Barony

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates for Barony with the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 show a clear and consistent scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo produces 138 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 at Ultra drops that to 87 FPS, a reduction of 51 FPS (about 37%). At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average falls further to 46 FPS, which is roughly 33% lower than the 1440p result. This progressive decline is typical of a system where the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher pixel counts.

The Low settings row illustrates the same trend even more dramatically. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 302 FPS average. At 1440p Low, it drops to 191 FPS. At 4K Low, it reaches 100 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is a 202 FPS drop, or roughly 67% reduction. This steep curve suggests that at lower settings, the CPU still has headroom, but the GPU's rendering throughput at 4K becomes the bottleneck.

Medium settings show the most complete data with min and max FPS recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 225 FPS with a range of 191 to 258 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 142 FPS with a range of 120 to 163 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 74 FPS with a range of 63 to 85 FPS. The gap between min and max FPS narrows as resolution rises, which indicates that frame time variance is more controlled at higher resolutions where the GPU is more consistently saturated.

High settings follow the same pattern: 193 FPS at 1080p, 122 FPS at 1440p, and 64 FPS at 4K. The jump from 1080p to 1440p at High is a 71 FPS drop, while the jump from 1440p to 4K is a 58 FPS drop. The nearly linear scaling across resolutions suggests that the game's rendering load scales predictably with pixel count, and no single resolution shows an anomalous spike or collapse in performance.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting component in some settings, given the very high frame rates (302 FPS at Low) that exceed what many displays can even show. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the constraint, with even Low settings only reaching 100 FPS. For players targeting 60 FPS as a baseline, the 4K High setting at 64 FPS is just above that threshold, while 4K Ultra at 46 FPS falls below it.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This processor sits in the 94th percentile against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 69355.

In Barony, the CPU's role appears substantial at lower resolutions. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (302 FPS) and 1080p Medium (225 FPS) are high enough that the CPU must be feeding the GPU efficiently. The i7-14700K's high boost clock of 5.60 GHz and 20 cores provide ample single-thread and multi-thread capacity for a roguelike game, which often has simulation and logic threads that can benefit from high clock speeds.

The nearest CPU rivals in the database include the AMD EPYC 9115 with an average score of 69288 (0.1% lower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69515 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX at 69875 (0.7% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F at 69996 (0.9% higher). These deltas are all within 1%, indicating that the i7-14700K is competitive with other high-end processors in generic benchmarks. For Barony specifically, the game's roguelike genre may not heavily leverage all 20 cores, but the high single-core boost clock is likely more relevant.

The processor's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help with data locality, which can matter for games with procedural generation and persistent world state. The i7-14700K also supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the memory bandwidth is not specified in the data. The CPU's integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770) are present but not used in these measurements, as the discrete RTX 5050 handles rendering.

At 1080p, the CPU is likely not the limiting factor, given that even Ultra settings achieve 138 FPS. The 302 FPS at Low settings suggests that the CPU has significant headroom, and the bottleneck is more likely the GPU's ability to render frames quickly. At 4K, the CPU role diminishes further, as the GPU becomes the clear constraint. The data shows no signs of CPU-bound stuttering or frame pacing issues, as the min FPS values at Medium settings (191 at 1080p, 120 at 1440p, 63 at 4K) are all reasonable relative to their averages.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz. The memory operates at 2500 MHz with 20 Gbps effective speed. The GPU's FP32 performance is 13.17 TFLOPS, and it has 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores.

The RTX 5050 ranks in the 66th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21153 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M at 21237 (1.0% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20713 (1.6% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21379 (1.6% higher). These comparisons show the RTX 5050 performing in a tight band around its direct competitors, with deltas under 2%.

In Barony, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 46, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider smooth. At 4K High, the GPU manages 64 FPS, just above that threshold. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game at 4K, as the data does not show any VRAM-related performance cliffs between settings.

The GPU's 320.0 GB/s memory bandwidth appears adequate for the game's texture and geometry loads. The measured FPS at 1440p High (122 FPS) and 4K High (64 FPS) show a halving of performance when pixel count roughly doubles, which aligns with the GPU's fill rate limits. The pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are the theoretical limits, and the measured results indicate the GPU is approaching those limits at 4K.

The RTX 5050's 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is the raw processing power available for shader work. In a roguelike like Barony, which may have particle effects, lighting, and procedural geometry, this compute capacity is what drives the frame rate at higher settings. The data shows that moving from High to Ultra at any resolution incurs a significant FPS penalty (from 193 to 138 at 1080p, 122 to 87 at 1440p, and 64 to 46 at 4K), which suggests Ultra settings add rendering features that the GPU must process.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Barony?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 302, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, at 4K High settings, the average FPS is 64, which is above 60. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 46 FPS, which is below 60.

Q: How does the i7-14700K compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, scores 69515, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD EPYC 9115 is 0.1% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.7% higher.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce an average of 142 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 87 FPS. This is a 55 FPS difference, with Ultra being about 39% slower.

Q: Does the RTX 5050 outperform its nearest GPU rival?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21153, which is 0.6% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713, which is 1.6% lower than the RTX 5050.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for Barony?

A: This combo ranks 1775 out of 2935 total tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1775 out of 2935 tested combos for Barony. This places the combo in the 40th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 60% of other combinations perform better in this game. The rank reflects the balance between a high-end CPU and a mid-range GPU.

The CPU's position is strong, sitting in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, but the GPU's 66th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down. The RTX 5050's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, have similar average benchmark scores, so the combo's ranking is likely consistent with other systems pairing a powerful CPU with a mid-tier GPU.

The rank of 1775 suggests that for Barony, the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios. The CPU could likely support a more powerful GPU to achieve higher frame rates, especially at 1080p where the measured FPS reaches 302 at Low settings. At 4K, the GPU's limitations are more apparent, with Ultra settings only reaching 46 FPS.

Compared to the 2935 total combos, this system sits in the lower half, which is expected for a GPU that ranks in the 66th percentile overall. The CPU's high percentile does not compensate fully for the GPU's mid-range position in this game's specific workload. The data shows that the combo is capable of smooth performance at 1080p and 1440p for most settings, but struggles at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, all settings provide playable frame rates. Low settings achieve 302 FPS, Medium 225 FPS, High 193 FPS, and Ultra 138 FPS. For players with 144Hz or 165Hz displays, High settings at 193 FPS would be ideal, as it stays above most refresh rates while offering better visual quality than Medium.

At 2560x1440, the options narrow. Ultra settings at 87 FPS are still smooth for most players, but High at 122 FPS provides a better balance for high-refresh displays. Medium at 142 FPS is even smoother, though the visual compromise may not be worth the extra 20 FPS over High. Low at 191 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations change significantly. Ultra settings at 46 FPS are not ideal for smooth gameplay, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 64 FPS are the best option for 4K, as they provide a stable frame rate just above 60. Medium at 74 FPS is also viable and offers a small performance buffer, but the visual difference between Medium and High may justify the 10 FPS trade-off. Low at 100 FPS is smooth but may look noticeably worse.

For the best overall experience, High settings at 1440p (122 FPS) strike the best balance between visual quality and performance, as the FPS is high enough for most displays and the resolution is sharp. For 4K users, High settings (64 FPS) are the recommended choice, as they stay above 60 FPS without the drastic visual downgrade of Medium. Ultra settings at any resolution are only recommended for players who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, as the FPS penalties are significant.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings levels. The complete breakdown follows.

At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 302 FPS. Medium settings produce 225 FPS average, with a minimum of 191 and maximum of 258 FPS. High settings produce 193 FPS average. Ultra settings produce 138 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 191 FPS. Medium settings produce 142 FPS average, with a minimum of 120 and maximum of 163 FPS. High settings produce 122 FPS average. Ultra settings produce 87 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, Low settings produce an average of 100 FPS. Medium settings produce 74 FPS average, with a minimum of 63 and maximum of 85 FPS. High settings produce 64 FPS average. Ultra settings produce 46 FPS average.

The Medium settings rows are the only ones with min and max FPS data, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range from min to max is 67 FPS, which is a wide spread. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 43 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range narrows further to 22 FPS. This trend suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU's consistent workload results in more stable frame pacing, while at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU interplay introduces more variance.

The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution follows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 164 FPS (302 to 138). At 1440p, the drop is 104 FPS (191 to 87). At 4K, the drop is 54 FPS (100 to 46). The diminishing absolute FPS loss at higher resolutions reflects the GPU becoming the bottleneck, where settings changes have a smaller absolute impact on frame rate.