Barony

Barony, a roguelike that dates back to 2015, is not the kind of title that typically stresses modern hardware. However, the measured data for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination reveals a performance profile that is heavily dictated by resolution and graphics settings. The results show a system capable of delivering extremely high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, with a predictable but significant drop when moving to 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the scaling behavior, and the role each component plays in this specific pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a substantial and consistent performance drop across all settings, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 271 FPS at 1920x1080 to 171 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 89 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a decline of approximately 37% when moving from 1440p to 4K, and a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is similar for the Low preset, where the average FPS goes from 424 at 1080p, to 267 at 1440p, and 140 at 4K. The data suggests that the Radeon RX 7800 XT’s rendering load is scaling as expected with pixel count, making 4K the first resolution where the frame rate dips below the 100 FPS mark for most presets.

The scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is not the limiting factor for most settings, as the frame rates are exceptionally high. For instance, the Low preset at 1080p produces 424 FPS, a figure that is likely beyond the refresh rate of most displays and suggests the CPU is starting to become a more significant factor. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p is 230 FPS (424 vs 194), which is a massive difference that highlights how much headroom exists in the scene. However, at 4K, that same gap narrows to 76 FPS (140 vs 64), showing that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck. The 4K Ultra result of 64 FPS is the only measured average below 60 FPS, indicating that this setting pushes the combination to its limits.

The presence of min and max FPS data for the Medium preset provides additional insight. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset shows an average of 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 and a maximum of 120. This 32 FPS spread suggests some frame time variance, but the minimum remains well within playable territory. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 199 FPS with a min of 169 and a max of 229, showing a similar relative spread. The 1080p Medium result averages 315 FPS with a min of 268 and a max of 362. The data implies that frame pacing is consistent across resolutions, with no severe stuttering indicated by the minimum FPS values.

Settings Recommendations

The measured results provide a clear hierarchy of performance across the four presets. At 4K, the Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 64 FPS. While this is technically playable, it is the only result approaching the lower bounds of smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K offers a much better experience with an average of 89 FPS, which is a 39% improvement over Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K achieves 104 FPS, a further 17% uplift over High, and the Low preset reaches 140 FPS. For 4K users, the data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a comfortable frame rate buffer above 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the scenario changes completely. The Ultra preset averages 122 FPS, which is already excellent for most high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset at 171 FPS and Medium at 199 FPS are even more comfortable. The Low preset at 267 FPS is overkill for all but the most extreme 240Hz+ displays. The recommendation for 1440p is to use the Ultra preset, as it provides the best visual fidelity while still delivering a frame rate that exceeds the refresh rate of most standard gaming monitors. The data shows a 49 FPS difference between Ultra and High at this resolution, but the absolute performance of Ultra is high enough that the trade-off is not necessary.

For 1080p, the system is clearly over-provisioned. The Ultra preset averages 194 FPS, which is still very high. The High preset at 271 FPS and Medium at 315 FPS are even more excessive. The Low preset at 424 FPS is purely academic. Since the Ultra preset at 1080p delivers a 194 FPS average, it is the only sensible choice for this resolution if visual quality is a priority. The data indicates that there is little reason to lower settings at 1080p, as even the most demanding preset produces frame rates that are far beyond what is necessary for smooth gameplay. The bottleneck at this resolution is likely the CPU, which prevents the GPU from reaching even higher frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 89 at 3840x2160 with the High preset. This is a solid result, indicating playable performance at 4K without needing to drop to the lowest settings.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 267 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 122 FPS. This represents a 145 FPS difference, or about 119% higher performance for the Low preset.

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RX 7800 XT in this game?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is likely a limiting factor, as the Low preset produces 424 FPS, which is an extremely high number. At higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, as the FPS drops significantly.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 4K?

A: The minimum FPS for the Medium preset at 3840x2160 is 88 FPS, with a maximum of 120 FPS. This indicates that the frame rate remains stable and above 60 FPS even during demanding scenes.

Q: Which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance at 4K?

A: The High preset at 4K, with an average of 89 FPS, appears to be the optimal choice. It offers a significant improvement over the 64 FPS of the Ultra preset while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for Barony?

A: The combo ranks 1232 out of 3717 tested combinations, placing it in the top third of all systems tested for this game. This indicates a strong overall performance profile.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table outlines the exact average FPS figures for each resolution and settings preset, based on the measured data.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | ----------: |

| 3840x2160 | High | 89 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 140 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 104 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 64 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 171 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 267 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 199 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 122 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 271 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 424 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 315 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 194 |

At 1920x1080, the results show a clear progression from Ultra to Low. The Ultra preset yields 194 FPS, which is a solid baseline. The High preset jumps to 271 FPS, a 40% increase. The Medium preset reaches 315 FPS, and the Low preset peaks at 424 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 230 FPS, which is the largest absolute gap across any resolution. This indicates that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution and that the CPU is likely the constraining factor, as the frame rates are exceptionally high.

For 2560x1440, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers. Ultra averages 122 FPS, High averages 171 FPS, Medium averages 199 FPS, and Low averages 267 FPS. The relative scaling is consistent, with each step down in quality providing a noticeable boost. The 1440p results are all very playable, with the lowest average (Ultra) still exceeding 120 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution records a min FPS of 169 and a max FPS of 229, showing a tighter range than the 4K result.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops are more pronounced. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which is the only result below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset averages 89 FPS, a 39% improvement over Ultra. The Medium preset averages 104 FPS, and the Low preset averages 140 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K records a min FPS of 88 and a max of 120, which is a 32 FPS spread. The data shows that 4K is where the GPU is most stressed, and users will need to make a choice between higher settings and higher frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT achieves a rank of 1232 out of 3717 tested combos in Barony. This places the system in the 33rd percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it performs better than roughly two-thirds of the systems tested for this game. This is a strong result for a pairing that features a mid-range CPU from 2018 and a high-end GPU from 2023. The ranking suggests that the RX 7800 XT is doing the heavy lifting, and the i5-9400 is not severely hampering overall performance in this specific title.

The rank is likely influenced by the game's nature as a roguelike, which may not be heavily multi-threaded or CPU-intensive. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance, especially at higher resolutions. The combo's rank indicates that it is a well-balanced system for this game, capable of delivering high frame rates at all but the most demanding settings. The 3717 combos tested include a wide range of hardware, and this pairing sits comfortably in the top third, signifying that it is a capable choice for playing Barony.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with a 9 MB shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, place it at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 2254, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, -0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246, 0.4%). This indicates that the CPU's compute performance is average for its generation.

In the context of Barony, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The measured FPS data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is a limiting factor. For example, the Low preset at 1080p produces 424 FPS, which is an extremely high number that likely exceeds the CPU's ability to process frames. The CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads are sufficient for this game, as evidenced by the high frame rates, but they prevent the RX 7800 XT from reaching its full potential at lower resolutions. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and dual-channel DDR4 support are adequate for the game's requirements.

At 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes as the GPU becomes the bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 424 FPS at 1080p Low to 140 FPS at 4K Low, showing that the GPU's rendering workload is the primary constraint. The i5-9400's performance is sufficient to keep up with the GPU at these higher resolutions, as the frame rates are still high. The data indicates that the CPU is not a major concern for this pairing at 1440p and 4K, but it does cap performance at 1080p. The CPU's 65W TDP and end-of-life production status suggest it is an older part, but its performance in this game is still respectable.