Barony

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a robust 1080p gaming experience in Barony, comfortably exceeding 130 FPS even at Ultra settings, but struggles to maintain a locked 60 FPS at 4K Ultra. The data shows a clear GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance ensures frame rates scale exceptionally well at 1440p and below.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 185.3.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27827, which is effectively identical to the Intel Core i9-10900K’s score of 27829, showing a delta of 0%.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile relative to all other GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is in the 63rd percentile when compared to all GPUs in the benchmark database.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this hardware combination?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 291.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Does the frame rate drop below 60 FPS at any tested configuration?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 43, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested hardware combinations in Barony?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 1151 out of 1702 total tested combos for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its benchmark results show a strong balance between single and multi-threaded performance, with a 3dmark single-thread score of 1016 and a max-thread score of 7952. This processing power is more than sufficient for Barony, a roguelike title, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower resolutions.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 291.1, indicating that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data far beyond typical display refresh rates. The processor’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory contribute to its ability to handle the game’s logic and entity management without becoming a bottleneck. The data shows that even at 1440p with Medium settings, the system maintains a high average of 137.4 FPS, suggesting the CPU has ample headroom.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 27827 places it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, has a nearly identical score of 27829. This indicates that the i5-12600KF provides top-tier processing capability for this game, ensuring that performance limits are dictated by the graphics card rather than the processor in most scenarios. The processor’s 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier also suggest it is a capable desktop part for sustained workloads.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. With a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz, the GPU delivers a solid foundation for 1080p and 1440p gaming. Its benchmark scores, including a passmark_g3d score of 16634, place it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating mid-range performance.

The GPU’s role becomes increasingly critical as resolution increases. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves an average of 130.6 FPS, but this drops to 87 FPS at 1440p Ultra. This trend confirms the GPU is the primary limiter at higher settings. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 43, a figure below playable standards for many, highlighting the RX 7600’s limitations with 8 GB of VRAM and its 128-bit memory interface at extreme resolutions.

The GPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, has an average score of 20146, which is 0.6% higher. This close margin suggests that the RX 7600 is well-positioned for its class, but the performance gap becomes more apparent at 4K, where the memory bandwidth and capacity are stressed. In Barony, the GPU’s capabilities are best utilized at 1440p and below, where it can provide high refresh rate experiences.

How This Combo Ranks

This hardware combination ranks 1151 out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the lower-middle tier of all possible configurations. This ranking is a direct result of the GPU’s mid-range standing, as the CPU is a high-performer. The data shows that while the i5-12600KF is in the 84th percentile for CPUs, the RX 7600 is only in the 63rd percentile for GPUs, creating a system where the graphics card holds back the overall potential.

Compared to other combos, this pairing is not optimized for maximum performance but rather for a balanced 1080p and 1440p experience. The ranking suggests that many other GPU combinations, particularly those with higher-end graphics cards, will outperform this setup in Barony, especially at higher resolutions. The combo’s position is a reflection of the GPU bottleneck observed at 4K, where the system’s overall rank suffers due to the inability to maintain high frame rates.

However, the ranking does not tell the full story of the gaming experience. At 1080p, this combo delivers exceptional performance, with an average FPS of 185.3 at High settings, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common in gaming monitors. This indicates that for the majority of players using 1080p displays, this combo provides a smooth and responsive experience, despite its lower overall rank.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which highlights the growing dominance of the GPU as the limiting factor. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 291.1 at 1080p to 185.4 at 1440p, a reduction of 36.3%, and then to 94 at 4K, a further 49.3% drop. This steep decline indicates that the graphics card’s rendering capabilities are being saturated.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is even more dramatic. The average FPS falls from 130.6 at 1080p to 87 at 1440p, a 33.4% drop, and then to 43 at 4K, a 50.6% drop from 1440p. The 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS is particularly telling, as it represents a performance level that is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. This data proves that the system is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

The scaling pattern reveals that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in pixel count. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would plateau at higher resolutions. Instead, the consistent halving of performance from 1440p to 4K shows that the RX 7600’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming, making 1440p the practical ceiling for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. The average FPS ranges from 291.1 at Low, 217.5 at Medium, 185.3 at High, to 130.6 at Ultra. These figures show that even at the highest settings, the system is capable of driving high refresh rate monitors without issue. The 1080p results are all above 130 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU’s strain. The average FPS values are 185.4 at Low, 137.4 at Medium, 120 at High, and 87 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 98.4 FPS, indicating that the graphics settings have a significant impact on performance at this resolution. Still, the High setting provides a very playable 120 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the GPU become apparent. The average FPS drops to 94 at Low, 69.9 at Medium, 58.6 at High, and 43 at Ultra. Only the Low setting provides a refresh rate above 60 FPS, while Ultra is the only setting that falls below 50 FPS. This breakdown confirms that 4K gaming is only viable with reduced settings, and even then, the frame rates are not ideal for competitive play.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo in Barony is achieved at 1920x1080 with High settings, delivering an average of 185.3 FPS. This configuration provides a perfect balance between visual fidelity and performance, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience on high refresh rate displays. The Ultra preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 130.6 FPS, but the visual upgrade may not justify the performance cost for all users.

For players using 1440p monitors, the High settings preset is the best choice, as it yields an average of 120 FPS, which is the sweet spot for most gaming displays. The Medium preset at 1440p offers a slightly higher frame rate of 137.4 FPS, but the visual quality reduction is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with an average of 87 FPS, is still playable but begins to dip below the 100 FPS threshold that many gamers prefer.

At 4K resolution, the data suggests that players should stick to Low or Medium settings to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset at 4K provides an average of 94 FPS, while Medium drops to 69.9 FPS. The High preset at 4K, at 58.6 FPS, is borderline, and Ultra is not recommended due to its 43 FPS average. For the best overall experience, High settings at 1440p or 1080p are the recommended configurations, as they offer the best combination of visual quality and performance.