Barony

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B580 in Barony presents a fascinating case of a high-end CPU from 2021 meeting a modern mid-range GPU in an older roguelike title. The data set shows distinct performance characteristics that shift significantly depending on resolution and graphical preset, offering a clear picture of where each component’s strengths and limitations lie.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, featuring a 25 MB shared L3 cache. Its synthetic benchmark scores are substantial: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091, with a Passmark single-thread score of 3984. These figures place the CPU in the 89th percentile against all tested processors, indicating it sits comfortably near the top of the performance range.

Looking at its nearest rivals in the benchmark database, the i7-12700KF’s average benchmark score of 35355 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14400, which scores 35336 for a delta of 0.1%. It is also within a hair of the Intel Core i7-13800H (35416, -0.2%) and the Intel Core i9-12900HX (35289, 0.2%). This suggests that, despite its age, the i7-12700KF remains highly competitive in raw processing power, which is crucial for a game like Barony, where procedural generation and complex game logic can create uneven but demanding CPU loads.

In Barony, the CPU’s role is substantial at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 278.1 FPS, a figure that far exceeds the GPU’s capabilities at higher settings. This indicates that the i7-12700KF’s strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and Cinebench R20 single-core score of 1718, is more than sufficient to feed the Arc B580 at this level. The CPU is not the bottleneck at 1080p; instead, the frame rate is largely dictated by the graphics card’s output limits. As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the CPU’s relative workload decreases, but its performance headroom ensures that it never becomes the limiting factor, allowing the GPU to fully express its own performance envelope.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combination spans three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a comprehensive view of its behavior. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across the board. Low settings produce an average of 278.1 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 202.3 FPS, High settings drop to 176.8 FPS, and Ultra settings still manage a very playable 127 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a reduction of about 54%, indicating that the GPU is being increasingly taxed as visual quality rises, but the CPU maintains enough headroom to keep frames well above 120 FPS even at the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU’s workload. Low settings average 175.7 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1080p Low figure, highlighting that pixel count is already a factor. Medium settings produce 128 FPS, High settings reach 113.3 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 79.4 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is approximately 55%, a similar relative penalty to 1080p. Notably, even at Ultra settings, the combo maintains nearly 80 FPS, which is well within the bounds of smooth gameplay for most users.

At 3840x2160, the demands on the Arc B580 become apparent. Low settings average 91.5 FPS, which is still respectable for 4K. Medium settings yield 68.3 FPS, and High settings drop further to 56.7 FPS. Ultra settings, however, pull the average down to 43 FPS. This represents a 53% reduction from Low to Ultra at 4K. The progression shows a consistent pattern: at each resolution, the gap between Low and Ultra settings tightens in absolute terms as the resolution increases, but the relative percentage drop remains fairly stable around 53-55%, indicating that the GPU’s rendering pipeline is being scaled uniformly.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

Within the database of tested combinations for Barony, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and Intel Arc B580 achieves a rank of 1317 out of 1702 total combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which might seem counterintuitive given the high frame rates observed at 1080p. The ranking is likely heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance relative to other graphics cards in the database, particularly at higher resolutions where the Arc B580’s capabilities are more limited.

The Arc B580 itself holds a percentile of 66 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 760M (22999, delta 0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (23181, delta -0.7%). This suggests the B580 performs in a similar tier to a mid-range RTX 4060, but its ranking in Barony might be dragged down by the fact that many other combos likely feature higher-end GPUs that excel at 4K Ultra settings. The combo’s rank of 1317 out of 1702 indicates that, while the system is capable of delivering high frame rates at lower settings, it does not compete with the top-tier configurations in the database that can maintain 4K Ultra at higher averages. The data suggests this is a solid mid-pack performer, not a top-tier contender.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Analyzing the resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 278.1 at 1080p to 175.7 at 1440p, a reduction of 36.8%, and then to 91.5 at 4K, a further reduction of 47.9% from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is heavily responsible for the frame rate at lower settings, as the CPU has ample headroom to process the game logic, but the graphics card must render an increasing number of pixels.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values. The average FPS goes from 127 at 1080p to 79.4 at 1440p (a 37.5% drop) and then to 43 at 4K (a 45.8% drop from 1440p). The consistency in the percentage drops across settings suggests that the Arc B580’s rendering throughput scales linearly with pixel count, and the CPU’s performance is not a significant factor in these reductions. If the CPU were the limiting component, we would expect to see the FPS drop-off to be more severe at 1080p and less severe at 4K, but the data shows the opposite: the absolute FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is largest at Low settings (186.6 FPS) and smallest at Ultra settings (84 FPS). This pattern confirms that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially as resolution increases, and the i7-12700KF’s strong multi-threaded performance (3dmark max threads score of 9983) is more than adequate to keep pace.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this CPU and GPU combo in Barony?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 278.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the combo produces an average FPS of 91.5 on Low settings and 56.7 on High settings, making 4K playable at medium to high presets, though Ultra settings drop to 43 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-12700KF compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14400?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35355, which is only 0.1% higher than the i5-14400’s score of 35336, indicating nearly identical performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as the FPS drops significantly when resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, while the CPU’s high single-thread and multi-thread scores suggest it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 175.7 on Low settings to 79.4 on Ultra settings, a reduction of approximately 55%.

Q: Where does this combo rank among all tested configurations in Barony?

A: This combo ranks 1317 out of 1702 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the user’s display resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For users with a 1080p monitor, the Ultra preset is highly recommended, as it delivers an average of 127 FPS, which is smooth and well above the 60 FPS threshold for most gaming monitors. The High preset at 1080p offers 176.8 FPS, which is beneficial for high-refresh-rate panels, but the visual difference between High and Ultra is often marginal in a game like Barony, so Ultra provides the best balance of quality and performance.

At 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot, producing 113.3 FPS, which is excellent for a 144Hz display. The Medium preset at 128 FPS is also viable, but High offers better visual fidelity without a significant FPS penalty. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 79.4 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for competitive or fast-paced play. For 4K users, the Low preset is the most practical choice for high frame rates, averaging 91.5 FPS, while the Medium preset at 68.3 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced exploration. The High preset at 56.7 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 43 FPS is best avoided unless the user prioritizes visuals over smoothness. In summary, the data suggests that the High preset offers the best experience at 1080p and 1440p, while Low or Medium is recommended for 4K to maintain playable frame rates.