Barony

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a striking performance profile in Barony, a roguelike title that appears far more demanding at high resolutions and settings than its genre label might suggest. Measured data across three resolutions and four quality presets reveals a system that can push hundreds of frames per second at 1080p, yet still experiences a significant drop-off when moving to 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS numbers, examines what they indicate about the roles of the CPU and GPU, and provides context on how this specific combination ranks among thousands of tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern: as resolution increases, average frame rates drop substantially across every settings preset. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 679 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 428 FPS, a reduction of 251 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls to 224 FPS, which is less than one-third of the 1080p Low figure. This scaling behavior is typical of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the RTX 5090’s rendering workload increases with pixel count.

The High preset tells a similar story. At 1080p, the average is 433 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 273 FPS, and at 4K, it reaches 143 FPS. The frame rate reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 160 FPS, while the reduction from 1440p to 4K is 130 FPS. This indicates that the scaling is not perfectly linear, with the largest absolute drop occurring between 1080p and 1440p. For Ultra settings, the progression is 311 FPS at 1080p, 196 FPS at 1440p, and 102 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra figure represents a 67% decrease from the 1080p Ultra result.

The data implies that at 1080p, the system is likely not fully GPU-limited, given the extremely high frame rates. The CPU, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, may become a more significant factor at these lower resolutions. However, the dramatic drop at 4K, especially on Ultra, strongly suggests the GPU is the primary limiting component at that resolution. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 512-bit bus width provide ample bandwidth, but the sheer pixel count at 3840x2160 still imposes a heavy load. The measured Medium preset shows a similar trend: 505 FPS at 1080p, 319 FPS at 1440p, and 167 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result is only 33% of the 1080p Medium result.

This resolution scaling suggests that players targeting 4K will see a substantial performance penalty regardless of settings. The gap between 1080p and 4K is roughly 3x for Low, 3x for High, 3x for Medium, and 3x for Ultra, indicating that the GPU workload scales closely with pixel count. The system is clearly capable of very high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K gaming requires compromising on settings to maintain high FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications align with the measured performance drops. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This memory configuration is crucial for 4K rendering, where large textures and high-resolution buffers demand substantial bandwidth. The base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and the card has 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, particularly on Ultra settings where the average drops to 102 FPS. This is a significant reduction from the 143 FPS at 4K High. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is 41 FPS, while at 1080p, the difference between High and Ultra is 122 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy rendering cost that scales with resolution, and the GPU’s resources are stretched at 4K.

The GPU’s VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for Barony, as the game’s requirements are unlikely to exceed even a fraction of 32 GB. The data shows that frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU’s compute and memory throughput rather than capacity limits. The RTX 5090’s boost clock of 2407 MHz is the highest operating frequency listed in the fact pack, and it contributes to the high performance at lower resolutions.

The GPU’s performance relative to other GPUs in the database is notable. Its average benchmark score is 79,842, placing it in the 92nd percentile against all GPUs. This indicates that the RTX 5090 is a top-tier performer, which is consistent with the high frame rates observed in Barony. The nearest rivals in the benchmark data include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB with an average score of 79,605 (a delta of 0.3%), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB at 79,396 (delta of 0.6%). These rivals are workstation-oriented cards, and the RTX 5090’s gaming focus is evident in its measured results.

At 1080p, the GPU’s role is less dominant, as frame rates exceed 300 FPS on all settings. The fact that 1080p Ultra achieves 311 FPS, while 1080p Low achieves 679 FPS, indicates that the GPU can handle the workload easily at this resolution. The limiting factor at 1080p may be the CPU, but the data does not provide direct evidence of CPU bottlenecking. The GPU’s memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth support high throughput, but the 4K results show that even this bandwidth is challenged by the Ultra preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 4K, the High preset delivers 143 FPS average, which is a strong result for a 4K display with a 144 Hz refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 102 FPS, which may be acceptable for a 120 Hz display but leaves little headroom. The Medium preset at 4K offers 167 FPS, providing a better balance for high-refresh 4K monitors, though it sacrifices some visual fidelity compared to High or Ultra.

At 1440p, the High preset achieves 273 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most 1440p gaming monitors (typically 144 Hz or 165 Hz). The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 196 FPS, still exceeding 144 Hz. For players with 240 Hz 1440p displays, the Medium preset at 319 FPS or Low at 428 FPS would be necessary to fully utilize the refresh rate. The data suggests that at 1440p, the High preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, as it provides a high frame rate without requiring the lowest settings.

At 1080p, all settings produce extremely high frame rates, with Low reaching 679 FPS and Ultra at 311 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh 1080p displays (240 Hz or 360 Hz), the Low preset at 679 FPS or Medium at 505 FPS are the best choices. The Ultra preset at 311 FPS is still suitable for a 300 Hz display but offers diminishing returns in terms of frame rate gains compared to lower settings.

The Medium preset consistently provides a middle ground across all resolutions, with 4K at 167 FPS, 1440p at 319 FPS, and 1080p at 505 FPS. The measured Minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows 142 FPS at 4K, 271 FPS at 1440p, and 429 FPS at 1080p. These minimum figures indicate that the Medium preset maintains a relatively stable frame rate, with the 4K minimum still above 140 FPS. For players who prioritize smoothness over maximum visual quality, the Medium preset is a reliable choice.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 77th out of 3,717 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the top 2% of all configurations, indicating that this pairing is exceptionally well-suited for the game. The rank reflects the combined performance of both components, and the measured FPS data supports this high standing.

The CPU’s average benchmark score is 35,365, placing it in the 85th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T with an average score of 35,403 (a delta of -0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-13600T at 35,305 (a delta of 0.2%). These rivals are close in performance, but the i7-12700KF’s 12 cores and 20 threads provide strong multi-threaded capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28,838.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 79,842 places it in the 92nd percentile, and its nearest rivals are all workstation GPUs with similar scores. The RTX 5090’s gaming performance in Barony is exceptional, as evidenced by the high frame rates at all resolutions. The combo rank of 77 out of 3,717 means that only 76 other CPU-GPU pairings achieve better performance in this game, and many of those likely feature newer or more expensive components.

The data implies that this combo is near the top of the performance hierarchy for Barony. The high rank is consistent with the measured FPS numbers, which show the system exceeding 100 FPS at 4K Ultra and 300 FPS at 1080p Ultra. The combination of a strong 12th-gen CPU and a flagship 50-series GPU creates a balanced system with minimal bottlenecks, as evidenced by the smooth scaling across resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Barony?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 679, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest measured average FPS is 102, achieved at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 79,842, which is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605) and 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396).

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 77th out of 3,717 tested combos in Barony.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K Ultra?

A: The data shows a significant drop from 4K High (143 FPS) to 4K Ultra (102 FPS), indicating the GPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution and settings, as the rendering workload increases substantially.

Q: What is the difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low average FPS?

A: The difference is 455 FPS, with 1080p Low achieving 679 FPS and 4K Low achieving 224 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 679 FPS, the Medium preset achieves 505 FPS with a minimum of 429 FPS and a maximum of 580 FPS, the High preset achieves 433 FPS, and the Ultra preset achieves 311 FPS. These numbers show that even at the highest settings, the system exceeds 300 FPS at 1080p, making it suitable for any current high-refresh monitor.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 428 FPS, the Medium preset delivers 319 FPS with a minimum of 271 FPS and a maximum of 366 FPS, the High preset delivers 273 FPS, and the Ultra preset delivers 196 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the system can easily drive 240 Hz displays on Medium or High settings, and even Ultra maintains nearly 200 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 224 FPS, the Medium preset achieves 167 FPS with a minimum of 142 FPS and a maximum of 191 FPS, the High preset achieves 143 FPS, and the Ultra preset achieves 102 FPS. The 4K results show that High settings are the sweet spot for 4K 144 Hz displays, as they provide 143 FPS average. The Medium preset offers higher frame rates at 167 FPS, but with a lower visual quality ceiling. The Ultra preset at 102 FPS is still playable on 120 Hz displays but may experience occasional frame drops in demanding scenes.

The minimum FPS data, available only for Medium settings, shows that the system maintains a 142 FPS minimum at 4K, 271 FPS at 1440p, and 429 FPS at 1080p. These minimums indicate good frame pacing, with the 4K Medium minimum still above 140 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience even during intense gameplay moments.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 80 KB L1 cache per core contribute to its strong single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. In Barony, the CPU’s role is most apparent at lower resolutions, where the GPU is not fully utilized.

At 1080p Low, the system achieves 679 FPS, which is a remarkably high number that likely exceeds the game’s engine limitations or the display refresh rate. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to sustain such high frame rates. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28,838 and single-core score of 4,071 indicate strong processing power, which is beneficial for a roguelike game that may have complex procedural generation and game logic.

The CPU’s benchmark scores show it performs well in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. Its 3DMark 16-thread score is 9,282, and its 2-thread score is 2,065, demonstrating scalability across core counts. The Geekbench multicore score of 14,367 and single-core score of 2,255 further confirm its capability. The PassMark multithread score of 34,092 and single-thread score of 3,984 align with its position in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

In Barony, the CPU’s impact is likely more significant at 1080p, where the frame rates are extremely high. The difference between 1080p Low (679 FPS) and 1440p Low (428 FPS) is 251 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than the difference between 1440p Low and 4K Low (204 FPS). This indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, reducing the CPU’s influence on the final frame rate.

The CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for Barony, as the game is unlikely to utilize all threads heavily. However, the high clock speeds and efficient architecture ensure that even single-threaded game logic is handled quickly. The CPU’s TDP of 125 W and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide flexibility for system builders, though these factors do not directly affect the measured FPS.

The data shows that the i7-12700KF is a capable partner for the RTX 5090, with no evidence of CPU bottlenecking at any resolution. The combo’s rank of 77 out of 3,717 confirms that this pairing is well-balanced, and the CPU’s performance is sufficient to avoid limiting the GPU’s output in Barony.