Barony

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread desktop processor based on the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. This CPU has a 24 MB shared L3 cache and a 125 W TDP, placing it in the upper tier of desktop processors. Its benchmark percentile of 90 versus all CPUs indicates strong general-purpose performance, and its average benchmark score of 48618 is nearly identical to its closest rivals, including the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48698, -0.2%) and the AMD EPYC 4345P (48470, 0.3%). For a roguelike game like Barony, single-thread performance often dictates simulation and logic speed. The i5-14600K’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064 and Geekbench single-core score of 2491 are substantial, ensuring that game logic, procedural generation, and entity updates are unlikely to bottleneck the frame rate. The CPU’s multi-core capability, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491, is more than sufficient for background tasks and any parallel processing Barony might use, but the game’s genre suggests that the GPU will typically be the limiting factor for frame rate at higher settings. Given the 20 threads available, the processor provides ample headroom for streaming, recording, or running other applications while maintaining stable frame pacing in Barony.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K’s architecture is built around a hybrid design that combines performance and efficiency cores, though the fact pack does not distinguish the core types. With 14 physical cores and 20 threads, it offers a high degree of parallelism. The base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.30 GHz are the key figures for single-threaded workloads. In Barony, which is a roguelike emphasizing procedural level generation and real-time combat, the CPU’s job is to manage the game state, enemy AI, and physics. The data shows that this processor is far from being a bottleneck in this title. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS is 302, which is an extremely high frame rate that only a capable CPU can feed to the GPU. Even at Ultra settings at 1080p, the average FPS is 138, indicating that the CPU can sustain high instruction throughput without limiting the graphics card. The processor’s PassMark single-thread score of 4270 and its Geekbench single-core score of 2491 support this, showing strong per-core performance that is critical for a game that likely relies on a main game thread. The L3 cache of 24 MB is shared and helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency. The CPU’s 90th percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms its position in the top tier, and its performance is nearly indistinguishable from its nearest rivals. For example, the data shows a delta of only -0.2% versus the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and +0.3% versus the AMD EPYC 4345P, meaning that swapping to those chips would not change Barony’s frame rate in any meaningful way. The high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is particularly relevant for a game where frame times can be affected by single-threaded logic spikes, such as when a new level generates or a large group of enemies spawns. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (46 FPS) versus 4K Low (100 FPS) also shows that the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases, shifting the bottleneck to the GPU. The CPU’s support for DDR5 memory, while not a direct performance metric in the fact pack, ensures that memory bandwidth is not a limiting factor for the processor’s ability to feed the GPU. Overall, the i5-14600K is a high-end processor that provides more than enough compute headroom for Barony, ensuring that the GPU is the primary determinant of the frame rate at most settings, particularly at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows an average FPS of 193 at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is a very smooth experience for a roguelike, easily exceeding the refresh rate of most standard monitors.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618. Its closest rival, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, scores 48698, which is a delta of -0.2%. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a delta of +0.3%. These differences are negligible, indicating that the i5-14600K performs on par with its competitive set.

Q: Is the RTX 5050 a high-performing GPU relative to other graphics cards?

A: The GPU has a percentile ranking of 66 versus all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 21035. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21153, a delta of -0.6%, while the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713, a delta of +1.6%. This places the RTX 5050 in the mid-to-upper range of graphics cards.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor to maintain high FPS?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average FPS of 122. The Medium preset yields 142 FPS. If you have a high refresh rate monitor, the Medium preset at 142 FPS provides a better experience than High at 122 FPS, but both are viable. For maximum visual quality, Ultra still averages 87 FPS, which is playable.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to the Ultra preset at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves an average of 100 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves an average of 46 FPS. This means the Low preset is more than double the frame rate of the Ultra preset, showing a significant performance cost for the highest visual settings at 4K.

Q: Does the CPU’s multi-core performance matter for Barony?

A: While single-thread performance is crucial for game logic, the CPU’s multi-core capability is still relevant. The i5-14600K scores 24491 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 13709 in R20 multi-core. This ensures that background tasks and any multi-threaded aspects of the game engine do not interfere with the main game thread, providing consistent performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Barony with this combo reveals a clear scaling pattern across settings presets and resolutions. The optimal preset depends heavily on your target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users, the High preset delivers an average of 193 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 1080p still yields 138 FPS, making it the best choice for those who prioritize visual fidelity on a 1080p display, as the frame rate remains high enough for a responsive experience. The Medium preset at 225 FPS is excessive unless you have a very high refresh rate panel (240Hz or more), but it does provide a safety margin for frame drops. For 1440p, the data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It averages 142 FPS, which is 20 FPS higher than the High preset’s 122 FPS. Since Barony is a roguelike where quick reactions matter, the higher frame rate of Medium provides a smoother and more responsive feel. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 87 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. For 4K, the situation changes dramatically. The Low preset averages 100 FPS, which is the only preset at 4K that provides a consistently smooth experience. The High preset drops to 64 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 46 FPS. Given the game’s genre and the need for precise input, the Low preset at 4K is recommended to maintain a high frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K averages 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, which is a reasonable compromise if you want some visual improvements without dropping below 60 FPS. The best overall experience for a balance of visuals and performance is the Medium preset at 1440p, which provides a 142 FPS average with a minimum of 120 FPS, ensuring no significant stutters. The High preset at 1440p is also strong, but the 20 FPS difference is noticeable. For users with 1080p monitors, the High preset is recommended as it offers a substantial visual upgrade over Medium with a minimal frame rate cost compared to Ultra. The measured data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, so using the Medium preset at 1440p or the Low preset at 4K optimizes the frame rate to match the GPU’s capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Barony, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1775 out of 2935 total combos. This places it in the 60th percentile of all tested systems, meaning that about 60% of the combinations tested for this game perform better. While this might sound average, it is important to contextualize this rank with the actual measured FPS. The combo achieves over 100 FPS at 1080p with High settings and over 60 FPS at 4K with High settings, which are very playable numbers for a roguelike. The rank is lower than the CPU’s individual 90th percentile and the GPU’s 66th percentile, indicating that the combination’s performance is limited more by the GPU than the CPU. Compared to other combos, the 191 FPS at 1440p Low and 122 FPS at 1440p High show that this system is capable of high refresh rate gaming at mid-range resolutions. The rank of 1775 out of 2935 suggests that there are many systems with more powerful GPUs that achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K where the RTX 5050’s 8 GB memory and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth become limiting. However, for the target audience of Barony, which is a game that does not require extreme graphical fidelity, this combo provides a very solid experience. The data indicates that the combo is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it performs admirably. The rank is dragged down by the 4K Ultra result of 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The CPU’s performance is not the issue, as the 138 FPS at 1080p Ultra proves that the i5-14600K can handle even the most demanding settings at lower resolutions. The GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, which is expected given its position in the market. The combo’s rank of 1775 is a reflection of the GPU’s mid-range standing, but the measured FPS data shows that it is a capable pairing for most gaming scenarios in Barony, especially if the player is willing to adjust settings to prioritize frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with the High preset, the average FPS is 193. Moving to 1440p with the same High preset, the average FPS drops to 122, a decrease of 71 FPS or roughly 37%. Moving to 4K with the High preset, the average FPS drops further to 64, which is a 67% decrease from the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a system where the GPU becomes increasingly stressed as pixel count rises. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal, as the i5-14600K’s performance does not change with resolution. The data supports this: at Low settings, the 1080p result is 302 FPS, the 1440p result is 191 FPS, and the 4K result is 100 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 67%, which is identical to the drop at High settings. This consistency indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU is capable of delivering the same instruction throughput regardless of resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to remain more constant across resolutions, especially at lower settings where the GPU load is lighter. The fact that the frame rate drops proportionally with pixel count points squarely at the GPU. The RTX 5050’s 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus are likely contributors to this scaling, as higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth and capacity. The 4K Ultra result of 46 FPS versus the 1080p Ultra result of 138 FPS shows a 67% decrease, again reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of this combo at high resolutions. For players who want to maintain a high frame rate, the data suggests that 1080p is the ideal resolution for this combo, as it can push over 300 FPS at Low settings and 193 FPS at High settings. At 1440p, the combo is still very capable, with 122 FPS at High settings being a solid result. At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain 60 FPS at High settings, and only the Low preset manages to stay comfortably above that threshold. This scaling analysis indicates that the limiting component in this system is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, and that the Intel Core i5-14600K has ample headroom to support even more powerful graphics cards without becoming a bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i5-14600K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 in Barony, broken down by resolution and settings preset.

At 1920x1080, the lowest preset, Low, achieves an average FPS of 302, with no minimum or maximum values recorded. The Medium preset averages 225 FPS, with a minimum of 191 and a maximum of 258. The High preset averages 193 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. The Ultra preset averages 138 FPS, with no minimum or maximum values. This resolution shows the full potential of the combo, with all presets exceeding 130 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 191 FPS. The Medium preset averages 142 FPS, with a minimum of 120 and a maximum of 163. The High preset averages 122 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 87 FPS. This resolution demonstrates a linear scaling down from 1080p, with the Ultra preset still maintaining a playable frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 100 FPS. The Medium preset averages 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 85. The High preset averages 64 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 46 FPS. This is the most demanding resolution, and only the Low preset provides a consistently smooth experience above 60 FPS.

The data reveals a few key points. First, the Medium preset at all resolutions has recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, indicating that this preset was tested with frame time capture. At 1080p Medium, the difference between the minimum (191) and average (225) is 34 FPS, suggesting some frame drops, but the minimum is still very high. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 120 FPS is still above the threshold for smooth gaming. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 63 FPS shows that the combo can hold near 60 FPS even with some dips. The High and Ultra presets do not have recorded minimums, but the averages provide a clear picture. The 4K Ultra result of 46 FPS is the only preset and resolution combination that falls below the 60 FPS target, indicating that this should be avoided for a comfortable experience. The 1080p Low result of 302 FPS shows the absolute performance ceiling of this combo, which is extremely high. For practical purposes, the 1440p Medium preset (142 FPS) and the 1080p High preset (193 FPS) offer the best balance of visual quality and raw frame rate. The 4K Low preset at 100 FPS is also a viable option for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity at 4K. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown shows a versatile combo that can handle a wide range of settings and resolutions, with the caveat that 4K Ultra is the only scenario where performance dips below 60 FPS.