Barony

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers exceptional performance in Barony, a roguelike that is clearly not demanding on modern hardware. The data shows this combination provides high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the most significant bottleneck appearing only at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, scaling behavior, and optimal settings for this specific hardware pairing.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Barony?*

A: The combo ranks 437th out of 1702 tested combinations, placing it in the top 25.7% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32508. It is effectively tied with the Intel Core i7-12800H (32513, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (32446, +0.2%), and AMD Ryzen 7 250 (32584, -0.2%). Its performance is essentially identical to these alternatives.

Q: How does the GPU's average benchmark score compare to its closest competitors?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average score of 37283. It is slightly behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, -0.6%) and NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A (38008, -1.9%), but ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5300M (36371, +2.5%).

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 471.5, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 72, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Intel Core i5-14400F has no integrated graphics (null value), meaning a discrete GPU is required for display output.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of frame rates in this pairing. Its specifications include 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These specifications allow the card to handle Barony's demands with considerable headroom.

The GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 471.5 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates. However, as the workload shifts to the GPU at higher resolutions, the RTX 4070's architecture (Ada Lovelace, 5 nm process, 35,800 million transistors) becomes the limiting factor. The card's 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs are tasked with rendering more pixels, which is why frame rates drop consistently with each resolution increase.

The VRAM capacity of 12 GB is more than sufficient for this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains 72 FPS. The data shows no indication of VRAM limitations, as the performance drop is gradual and proportional to resolution scaling rather than a sudden collapse. The GPU's 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is ample for a roguelike title, and the card's 184 tensor cores and 46 RT cores, while not directly relevant to this game's likely rendering path, contribute to its overall capability.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound, as evidenced by the enormous frame rates. The jump from 1080p High (297 FPS) to 1440p High (189.7 FPS) represents a 36.1% drop, which is more than the pixel count difference would suggest (1440p has 1.78x the pixels of 1080p). This indicates that the GPU is starting to become a factor at 1440p.

Moving from 1440p to 4K shows a more predictable GPU-bound scaling. The 4K High result (98.3 FPS) is 48.2% lower than the 1440p High result, which aligns closely with the pixel count increase (4K has 2.25x the pixels of 1440p). This confirms that at 4K, the RTX 4070 is the primary limiting component.

The data shows that the CPU's influence diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system hits 471.5 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum frame generation capability. This is supported by the fact that the 1440p Low result (293.7 FPS) is only 37.7% lower, whereas the 4K Low result (153.3 FPS) is 67.5% lower than the 1080p Low figure. The GPU's workload scales more aggressively at higher resolutions, making the RTX 4070 the definitive bottleneck at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on optimal settings. For players with 1080p displays, the High preset at 297 FPS offers an excellent balance, delivering well above the refresh rate of any monitor. The Ultra preset at 214.4 FPS is also viable, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may not justify the 27.8% performance cost.

At 1440p, the High preset (189.7 FPS) is the recommended choice. It provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors while maintaining visual quality. The Medium preset (220.5 FPS) is a viable alternative for those prioritizing frame rates, but the step down to Low (293.7 FPS) offers diminishing returns given the already high performance.

For 4K users, the High preset at 98.3 FPS is the best option, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold with room to spare. The Medium preset (118 FPS) is also acceptable, but the Ultra preset (72 FPS) should be avoided unless the user has a variable refresh rate display and prioritizes maximum visual fidelity. The Low preset at 4K (153.3 FPS) is unnecessary, as High provides a more visually appealing experience without dropping below playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

With a rank of 437 out of 1702 tested combinations, this system performs in the upper quartile of all tested hardware pairings for Barony. The percentile placement indicates that the overwhelming majority of systems tested deliver lower frame rates, making this a high-performance setup for this particular title.

The CPU's general benchmark percentile of 88 (vs all CPUs) and the GPU's percentile of 81 (vs all GPUs) both indicate above-average hardware. The combination of a high-percentile CPU and GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for this game, with no single component dragging down the overall performance. The fact that this combo achieves 471.5 FPS at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions, while the GPU's 81st percentile standing ensures solid performance at higher settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 471.5 FPS average
• Medium: 351.6 FPS average
• High: 297 FPS average
• Ultra: 214.4 FPS average

At 1080p, the system produces extremely high frame rates across all settings. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, with Ultra being 54.5% slower than Low. This indicates that even at the highest settings, the system has massive headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 293.7 FPS average
• Medium: 220.5 FPS average
• High: 189.7 FPS average
• Ultra: 133.7 FPS average

The 1440p results show a similar pattern to 1080p but with reduced absolute numbers. The Ultra setting at 133.7 FPS remains well above typical 60-144 Hz monitor refresh rates. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 54.5%, consistent with the 1080p scaling.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 153.3 FPS average
• Medium: 118 FPS average
• High: 98.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 72 FPS average

At 4K, the system still delivers playable frame rates at all settings. The Ultra setting at 72 FPS is the only result that dips below the 100 FPS mark, but it remains above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Low setting at 153.3 FPS is more than sufficient for any current display technology, showing that this combination is capable of handling even the most demanding resolution and settings configuration without significant compromise.