Barony

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 presents a stark study in component imbalance when running _Barony_. The benchmark data reveals a system where the CPU possesses significant headroom, but the GPU’s limitations become the definitive barrier to high-fidelity performance, particularly at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows that resolution is the single most dominant factor in this configuration's performance. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 61.2 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset, the average drops to 40.2 FPS, a reduction of 21 frames. Pushing further to 3840x2160, the average plummets to 22.5 FPS, which is a 38.7 FPS drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the rendering pipeline is heavily constrained by the graphics processor.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. With the High preset, the frame rate falls from 89.6 FPS at 1080p to 57.3 FPS at 1440p and finally to 28.8 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset follows the same trajectory, starting at 101.7 FPS, dropping to 64.7 FPS, and then to 32.8 FPS. Even the Low preset, which is the least demanding, sees a significant reduction from 137.6 FPS at 1080p to 85.6 FPS at 1440p and 47.5 FPS at 4K.

These results suggest that at 1080p, the system can provide a fluid experience, but the 4K data points are consistently below the threshold for smooth gameplay, even on the Low preset. The pattern strongly implies that the GPU, with its limited memory bandwidth and compute capabilities, is the primary bottleneck. The CPU, which is capable of high multithreaded scores, is not the limiting factor here; instead, the GPU’s inability to process frames quickly enough at higher pixel counts dictates the performance ceiling.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads, based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 29241 and a single-core score of 4128. In Geekbench, it scores 13892 multicore and 2561 single-core. These numbers indicate a processor with substantial computational headroom for a game like _Barony_.

However, the measured FPS data shows that this CPU power is not being fully utilized. At 1080p with Low settings, the frame rate reaches 137.6 FPS, but this is likely still limited by the GPU's pixel throughput. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Passmark single-thread score of 4013, is more than sufficient to feed the GTX 1650. The processor’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide ample responsiveness for game logic and physics.

The fact that the frame rate drops so precipitously as resolution increases confirms that the CPU is not the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU’s workload would remain constant. Instead, the data shows a clear correlation between pixel count and performance, which points directly to the GPU. The i7-12700K is effectively idle, waiting for the graphics card to catch up, which means the system’s performance is dictated almost entirely by the GPU in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the clear performance limiter in this configuration. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its boost clock is 1665 MHz, and it has 896 shading units. While this hardware was capable for its time, its benchmark results show it is positioned in the lower half of the GPU performance spectrum, with a percentile rank of 43 compared to all GPUs.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its mid-range status. Its Passmark G3D score is 7880, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 305. When compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is nearly identical in performance to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (deltaPct of -0.4) and the AMD Radeon 550X (deltaPct of -0.4). This indicates that the GTX 1650 is a competent entry-level card, but it lacks the raw power to handle high-resolution textures and complex shading.

The measured FPS data confirms this. The 4 GB VRAM buffer is likely exceeded at 4K with higher presets, causing the severe frame rate drops. The transition from High to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 89.6 FPS to 61.2 FPS, a 28.4 FPS difference that highlights the GPU's struggle with the increased shader complexity. The GPU is the definitive reason why the 4K Ultra preset yields a barely playable 22.5 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand database of tested combinations, this pairing ranks at 1640 out of 1702 combos. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested systems for _Barony_, indicating that while it can run the game, it does so with performance that is below the vast majority of other configurations. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU’s limitations, as the CPU is certainly not the cause for such a low standing.

The combo’s performance is heavily skewed by the graphics card's capabilities. The data shows that the GTX 1650’s average benchmark score of 8713 is nearly matched by its rivals, such as the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 (avgScore 8761), and it is only 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro P2200. This mid-range GPU performance, when combined with the high-end CPU, creates a pairing that underperforms in comparison to systems with more balanced components. The rank suggests that users with this combo will experience frame rates that are significantly lower than what the CPU alone could support, making it a GPU-bound system.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1920x1080 resolution. At this resolution, the High preset delivers an average of 89.6 FPS, which is a smooth and responsive experience. The Medium preset is also viable at 101.7 FPS, offering a slight performance increase. However, the Low preset at 137.6 FPS provides the highest frame rate, which may be preferable for competitive play or for users who prioritize frame time consistency.

At 2560x1440, the High preset drops to 57.3 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset at 64.7 FPS is a better choice for maintaining a higher frame rate. The Low preset at 85.6 FPS offers the best performance at this resolution, though it requires a significant visual compromise.

The 3840x2160 resolution is not recommended for this configuration. Even the Low preset only manages 47.5 FPS, and the High preset drops to 28.8 FPS. The Ultra preset is unplayable at 22.5 FPS. The data suggests that the GPU’s 4 GB memory capacity and bandwidth are simply insufficient for 4K rendering in this title. Therefore, for the best balance of visual quality and performance, the 1080p High preset is the recommended setting, as it provides a comfortable frame rate without the steep visual penalties of the Low preset.