Barony

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers exceptional performance in Barony, placing this combination at rank 404 out of 3717 tested combos. This top-11% standing reflects a system that is overwhelmingly capable for this roguelike title, with the data showing that the RTX 4080's immense graphics horsepower is largely untaxed at most settings. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and presets are exceptionally high, indicating that this pairing provides a far smoother experience than the vast majority of systems tested for this game. While the i5-9400 is an older, mid-range CPU from 2018, its six cores and six threads prove sufficient to feed the RTX 4080 in Barony, a game that appears to be far more dependent on the GPU than the processor. The benchmark results consistently show triple-digit average frame rates even at 4K Ultra, making this a combination that will not struggle to maintain fluid gameplay in nearly any scenario the game presents.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 404 out of 3717 tested combos for Barony, placing it in the top 10.9% of all systems evaluated. This high ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's dominant performance profile, as the RTX 4080 sits in the 86th percentile when compared to all other graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 54247. The data shows that this GPU is a massive performance outlier, sitting close to its nearest rivals, such as the RTX 4080 SUPER (with a negligible 0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (which is 1.1% ahead). The CPU, however, is a more modest component, ranking in the 47th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals, like the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (-0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (0.4% delta), show that the i5-9400 is a firmly mid-pack processor. Despite this CPU's average standing, the benchmark results for Barony show that it does not bottleneck the system, as the measured FPS are exceptionally high across the board. The combination's rank of 404 suggests that while many systems with newer, top-tier CPUs might edge it out slightly, the sheer power of the RTX 4080 ensures this combo is far ahead of the majority of the field, delivering a performance level that is more than sufficient for the game's demands.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the target refresh rate and resolution, but the results indicate that the system has headroom to spare at every level. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset yields an average of 274 FPS, which is more than enough for high-refresh-rate monitors, while the High preset pushes this to 383 FPS, and Low reaches 451 FPS. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU becomes the primary limiter, as the FPS gains from lowering settings from Ultra to Low are not proportionate to the GPU's massive headroom. For 1440p, the Ultra preset still delivers a very high 173 FPS average, with High at 242 FPS and Medium at 281 FPS, making Ultra a perfectly viable choice for most users. At 4K, the Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of 91 FPS, which is still playable but might not satisfy those with 120Hz+ displays. The High preset at 4K, however, offers a substantial improvement to 126 FPS, making it the best balance for high-refresh 4K gaming. For the most consistent experience at 4K, the Medium preset provides 147 FPS with a min FPS of 125, ensuring smooth frame pacing. The data strongly indicates that the High preset is the best overall recommendation for this combo, as it provides a significant FPS boost over Ultra at all resolutions (from 91 to 126 at 4K, 173 to 242 at 1440p, and 274 to 383 at 1080p) with likely minimal visual difference in a roguelike title. For those prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, Ultra is still entirely playable, but High offers the sweet spot of performance and quality.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in Barony?

A: The data shows it is not a significant bottleneck. At 1080p, the FPS scales from 274 (Ultra) to 451 (Low), which indicates a CPU limit, but even the lowest result is exceptionally high. At 1440p and 4K, the FPS scales more dramatically with settings, showing the GPU is taking over as the primary performance driver.

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo?

A: The measured results show high average FPS at all resolutions. At 4K, the High preset delivers 126 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh monitors. At 1440p, even the Ultra preset achieves 173 FPS. The choice depends on the display's native resolution, but the data indicates the combo is capable of smooth 4K gaming with adjusted settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, placing it in the 86th percentile. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is essentially tied with a 0.1% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% behind, showing the 4080 is highly competitive in its class.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings in Barony?

A: Yes, it can. The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 91, which is perfectly playable for most users. However, for a smoother experience on high-refresh displays, the data suggests selecting High settings to achieve 126 FPS.

Q: Does the i5-9400's 6-core/6-thread configuration limit performance?

A: The benchmark results for Barony show that it does not. The CPU's performance, while only in the 47th percentile globally, is sufficient to provide high frame rates. At 1080p, the FPS scaling between Low (451) and Ultra (274) indicates a CPU limit, but the lowest value is still exceptionally high, suggesting the game is not heavily multi-threaded.

Q: What is the role of the RTX 4080's 16GB of VRAM for this game?

A: The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory is more than ample for Barony. The game, with its roguelike genre, does not appear to be VRAM-intensive, and the GPU's memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s ensures there are no memory-related bottlenecks, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a clear picture of its performance capabilities across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system produces its highest frame rates, with the Low preset averaging 451 FPS. The Medium preset averages 405 FPS, with a min FPS of 344 and a max FPS of 465. High settings yield an average of 383 FPS, and the Ultra preset, while the most demanding, still achieves an average of 274 FPS. These figures show that at 1080p, the system is limited by the CPU, as the difference between Low and Ultra (451 vs. 274 FPS) is relatively small compared to the GPU's headroom. At 2560x1440, the performance scales as expected, with Low delivering 379 FPS, Medium 281 FPS (min 239, max 324), High 242 FPS, and Ultra 173 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is more pronounced than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is becoming a more significant factor. At 3840x2160, the system still delivers excellent results. The Low preset averages 198 FPS, Medium 147 FPS (min 125, max 169), High 126 FPS, and Ultra 91 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is significant, showing that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck, as expected. The data shows that this combo is capable of maintaining high frame rates even at the most demanding settings, with the only sub-100 FPS average occurring at 4K Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly correlate with the high measured frame rates. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, it provides a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for Barony at any resolution. The GPU's core configuration includes 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, allowing it to process geometry and pixels at an extremely high rate. Its boost clock of 2505 MHz, built on the 5 nm Ada Lovelace architecture, contributes to its substantial compute power, as evidenced by its FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS. The RTX 4080's average benchmark score of 54247 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a top-tier component. In Barony, the GPU's role is most evident at higher resolutions. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K, the performance scales significantly with settings (from 91 FPS at Ultra to 198 FPS at Low), which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the average FPS remains high, indicating the memory is not being exhausted. The RTX 4080's performance is so high that it puts the system in the top 11% of all tested combos, despite the CPU's mid-range standing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 serves as a competent, if unspectacular, partner to the RTX 4080 in this system. With 6 cores and 6 threads, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, it is a Coffee Lake-era processor that has been end-of-life for some time. Its benchmark scores reflect its age, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. In Barony, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p resolution. The measured FPS shows a clear plateau, with the Low setting hitting 451 FPS and the Ultra setting at 274 FPS. This FPS scaling is less than what the GPU's power would suggest, indicating that at this resolution, the i5-9400 is the limiting factor. However, the absolute FPS numbers are so high that this limitation is not a practical concern. At 1440p and 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes as the GPU takes over the workload, with the FPS scaling more dramatically with settings. The i5-9400's 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are sufficient for a game like Barony, which is not heavily multi-threaded. The data shows that while the CPU is not a high-end part, it does not hamper the overall experience, as the system still achieves high frame rates across all settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the shift in system bottleneck from the CPU to the GPU. At 1080p, the average FPS across all settings is very high, ranging from 274 (Ultra) to 451 (Low). The relatively small gap between Low and Ultra (a 39% drop) indicates that the i5-9400 is the limiting component, as the GPU is capable of far more. At 1440p, the scaling becomes more pronounced, with FPS ranging from 173 (Ultra) to 379 (Low). The drop from Low to Ultra here is 54%, showing the GPU is now a more significant factor. At 4K, the scaling is steepest, with FPS ranging from 91 (Ultra) to 198 (Low), a 54% drop from Low to Ultra, but the absolute numbers are lower, showing the GPU is now the definitive bottleneck. Looking at the High preset, the FPS drops from 383 at 1080p, to 242 at 1440p, and finally to 126 at 4K. This represents a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial decrease, but the final result is still a very playable 126 FPS. The data confirms that the RTX 4080 is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, while the CPU's limitations only become apparent at 1080p. The system's ability to maintain over 90 FPS at 4K Ultra and over 120 FPS at 4K High shows that it is well-balanced for high-resolution gaming, with the GPU's massive power compensating for the CPU's more modest capabilities.