Barony

# Barony with Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070

Barony is a roguelike title that scales unusually well across hardware tiers, and this particular combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers results that position it in the 58th percentile of all tested combos in this game. With measured frame rates ranging from 58 FPS at 4K Ultra to 385 FPS at 1080p Low, the data reveals a pairing that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions but demonstrates substantial headroom when the CPU becomes the primary driver at lower settings. The benchmark results show a system that can handle the game's demands across the board, though the shape of the performance curve tells a clear story about where each component's influence begins and ends.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings 10 cores and 10 threads to the table, running at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boosting up to 4.90 GHz. This is a desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC, and it supports DDR5 memory through a dual-channel interface with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The chip's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache provide the memory hierarchy needed for modern game workloads.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, which places it at the 85th percentile among all CPUs tested. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4412 and multi-thread score of 30459 further confirm its capability. When compared against its nearest rivals in the aggregate benchmark database, the Core Ultra 5 225 essentially matches the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a 0% delta, sits 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, and trails the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 and Intel Core i9-12900T by 0.4% and 0.5% respectively. These are negligible differences, indicating that the CPU sits in a tightly contested performance band.

For Barony specifically, the CPU's contribution becomes most apparent at lower resolutions and settings where frame rates climb well beyond what the GPU can sustain at higher loads. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 385 FPS, a figure that requires strong single-thread performance and efficient instruction handling. The PassMark data encryption score of 22285, extended instructions score of 27162, and floating-point math score of 92038 suggest the processor handles varied workloads competently, though roguelike games typically rely more on game logic, pathfinding, and procedural generation than on raw floating-point throughput. The 10-core, 10-thread configuration lacks hyper-threading, but the boost clock of 4.90 GHz provides the responsiveness that frame-rate-heavy scenarios demand.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture with the GA104 chip, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process. It carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 1500 MHz with a boost of 1725 MHz, and memory operates at 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective throughput. With 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores, the RTX 3070 provides 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s.

In the context of Barony, the GPU's role becomes the limiting factor as resolution and quality settings increase. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game, which is not texture-heavy by modern standards, and the memory bandwidth proves adequate for the frame rates observed. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 22214 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162 place it at the 61st percentile among all GPUs, a mid-pack standing that reflects its age but also its continued relevance. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which scores 0.7% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 1% higher, while the NVIDIA Tesla K40c sits 1.5% above. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M trails by 1.1%. These close margins show that the RTX 3070 remains competitive with newer and older parts alike.

The GPU's DirectX 12 benchmark score of 85 and DirectX 11 score of 182, combined with Vulkan score of 21022 and OpenCL score of 112821, indicate solid API support, which matters for a game like Barony that may leverage different rendering paths. The 8 GB frame buffer is not stressed by this title's visual demands, allowing the GPU to operate near its compute ceiling rather than being constrained by memory capacity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline reveals the balance between CPU and GPU influence. At 1080p Low, the system produces 385 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 243 FPS, a 36.9% reduction, and 4K Low yields 127 FPS, a 67.0% drop from 1080p. These percentages indicate that even at Low settings, the GPU becomes progressively more involved as pixel count rises, though the CPU still has room to push high frame rates at 1080p.

At High settings, the scaling is steeper. From 246 FPS at 1080p to 155 FPS at 1440p (37.0% drop) and 81 FPS at 4K (67.1% drop from 1080p), the pattern mirrors the Low settings curve almost exactly. This consistency suggests that the rendering workload scales proportionally with resolution regardless of quality level, and that the GPU is the dominant constraint at higher resolutions while the CPU maintains its influence at 1080p.

The Medium settings data provides min and max frame rate information that sheds light on frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 287 FPS with a minimum of 244 and maximum of 330. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 181 FPS with a range of 154 to 208. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 95 FPS with a range of 80 to 109. The spread between minimum and maximum frames remains proportionally similar across resolutions, suggesting that the game's frame pacing is stable and that neither component introduces notable stutter or hitches.

Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates, with 176 FPS at 1080p, 111 FPS at 1440p, and 58 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measurement that dips below 60 FPS, indicating that this combination cannot maintain a locked 60 FPS at maximum settings in 4K. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra represents a 67.0% average frame rate reduction, consistent with the other settings tiers and reinforcing the conclusion that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 385 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset and indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond what most displays can show. Medium settings at 1080p reduce the average to 287 FPS, with a minimum of 244 and maximum of 330, still far above the threshold for competitive play. High settings at 1080p yield 246 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 176 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 54.3% reduction in frame rate, demonstrating that quality settings have a substantial impact even at this resolution where the CPU has more headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, Low settings deliver 243 FPS, which remains exceptionally high. Medium settings average 181 FPS with a range of 154 to 208, and High settings produce 155 FPS. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 111 FPS, which is still comfortably above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience for most players. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p at each settings tier is roughly 35-40%, indicating that the additional pixels exact a consistent toll on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes more dramatically. Low settings still manage 127 FPS, which is playable and smooth. Medium settings average 95 FPS with a minimum of 80 and maximum of 109, providing a stable experience. High settings drop to 81 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 58 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only sub-60 FPS measurement in the entire dataset, and even then it is close to the 60 FPS threshold. The spread from Low to Ultra at 4K is 54.3%, matching the 1080p percentage exactly, which highlights the consistent scaling behavior of the game's rendering engine.

Across all resolutions, the Medium settings measurements are the only ones that include minimum and maximum frame rate data. This suggests that the benchmark methodology captured frame time variance at this settings tier, and the data shows tight ranges that indicate stable performance. The ratio of minimum to average frame rate is approximately 85% at each resolution, which is a healthy indicator of consistent frame delivery without major drops.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with the RTX 3070 and Core Ultra 5 225?

A: At 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 58 FPS, which falls just below the 60 FPS threshold. However, at 4K High settings, the average rises to 81 FPS, and at 4K Medium it reaches 95 FPS. Players seeking a locked 60 FPS at 4K should use High or Medium settings rather than Ultra.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 posts an average benchmark score of 36938, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36945 with a 0% delta. It sits 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, and 0.5% behind the Intel Core i9-12900T. These differences are within noise margins.

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

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 385 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 287 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 246 FPS at 1080p High and 243 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: Is the RTX 3070's 8 GB VRAM sufficient for Barony?

A: The 8 GB GDDR6 memory on the RTX 3070 is adequate for Barony across all tested settings and resolutions. The game does not appear to be VRAM-limited, as frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings without anomalies that would suggest memory capacity constraints.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Barony?

A: This combination ranks 1230 out of 2935 tested combos, placing it in the 58th percentile. This indicates that it outperforms a majority of tested systems while remaining behind the top tier of configurations.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality?

A: The 1440p High setting delivers 155 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay while providing a significant visual upgrade over 1080p. For players prioritizing higher frame rates, 1080p High at 246 FPS is also an excellent choice, while those seeking maximum visual fidelity can use 4K High at 81 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data points to distinct sweet spots depending on the player's priorities. At 1920x1080, even Ultra settings produce 176 FPS, which is far beyond what most displays can present, so players with 1080p monitors can safely enable Ultra settings without concern. The 246 FPS at High settings and 176 FPS at Ultra represent a 28.5% performance cost for the visual upgrade, and both are well above playable thresholds. For competitive play where maximum frame rates matter, Low settings at 385 FPS offer the highest possible responsiveness, though the visual trade-off is substantial.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts based on refresh rate. For 144 Hz displays, High settings at 155 FPS provide an excellent experience that stays above the refresh rate ceiling. Ultra settings at 111 FPS still clears the 60 FPS threshold but may not saturate higher refresh rate panels. Medium settings at 181 FPS are also viable for players who prefer higher frame rates over visual fidelity, and the minimum frame rate of 154 FPS ensures consistent delivery without drops below typical 144 Hz refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. Ultra settings at 58 FPS hover just below the 60 FPS standard, making High settings at 81 FPS the better choice for a locked 60 FPS experience. Medium settings at 95 FPS provide additional headroom and a minimum of 80 FPS, which is ideal for variable refresh rate displays. Low settings at 127 FPS remain an option for players who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromise at 4K is significant.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1440p High at 155 FPS, which balances resolution, visual quality, and frame rate. For players with 4K displays, 4K High at 81 FPS is the recommended preset, as it delivers a smooth experience with a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset across all resolutions shows the most stable frame time data, with minimum frame rates that are consistently 83-85% of the average, making it the safest choice for players sensitive to frame pacing issues.

How This Combo Ranks

This pairing of Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1230 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony, placing it at the 58th percentile of all tested systems. This means the combo outperforms roughly 58% of all tested configurations while trailing the top 42%. Given that the CPU sits at the 85th percentile among all processors and the GPU at the 61st percentile among all graphics cards, the system's overall ranking aligns more closely with the GPU's standing than the CPU's, confirming that the graphics card is the primary limiter in this game.

The CPU's strong relative position does not translate into a proportionally high game ranking because Barony's frame rates at higher resolutions are constrained by GPU throughput. The RTX 3070's mid-pack GPU percentile of 61% drags the overall combination down from what the CPU alone might suggest. In games that are more CPU-bound, this processor would likely push the combo higher, but Barony's scaling pattern shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at 1440p and 4K.

The rank of 1230 out of 2935 places this system in the upper-middle tier of tested combinations. It is not among the elite configurations that dominate the top percentile, but it sits comfortably ahead of the median system. The data indicates that this combination delivers a strong experience in Barony, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, with the only notable weakness being 4K Ultra where frame rates dip just below 60 FPS. For a game that is not visually demanding by modern standards, this pairing offers more than enough performance for the vast majority of use cases, and the 58th percentile ranking reflects a system that is well-matched for its intended purpose without exceeding the requirements of the title.