Barony

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture. It features a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, its 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257 indicate solid per-core performance, while its multi-thread capabilities are shown in a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15989 and a 3DMark max-threads score of 5890. This processor sits at the 72nd percentile against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 (average score 18697, delta -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-1355U (average score 18730, delta -0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (average score 18811, delta -0.7%). The data suggests that while the i5-12400 is not a top-tier enthusiast chip, it holds its own against many server and mobile parts, placing it in the upper-mid range of tested processors.

For Barony, a roguelike game, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-core muscle and more about consistent single-thread responsiveness. The 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient for the game's logic, and the 18 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data locality. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1692 and 4-thread score of 3012 suggest that the processor can handle lightly-threaded workloads with ease, which is typical for roguelike titles that often rely on a few primary threads for game state updates. The benchmark results at 1080p with Low settings, where the average FPS reaches 645, indicate that the CPU is not the bottleneck even at very high frame rates, as the GPU is likely the limiting factor in most scenarios. The processor's 72nd percentile ranking reinforces that it is a capable mid-range part, but the extreme performance of the paired GPU means that the CPU may still be a limiting factor in certain CPU-bound sections of the game, especially at lower resolutions where frame rates are exceptionally high.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 brings 6 physical cores and 12 threads to the table, a configuration that is well-suited for modern gaming but particularly interesting for a roguelike like Barony. The game's procedural generation and simulation logic often scale with single-thread performance, and the i5-12400's boost clock of 4.40 GHz is a key asset here. In the 3DMark single-thread test, it scores 910, which is a moderate result, but in Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2257, showing strong per-core efficiency. This suggests that when Barony needs to calculate complex game states or random dungeon generation, the CPU can deliver the necessary speed without relying on multi-threading.

Looking at the measured FPS data, the CPU's impact is most evident at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 645 FPS, a figure that far exceeds any display's refresh rate. This high frame rate is indicative of a system where the CPU is keeping up with the GPU's output, but it also raises the question of whether the CPU is holding back the RTX 5090. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 and the max-threads score of 5890 are nearly identical, suggesting that the CPU's performance plateaus quickly when additional threads are used. For Barony, which may not utilize all 12 threads effectively, the single-thread performance is more critical. The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 947 and Geekbench single-core score of 1848 further confirm that the CPU is competent but not exceptional in this regard.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643 (18697, -0.1%), but the EPYC is a server-class chip with many more cores. This indicates that the i5-12400's performance is competitive for its class, but the data also shows that a simple Intel Core i3-14100F (18519, +0.9%) is only slightly slower, which implies that for a game like Barony, the extra cores of the i5-12400 may not provide a significant advantage. The benchmark results show that the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, but the actual FPS in Barony is likely more dependent on the GPU and the game's engine efficiency. The 72nd percentile ranking means that most CPUs are slower, but in a game that is not heavily multi-threaded, the i5-12400's performance is sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship graphics card with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and it features 21,760 shading units. This hardware is overkill for a roguelike like Barony, which is not known for demanding graphics. The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 79842 place it in the top tier, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79605, +0.3%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78940, +1.1%). The RTX 5090's performance in synthetic tests, such as a Geekbench Vulkan score of 376728 and a Passmark G3D score of 39650, underscores its dominance.

In the context of Barony, the GPU's role is to render the game's 3D environments and effects. Given the game's 2015 release date, the RTX 5090 is far more powerful than what is required. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra settings, the system still manages an average of 102 FPS, which is impressive for a 4K resolution. The GPU's high memory bandwidth is unlikely to be a limiting factor here, as Barony does not require large textures or complex shaders. The 32 GB of VRAM is more than enough for any current game, and for a roguelike, it is entirely unnecessary, but it does ensure that there will be no memory-related stutters.

The boost clock of 2407 MHz is relevant for sustained performance, but in a game like Barony, the GPU is likely to be underutilized. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 645 FPS, which confirms the GPU's raw power. However, the gap between the RTX 5090 and its nearest rivals is small in terms of average benchmark scores, with the Tesla P100 being only 0.3% slower. This suggests that while the RTX 5090 is a top performer, the specific demands of Barony may not differentiate it from slightly slower cards. The GPU's performance is so high that it is almost certainly not the bottleneck in any of the measured scenarios; instead, the CPU or game engine limits the frame rates at lower resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of scaling. At 1080p, the system achieves very high frame rates, with Low settings averaging 645 FPS, Medium at 505 FPS, High at 433 FPS, and Ultra at 311 FPS. Moving to 1440p, these numbers drop to 428 FPS (Low), 319 FPS (Medium), 273 FPS (High), and 196 FPS (Ultra). At 4K, the frame rates fall further to 224 FPS (Low), 167 FPS (Medium), 143 FPS (High), and 102 FPS (Ultra). The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial: for Low settings, it is a 65% reduction (from 645 to 224 FPS), and for Ultra, it is a 67% reduction (from 311 to 102 FPS).

These drops indicate that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the primary bottleneck, as the RTX 5090 can produce frame rates that exceed what the CPU can feed it, especially in a game like Barony that may not be fully optimized for high frame rates. The fact that the 1080p Low setting reaches 645 FPS, while the 4K Low setting only reaches 224 FPS, suggests that the GPU's rendering load is scaling with resolution, but the CPU's ability to process the game logic is not. This is typical for games where the CPU's single-thread performance is the bottleneck at lower resolutions.

At 4K, the RTX 5090's performance is still very high, but the drop from 224 FPS (Low) to 102 FPS (Ultra) shows that the GPU is working harder with higher quality settings. The data implies that for a smooth experience, players should consider the resolution and settings balance. The 1440p results are a good middle ground, with frame rates ranging from 196 to 428 FPS, which are all well above playable thresholds. The scaling pattern suggests that the system is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where both the CPU and GPU are utilized effectively without one being a severe bottleneck. For 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor, but the RTX 5090's power ensures that even at Ultra settings, the game remains playable at over 100 FPS.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 perform in Barony across all settings and resolutions. Starting with 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 645 FPS, which is the highest recorded in the entire dataset. The Medium preset delivers 505 FPS, with a minimum of 429 FPS and a maximum of 580 FPS. High settings average 433 FPS, and Ultra settings average 311 FPS. These numbers show that even at 1080p Ultra, the system delivers over 300 FPS, which is far beyond any standard display's capabilities.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 428 FPS, a 34% decrease from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 319 FPS, with a minimum of 271 FPS and a maximum of 366 FPS. High settings average 273 FPS, and Ultra settings average 196 FPS. The 1440p results are still extremely high, with the lowest average being 196 FPS at Ultra, which is more than sufficient for a smooth gaming experience. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings (271 FPS) suggest that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate does not drop below 270 FPS, indicating consistent performance.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 224 FPS, which is a significant drop from 1080p but still very playable. Medium settings average 167 FPS, with a minimum of 142 FPS and a maximum of 191 FPS. High settings average 143 FPS, and Ultra settings average 102 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 102 FPS is the lowest average in the dataset, but it is still above 100 FPS, which is remarkable for a game like Barony. The Medium settings at 4K show a minimum of 142 FPS, indicating that even the lowest frame rates are well above the 60 FPS threshold. Overall, the data shows that this combination can handle any resolution and setting in Barony with high frame rates, and the user has the flexibility to prioritize visual quality or raw performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Barony with this hardware for a balance of visual quality and frame rate?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with High settings averages 273 FPS, while 4K with High settings averages 143 FPS. If you want a smooth experience with high visual fidelity, 1440p High is a strong choice, as it offers over 270 FPS, which is well above any display's refresh rate. For 4K, you can still achieve over 140 FPS on High, but the frame rate drops to 102 FPS on Ultra.

Q: Can this system run Barony at 4K Ultra settings without any issues?

A: Yes, the measured data shows that 4K Ultra settings average 102 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, so there are no issues. However, if you prefer a higher frame rate, dropping to High settings at 4K yields 143 FPS, which is a 40% improvement.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Barony at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 645 FPS, which is extremely high. Given that the RTX 5090 is a top-tier GPU, it is likely that the CPU's single-thread performance is the limiting factor at this resolution, as the game's logic may not be able to feed the GPU fast enough. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 910 is moderate, suggesting it can be a bottleneck at very high frame rates.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 79842, which is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79605) and 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78940). It is 1.4% slower than the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (80959). This indicates that the RTX 5090 is among the fastest GPUs, but the differences are small.

Q: What is the CPU's performance percentile, and what does it imply for Barony?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 is in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, meaning it is faster than 72% of tested processors. For Barony, this is more than sufficient, as the game does not require extreme multi-core performance. The CPU's single-thread performance, as shown by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257, is adequate for the game's logic.

Q: Is there a significant difference between Medium and High settings in terms of FPS?

A: Yes, the data shows a consistent difference. At 1080p, Medium averages 505 FPS and High averages 433 FPS, a difference of 72 FPS. At 1440p, Medium averages 319 FPS and High averages 273 FPS, a difference of 46 FPS. At 4K, Medium averages 167 FPS and High averages 143 FPS, a difference of 24 FPS. The gap narrows as resolution increases, but Medium always offers higher frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the user's display and preference for frame rate versus visual quality. For a 1080p display, the High preset is an excellent choice, offering an average of 433 FPS, which is far beyond any refresh rate. If you have a 1440p display, the High preset at 273 FPS is a sweet spot, providing a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. For 4K displays, the High preset at 143 FPS is recommended, as it delivers a high frame rate while maintaining visual quality. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 102 FPS, which is still playable, but the drop from High is noticeable (41 FPS difference).

The Medium preset is a good fallback if you want to maximize frame rates, especially at 4K, where it averages 167 FPS. However, the visual difference between Medium and High may be worth the slight FPS reduction. The Low preset is not recommended for this hardware, as it yields frame rates that are unnecessarily high (e.g., 645 FPS at 1080p) and likely sacrifices visual quality for no practical benefit. Given the RTX 5090's power, the High preset offers the best balance of performance and aesthetics across all resolutions, with the data showing that it consistently delivers frame rates well above 140 FPS even at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is ranked 107th out of 3717 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the top 3% of all configurations. This ranking is impressive, considering that the CPU is a mid-range part from 2022, while the GPU is a flagship from 2025. The high ranking is largely driven by the GPU's exceptional performance, but the CPU's ability to keep up at lower resolutions is also a factor. The data shows that this combo can achieve frame rates that are competitive with much more expensive CPU-GPU pairings.

The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs contribute to this strong overall position. The fact that the combo ranks 107th out of 3717 suggests that only 106 other combinations perform better in Barony, which reflects the RTX 5090's power. However, the CPU's performance is not negligible, as the 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 and the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15989 indicate that it can handle the game's multi-threaded aspects. The ranking implies that for users with this specific hardware, Barony will run exceptionally well, and the system is unlikely to be a bottleneck in any scenario. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 is the primary driver of this high ranking, but the i5-12400's balanced performance ensures that the combo remains competitive across all resolutions and settings.