 1080p and 1440p results are playable, the 4K Ultra result falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the baseline for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that for the best overall experience, the Medium preset offers the most optimal balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. It provides the highest minimum frame rates in the measured data, which is crucial for maintaining stability. For users with high refresh rate monitors at 1080p, the High preset is also a strong contender, offering a 193 FPS average without pushing the system to its limits.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Barony?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 302 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 in this game?

A: The data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at most settings. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 302 FPS, suggesting the CPU can handle the game's logic at very high rates. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K points to the GPU as the primary limiting factor.

Q: Can this system maintain a 60 FPS average at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 4K with the Medium settings preset, the combo achieves an average of 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS. The High preset also stays above 60 FPS with an average of 64 FPS. However, the Ultra preset at 4K drops to an average of 46 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i3-14100F?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100F has an average benchmark score that is 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i5-12400, making them nearly identical in overall synthetic performance, though the i5-12400 has more cores and threads.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 63 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Medium settings preset. All other recorded minimum FPS values are higher, with the 1440p Medium preset showing 120 FPS and the 1080p Medium preset showing 191 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combo ranks 1775 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 achieves a rank of 1775 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested. It is important to contextualize this rank with the game's release date of 2015. While the rank might seem below the top percentile, it is crucial to consider the massive performance headroom this combo offers. The measured frame rates, especially at 1080p, are exceptionally high, suggesting that the rank is not due to a lack of performance but rather the presence of many other combos that also deliver high frame rates in this older title.

The rank of 1775 indicates that there are over 1700 other configurations that have been tested and perform better, but the absolute performance level here is still very strong. The data shows that this combo is capable of maxing out a 144Hz monitor at 1080p with High settings (193 FPS) and even at 1440p with High settings (122 FPS). This suggests that the rank is more a reflection of the sheer number of powerful combos tested rather than a weakness in this specific pairing. For a roguelike game, the high frame rates and smooth minimums provided by this combo are more impactful than a higher rank number, as the game benefits from responsive and stable performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the clear performance driver in this combo for Barony. Based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and built on TSMC's 5 nm process, the GPU features a substantial 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its base clock is 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz, and the memory runs at an effective speed of 20 Gbps. The GPU has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, along with 20 RT cores and 80 Tensor cores.

The GPU's synthetic benchmarks show a strong profile, with a Passmark G3D score of 17326 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 90334. It sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mainstream performer. The 8 GB of VRAM is a key specification for Barony. While the game is from 2015 and may not have massive texture requirements, the data shows that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are sufficient to handle the game's demands at 4K resolution.

The measured FPS data confirms the GPU's role. The framerate scales predictably with resolution: at 1080p Low, the GPU produces 302 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 46 FPS. This scaling is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. The GPU is being tasked with rendering more pixels at higher resolutions and with more complex effects, which directly impacts its output. The fact that the 4K Medium preset (74 FPS) is significantly faster than the 4K Ultra preset (46 FPS) highlights how the GPU's compute and memory resources are strained by the highest settings. The RTX 5050's performance relative to its rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which it leads by 1.6%, shows it is a capable card for this generation of games.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high. With Low settings, the average FPS is 302. The Medium preset yields an average of 225 FPS, with a minimum of 191 FPS and a maximum of 258 FPS. The High preset delivers an average of 193 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding at this resolution, producing an average of 138 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system has ample power to handle even the most demanding settings with high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. The Low preset achieves an average of 191 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 142 FPS, with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS. The High preset provides an average of 122 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution produces an average of 87 FPS. This demonstrates that the combo is well-suited for 1440p gaming, with the Medium and High presets offering smooth experiences well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more moderate. The Low preset achieves an average of 100 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS. The High preset provides an average of 64 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 46 FPS. This shows that 4K gaming is possible, but users will need to select lower presets to maintain a consistent 60+ FPS experience.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the limiting component. Looking at the Medium preset, the average FPS drops from 225 at 1080p to 142 at 1440p, and then to 74 at 4K. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, as the pixel count increase from 1080p to 4K is fourfold, yet the frame rate only drops to roughly a third of its original value, indicating that the GPU is not only working harder on pixel fill but also on other factors.

The data strongly suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU, with its high single-core performance, can likely keep up with the game's logic at all settings, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. However, as the resolution increases, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 must render more pixels, and its 320.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth and 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance become the limiting factors. The framerate drop from 138 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 46 FPS at 4K Ultra is a 67% reduction, which is a significant cost for the increased visual fidelity. This pattern is typical for a system where the CPU has ample headroom and the GPU is the component that determines the maximum achievable frame rate at higher resolutions and settings.