Barony

Barony is a roguelike with a 2015 release date, and the measured frame rates for the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination show that this CPU is far from a bottleneck at any tested resolution. The processor’s 16 cores and 24 threads, running from a 3.40 GHz base clock up to a 5.40 GHz boost clock, provide ample headroom for a game that is not heavily threaded. Benchmark results indicate the CPU’s strength is overwhelming for this title; its single-threaded performance is particularly relevant for maintaining high frame rates, as roguelikes often rely on consistent frame pacing for procedural generation and game logic. The i7-13700K’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and PassMark single-thread score of 4333 suggest that the per-core performance is more than sufficient to feed the GPU, even at lower resolutions where the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced.

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

The data shows that the Intel Core i7-13700K is a dominant force in this pairing, but its architecture is built for much heavier workloads than Barony demands. With 16 cores and 24 threads, the CPU’s multi-threaded capability is immense, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a PassMark multithread score of 45887. However, Barony’s procedural dungeon crawling and entity management rarely scale to that level of parallelism. The more critical metric here is the boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which directly influences the 3DMark 2-thread score of 2262 and the 4-thread score of 4469. These scores indicate that the CPU can handle the primary game thread and a few auxiliary threads with ease, allowing the GPU to work without waiting on the processor.

The CPU’s performance percentile of 93 versus all CPUs places it in the top tier, and its average benchmark score of 47282 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, which scores 47334 with a delta of -0.1%. This suggests that the K-series chip’s integrated graphics and locked multipliers are not a factor in Barony, as the game relies almost entirely on the discrete RTX 4060. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves a phenomenal 337.7 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the CPU is not the limiting factor; even at 4K Ultra, the average of 48.8 FPS is more likely constrained by the GPU’s rasterization throughput than by the processor’s ability to compute game state. The CPU’s L3 cache of 30 MB shared across the die helps reduce memory latency for the active threads, but this is a minor consideration given the game’s age and low system requirements.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, is the more significant variable in this equation. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for Barony’s texture and geometry loads, even at higher resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz and a base clock of 1830 MHz drive a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s, making it capable of handling the game’s dungeon tiles and lighting effects. The measured frame rates show a clear scaling pattern: at 1080p Ultra, the combo hits 158.9 FPS, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 48.8 FPS. This indicates that the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is not being saturated at 1080p, but the 4K resolution increases the memory pressure and shader workload, reducing performance.

The RTX 4060’s average benchmark score of 23181 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6600M with a score of 23321 (delta -0.6%) and the Intel Arc B580 with a score of 23021 (delta 0.7%). These close margins suggest that the RTX 4060 is a mid-range performer, which aligns with its measured results in Barony. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility are irrelevant for this older title, which likely runs on DirectX 11 or earlier, but the hardware’s raw compute power is what drives the 72.2 FPS average at 4K High. The 115 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU indicate an efficient card, but the performance data shows that it is the primary bottleneck when pushing higher settings and resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with Ultra settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 100.5 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-13700K compare to the AMD EPYC 4364P in average benchmark score?

A: The i7-13700K has an average score of 47282, while the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 47131, resulting in a delta of 0.3% in favor of the Intel chip.

Q: Is the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in Barony?

A: The data shows an average of 48.8 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, indicating that the 8 GB VRAM is sufficient to run the game, but the performance is lower than at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this CPU-GPU combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 337.7 at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Which GPU rival has a higher average benchmark score than the RTX 4060?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600M has an average score of 23321, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 4060’s 23181.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-core performance metric that is most relevant for game logic?

A: The 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and Cinebench R15 single-core score of 554 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for Barony’s main game loop.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 982 out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This ranking is surprising given the high frame rates measured, but it reflects the fact that many other combos with more powerful GPUs achieve even higher scores, particularly at 4K resolutions. The combo’s rank is influenced by the RTX 4060’s mid-range position, as its 66th percentile GPU score is offset by the CPU’s 93rd percentile. While the data shows that this pairing delivers 72.2 FPS at 4K High, which is playable, it falls short of the top-tier combos that might push 100+ FPS at that same setting.

The measured results demonstrate that the combo is better suited for 1440p gaming, where it achieves over 100 FPS on High and Ultra settings. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with 337.7 FPS on Low, but the ranking suggests that other combos with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX would dominate in this game. The CPU’s performance is not the limiting factor, as its average benchmark score of 47282 is only 0.1% behind the top rival, the i7-13700KF. The ranking of 982 out of 1702 indicates that this is a balanced mid-range system, but for Barony specifically, the GPU is the component that determines the overall experience, especially at higher resolutions where the frame rate drops significantly.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and desired smoothness. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 158.9 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most monitors, making it the ideal choice for competitive or fast-paced play. There is no reason to drop to High (215 FPS) or Medium (256 FPS) unless chasing extremely high refresh rates, as the visual fidelity gain from Ultra is worth the slight frame rate reduction. For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset yields 100.5 FPS, which remains smooth for most users, but the High preset at 135.9 FPS offers a better balance if the user prefers a higher frame rate buffer. The Medium preset at 160.3 FPS is also viable for esports-style play, but the visual downgrade is noticeable.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that the Ultra preset drops to 48.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that most users consider playable. The High preset at 72.2 FPS is the recommended choice for 4K, as it maintains a smooth experience without sacrificing too much visual quality. The Medium preset at 84.3 FPS is also acceptable, but the Low preset at 109.3 FPS is unnecessary unless the user prioritizes frame rate above all else. Given that the game is a roguelike with a focus on procedural generation rather than cinematic graphics, the High preset at 4K provides the best combination of performance and visual clarity. For users with a 144 Hz monitor, sticking to 1440p Ultra or 1080p Ultra is the optimal path, as both exceed the refresh rate and provide the full visual experience.