Barony

Barony is a roguelike that thrives on procedural generation and moment-to-moment decision-making, but its performance profile reveals a stark hardware bottleneck. The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and Intel Arc B390 lands at rank 3300 out of 3717 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This is a decisive result: despite a robust CPU, the system is held back dramatically by its graphics component, leading to a gaming experience that struggles to maintain smooth frame rates even at moderate settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 3300 out of 3717 is a clear signal of systemic underperformance. Benchmark results indicate that this pairing is not competitive for Barony, as the data places it far below the median tested configuration. The culprit is evident when examining the individual component percentiles: the CPU sits in the 91st percentile against all processors, while the GPU languishes in the 9th percentile against all graphics cards. This massive disparity—a top-tier processor paired with a bottom-tier integrated graphics solution—creates a fundamental imbalance that no amount of CPU headroom can overcome.

Examining the GPU’s nearest rivals provides context for its low standing. The Arc B390’s average benchmark score of 1482 is only 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, and 2.7% ahead of the GeForce GT 710. These are legacy, low-end parts, and the data shows the Arc B390 is competing in that performance class rather than with modern discrete GPUs. Consequently, the combo’s overall rank reflects this reality: it is a system that will struggle with any graphically demanding task, and Barony is no exception.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, in stark contrast, are high-end server and desktop parts. The Intel Xeon 6505P is a mere 0.2% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is 0.6% behind the i7-14700F’s average score of 53620. This reinforces the idea that the processor is not the limiting factor in this configuration. The data suggests that if the GPU were swapped for a more capable part, the combo’s rank would improve substantially, as the CPU has ample performance headroom to feed a faster graphics card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 33 MB shared L3 cache. For a game like Barony, which is largely single-threaded in its core logic, the high boost clock is more relevant than the sheer core count. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958 and Geekbench single-core score of 2429 confirm strong per-thread performance, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing in a roguelike that relies on rapid calculations for procedural generation and AI.

However, the data shows that this CPU power is largely wasted in this specific combo. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 159 FPS average, which is the highest measured result. This suggests that the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up as settings or resolution increase. The i7-14700F’s multi-threaded capabilities, reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and Passmark multithread score of 41317, are also irrelevant for Barony, as the game does not appear to scale with more than a few cores based on the performance deltas between settings.

The CPU’s 65W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory indicate it is a mainstream part, but its performance ceiling is not the issue here. The benchmark results indicate the processor is operating well within its capabilities, leaving significant performance on the table that the GPU simply cannot utilize. In essence, the i7-14700F is a high-performance engine connected to a severely restricted exhaust, resulting in a system that feels slower than its processor alone would suggest.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation pipelines. Critically, its memory is “System Shared,” meaning it relies on the system’s RAM rather than dedicated VRAM, with bandwidth described as “System Dependent.” This is a fundamental limitation for gaming, as shared memory access is slower and less predictable than dedicated video memory.

The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are all low-end NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago. The data shows that the Arc B390 is not designed for modern gaming workloads, and its performance in Barony reflects this. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS drops to 118, but this comes with a minimum of 101 FPS, indicating frame time inconsistency. At 4K Ultra, the system falls to just 24 FPS average, which is unplayable.

The GPU’s 80W TDP and lack of dedicated power connectors further confirm its integrated nature. It is likely a part of the mobile or low-power segment, and its inclusion in a desktop build with a high-end CPU creates a severe mismatch. The benchmark results indicate that the Arc B390 is the sole reason for the combo’s poor rank; its low compute throughput (7.680 TFLOPS FP32) and shared memory architecture simply cannot handle the graphical load of Barony at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: Why is this combo ranked so low if it has a powerful CPU?

A: The combo ranks 3300 out of 3717 because the Intel Arc B390 GPU is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 91st percentile. The GPU’s low performance creates a bottleneck that dominates the system’s overall gaming capability, dragging the combo’s rank down despite the CPU’s strength.

Q: Can this system run Barony at a playable frame rate?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 159 FPS average, and at 1080p Medium, it hits 118 FPS average. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 24, which is not playable.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390’s average benchmark score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710. These are very old, low-end parts, indicating the Arc B390 is not in the same class as modern discrete GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is far more important for this combo. When moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings, the FPS drops dramatically (e.g., from 102 to 34 at High), while the CPU’s high single-core scores suggest it is not the limiting factor.

Q: What is the best setting to use for a smooth experience?

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p Medium provides a good balance, with an average of 118 FPS and a minimum of 101 FPS. This is the highest setting that maintains a minimum FPS above 100.

Q: Does the GPU’s shared memory affect performance?

A: Yes, the GPU’s memory is “System Shared,” meaning it uses system RAM. This is slower than dedicated VRAM and contributes to the low performance, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demands increase.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and steep drop as resolution increases, confirming that the GPU is the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 102 at 1080p, to 64 at 1440p, and finally to 34 at 4K. This represents a 67% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 118 at 1080p, to 75 at 1440p, and to 39 at 4K. This scaling pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior, where the rendering workload increases exponentially with pixel count.

The data also shows that the gap between settings narrows at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (159 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) is 86 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (53 FPS) and Ultra (24 FPS) is only 29 FPS. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even reducing settings has a limited impact on performance. The system is simply unable to render enough frames per second at that resolution, regardless of quality settings.

This resolution scaling analysis implies that the i7-14700F is not being stressed by Barony at any resolution. The CPU’s performance headroom is evident in the fact that frame rates are consistently high at 1080p, but the GPU’s limitations become increasingly apparent as resolution increases. For users of this combo, staying at 1080p is essential for a playable experience, as moving to 1440p or 4K results in a significant and noticeable performance penalty.

Settings Recommendations

Given the GPU’s limitations, the measured data points to 1080p Medium as the optimal configuration for this combo. At this setting, the system achieves an average of 118 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The 1080p High setting also delivers a respectable 102 FPS average, but the lack of a minimum FPS figure makes it harder to assess frame consistency. The Medium preset offers a known floor of 101 FPS, making it the safer choice for ensuring no major hitches.

At 1440p, the Medium setting drops to an average of 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS. This is still playable, but it is less comfortable than 1080p. The 1440p High setting averages 64 FPS, which is borderline, and the lack of a minimum FPS value introduces uncertainty. For users with a 1440p monitor, Medium is the recommended setting, but they should be prepared for occasional dips below 60 FPS.

For 4K resolution, the data is unequivocal: no setting provides a good experience. The highest average FPS at 4K is 53 on Low, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target. The Medium setting averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS, and Ultra averages just 24 FPS. None of these are acceptable for a smooth gaming experience. Therefore, the recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combo and stick to 1080p or 1440p Medium for the best balance of visual quality and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-14700F + Intel Arc B390 combination in Barony:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 159 FPS
• Medium: Average 118 FPS, Minimum 101 FPS, Maximum 136 FPS
• High: Average 102 FPS
• Ultra: Average 73 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 100 FPS
• Medium: Average 75 FPS, Minimum 64 FPS, Maximum 86 FPS
• High: Average 64 FPS
• Ultra: Average 46 FPS

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 53 FPS
• Medium: Average 39 FPS, Minimum 33 FPS, Maximum 45 FPS
• High: Average 34 FPS
• Ultra: Average 24 FPS

This data confirms a linear progression of performance loss as settings increase at each resolution. The only settings with recorded minimum FPS values are Medium, which shows that the minimum can drop significantly below the average (e.g., 33 FPS minimum vs. 39 FPS average at 4K). This indicates that even at Medium settings, the system can experience frame pacing issues, further diminishing the playability at higher resolutions. The overall picture is clear: this combo is only viable for Barony at 1080p, with Medium being the highest reliable setting.