Barony

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a remarkable performance profile in Barony, a roguelike title from 2015. The measured data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet exhibits extraordinary headroom at 1080p, suggesting the CPU is more than capable of feeding the graphics card. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the combo’s standing among 1,702 tested configurations, and offers practical settings guidance based strictly on the recorded results.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a dramatic and predictable drop in frame rates, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary limiter at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 257.8 at 1920x1080 to 164.5 at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 36%, before settling at 84 at 3840x2160. This trajectory shows that while the RTX 3070 Ti maintains playable frame rates at 4K, the performance cost of quadrupling the pixel count is substantial. The scaling from 1440p to 4K alone represents another 49% drop, underscoring how the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are increasingly taxed as resolution rises.

At Low settings, the pattern is even more pronounced. The 1080p result of 409.2 FPS is exceptionally high, but this falls to 256.4 at 1440p and then to 133.2 at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 1440p (37%) is nearly identical to the High preset’s drop, suggesting a consistent resolution-based scaling factor. However, the 4K Low result (133.2 FPS) is still nearly double the 4K Ultra result (60.6 FPS), indicating that settings have a larger impact on 4K performance than resolution alone. This data implies that at 1080p, the system is likely CPU-limited or engine-limited, given the sheer FPS numbers, whereas at 4K, the GPU’s shading units, RT cores, and memory subsystem become the decisive factors.

GPU Role

The RTX 3070 Ti’s specifications directly explain its behavior across the measured rows. With 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the GPU has ample raw throughput for a roguelike’s typically modest visual demands. The boost clock of 1770 MHz and 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 performance provide a solid foundation, but the memory configuration is particularly relevant. The 8 GB frame buffer, paired with 19 Gbps effective GDDR6X memory across a 256-bit bus, yields 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 60.6, which suggests the game’s higher presets are consuming significant memory bandwidth and capacity, pushing the GPU to its limits.

Interestingly, the GPU’s benchmark percentiles show a mixed picture. Its Passmark G3D score of 23,356 places it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, yet its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (0.3% higher average score) and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (0.8% lower). This indicates that while the RTX 3070 Ti is a competent performer, it is not a top-tier card in aggregate benchmarks. However, in Barony, the measured FPS at 1080p High (257.8) and even 4K Medium (102) are far above playable thresholds, showing that the game is not particularly demanding on modern hardware. The GPU’s 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores are likely underutilized in this roguelike, which has no ray tracing or DLSS requirements, meaning the traditional rasterization pipeline (shading units, TMUs, ROPs) carries the load.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 1,702 tested CPU-GPU combinations, this pairing holds the 684th position, placing it in the upper 60th percentile of all configurations. This rank reflects a balanced setup that is neither a top-tier enthusiast build nor a budget compromise. The CPU itself, the Intel Core i7-12700KF, sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 35,355, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.3% of its score: the Intel Core i5-14400 (0.1% higher), Intel Core i7-13800H (0.2% lower), Intel Core i9-12900HX (0.2% higher), and Intel Core i5-13600T (0.3% higher). This clustering indicates that the 12-core, 20-thread i7-12700KF is performance-competitive with newer and mobile variants, though its 125W TDP and Alder Lake architecture are not exceptional.

The GPU’s ranking is less flattering. At the 74th percentile, the RTX 3070 Ti’s average benchmark score of 30,849 is closely matched by the RX 590 GME (30,755) and RX 6700 (31,112), which are 0.3% higher and 0.8% lower, respectively. This tight grouping suggests that in raw compute terms, the RTX 3070 Ti is not dramatically superior to older or lower-tier cards, despite its 8 nm process and Ampere architecture. The combo’s 684th rank out of 1,702 is therefore a reflection of a moderately strong CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, yielding solid but not class-leading performance in Barony.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a clear matrix of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates: 409.2 FPS on Low, 302.1 on Medium, 257.8 on High, and 188.8 on Ultra. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities (12 cores, 20 threads, 5.00 GHz boost clock) are sufficient to drive the GPU to near-maximum output, with the Low preset exceeding 400 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium (107.1 FPS) is larger than the gap between Medium and High (44.3 FPS), suggesting diminishing returns as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but begin to show GPU strain: 256.4 FPS on Low, 188.9 on Medium, 164.5 on High, and 116.8 on Ultra. The drop from 1080p Low (409.2) to 1440p Low (256.4) is substantial, but the 1440p Ultra result (116.8) is still comfortably above 60 FPS. The 4K results complete the picture: 133.2 FPS on Low, 102 on Medium, 84 on High, and 60.6 on Ultra. Notably, the 4K Ultra result is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K High offers a 38% improvement at 84 FPS. Across all rows, the min and max FPS are not recorded, so the analysis relies solely on averages, but the trend is consistent: the system is highly capable at 1080p and 1440p, and playable at 4K with settings adjustments.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and frame rate depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset at 188.8 FPS is the clear recommendation, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still delivering more than triple the refresh rate of a standard 60 Hz monitor. The High preset (257.8 FPS) is also viable for high-refresh-rate panels (240 Hz), but the jump to Ultra costs only 69 FPS, which is a reasonable trade-off for improved visuals. For 1440p, the High preset (164.5 FPS) offers the best experience for most users, as it maintains frame rates above 144 Hz while avoiding the 47.7 FPS penalty of moving to Ultra (116.8 FPS). The Medium preset (188.9 FPS) is an alternative for those prioritizing frame rate over visuals, but the gap between Medium and High is only 24.4 FPS, making High the more balanced choice.

At 4K, the High preset (84 FPS) is the recommended sweet spot, as it provides a significant improvement over Ultra (60.6 FPS) without the visual degradation of Medium (102 FPS). The 4K Ultra result is playable but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes, while Low (133.2 FPS) sacrifices too much visual quality for a roguelike where readability matters. The data suggests that 4K High is the best compromise, offering a 38.6% frame rate increase over Ultra while still maintaining a high level of graphical detail. For players with 120 Hz or higher 4K displays, Medium (102 FPS) may be preferable, but for standard 60 Hz monitors, High is the clear winner.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Barony at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: Yes, but just barely. The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 60.6, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay but offers no margin for error in intense scenes. The 4K High preset (84 FPS) provides more comfortable headroom.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers 164.5 FPS, which is ideal for 144 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset (116.8 FPS) is also viable but sacrifices 47.7 FPS for marginal visual gains.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its nearest GPU rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti’s average benchmark score of 30,849 is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (30,755) and 0.8% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (31,112). It also trails the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 (31,142) by 0.9% and the NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q (31,220) by 1.2%.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the opposite. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 409.2 FPS, which is exceptionally high and likely limited by the game engine or GPU, not the CPU. The i7-12700KF’s 12 cores and 5.00 GHz boost clock provide ample processing power.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 4K?

A: The 4K Low preset averages 133.2 FPS, while 4K Ultra averages 60.6 FPS, a difference of 72.6 FPS. This indicates that settings have a substantial impact on 4K performance, more so than resolution scaling alone.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This Intel Core i7-12700KF + RTX 3070 Ti pairing ranks 684th out of 1,702 tested combos, placing it in the upper 60th percentile of all systems.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF plays a supporting role in Barony, but its specifications reveal why the system performs so well at 1080p. With 12 cores (8 performance and 4 efficiency, based on the Alder Lake architecture) and 20 threads, the CPU offers substantial parallel processing capability. The base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,091 and Geekbench single-core score of 2,526. In a roguelike, which typically relies on game logic, procedural generation, and AI calculations, these single-thread capabilities are crucial for maintaining high frame rates when the GPU is not the bottleneck.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy, including 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core, helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the irregular access patterns common in roguelike level generation. Its Passmark multithread score of 34,092 and 3DMark max threads score of 9,983 indicate that the CPU can handle heavy multi-threaded workloads, but the measured FPS data shows that these resources are rarely fully utilized. At 1080p Low, the 409.2 FPS result suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently, but the drop to 188.8 FPS at 1080p Ultra indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking and its close rivalry with the i5-14400 (0.1% higher average score) confirm that it is a strong, well-rounded processor, but in Barony, the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB memory capacity and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are the primary determinants of performance at higher resolutions.