Barony

Barony is a roguelike that leans on procedural dungeon crawling and real-time first-person combat, and the measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B570 shows a system that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. The combination ranks 2344 out of 2935 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, which is worth keeping in mind if you are chasing high-refresh-rate 4K gameplay. The data set includes average FPS for Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, and the pattern is consistent: this pairing is capable of smooth 1080p and 1440p play, but 4K Ultra demands compromises. The Intel Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, while the i7-12700KF is at the 85th percentile among CPUs, so the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios, though the CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads ensure it is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, which is typical for a game where pixel count drives the load. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 245 at 1920x1080 to 154 at 2560x1440, then to 81 at 3840x2160. That is a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K, and the gap between 1440p and 4K is 73 FPS, showing that the Arc B570’s 10 GB GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed heavily at the higher resolution. At Medium settings, the averages are 182 at 1080p, 115 at 1440p, and 60 at 4K, with the 4K result including a measured minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS, which indicates occasional dips below 60 FPS that could be noticeable in fast combat. High settings show 156 at 1080p, 99 at 1440p, and 52 at 4K, while Ultra drops to 112 at 1080p, 71 at 1440p, and 37 at 4K.

The scaling behavior reveals that the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K, but the CPU still holds up well. At 1080p Low, the 245 FPS average suggests the i7-12700KF is feeding the Arc B570 efficiently, since the GPU’s 11.52 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 2304 shading units are not overwhelmed at that resolution. Moving to 1440p, the FPS drops by roughly 37-40% depending on the preset, which aligns with the increased pixel count. The 4K results are where the system struggles most: even at Low, the 81 FPS average is below what a high-refresh 4K monitor would want, and Ultra at 37 FPS is borderline unplayable for a game that requires quick reactions. The data suggests that the limiting component at 4K is the Arc B570’s raw compute and memory bandwidth, not the CPU, because the i7-12700KF’s passmark multithread score of 34092 and single-thread score of 3984 are far above what a roguelike like Barony would need for game logic and AI.

What is notable is the scaling efficiency between Medium and High at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Medium (182 FPS) and High (156 FPS) is 26 FPS, while at 1440p it is 16 FPS, and at 4K it is 8 FPS. This narrowing gap indicates that as the GPU becomes more loaded, the relative cost of each preset step shrinks in absolute FPS terms, but the percentage cost remains similar. The Ultra preset is the outlier, costing roughly 28-38% of the Medium FPS at each resolution, which suggests that Ultra introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive on this GPU architecture.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, featuring 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. Its base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz, with memory clocked at 2375 MHz for 19 Gbps effective, delivering 380.0 GB/s across a 160-bit bus with 10 GB of GDDR6. The GPU has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, 80 ROPs, and 18 ray tracing cores, with a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. In benchmark tests, it scores 14195 in Passmark G3D and 2649 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, with a Passmark GPU compute score of 7281. Its average benchmark score is 20556, which places it at the 65th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the Intel Arc A750 with an average score of 20582 and a deltaPct of -0.1, meaning the B570 is essentially tied with that card.

In Barony specifically, the GPU’s role is clear from the measured FPS data. At 1080p Low, the 245 FPS average is close to what the GPU can deliver when pixel load is minimal, but the ceiling is not reached because the game’s roguelike nature often involves simple geometry and limited draw calls. The 10 GB VRAM is ample for this game, as Barony is not a VRAM-heavy title, and the 160-bit bus is not a bottleneck at 1080p or 1440p. However, at 4K, the 380.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes a limiting factor, especially on Ultra where the FPS drops to 37. The GPU’s 80 ROPs are also relevant here, as 4K resolution requires more pixel throughput, and the 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate is only adequate for moderate settings.

The GPU’s compute capabilities, measured at 11.52 TFLOPS FP32, are modest by modern standards, and the data reflects that in the Ultra preset results. At 1080p Ultra, the 112 FPS average is playable, but at 1440p Ultra, 71 FPS is borderline for a game where precise movement matters, and 4K Ultra at 37 FPS is not smooth. The GPU’s nearest rival, the Arc A750, has nearly identical average benchmark scores, so if you see similar results from that card in other tests, expect the same scaling pattern here. The B570’s 18 ray tracing cores are irrelevant for Barony, which does not appear to use RT effects in its measured presets, so the focus should be on raw rasterization performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12th Gen Alder Lake desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads, running at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It has a 125 W TDP, uses the Intel Socket 1700, and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 28838 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 4071 in single-core, with a Geekbench multicore score of 14367 and single-core score of 2255. Its Passmark multithread score is 34092, and its single-thread score is 3984. The average benchmark score is 35365, placing it at the 85th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T with a deltaPct of -0.1 and the Intel Core i5-13600T with a deltaPct of 0.2, meaning the 12700KF is effectively matched with those parts.

In Barony, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, enemy AI, and procedural generation, which for a roguelike can be surprisingly demanding due to the sheer number of entities and interactions. The 12 cores and 20 threads are overkill for this title, as most roguelikes do not scale well beyond a few threads, but the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which is what matters for frame pacing. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the 245 FPS average is not limited by the CPU, as the Passmark single-thread score of 3984 is sufficient for the game’s logic. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 112 FPS average indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck, because the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at that preset.

The CPU’s 3DMark scores further illustrate its capabilities: 1043 in single-thread, 4011 in 4-thread, 7211 in 8-thread, and 9983 in max-thread tests. These numbers suggest that Barony, which likely uses fewer than 8 threads, will see no benefit from the 20 threads, but the 5.00 GHz boost clock provides the headroom needed to maintain high FPS in scenes with many enemies or complex dungeon layouts. The CPU’s percentile rank of 85 means it outperforms most CPUs in general, but in this specific game, the GPU is the constraint at higher resolutions. If you were to pair this CPU with a stronger GPU, the FPS at 1080p and 1440p would likely increase, since the CPU has headroom to spare, as evidenced by the 245 FPS at 1080p Low not being a hard ceiling.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience for this hardware depends on your target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 182 FPS average with a minimum of 155 FPS and maximum of 209 FPS, which is ideal for a 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitor, as the minimum stays above the refresh rate. High at 1080p offers 156 FPS, which is still excellent, but the 26 FPS gain from High to Medium is not worth the visual quality loss unless you are chasing every last frame. Ultra at 1080p drops to 112 FPS, which is playable but not as smooth, so Medium is the recommended preset for competitive play, while High is a good choice if you prefer visuals and have a 144 Hz panel.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, which is solid for a 100 Hz or 144 Hz monitor, as the minimum is close to 100 FPS. High at 1440p drops to 99 FPS, which is still fine for a 100 Hz display, but the 16 FPS difference between Medium and High makes Medium the safer choice for maintaining a stable 100+ FPS. Ultra at 1440p is 71 FPS, which is too low for fast-paced roguelike combat if you are sensitive to frame drops, so it should be avoided unless you prioritize visuals over performance. Low at 1440p is 154 FPS, but the visual quality loss is significant, and the 39 FPS gain over Medium is not worth it for most players.

At 3840x2160, the only acceptable preset for smooth gameplay is Low, which averages 81 FPS, but even that is borderline for a 60 Hz display since it is above 60 but not by a large margin. Medium at 4K averages 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, which means you will experience dips below 60 FPS, potentially causing stutter in intense moments. High at 4K is 52 FPS, and Ultra is 37 FPS, both of which are too low for a game that requires quick reflexes. If you are on a 4K 60 Hz monitor, Medium is the best compromise, but you should be prepared for occasional drops below 60 FPS. If you have a 120 Hz 4K display, this hardware is not capable of hitting that target, so consider lowering to 1440p instead.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Barony?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 on Medium settings provides 115 FPS average with a 98 FPS minimum, which is the sweet spot for smooth gameplay. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers 182 FPS, but the visual upgrade to 1440p is worth the 67 FPS loss for most players.

Q: Can this system handle 4K in Barony?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which averages 81 FPS. Medium at 4K averages 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, so you will see dips below 60. High and Ultra are not recommended, as they average 52 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU can feed 245 FPS, but the GPU’s performance caps out at 4K Ultra with 37 FPS. The CPU’s 85th percentile rank and 5.00 GHz boost clock are more than adequate for Barony’s game logic.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rival in this game?

A: The B570’s nearest rival is the Intel Arc A750, which has an average benchmark score of 20582 compared to the B570’s 20556, a deltaPct of -0.1. In practical terms, expect near-identical performance in Barony, so the measured FPS here would apply to the A750 as well.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low averages 245 FPS while Ultra averages 112 FPS, a difference of 133 FPS. That is a 54% drop from Low to Ultra, indicating that Ultra features are very expensive on this GPU.

Q: Does the 10 GB VRAM on the Arc B570 cause any issues in Barony?

A: The measured data does not show VRAM-related problems, as the FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings. Barony is not a VRAM-heavy title, so 10 GB is sufficient, and the 380.0 GB/s bandwidth is the more relevant factor for 4K performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700KF with Intel Arc B570 in Barony is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 245 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. Medium at 1080p averages 182 FPS, with a minimum of 155 FPS and a maximum of 209 FPS. High at 1080p averages 156 FPS, with no min or max data. Ultra at 1080p averages 112 FPS, with no min or max data.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 154 FPS, with no min or max. Medium at 1440p averages 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 132 FPS. High at 1440p averages 99 FPS, with no min or max. Ultra at 1440p averages 71 FPS, with no min or max.

At 3840x2160, Low averages 81 FPS, with no min or max. Medium at 4K averages 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. High at 4K averages 52 FPS, with no min or max. Ultra at 4K averages 37 FPS, with no min or max.

These numbers show a clear hierarchy: 1080p is always playable, with even Ultra exceeding 100 FPS. 1440p is playable on Medium and High, but Ultra dips to 71 FPS. 4K is only viable on Low, while Medium hovers at 60 FPS with dips, and anything above that results in sub-60 FPS averages. The measured minimums for Medium presets provide the most useful insight: at 1080p, the 155 FPS minimum ensures no drops below 144 Hz; at 1440p, the 98 FPS minimum is close to 100 Hz; and at 4K, the 51 FPS minimum indicates noticeable stutter on a 60 Hz display. For a roguelike where a single hit can end a run, prioritizing a stable FPS over visual fidelity is the practical choice, and the data points to 1440p Medium as the best balance of performance and quality.