Barony

Barony is a 2015 roguelike, but the benchmark results for the Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 are anything but dated. This combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions, revealing a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions and still remarkably capable at 4K. The data shows a top-tier setup that can push this title to its absolute limits, regardless of the visual fidelity chosen.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the transition from a CPU-bound scenario to a GPU-bound one. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an astronomical 663.4 FPS, a figure that is almost certainly limited by the game engine's single-threaded logic or the CPU's processing speed rather than the graphics card. As we move to 1440p, that same Low setting frame rate drops to 421.3 FPS, a significant 36.5% decrease. The trend continues at 4K, where Low settings yield 222.2 FPS, a 66.5% drop from the 1080p figure. This dramatic reduction as pixel count increases confirms that the RTX 4090 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The pattern holds for other settings. At High settings, the frame rate falls from 421.7 FPS at 1080p to 270.4 FPS at 1440p, and then to 139.2 FPS at 4K. This is a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 302.3 FPS at 1080p to 192.9 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 102.6 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K Ultra frame rate is still well above 100 FPS indicates that even at the most demanding settings, the RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth are sufficient to maintain a fluid experience. The data suggests that at 1080p, the i7-14700KF's 20 cores and 28 threads are more than enough to feed the GPU, making the graphics card the bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU's workload increases substantially, and the frame rate becomes a direct reflection of the RTX 4090's raw compute power.

FAQ

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

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 663.4 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings in Barony?

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 102.6 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the performance scale from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 421.7 FPS at 1920x1080 to 270.4 FPS at 2560x1440. This represents a significant 36% reduction in performance.

Q: Is the processor or the graphics card the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, where the frame rate hits 663.4 FPS. This is an incredibly high figure, and further increases are likely constrained by the CPU's ability to process game logic, not the GPU's ability to render frames.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate is 421.3 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 192.9 FPS on Ultra settings. This shows a 54% performance cost for enabling the highest visual quality.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database for this game?

A: This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 35th out of 1702 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the top 2% of all configurations tested.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its high boost clock of 5.60 GHz is critical for a game like Barony, which, like many roguelikes, often relies on strong single-thread performance for game logic and simulation. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6290 and multi-core score of 44557 demonstrate its formidable processing power. The multi-core score places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested, showing that it is not just a gaming chip but a top-tier workstation part as well.

In this game, the CPU's role becomes most apparent at 1080p. The massive frame rates, particularly the 663.4 FPS at Low settings, are evidence of the i7-14700KF's ability to keep up with the RTX 4090. If the CPU were weaker, these frame rates would be significantly lower, as the GPU would be waiting for the CPU to send draw calls. The data shows the transition from CPU-bound to GPU-bound as resolution increases. At 4K, the CPU's workload relative to the GPU is reduced, and the frame rates are more dependent on the graphics card's fill rate and shader performance. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache helps ensure data is readily available for the cores, minimizing stalls. The processor's support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provides flexibility, though the benchmark results do not specify which memory type was used.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the results are staggering. With Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 663.4 FPS. Moving to Medium, it still delivers a blistering 495.5 FPS. High settings produce 421.7 FPS, and even Ultra settings maintain a high 302.3 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system is practically unchallenged. The gap between Low and Ultra is 361.1 FPS, which is a substantial difference, but even the lowest result is far beyond what most displays can show.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain incredibly high. Low settings yield 421.3 FPS, Medium produces 310.1 FPS, and High settings deliver 270.4 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 192.9 FPS. The scaling here is more pronounced than at 1080p, with the Ultra preset costing over half the performance of the Low preset. This reinforces the idea that the GPU is now carrying a heavier load. The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p results in a 77.5 FPS drop, which is a clear indication of the increased rendering complexity.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4090 begins to show its limits, but the results are still impressive. Low settings average 222.2 FPS, which is still a very playable frame rate. Medium settings follow at 162.2 FPS, while High settings produce 139.2 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 102.6 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is severe, especially at High and Ultra settings, with performance nearly halving. This is expected, as 4K requires the GPU to process four times as many pixels as 1080p. The data clearly shows that for a 4K Ultra experience, this combo is just on the edge of maintaining a triple-digit frame rate, which is an outstanding result for such a demanding configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of the benchmark database, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a top-tier performer. The combo ranks 35th out of 1,702 tested combinations in Barony, placing it in the 98th percentile of all systems tested. This high ranking is a direct result of the synergy between the powerful CPU and the flagship GPU.

The CPU itself, the i7-14700KF, holds an average benchmark score of 70,104, ranking it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i7-14700K, which scores 70,074 (a 0% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which scores 70,420 (a -0.4% delta). The performance difference between these top-tier processors is negligible, showing that the i7-14700KF is at the very peak of CPU performance.

Similarly, the RTX 4090, with an average benchmark score of 66,473, sits in the 91st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (deltaPct -0.4%) and the NVIDIA Tesla P40 (deltaPct 0.5%), which are professional-grade cards, not consumer gaming GPUs. This shows that the RTX 4090 is not only the fastest consumer card but also holds its own against workstation parts.

The combo's 35th place ranking is a reflection of both components being near the top of their respective charts. While there are 34 other combos that outperform it in Barony, these are likely to feature even more exotic or specialized hardware. For a mainstream high-end desktop configuration, this result is exceptional. The data confirms that users with this setup can expect a flawless, high-refresh-rate experience in Barony, regardless of their chosen resolution or quality settings.