Barony

# Barony with Intel Core i5-14400F + AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a surprisingly robust experience in Barony, a roguelike that clearly rewards both strong single-threaded CPU performance and a capable GPU. Across the measured resolution and settings matrix, this combo demonstrates a clear pattern: at 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound, while at 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The measured data shows this pairing sits at rank 1294 out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, yet the actual frame rates tell a more nuanced story—one where this older GPU still holds its own in a game that appears less demanding than modern AAA titles.

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

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, this CPU offers a strong mix of high-frequency performance and multi-threaded capacity. Its benchmark scores reinforce this: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914 and a single-core score of 3093, alongside a Geekbench single-core score of 2333. The PassMark single-thread score of 3723 and multithread score of 25783 further indicate that this chip excels at both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads.

In Barony, the CPU's role becomes evident when examining the 1080p results. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 285.8 FPS, which is remarkably high. This suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the i5-14400F's single-core performance is the dominant factor—the game is rendering fewer pixels and simpler effects, so the CPU's ability to process game logic, enemy AI, and procedural generation (core to the roguelike genre) takes precedence. The i5-14400F's boost clock of 4.70 GHz, combined with its 20 MB of shared L3 cache, provides the low-latency, high-throughput execution that Barony's simulation-heavy gameplay likely demands.

The nearestRivals data contextualizes this CPU's standing: it sits nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-12800H (deltaPct 0), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (deltaPct 0.2), and AMD Ryzen 7 250 (deltaPct -0.2). This means that while the i5-14400F is not a top-tier chip, it is competitive with many mid-range and even some higher-end mobile parts, providing ample headroom for a game like Barony that does not heavily stress multi-core architectures. The 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility suggest this is a mainstream desktop part, and its 88th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it outperforms the vast majority of processors in general benchmarks.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, based on the Navi 10 chip and RDNA 1.0 architecture, is a 7 nm GPU from TSMC with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its clocks are notable: a base of 1605 MHz, a boost of 1905 MHz, and a game clock of 1755 MHz. The GPU's compute capabilities include 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s. These specifications position the RX 5700 XT as a solid mid-range card from its era, and its benchmark scores—such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2134 and a PassMark G3D score of 16277—confirm it remains competent for older titles.

In Barony, the GPU's influence becomes clearer at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 44.9 FPS, a significant decline from the 1080p Ultra score of 130.9 FPS. This indicates that the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB VRAM and raw shading power are being stressed at 4K with maximum settings. The GPU's memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) and 256-bit bus width provide enough bandwidth for most scenarios, but the data shows that Ultra settings at 4K push this card to its limits. The GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (deltaPct -0.1) and Intel Arc A350M (deltaPct 0.3), suggests it is a solidly average performer today, yet Barony's measured FPS indicates the game is not overly demanding—even at 4K High, it maintains 59.2 FPS, which is playable.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 285.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, it drops to 178.3 FPS—a reduction of approximately 37.6%. At 4K Low, the FPS falls further to 91.4, which is a 49% drop from 1440p and a 68% drop from 1080p. This steep decline at Low settings strongly indicates that the GPU is becoming the bottleneck as pixel count increases, even when the game's visual complexity is minimized.

The pattern intensifies at Ultra settings. From 1080p Ultra (130.9 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (80.3 FPS), there is a 38.7% drop. From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (44.9 FPS), the drop is 44.1%, resulting in a total 65.7% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is steeper than what would be expected from pixel count alone (a 4x increase from 1080p to 4K), suggesting that the RX 5700 XT's memory bandwidth and fill rate are being saturated at higher resolutions. The data implies that at 1080p, the CPU (with its strong single-core performance) is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the massive FPS numbers that exceed what the GPU can likely handle at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the constraint, with the 8 GB VRAM potentially causing texture thrashing at Ultra settings.

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, all settings presets are playable, but High settings at 178.5 FPS offer an excellent experience—well above the 60 FPS threshold and close to the 144 Hz refresh rate many gamers use. The jump from High to Ultra at 1080p costs 47.6 FPS (from 178.5 to 130.9), which may not be worth the marginal visual improvements for competitive play, but Ultra is still highly fluid.

At 1440p, High settings at 116.7 FPS provide a smooth experience, while Medium at 130.9 FPS is even better if slight visual compromises are acceptable. Ultra at 1440p drops to 80.3 FPS, which is still playable but begins to strain the GPU. For 4K, the data suggests that High settings at 59.2 FPS are the best choice—very close to the 60 FPS target—while Medium at 70.3 FPS offers a buffer above that threshold. Low at 4K (91.4 FPS) is excessively high and sacrifices too much visual fidelity. Ultra at 4K (44.9 FPS) falls below the 60 FPS standard and should be avoided unless the user prioritizes maximum graphics over smoothness. The recommendation is to use High at 1080p and 1440p, and Medium at 4K to balance the GPU's limitations with gameplay quality.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K in Barony?

A: Yes, at 4K High the system averages 59.2 FPS, essentially hitting the 60 FPS target. At 4K Medium it achieves 70.3 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the CPU is the primary constraint at 1080p. With Low settings producing 285.8 FPS and High at 178.5 FPS, the GPU has ample headroom, and the i5-14400F's 10-core, 16-thread configuration is likely the limiting factor for such high frame rates.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 1294th out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the 76th percentile of all systems in the database. This is a mid-tier ranking, but the measured FPS shows it performs well in this specific game.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144 Hz monitor?

A: At 1080p, High settings at 178.5 FPS exceed 144 Hz, while Medium at 210 FPS also clears this threshold. At 1440p, only Low (178.3 FPS) and Medium (130.9 FPS) come close, but Medium slightly misses the 144 Hz target.

Q: Does the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB VRAM cause issues at 4K?

A: The data suggests potential VRAM pressure at 4K Ultra, where FPS drops to 44.9. However, 4K High (59.2 FPS) and Medium (70.3 FPS) perform adequately, indicating the 8 GB allocation is sufficient for non-Ultra settings.

Q: How much FPS is lost going from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (130.9 FPS) to 1440p (80.3 FPS) is 50.6 FPS, a 38.7% reduction. This shows the GPU's load increases significantly with resolution.

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

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest performance. Low settings produce 285.8 FPS, Medium yields 210 FPS, High achieves 178.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 130.9 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 154.9 FPS, indicating that settings have a substantial impact at this resolution, but even the lowest preset is far above playability thresholds.

At 2560x1440, the FPS figures are 178.3 (Low), 130.9 (Medium), 116.7 (High), and 80.3 (Ultra). The drop from Low to Ultra is 98.0 FPS, and notably, the Medium and High presets are closer together (14.2 FPS difference) than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU begins to equalize the load across settings.

At 3840x2160, the measured averages are 91.4 (Low), 70.3 (Medium), 59.2 (High), and 44.9 (Ultra). The difference between Low and Ultra is 46.5 FPS, and the gap between High and Ultra is 14.3 FPS. This resolution shows the most dramatic scaling, with Ultra falling below the 60 FPS standard. The data reveals that the RX 5700 XT can handle 4K at lower presets, but Ultra is beyond its comfortable range.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination ranks 1294th out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This rank is notably lower than what the raw FPS numbers might suggest—the system achieves high frame rates at 1080p and playable rates at 4K—but the ranking reflects the broader pool of systems tested, many of which feature newer, more powerful GPUs and CPUs. The combo's position at the 76th percentile means 408 other combinations performed better, likely due to superior GPU capabilities (e.g., more VRAM, higher bandwidth) or CPU architectures with better single-threaded performance.

Given the CPU's 88th percentile ranking and the GPU's 68th percentile, the combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU. The data suggests that the i5-14400F is not the limiting factor in this pairing—it is a strong performer—but the RX 5700 XT, while competent, cannot match the performance of newer cards. The measured FPS in Barony, however, shows that this combination remains highly usable, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, and even at 4K with adjusted settings. The rank of 1294 should be interpreted with the understanding that Barony is not a graphically intensive title; the combo's performance is more than adequate for this game, even if it would struggle in more demanding modern releases.