Barony

Barony is a roguelike that, on the surface, might not seem demanding, but the measured frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B580 combination reveal a complex scaling pattern. The data shows a system that is capable of very high refresh rates at 1080p, yet struggles to maintain a smooth 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, examines the roles of the CPU and GPU, and provides context on how this specific combo ranks against other tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K has a dramatic and non-linear effect on performance. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 177 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High setting drops the average to 112 FPS, a reduction of 65 FPS. The jump to 3840x2160 at High yields an average of 58 FPS, which is a further 54 FPS decline. This pattern strongly indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the workload on the GPU increases exponentially with pixel count.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 130 at 2560x1440 to 68 at 3840x2160, a 62 FPS difference. This suggests that the 12 GB of VRAM on the B580 is sufficient, but the raw pixel throughput of the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that the performance hit from 1440p to 4K is roughly equal to the hit from 1080p to 1440p, highlighting the demanding nature of 4K rendering for this specific card.

When examining the Low preset, the scaling is more forgiving. The average FPS at 1080p is 277, at 1440p it is 175, and at 4K it is 91. This shows that as the graphical load is reduced, the system can push higher frame rates, but the same relative drops occur. The game's engine appears to have a strong relationship between resolution and frame time, with the B580's performance degrading predictably as the pixel count increases. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo is only viable at Low settings, while 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors with High or Medium presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor from the Arrow Lake-S architecture, and its benchmark scores indicate it is not the primary bottleneck in Barony. The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, is strong enough to handle the game's logic and physics without causing frame drops at the resolution levels tested. The multi-threaded score of 25891 in Cinebench R23 shows ample headroom for background tasks, but Barony's roguelike nature likely does not heavily utilize all 10 threads.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals further confirms its capability. It sits at the 85th percentile of all CPUs benchmarked. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has an average benchmark score of 36945, which is essentially identical (0% deltaPct). This parity in synthetic benchmarks suggests that in a game like Barony, which is not known for extreme CPU demands, the Ultra 5 225 will provide a consistent and high level of performance.

The evidence for the CPU not being a bottleneck lies in the FPS scaling. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 277 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 127 FPS. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller difference between these two settings, as the CPU workload would remain constant. The fact that the FPS scales significantly with graphical settings indicates that the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, and the CPU is keeping up without issue. The 3.30 GHz base clock and 4.90 GHz boost clock provide sufficient processing speed for game logic.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the clear determining factor in this combo's gaming performance. With a boost clock of 2670 MHz and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a substantial amount of bandwidth (456.0 GB/s) for a card in its class. Its benchmark scores place it at the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which has a deltaPct of 0.6, meaning the B580 scores slightly lower. It also trades blows with the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which is 0.2% behind.

The GPU's VRAM capacity of 12 GB is a key asset. In Barony, the fact that the 4K Medium preset, which would use more memory than Low, still manages an average of 68 FPS suggests that VRAM is not being exhausted. If the card were running out of memory, we would see severe stuttering and min FPS drops to near zero. While the 4K Medium row shows a min FPS of 58, this is likely a reflection of complex scenes rather than a memory allocation failure.

The B580's performance in Barony is respectable for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1440p Ultra, it averages 80 FPS, which is a playable frame rate for most users. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to just 42 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience. This indicates that while the card has the memory capacity for 4K, its compute power (13.67 TFLOPS FP32) and pixel fill rate (213.6 GPixel/s) are insufficient for maximum settings at that resolution. The data shows a card that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming but is not a 4K powerhouse.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system excels. Low settings produce an average of 277 FPS, Medium yields 206 FPS (with a min of 175 and max of 237), High achieves 177 FPS, and Ultra still delivers a very smooth 127 FPS. This resolution is clearly where the Intel Arc B580 is most comfortable, offering frame rates that can take full advantage of high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but starts to show the GPU's limits. Low settings average 175 FPS, which is excellent. Medium settings drop to 130 FPS (min 111, max 150), High settings average 112 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain a playable 80 FPS. For gamers targeting 1440p, the Medium and High presets offer the best balance, with High providing a 112 FPS average that is well above the 60 FPS standard.

At 3840x2160, the 4K performance is the weakest link. Low settings are the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 91 FPS. Medium settings drop to an average of 68 FPS (min 58, max 78), which is right on the edge of playability. High settings average just 58 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 42 FPS, which is not smooth for most players. The data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is not a viable option for this combo, while 4K Low is the only preset that guarantees a high frame rate.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Barony at 4K 60 FPS?

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves an average of 91 FPS. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 68, which is above 60 but with a minimum of 58 FPS. High and Ultra settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with averages of 58 and 42 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best resolution for this setup?

A: 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution. At High settings, it produces an average of 112 FPS, and even Ultra settings maintain an average of 80 FPS. This provides a high-quality visual experience with frame rates suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its direct rivals in synthetic tests?

A: The B580's average benchmark score is 23021. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which scores 23061, a deltaPct of -0.2%, meaning the B580 is essentially tied. It is also very close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which scores 22895 and has a deltaPct of 0.6%.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 a bottleneck for the Arc B580?

A: No, the data suggests it is not. The CPU's single-thread score of 3655 in Cinebench R23 is robust. The FPS scaling from Low to Ultra settings shows significant changes, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU maintains high frame rates even at 1080p Low (277 FPS), proving it can keep up with the GPU's output.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 177. At 4K High, the average FPS is 58. This represents a performance drop of 119 FPS, or roughly 67% less performance, when moving to 4K.

Q: How much VRAM does the Intel Arc B580 have, and does it cause issues in Barony?

A: The card has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. The measured frame rates at 4K Medium (68 FPS average) and 4K Ultra (42 FPS average) do not indicate a memory bottleneck, as the frame times remain consistent without signs of severe stuttering.

Settings Recommendations

According to the measured data, the best experience for this combo depends entirely on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but the Ultra preset at 127 FPS is the clear recommendation, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still delivering a frame rate that is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of many monitors. If a player prefers maximum frame rates, the Low preset's 277 FPS is available, but the visual quality trade-off is significant.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 112 FPS, which is an excellent balance of visual quality and speed. The Ultra preset, while playable at 80 FPS, offers diminishing returns for the performance cost. The Medium preset is also a solid choice at 130 FPS if a higher frame rate is preferred over visual detail, but the data suggests High is the most balanced option.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only recommended option, producing an average of 91 FPS. The Medium preset, with its 68 FPS average and 58 FPS minimum, is borderline and may result in noticeable frame drops in busy scenes. The High and Ultra presets, with averages of 58 and 42 FPS, should be avoided for a smooth experience. The data clearly indicates that 4K gaming should be approached with reduced settings on this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Barony, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2194 out of 2935 total combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of all tested systems. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, but it is likely dragged down by the relatively weak 4K performance and the fact that many other combos in the database may feature more powerful, higher-end graphics cards.

The combo's rank suggests that while it is a competent performer, it is not among the top-tier systems for this game. The CPU's high percentile (85th) is offset by the GPU's lower percentile (68th), resulting in a system that is balanced but not exceptional. The measured FPS data shows a system that is excellent for 1080p and good for 1440p, but the 4K results are below what many higher-ranked combos would achieve. This ranking serves as a useful data point, indicating that for Barony, this combo is a capable mid-range option, but enthusiasts seeking maximum 4K performance should look at systems with a more powerful GPU.