Barony

Barony is a roguelike from 2015, but the benchmark data for this combination of an Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 shows it is anything but dated in terms of performance demands. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings indicate a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher visual quality, yet capable of exploiting CPU headroom at lower settings. This pairing delivers exceptional performance, ranking in the 69th percentile of all tested combinations for this title, and the data suggests that users can prioritize visual fidelity without sacrificing playability.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic performance curve, with the most significant drop occurring at the highest resolution. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 208.9 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops the average to 127.4 FPS, a reduction of roughly 39%. The jump to 4K at Ultra is more severe, landing at 69.7 FPS, which represents a 45% decrease from the 1440p figure and a 67% decrease from 1080p. This steep decline at 4K is a strong indicator that the rendering resolution is pushing the graphics card to its limits.

The data shows a similar pattern across all settings presets. At High settings, the averages are 286.3 FPS (1080p), 182.7 FPS (1440p), and 97.4 FPS (4K). The frame rate halves from 1080p to 4K, which is a typical scaling factor for a GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the system achieves 452 FPS at 1080p, 282.3 FPS at 1440p, and 149.4 FPS at 4K. The fact that even at Low settings the 4K frame rate is less than half of the 1080p rate suggests that the pixel throughput is the primary bottleneck.

The scaling behavior points directly to the GPU as the limiting component at higher resolutions. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is substantial but less dramatic than the drop to 4K, where the pixel count quadruples. This is a textbook indication that the RTX 3080's memory bandwidth and fill rate are being taxed. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU may start to play a role, but the data suggests that the i5-14400F is keeping up. For a game like Barony, the playable threshold is easily crossed at 4K with High settings, which delivers 97.4 FPS, but pushing to Ultra may require a compromise for users with 120Hz or higher displays.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3093 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3723. This is crucial for a game like Barony, which, despite its roguelike genre, benefits from high IPC and clock speeds for game logic and physics. The processor's percentile rank against all CPUs is 88, placing it in the top tier for general computing.

The CPU's multi-core capabilities are also robust, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914 and a Passmark multithread score of 25783. However, the measured frame rates in Barony suggest that the game does not heavily utilize all 16 threads at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system hits 452 FPS, which is a clear sign that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls to saturate it. The fact that the frame rate scales almost linearly with resolution at Low settings (452 to 282.3 to 149.4) indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor.

The data implies that the i5-14400F is more than sufficient for Barony. The bottleneck shifts to the GPU as resolution and settings increase. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide ample bandwidth for game data. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is heavily loaded, the CPU does not appear to hold the system back, as the frame rate of 69.7 FPS is likely a direct result of GPU rendering limits rather than CPU processing constraints. For users upgrading from an older platform, this CPU provides a solid foundation that will not be the source of performance issues in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. Its high memory bandwidth is a key factor in the 4K performance, as the card is able to feed the shader units with texture data efficiently. The GPU's 8704 shading units and 68 RT cores are backed by a boost clock of 1710 MHz, and its Passmark G3D score of 25086 places it in the 80th percentile against all GPUs.

The benchmark results show that the GPU's performance scales predictably with settings. At 4K, the average frame rates are 149.4 (Low), 109.2 (Medium), 97.4 (High), and 69.7 (Ultra). This spread of roughly 80 FPS between Low and Ultra demonstrates the significant impact of the graphical preset. The drop from Medium to High is 11.8 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is 27.7 FPS. The latter is a substantial jump in rendering cost, likely due to increased shadow quality, post-processing, and texture filtering that stress the GPU's compute units.

The GPU's 10 GB of VRAM appears sufficient for Barony at all tested settings, as there are no signs of texture streaming issues or stuttering that would indicate memory capacity limits. The card's performance relative to its rivals shows it is positioned between the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile in average benchmark scores, with a delta of -0.9% and +1% respectively. This indicates that the RTX 3080 remains a competitive option for this game. At 4K Ultra, the 69.7 FPS average is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, while 4K High at 97.4 FPS offers a better balance for a smoother experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Barony, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 holds a rank of 530 out of 1702 total combos. This places it in the 69th percentile of all systems tested, indicating that it outperforms the majority of configurations. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of both components, and the data suggests that this is a high-performing setup for this game.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-12800H and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645, with delta percentages of 0% and 0.2%, respectively. This shows that the i5-14400F is on par with these mobile and desktop processors in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro Duo and AMD Radeon 880M, with delta percentages of -0.2% and 0.4%, which confirms that the RTX 3080 is positioned within a tight performance band. The combo's rank of 530 reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, as neither component appears to be a significant bottleneck for the other.

The fact that this combo ranks in the top third of all tested systems is notable for a game released in 2015. It suggests that Barony is not an overly demanding title, and this hardware is more than capable of delivering high frame rates. The rank also implies that users with this setup will not need to compromise on settings to achieve a playable experience, as the system lands in the upper echelon of performance. For those looking to upgrade, the data shows that significant gains would require moving to a more powerful GPU, as the CPU has headroom to spare.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination to achieve over 100 FPS?

A: At 1440p with High settings, the system averages 182.7 FPS, and even at 4K with High settings it maintains 97.4 FPS. For a consistent 100+ FPS experience, 1440p High is the recommended resolution, as 4K High falls just short of that mark.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance affect the game?

A: The i5-14400F has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3093 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3723. These strong scores allow the CPU to handle game logic efficiently, ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data, especially at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 400 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 3080's 10 GB of VRAM sufficient for Barony?

A: The benchmark data shows no performance anomalies at 4K Ultra, indicating that the 10 GB of GDDR6X memory is adequate for this game. The memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s also helps maintain smooth performance across all settings.

Q: What is the difference in performance between High and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, High settings produce an average of 97.4 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 69.7 FPS. This is a 27.7 FPS difference, which represents a significant increase in rendering cost for the Ultra preset.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems in the database?

A: This pairing ranks 530 out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the 69th percentile. This means it outperforms roughly two-thirds of all tested systems in Barony, making it a strong performer for this title.

Q: Will lowering settings from High to Medium provide a large frame rate boost?

A: At 4K, moving from High to Medium increases the average FPS from 97.4 to 109.2, a gain of 11.8 FPS. At 1080p, the gain is more substantial, going from 286.3 to 335.6 FPS, which is an increase of 49.3 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the target refresh rate and resolution. For users with a 1080p display at 240Hz or higher, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 286.3 FPS while still providing good visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 208.9 FPS, which is still very high but may be unnecessary for most displays. For 1440p users, the High preset at 182.7 FPS is the recommended choice, as it balances visual fidelity with a frame rate that exceeds most 144Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 127.4 FPS is also viable for 144Hz displays, but the 55 FPS drop from High is noticeable.

For 4K users, the choice is between High and Medium. The High preset at 97.4 FPS is ideal for 120Hz displays, providing a smooth experience with good visual details. The Medium preset at 109.2 FPS offers a 11.8 FPS boost, which may be preferable for users who prioritize frame rate over minor graphical enhancements. The Ultra preset at 69.7 FPS is only recommended for 60Hz displays, as the frame rate is too low for higher refresh rates. The Low preset is not recommended for any resolution above 1080p, as it sacrifices too much visual quality for only marginal frame rate gains. Overall, the High preset across all resolutions provides the best balance of performance and visual quality, with the data showing it is the most consistent option for this hardware.