Barony

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 paired with the Intel Core i7-12700K delivers a performance profile in Barony that is heavily dictated by resolution and settings, with the data revealing a clear transition from a CPU-bound state at 1080p to a GPU-bound state at 4K. The measured frames per second (FPS) show that this combination is exceptionally capable at lower resolutions, but the demands of 4K Ultra expose the limits of the graphics card, resulting in a playable yet markedly less fluid experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a pronounced and predictable drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 201 FPS at 1080p to 127 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 66 FPS at 4K. This represents a 37% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 48% reduction when moving from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern indicates that at 1080p, the system is not fully stressed by the GPU, as the frame rates are exceptionally high, leaving headroom that suggests other components are the limiting factor.

The scaling behavior shifts dramatically at the Ultra preset. Here, the frame rate drops from 144 FPS at 1080p to 91 FPS at 1440p, and then to 48 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a hard limit imposed by the GPU. The difference in scaling between High and Ultra presets is telling: at High, the 4K result (66 FPS) is 67% of the 1440p result (127 FPS), while at Ultra, the 4K result (48 FPS) is only 53% of the 1440p result (91 FPS). This steeper drop at Ultra demonstrates that the increased graphical load is disproportionately taxing the GPU.

Analyzing the Low preset provides further insight into the system's bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 315 FPS, which is a remarkably high number that strongly suggests the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU is likely not being fully utilized at such a low graphical load. At 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 199 FPS, and at 4K Low, it settles at 104 FPS. The scaling from Low to High at 1080p (315 to 201 FPS) is a 36% reduction, which is significant but still leaves the system well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The data indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiter at 4K, regardless of settings, while at 1080p, the system's performance is constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with enough data.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience for a balance of visual fidelity and frame rate is the High preset. At 1920x1080, High delivers 201 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, High still provides 127 FPS, which is an excellent result for a high-refresh-rate monitor. Even at 4K, the High preset maintains an average of 66 FPS, which is playable and shows that the game is well-optimized for this combination at this setting. The Medium preset offers a marginal improvement in frame rate over High, with 235 FPS at 1080p and 148 FPS at 1440p, but the difference is not substantial enough to justify the expected reduction in visual quality.

The Ultra preset, while offering the highest visual quality, comes at a significant performance cost. At 1440p, Ultra yields 91 FPS, which is a 28% reduction compared to High (127 FPS). At 4K, Ultra drops to 48 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay and may lead to noticeable stuttering. The Low preset, while providing the highest frame rates, is not recommended for a game like Barony where visual clarity of the dungeon environment could be important; it yields 315 FPS at 1080p, but this is overkill for most displays. The data suggests that High is the optimal setting for this combo, as it provides a robust frame rate at all resolutions, including a 4K result that remains above 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the decisive component in determining the performance ceiling at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is adequate for the game at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS suggests that the GPU is running out of resources or raw compute power to maintain higher frame rates. The GPU's boost clock is listed at 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz, and its 1792 shading units are responsible for the rendering work.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322, which places it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, based on the provided data, include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has a similar average score with a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, with a delta of 1%. This indicates that the RX 9060 is a mid-to-upper-tier performer that is competitive with the RTX 3060 Ti. In Barony, this translates to strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra data point reveals that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the frame rate falls to 48 FPS. The transition from High to Ultra at 4K (66 to 48 FPS) is a 27% drop, further emphasizing that the GPU's limits are being reached with the highest settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination is ranked 1704 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the top 58% of all tested system configurations, indicating that it is a competent but not top-tier setup for this specific game. The rank reflects the overall balance of the system; while the CPU is a high performer, the GPU's limitations at 4K Ultra likely prevent the combo from achieving a higher standing. The combo's rank is a measure of its average performance across all tested settings, and the data shows that it excels at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results pull the average down.

Given that the CPU has a percentile rank of 84 against all CPUs, and the GPU has a percentile rank of 59 against all GPUs, the combo's ranking of 1704 is consistent with a system that has a strong processor but a more modest graphics card. The system's performance in Barony is thus more dependent on the GPU's capabilities, especially at higher resolutions. The measured data confirms this, as the system is capable of exceeding 200 FPS at 1080p High, but drops to 48 FPS at 4K Ultra, showing that the GPU is unable to maintain high frame rates when the resolution and settings are maxed out.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K plays a crucial role in ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data, particularly at lower resolutions. This CPU has 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5. The CPU's performance is reflected in the frame rates at 1080p, where it achieves 201 FPS at High and 315 FPS at Low. These high frame rates indicate that the CPU is capable of processing the game's logic and draw calls quickly enough to keep up with the GPU's output.

The CPU's influence wanes as the resolution increases, as the rendering load shifts to the GPU. At 4K, the frame rate is largely determined by the GPU's capabilities, and the CPU's role becomes less critical. However, the CPU's strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2308, ensures that it does not become a bottleneck in most scenarios. The data shows that the CPU is more than sufficient for this game, as the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings (201 to 127 FPS) is primarily due to the GPU's workload increasing, not a CPU limitation. The i7-12700K's performance is competitive, as its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-12700KF, has a nearly identical average benchmark score with a delta of -0.2%.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate for the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combo at 1920x1080 with High settings is 201 FPS.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Barony?*

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with High settings, the system achieves an average of 66 FPS, which is playable. However, at 4K with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9060 compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, has an average score of 16129, which is a delta of -0.7% from the RX 9060.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a high-refresh-rate monitor at 1440p?

A: The High preset is recommended for 1440p, as it delivers 127 FPS and provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset would only yield 91 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

Q: Is the system's performance better at 1080p or 4K?

A: The system's performance is significantly better at 1080p. For example, at High settings, the frame rate is 201 FPS at 1080p compared to 66 FPS at 4K, showing a 67% reduction in performance at the higher resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset. Where available, the minimum and maximum FPS are also provided for the Medium preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | High | 66 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 104 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 77 | 66 | 89 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 48 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 127 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 199 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 148 | 126 | 170 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 91 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 201 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 315 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 235 | 199 | 270 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 144 | - | - |

The data shows a clear hierarchy: the Low preset at 1080p provides the highest frame rate at 315 FPS, while the Ultra preset at 4K provides the lowest at 48 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum FPS of 66 and a maximum of 89, indicating some variance in frame times. The system's performance is robust across the board, but the 4K Ultra configuration is the only one that falls below the generally accepted 60 FPS target for a smooth experience.