Barony

Barony is a roguelike that leans on CPU performance, and this pairing of an Intel Core i7-14700KF with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a broad range of frame rates depending on how you configure it. The data shows a system that is exceptionally fast at 1080p, remains very capable at 1440p, and only starts to show its GPU limitations when you push to 4K. The measured results indicate that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, while the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher ones. This is a balanced pairing for high-refresh 1440p gaming, but you will need to make deliberate settings choices to maintain smooth performance at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly illustrates the shift in bottleneck from the CPU to the GPU. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 161.1 FPS, which is already a very high number. Moving to 1440p Ultra drops that to 102 FPS, a reduction of about 37%, and then 4K Ultra falls to 54.5 FPS, which is another 46% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is running out of pixel-pushing capability at higher resolutions, while the CPU remains largely idle in comparison.

The Low settings preset shows an even more dramatic version of this scaling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 353.9 FPS, which is an enormous number that indicates the CPU is doing most of the work. At 1440p Low, it drops to 221.6 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 116.6 FPS. The fact that even 4K Low manages over 116 FPS tells you that the RTX 3060 Ti is not a weak card, but the gap between 1080p Low and 4K Low (a 67% reduction) is larger than the gap between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra (a 66% reduction). This suggests that at lower settings, the CPU is still able to push very high frame rates, but the GPU's raw fill rate becomes the limiting factor as resolution climbs.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with 261.1 FPS at 1080p, 168.3 FPS at 1440p, and 88.3 FPS at 4K. The High preset gives you 223.7 FPS at 1080p, 142.8 FPS at 1440p, and 72.8 FPS at 4K. What is notable is that the performance gap between Medium and High at each resolution is relatively small compared to the gap between High and Ultra. For example, at 1440p, the difference between Medium and High is 25.5 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is 40.8 FPS. This indicates that Ultra settings carry a disproportionately heavy cost, likely due to specific effects that the RTX 3060 Ti's 8 GB of VRAM struggles to handle efficiently.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, and it has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, giving it 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1410 MHz with a boost of 1665 MHz, and the memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The data shows that this GPU is the decisive factor in the 4K results, where even the Low preset (116.6 FPS) is significantly slower than the 1080p High preset (223.7 FPS). This is a clear sign that the GPU's memory bandwidth and pixel rate are being saturated at higher resolutions.

Looking at the GPU's benchmark scores, it has a PassMark G3D score of 20349 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2626. Its percentile versus all GPUs is 69, which means it outperforms a majority of graphics cards on the market. The nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon RX 6700M (0.2% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 6600 (0.5% slower), and the AMD Radeon 890M (0.5% slower). These are all very close in raw compute performance, but the RTX 3060 Ti's specific strengths in this game appear to be its ability to handle the roguelike's geometry and effects without stuttering, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across settings.

The GPU's launch MSRP is 399 USD, and it is now end-of-life, but that does not detract from its current capability. In this game, the GPU's role becomes most apparent when you compare the 4K Ultra (54.5 FPS) to the 4K Medium (88.3 FPS). The jump from Medium to Ultra costs 33.8 FPS, which is a 38% performance penalty. This suggests that Ultra settings are likely enabling some form of advanced shading or texture filtering that the 8 GB VRAM cannot hold comfortably, forcing the GPU to work harder than it should. For a smooth experience, you will want to avoid Ultra at 4K with this card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Raptor Lake refresh, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. It has 33 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark results are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44557 and a single-core score of 6290. The data indicates that this CPU is not the bottleneck in Barony at any tested resolution, as the frame rates scale almost entirely with the GPU's load.

At 1080p Low, the system produces 353.9 FPS, which is a number that most GPUs could not achieve even with a faster CPU. This is a strong indication that the i7-14700KF's single-thread performance is more than adequate for the game's logic. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score is 4480, and its percentile versus all CPUs is 96, meaning it is faster than 96% of all processors tested. Its nearest rivals in average score are the Intel Core i7-14700K (0% difference), the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.3% faster), and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (0.4% slower). This puts the i7-14700KF at the very top of the consumer CPU stack.

The CPU's role here is to ensure that the GPU is never waiting for data. The fact that 1080p Low (353.9 FPS) is more than double the 1440p Low (221.6 FPS) shows that the CPU can push far beyond what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. Even at 4K Low, the CPU is still feeding the GPU enough to hit 116.6 FPS. The data suggests that if you were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, the frame rates at 1080p could go even higher, but with the RTX 3060 Ti, the CPU has significant headroom left on the table.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti holds the rank of 886 out of 1702 tested combos in Barony. This puts it in the upper half of all tested systems, which is a solid position given that the GPU is not a top-tier model. The rank reflects the fact that the CPU is overqualified for the GPU, but the overall performance is still strong enough to beat a majority of other pairings.

The ranking is likely held back by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions. While the combo excels at 1080p and 1440p, its 4K Ultra performance of 54.5 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider ideal for smooth gameplay. If you look at the combo's performance relative to other tested systems, it is clear that the CPU is doing more than its fair share of the work. The i7-14700KF's high single-core score and 96th percentile ranking versus all CPUs ensure that the system does not suffer from any CPU-related stutters, which is crucial for a roguelike where frame pacing is important for reaction times.

The rank of 886 out of 1702 means that there are 816 combos that are faster, but many of those likely feature more powerful GPUs like the RTX 3080 or higher. This combo's strength is its consistency across settings; it never dips below 54.5 FPS in any measured configuration, which reflects the CPU's stability and the GPU's adequate performance. For a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU, this ranking is respectable and indicates that you are getting a system that can handle the game well at most settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play this game with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, you get 142.8 FPS, and at 1440p Medium, you get 168.3 FPS, both of which are well above the 60 FPS threshold and allow for smooth, high-refresh gaming. 1080p is even faster (223.7 FPS at High), but 1440p offers a better balance of visual quality and performance.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Medium, you get 88.3 FPS, which is playable. At 4K High, it drops to 72.8 FPS, which is still smooth. However, 4K Ultra drops to 54.5 FPS, which may feel less fluid. You will need to stick to Medium or High settings for a comfortable 4K experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70104, which is essentially identical to the Intel Core i7-14700K (0% difference) and the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.3% faster). It is slightly faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which is 0.4% slower. This puts it at the top of the pack for consumer CPUs.

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the GPU is not the bottleneck at 1080p. The data shows 353.9 FPS at 1080p Low, which is far beyond what most monitors can display. The CPU is clearly capable of pushing higher frame rates, but the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, not at 1080p.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 1440p, High gives you 142.8 FPS while Ultra gives you 102 FPS, a 40.8 FPS drop. At 4K, High gives you 72.8 FPS while Ultra drops to 54.5 FPS. The Ultra preset costs about 25-40% performance compared to High, so it is not worth using unless you have a very high refresh rate monitor and can tolerate lower frame rates.

Q: What is the GPU's standing compared to other graphics cards?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has a percentile of 69 versus all GPUs, meaning it is faster than 69% of all graphics cards. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which is 0.5% slower. This puts it in the mid-to-high range of GPU performance.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data points to the High preset at 1440p as the ideal balance. It delivers 142.8 FPS, which is smooth on a 144Hz monitor, and the visual quality is only marginally worse than Ultra. If you have a 1080p monitor, you can comfortably use the Ultra preset at 161.1 FPS, but you will see diminishing returns compared to High at 223.7 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p is still very fast, but the extra visual fidelity may not be worth the 62.6 FPS loss.

If you are playing at 4K, you should avoid Ultra entirely, as it drops below the 60 FPS mark. The Medium preset at 4K gives you 88.3 FPS, which is a much better option and still looks good. For those who prioritize frame rate over visuals, the Low preset at 1440p (221.6 FPS) or 4K (116.6 FPS) is viable, but it will make the game look noticeably less polished. The Medium preset at 1440p (168.3 FPS) is also a strong choice if you want extra headroom for recording or streaming. Ultimately, the data suggests that High at 1440p is the most practical settings combination for this hardware, offering high frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality.