Barony

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a unique case study in Barony, a title where the measured frame rates reveal a system heavily constrained by its graphics processor. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops precipitously, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all tested settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about system balance. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 159 FPS at 1920x1080 to 100 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 53 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 33% performance drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear; the jump to 4K imposes a disproportionately heavy load.

Looking at the High preset, the same trend holds. The average frame rate falls from 102 FPS at 1080p to 64 FPS at 1440p, and then to 34 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are similar to Low, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor regardless of the graphical load. The Ultra preset shows the most severe impact, with frame rates collapsing from 73 FPS at 1080p to 46 FPS at 1440p and down to 24 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this configuration. The Intel Core i5-13400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, has ample processing power for a roguelike title like Barony. The benchmark results show a strong multi-threaded score of 22604 in Cinebench R23, which is more than sufficient for this game. The bottleneck clearly lies with the Intel Arc B390, which shows a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This low score aligns with the observed FPS drops at higher resolutions, where the GPU's limited pixel throughput becomes the defining constraint.

FAQ

Q: What is the playable frame rate at 1080p with the High preset?

A: The measured average frame rate is 102 FPS at 1920x1080 with the High preset. This indicates a smooth experience, well above the threshold for standard 60 Hz monitors.

Q: How does the Ultra preset perform at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 yields an average of 46 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for slower-paced games, but it may not feel as fluid as the High or Medium presets.

Q: Is the GPU or the CPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: The benchmark data shows the GPU is the limiting component. The Intel Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, which is in the 9th percentile, while the CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 is far above what Barony requires. The FPS drops at higher resolutions are characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the best frame rate achieved at 4K?

A: The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 53 FPS, which is achieved with the Low preset. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 24 FPS, which is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of raw GPU score?

A: The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX's score of 1463, and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710's score of 1443. These rivals are all similarly positioned in the low-end performance tier.

Q: Does the Medium preset provide a significant improvement over Low at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p averages 118 FPS, which is 26% lower than the Low preset's 159 FPS. However, the Medium preset offers a minimum FPS of 101, which still ensures a stable and smooth experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.60 GHz. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 and its 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314. The CPU's performance in single-threaded workloads is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3191.

In the context of Barony, a roguelike game that does not typically demand extreme CPU resources, this processor is more than adequate. The benchmark results confirm this, as the frame rates at 1080p Low reach 159 FPS, which is likely near the game's engine limit or the point where the GPU begins to cap the output. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4 and DDR5) provide a solid foundation for game data, but the data suggests that these resources are not being fully utilized because the GPU cannot keep up.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and the Intel Core 5 120, have average benchmark scores within 0.3% of the i5-13400F's average of 25292. This indicates that the i5-13400F is a well-balanced mid-range processor, but its performance headroom is irrelevant in this specific system configuration. The game's frame rate is dictated by the GPU's rendering capabilities, not the CPU's computational power.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2601 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested, which is a poor ranking. The low rank is primarily attributable to the GPU, whose 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU's performance, while respectable, cannot compensate for the GPU's lack of rendering power.

The combination of a high-end CPU with a low-end GPU results in a system that is severely bottlenecked by the graphics card. While the CPU is in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, the GPU is in the 9th percentile. This mismatch means that the system's overall performance in Barony is far below what the CPU alone could achieve. The combo rank reflects this reality, showing that the pair is not well-suited for high-resolution gaming.

The GPU's nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, are all legacy or entry-level parts. The Arc B390's score is only 1.3% higher than the GT 520MX, indicating that its performance level is comparable to hardware from a much older generation. This further explains the low combo rank, as the system's graphics performance is not competitive with modern standards.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a full range of performance across the four presets. The Low preset delivers an average of 159 FPS, which is the highest recorded for this system. The Medium preset averages 118 FPS, with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 136 FPS. The High preset averages 102 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 73 FPS. All of these settings provide a playable experience, with even the Ultra preset staying above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decline noticeably. The Low preset averages 100 FPS, which is still very smooth. The Medium preset averages 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS. The High preset averages 64 FPS, which is right at the edge of the 60 FPS threshold for many gamers. The Ultra preset averages 46 FPS, which is a significant drop and may be less desirable for fast-paced gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance is heavily constrained. The Low preset averages 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset averages 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS. The High preset averages 34 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 24 FPS. These results show that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this system, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this system is at 1920x1080 with the High preset. This configuration delivers an average of 102 FPS, which provides a smooth and responsive experience while still offering a significant visual upgrade over the Low and Medium presets. The High preset is a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, ensuring that the game remains fluid during intense moments.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset is the recommended choice, as it is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS, averaging 100 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is also viable, with an average of 75 FPS and a minimum of 64 FPS, but it does not provide the same level of headroom. The High preset at 1440p, averaging 64 FPS, is borderline and may experience drops in demanding scenes.

At 4K, the data suggests that this system is not suitable for a smooth experience. The Low preset averages 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. While it is technically playable, the experience will not be ideal. Users prioritizing frame rate should stick to 1080p or 1440p. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions above 1080p, as it provides a significant performance penalty for a marginal visual gain.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the definitive limiting factor in this system's performance in Barony. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating entry-level performance. The GPU features a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, but its most significant limitation is its memory configuration, which is "System Shared". This means the GPU relies on the system's main memory for its frame buffer, which can lead to performance drops at higher resolutions and settings due to increased memory traffic.

The GPU is based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, which are modest figures. The FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, which is low for modern gaming. These specifications explain the observed FPS drops at 4K, where the GPU's limited pixel fill rate and texture throughput become the primary bottlenecks.

The GPU's nearest rivals are all low-end parts from NVIDIA, such as the GeForce GT 710 and GT 520MX. The Arc B390's score is 2.7% higher than the GT 710, showing that it is only marginally better than these older, entry-level cards. This places the GPU at the very bottom of the performance spectrum, and its ability to handle the demands of Barony at high resolutions is severely constrained. The data shows that the system's performance scales directly with the GPU's capabilities, confirming its role as the limiting component.