Barony

Barony, a roguelike released in 2015, presents a unique benchmarking scenario for the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. The measured data shows this combination delivers exceptional frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions, placing it in the 1215th position out of 1702 tested combos. This ranking indicates that while the hardware is capable, the game's engine and graphical demands create a specific performance profile where the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strength shines at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo?

A: The maximum recorded average FPS is 285, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This demonstrates the combo's ability to far exceed standard 144Hz refresh rate requirements at the lowest graphical preset.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination ranks 1215th out of 1702 total tested combos in Barony. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, indicating that many other hardware combinations deliver higher raw performance in this specific game.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 285 on Low to 132.2 on Ultra, representing a performance reduction of approximately 54% when moving to the highest preset. The Ultra setting still maintains a very playable frame rate above 130 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU's VRAM capacity affect performance at 4K?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 44.3, suggesting that the 8 GB capacity and memory bandwidth become limiting factors at this extreme resolution.

Q: How does the CPU rank relative to its nearest competitors?

A: The Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, placing it 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. It trails the AMD EPYC 4345P by 0.5% and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 1.4%.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The minimum average FPS is 44.3, observed at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration in the dataset that falls below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered the baseline for smooth gameplay.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti serves as the primary rendering engine for Barony, and its specifications directly influence the measured frame rates. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, built on the Ampere architecture with 4864 shading units. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which proves adequate for most tested configurations but shows limitations at the highest resolution.

The GPU's memory subsystem plays a critical role in the 4K results. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo achieves 61.1 FPS, but this drops to 44.3 FPS on Ultra. The 8 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for the Low and Medium presets at 4K, where frame rates remain above 70 FPS, but the Ultra preset's increased texture and effect demands likely push against the memory bandwidth ceiling. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is a key bottleneck at this resolution, as the GPU must move larger amounts of texture data per frame.

The RTX 3060 Ti's compute capabilities also contribute to the observed performance. The card delivers 16.20 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which provides ample headroom for Barony's roguelike rendering requirements. The GPU's rasterization throughput, rated at 133.2 GPixel/s pixel rate and 253.1 GTexel/s texture rate, allows it to maintain high frame rates even at 1440p, where the combo achieves 115.8 FPS on High settings. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as frame rates scale with resolution in a pattern consistent with GPU-bound performance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear resolution scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 185 to 115.8, a reduction of approximately 37%. This scaling continues to 3840x2160, where the frame rate falls to 61.1, representing a further 47% decrease from the 1440p result.

The scaling behavior differs across settings presets. At Low settings, the 1080p result of 285 FPS drops to 181.1 at 1440p and 93.6 at 4K. This pattern shows that even at the lowest graphical preset, the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases, with the CPU unable to compensate for the increased rendering load. The Ultra preset shows the steepest decline, falling from 132.2 at 1080p to 82.5 at 1440p and 44.3 at 4K.

The resolution scaling data indicates that the Intel Core i5-14600KF provides sufficient CPU performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck until very high frame rates are demanded. The processor, with 14 cores and 20 threads, delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643, which supports frame rates well above 200 FPS at 1080p. However, the RTX 3060 Ti's rendering capacity limits performance at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate drops across all settings when resolution increases. The 1080p results, particularly at Low and Medium settings, suggest that the CPU could push even higher frame rates if the GPU were not the constraining factor at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on optimal settings for this hardware combination, with the choice depending on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, but the High preset at 185 FPS offers the best balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 132.2 FPS remains smooth and provides the maximum visual fidelity, while the Low preset at 285 FPS is unnecessary for most displays given the high frame rates already achieved at higher presets.

For 2560x1440 resolution, the High preset at 115.8 FPS represents the recommended configuration for most users. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Low settings while maintaining frame rates above 100 FPS. The Medium preset at 135.5 FPS offers a slight performance advantage for users prioritizing frame rate over visual quality, while the Ultra preset at 82.5 FPS remains playable but may not justify the performance cost. The Low preset at 181.1 FPS is excessive for most 1440p displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the settings recommendations change dramatically due to GPU limitations. The Low preset at 93.6 FPS provides a smooth experience, but the visual quality reduction is substantial. The Medium preset at 70.2 FPS offers a better balance, maintaining frame rates above 60 FPS while providing improved graphical fidelity. The High preset at 61.1 FPS barely meets the 60 FPS threshold and represents the highest quality setting that remains playable. The Ultra preset at 44.3 FPS should be avoided for 4K gaming, as the frame rate falls below the standard for smooth gameplay. For most users at 4K, the Medium preset provides the best combination of visual quality and performance, with the High preset serving as an option for those who prioritize graphics over frame rate stability.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination holds the 1215th position out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the 71st percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects the hardware's mid-range positioning within the broader benchmark database, despite the high absolute frame rates achieved in this specific game.

The ranking suggests that Barony's engine is relatively undemanding, allowing this mid-range combination to achieve high frame rates, yet many other tested combos still outperform it. The CPU's percentile ranking of 93 among all processors indicates that the Core i5-14600KF is a strong performer, but the GPU's percentile ranking of 69 among all GPUs pulls the combined score down. The GPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6700M (0.2% higher average score), AMD Radeon RX 6600 (0.5% higher), and AMD Radeon 890M (0.5% higher), showing that the RTX 3060 Ti sits in a tightly contested performance band.

The combo's 1215th rank among 1702 combinations demonstrates that while the hardware is capable of delivering excellent frame rates in Barony, the game's low system requirements mean that even mid-range components from newer generations or higher-tier parts can achieve better results. The CPU's nearest rivals show a narrow performance spread, with the Core i5-14600K just 0.4% behind and the Ryzen 9 5950X 0.6% behind, indicating that processor choice has minimal impact on the final ranking. The GPU's performance, however, places it in a competitive segment where small performance differences between similar cards can shift the ranking significantly. For users considering this combination, the data indicates it provides a solid foundation for Barony at all tested settings, with the primary limitation being the GPU's performance at 4K Ultra settings.