Barony

The pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT produces a performance profile in Barony that is heavily dictated by resolution and graphics preset. The measured frame rates show a system that is overwhelmingly capable at 1080p, still very strong at 1440p, but which begins to show its limits at 4K, particularly under the highest load settings. The data indicates a configuration where the GPU becomes the primary scaling factor as resolution increases, while the processor’s robust multi-threaded headroom ensures that even the most demanding CPU scenarios are unlikely to bottleneck the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the configuration delivers an average of 301.3 FPS, which drops to 187.8 FPS at 1440p and further to 97 FPS at 4K. This represents a reduction to 62% of the 1080p figure at 1440p, and just 32% at 4K, indicating that the pixel throughput demands are scaling almost linearly with the increase in resolution. The trend is consistent across all presets; for instance, the High preset shows 194 FPS at 1080p, 121.3 FPS at 1440p, and 64.2 FPS at 4K.

The scaling behavior suggests that at 1080p, the system is not fully stressed. The jump from 301.3 FPS at Low to 194 FPS at High is a 35% reduction, which shows that while the GPU is working harder, there is still ample headroom. However, the 4K results tell a different story. The drop from High (64.2 FPS) to Ultra (42.5 FPS) at 4K is a 34% performance hit, which is a steeper penalty than the 30% drop seen between the same presets at 1440p (121.3 to 86.6 FPS). This suggests that at 4K, the Radeon RX 6650 XT is approaching its memory bandwidth and shading limits, making the transition to Ultra particularly punishing. The data shows that while the Core i7-12700KF has the computational strength to feed frames at lower resolutions, the graphics card becomes the limiting component as pixel count rises.

Settings Recommendations

For users targeting a high-refresh-rate experience, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear choice, delivering an average of 301.3 FPS. This is nearly 1.4 times faster than the Medium preset’s 222.2 FPS and over twice the Ultra preset’s 134.9 FPS. However, the jump from Low to Medium is substantial in visual quality, and the data shows that Medium still provides an excellent frame rate of 222.2 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any 144Hz display. The High preset at 1080p, with 194 FPS, remains a strong option for those prioritizing visual fidelity without sacrificing competitive frame rates.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. The Medium preset delivers 141.3 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors, while the High preset’s 121.3 FPS is still playable but begins to approach the threshold where frame pacing might become noticeable on 144Hz panels. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 86.6 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced games but not ideal for the fast-twitch action of a roguelike. For 4K, the data suggests a compromise. The High preset at 64.2 FPS is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, as the Medium preset at 71.5 FPS is only slightly faster, and the Ultra preset’s 42.5 FPS is below the threshold for enjoyable motion clarity. The Low preset at 4K, while hitting 97 FPS, likely sacrifices too much visual detail for the modest gain over High.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a 7 nm process, is the central figure in this configuration’s gaming performance. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 280.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a critical factor in the 4K results. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the card’s frame rate drops to 42.5 FPS, indicating that the memory subsystem and the 64 ROPs are being saturated. The GPU’s boost clock of 2635 MHz and game clock of 2410 MHz are high for its class, but the measured FPS scaling shows that raw clock speed cannot compensate for the resolution demand.

The GPU’s benchmark percentile of 72 places it in the upper quarter of all graphics cards, and its average score of 29024 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (deltaPct 0). This suggests that the desktop RX 6650 XT is performing at a level comparable to a mobile flagship, which is noteworthy. However, the card’s nearest rival, the Intel Arc A370M, shows a deltaPct of -0.5, meaning the RX 6650 XT is only slightly slower in synthetic benchmarks, yet the measured gameplay in Barony shows a strong advantage in practice. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 17166 substantiates its position, but in Barony, the card’s performance is more dependent on the preset than on its raw compute, as evidenced by the 57% drop from Low to Ultra at 4K (97 to 42.5 FPS).

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the configuration delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 301.3 FPS, while Medium scales to 222.2 FPS, High to 194 FPS, and Ultra to 134.9 FPS. These figures indicate that the processor is not a limiting factor at this resolution, as even the most demanding preset remains well above the 100 FPS mark. The spread between Low and Ultra is 166.4 FPS, showing that the GPU has significant headroom to spare.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the scaling becomes more pronounced. Low yields 187.8 FPS, Medium 141.3 FPS, High 121.3 FPS, and Ultra 86.6 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 101.2 FPS, which is a smaller absolute gap than at 1080p but a larger relative penalty (54% reduction). This indicates that the GPU is starting to feel the pressure of the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the results show a stark contrast. Low settings produce 97 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 71.5 FPS, High to 64.2 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 42.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 54.5 FPS, and the Ultra preset is only 44% of the Low preset’s performance. This breakdown confirms that 4K gaming with this hardware requires a careful selection of presets, as the Ultra setting is only suitable for screenshots or non-reactive gameplay.

FAQ

Q: Can this CPU and GPU combination handle 4K gaming in this game?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K, the Low preset achieves 97 FPS, and High reaches 64.2 FPS. However, the Ultra preset drops to 42.5 FPS, which is not ideal for smooth, responsive play. The data suggests that 4K is viable only with lower presets.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 141.3 FPS, which is just shy of a 144Hz refresh rate. The Low preset reaches 187.8 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 144 FPS, while the High preset at 121.3 FPS may result in occasional dips below the refresh rate.

Q: How does the Radeon RX 6650 XT compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 6650 XT has an average benchmark score of 29024, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 6800M’s 29011 (deltaPct 0). It is also 0.5% faster than the Intel Arc A370M, which scores 29175, but 0.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data does not suggest a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 301.3 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate. The Core i7-12700KF’s multi-threaded score of 28979 in Cinebench R23 indicates it has ample processing power to sustain such output without limiting the GPU.

Q: What is the frame rate penalty for enabling Ultra settings over High at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 64.2 FPS, while Ultra averages 42.5 FPS. This represents a 34% reduction in frame rate, which is a significant drop that makes Ultra impractical for smooth gameplay.

Q: Does the GPU’s VRAM capacity affect the 4K results?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is likely a contributing factor to the 4K performance drop. The bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s appears strained at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the steep decline from Low (97 FPS) to Ultra (42.5 FPS) at 4K, which is a much larger relative penalty than at lower resolutions.