Barony

Barony is a roguelike that scales heavily with CPU performance, and the combination of an Intel Core i5-14600KF with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 represents a significant bottleneck on the GPU side. The measured data shows that this pairing, which ranks 1645 out of 1702 tested combos in this game, delivers playable performance at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain fluid frame rates at 4K. The following analysis breaks down the specific performance characteristics based on the measured FPS data.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in Barony?

A: This combination ranks 1645 out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the bottom percentile of all tested pairings. The rank indicates that most other CPU-GPU combinations tested for this game deliver higher average frame rates.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p Low and 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 134.6 FPS at 1080p Low to 23.5 FPS at 4K Ultra, representing a dramatic 111.1 FPS reduction. This highlights the severe impact of resolution and settings on the GTX 1650's output.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The GTX 1650 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and a 128-bit bus width. The i5-14600KF has a 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the GTX 1650 sits in the 43rd percentile among GPUs, showing a massive performance disparity between the two components.

Q: What is the best measured performance for this combo at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the highest average frame rate achieved is 87.6 FPS on Low settings. Medium settings deliver 66.5 FPS, High settings drop to 56.7 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 40.7 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score is 8713, which is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746) and 0.4% lower than the AMD Radeon 550X (8749). It is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8671).

Q: Does the GTX 1650 support modern graphics APIs needed for Barony?

A: Yes, the GTX 1650 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its PassMark DirectX 12 score is 35, which is notably lower than its DirectX 11 score of 58 and DirectX 9 score of 124.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 operates with a base clock of 1485 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. Memory runs at 2001 MHz with 8 Gbps effective speed. The card has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. These specifications position the GPU with 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units.

The GPU's role in Barony is heavily constrained by its 4 GB memory capacity and limited bandwidth. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K resolution, the average frame rate never exceeds 44.1 FPS even on Low settings. The GTX 1650's 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors indicate it is a low-power, entry-level card that was designed for 1080p gaming. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 305 and PassMark G3D score of 7880 place it in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs, confirming its position as a modest performer.

The combination with the Intel Core i5-14600KF creates an interesting dynamic. The CPU, which has 14 cores and 20 threads with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, is far more capable than the GPU. The CPU's average benchmark score of 49367 places it in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU sits far below in the 43rd percentile. This imbalance means the GTX 1650 is almost always the limiting factor, with the CPU waiting on the GPU to render frames.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination ranks 1645 out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the bottom 3.3% of all tested configurations. The rank of 1645 reflects the GPU's limitations despite the CPU's strength.

The CPU alone performs well in synthetic benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 32889 and single-core score is 4643. The Geekbench multicore score is 15636 and single-core is 2778. In PassMark tests, the CPU scores 38697 in multithread and 4273 in single thread. The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i5-14600K with a deltaPct of 0.4%, the AMD EPYC 4345P with -0.5%, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with 0.6%, and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H with 1.4%.

The GPU, however, drags the overall combination down. With an average benchmark score of 8713, the GTX 1650's synthetic performance is very close to its nearest rivals. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is 0.4% faster, the AMD Radeon 550X is 0.4% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 is 0.5% faster. The NVIDIA Quadro P2200 is 0.5% slower. In real-world Barony testing, this GPU performance translates to the low frame rates observed, particularly at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 134.6 FPS average, which is the highest measured frame rate for this combo. Medium settings produce 102.3 FPS, High settings produce 85.8 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 62.1 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can maintain frame rates above 60 FPS across all settings presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 87.6 FPS, Medium settings average 66.5 FPS, High settings average 56.7 FPS, and Ultra settings average 40.7 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, with the Low preset falling by 47 FPS and the Ultra preset falling by 21.4 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal for smooth gameplay. Low settings average 44.1 FPS, Medium settings average 34.2 FPS, High settings average 29.9 FPS, and Ultra settings average 23.5 FPS. None of these frame rates meet the 60 FPS standard, and even the Low preset falls below 45 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals the GPU's bandwidth and memory limitations. Going from 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate drops by 47 FPS on Low settings (134.6 to 87.6), by 35.8 FPS on Medium settings (102.3 to 66.5), by 29.1 FPS on High settings (85.8 to 56.7), and by 21.4 FPS on Ultra settings (62.1 to 40.7).

The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows even more severe drops. Low settings fall from 87.6 to 44.1 FPS, a reduction of 43.5 FPS. Medium settings fall from 66.5 to 34.2 FPS, a reduction of 32.3 FPS. High settings fall from 56.7 to 29.9 FPS, a reduction of 26.8 FPS. Ultra settings fall from 40.7 to 23.5 FPS, a reduction of 17.2 FPS.

The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic. Low settings lose 67.2% of their frame rate (134.6 to 44.1), Medium settings lose 66.6% (102.3 to 34.2), High settings lose 65.2% (85.8 to 29.9), and Ultra settings lose 62.2% (62.1 to 23.5). These consistent drops across presets indicate that the GPU is fully saturated at 4K, with the 128.1 GB/s bandwidth unable to feed the render pipeline fast enough.

Settings Recommendations

For this combo, the measured data suggests that 1080p is the only viable resolution for smooth gameplay across all presets. At 1080p, the Low preset provides the highest headroom at 134.6 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS target. Medium settings at 102.3 FPS still offer excellent headroom, and even High settings at 85.8 FPS remain comfortably above 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the recommendation becomes more nuanced. Low settings at 87.6 FPS and Medium settings at 66.5 FPS both maintain playable frame rates above 60 FPS. High settings at 56.7 FPS and Ultra settings at 40.7 FPS fall below the 60 FPS threshold. For 1440p gaming, Medium settings represent the best balance between visual quality and performance, as the 66.5 FPS average provides smooth gameplay while maintaining a more detailed image than Low settings.

At 4K, none of the presets achieve 60 FPS. Low settings at 44.1 FPS is the only preset that approaches playability, and even that may feel stuttery in fast-paced gameplay. Medium settings at 34.2 FPS and High settings at 29.9 FPS are borderline, while Ultra settings at 23.5 FPS are not recommended.

The data indicates that users should prioritize 1080p Medium or High settings for the best experience. Medium at 102.3 FPS offers a 42.5% improvement over High at 85.8 FPS, while the visual difference between these presets is typically less noticeable. For users who prefer higher resolutions, 1440p Medium at 66.5 FPS is the sweet spot, providing a 31.7% performance increase over 1440p High at 56.7 FPS while maintaining acceptable frame rates.