Barony

Barony is a roguelike title from 2015 that remains surprisingly demanding at high settings and resolutions. This analysis focuses on a specific hardware pairing: the Intel Core i7-14700KF processor with the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics. The data provided in the Fact Pack reveals a system with a massive CPU advantage but a severe GPU bottleneck, resulting in playable performance only at lower settings and resolutions. Benchmark results indicate that this combo ranks at 3428 out of 3717 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's low performance percentile. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of how the CPU and GPU contribute to the game's performance, what settings to use, and how the system scales across resolutions.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a high-end desktop processor that provides an immense amount of computational headroom for Barony. It features 20 cores and 28 threads, which is a significant amount of parallel processing power for any game. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, and it can boost up to 5.60 GHz under load. The processor is built on Intel's 10 nm process and has a 33 MB shared L3 cache, which helps with fast access to frequently used data. This CPU is clearly not the limiting factor in this system; its benchmark scores place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is more powerful than the vast majority of processors on the market.

When comparing the i7-14700KF to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is a highly competitive part. Its average benchmark score is 70163, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. It is also 0.9% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. Interestingly, it is 1% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, which is a newer generation part. These small percentage differences indicate that the CPU is not a performance differentiator in this specific system; any of these processors would provide a similar experience in Barony when paired with the same GPU.

In the context of Barony, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics. Given its high scores in synthetic benchmarks like Cinebench R23 (44167 multi-core, 6235 single-core), the i7-14700KF is more than capable of handling the game's demands. The bottleneck is entirely elsewhere. The data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where the CPU would be most stressed, the average FPS is 144. This suggests that the game's engine is not heavily threaded, but the CPU's high single-core performance is sufficient to prevent it from being a limiting factor. The processor's high core count is essentially a non-factor for this title, as the performance ceiling is set by the graphics solution.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a very low performance profile. It is based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and runs at a base clock of 300 MHz, boosting up to 2400 MHz. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. Critically, its memory is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory (DDR4 or DDR5) rather than dedicated VRAM. Its memory bandwidth is also system-dependent, making it a major weakness. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, a very low ranking.

The GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this system. Its nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all older, low-performance parts, including the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (0.2% faster) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (0.5% faster). The Arc B370 is 0.7% faster than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M and 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000. These comparisons show that while it is a modern architecture, its raw performance is akin to integrated graphics from over a decade ago. The 25 W TDP and lack of dedicated memory connectors reinforce its position as an entry-level, low-power solution.

Given this GPU's performance, the measured FPS in Barony makes sense. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves an average of 144 FPS, which is likely a frame rate cap or the maximum the GPU can produce in a simple scene. However, as settings increase, the GPU's lack of memory bandwidth and raw compute power becomes apparent. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 66 FPS. The shared memory system is a particular liability; as the game needs more memory for textures at higher settings, it competes with the CPU for system memory bandwidth, further reducing performance. The GPU's low pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are simply insufficient for high-resolution, high-detail gaming.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data provides a clear picture of how the Intel Arc B370 handles different settings presets in Barony. The primary goal for a good experience is to maintain a stable frame rate above 60 FPS, and ideally, much higher. Based on the data, the optimal preset is Low.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 144 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. The Medium preset drops to an average of 107 FPS, with a minimum of 91 FPS, which is still very playable. However, the High preset reduces the average to 92 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings it down to 66 FPS. While all of these are technically playable, the jump from Low to Medium comes with a performance cost of 37 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs another 15 FPS. The data suggests that Low is the sweet spot for maximizing frame rate, but Medium offers a good balance if you prefer better visuals and can tolerate a slightly lower, but still smooth, frame rate.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset achieves an average of 91 FPS, which is good. The Medium preset averages 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS, which is on the edge of being uncomfortable for some players. High drops to 58 FPS, and Ultra falls to 42 FPS. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 1440p, the Low preset is the only reliable choice. If you can tolerate frame rates in the high 50s, Medium is an option, but it is not recommended for fast-paced action.

At 4K, the GPU is severely overburdened. The Low preset averages only 47 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 35 FPS. High averages 30 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 22 FPS. None of these settings provide a smooth experience at 4K. The recommendation is to avoid 4K with this GPU for Barony. The best experience per the measured rows is clearly the Low preset at 1080p, which offers the highest average frame rate (144 FPS) and ensures the most responsive gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combined performance of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and the Intel Arc B370 places this system in a very specific and low position within the benchmark database. The `comboRankInGame` field shows a rank of 3428 out of 3717 total tested combinations. This means that only 289 other system configurations perform worse than this one in Barony, putting it in the bottom 7.8% of all tested systems.

This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking is effectively wasted, as the Arc B370's 5th percentile ranking drags the entire system down. The data shows a massive performance disparity between the two components. A high-end processor like the i7-14700KF is designed to feed a powerful discrete GPU; pairing it with an IGP creates a system where the CPU is idle most of the time, waiting for the GPU to catch up.

The rank indicates that users of this system will have a significantly worse experience than the average tested system. While the CPU could easily handle a much more powerful graphics card, the current configuration limits the system to playing older or less demanding games at low settings. The ranking serves as a clear warning that the GPU is the primary limiting factor and that upgrading to any discrete GPU would provide a massive performance uplift, entirely changing the system's rank. The data makes it clear that this is a severely unbalanced configuration for gaming.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions provides a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. The data shows that as resolution increases, the average frame rate drops significantly, which is a direct indicator that the graphics processor is the limiting component.

• 1080p to 1440p: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 144 to 91, a decrease of 53 FPS (a 37% drop). At Medium settings, it drops from 107 to 67, a decrease of 40 FPS (a 37% drop). At High settings, it drops from 92 to 58, a decrease of 34 FPS (a 37% drop).
• 1440p to 4K: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 91 to 47, a decrease of 44 FPS (a 48% drop). At Medium settings, it drops from 67 to 35, a decrease of 32 FPS (a 48% drop). At High settings, it drops from 58 to 30, a decrease of 28 FPS (a 48% drop).

The scaling pattern is consistent: a roughly 37% drop going from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 48% drop going from 1440p to 4K. This non-linear drop is characteristic of a GPU that runs out of memory bandwidth and shading power as the pixel count increases. A CPU-bound system would show very little performance change between resolutions, as the CPU workload remains constant. In contrast, the GPU workload increases exponentially with the number of pixels, and the Arc B370's performance collapses under this load.

These results confirm that the Intel Arc B370 is the sole bottleneck. Even the powerful i7-14700KF cannot help, as it is not the component doing the rendering. The frame rate is dictated entirely by the GPU's ability to fill pixels, which is constrained by its system-shared memory and low compute throughput. For users, this means that reducing the resolution is the single most effective way to gain performance, and that the CPU is essentially a bystander in this game's performance equation.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF the reason this system performs poorly in Barony?

A: No. The i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163 and ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. The data shows it is more than capable of handling the game. The poor performance is entirely due to the Intel Arc B370 GPU, which ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs and is the definitive bottleneck.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth experience?

A: The Low preset at 1080p is the best choice, delivering an average of 144 FPS. If you prefer better visuals, the Medium preset at 1080p is also acceptable, with an average of 107 FPS and a minimum of 91 FPS. At higher resolutions, only Low settings provide a playable frame rate.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Barony?

A: No. The data shows that even at 4K Low settings, the average FPS is only 47. At 4K Medium, it drops to 35 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it is 22 FPS. These frame rates are not smooth enough for a good gaming experience, so 4K is not a viable option with the Intel Arc B370.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems in the database?

A: This combo ranks 3428 out of 3717 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems, indicating that most other tested configurations will provide a significantly better experience in Barony.

Q: Is this system more limited by the processor or the graphics card?

A: The graphics card is the sole limiting factor. The CPU is in the 94th percentile, while the GPU is in the 5th percentile. The FPS drops by approximately 37% from 1080p to 1440p and then by 48% from 1440p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is not the constraint.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this system?

A: The minimum FPS is only recorded for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 91 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 57 FPS. At 4K Medium, it is 30 FPS. Other presets do not have min/max FPS data provided.