Barony

Barony, a roguelike released in 2015, is not typically a title that stresses modern hardware, yet the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination reveals a significant performance ceiling. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings are exceptionally high, indicating that this pairing is far more capable than the game demands. This analysis examines the measured FPS data, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and what the results imply for a system configured with these components.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Barony?

A: The combo ranks 1555th out of 2935 tested combinations. This places it in the 47th percentile, meaning it performs better than roughly half of all tested systems, despite the game's relatively modest graphical requirements.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 340 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the peak performance point in the measured dataset.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded, and under what conditions?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 51 FPS at 3840x2160 (4K) resolution with Ultra settings. This is the most demanding configuration tested and the only one that drops below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, resulting in a negligible deltaPct of 0%. This indicates a statistical tie in overall processing power.

Q: What is the VRAM capacity of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, and is it a bottleneck here?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. Given that the game achieves high frame rates even at 4K, the VRAM capacity is sufficient for Barony's requirements and does not appear to be a limiting factor in the measured results.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for the CPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 features 10 cores and 10 threads. This configuration is more than adequate for the game's threading model.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination achieves a rank of 1555 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This position, just past the midpoint of all results, is interesting given the high absolute frame rates. The data suggests that performance is likely capped by a combination of game engine limitations and the sheer speed of the hardware, rather than a specific component bottleneck. In a game with simpler graphics, the pairing is overqualified, leading to a scenario where the ranking is more reflective of other systems with different hardware characteristics that might perform similarly due to the game's low ceiling.

The CPU's benchmark percentile is 85, indicating it outperforms 85% of all tested CPUs in general compute tasks. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Intel Core i9-12900T, are within a 0.5% performance delta, showing that the Ultra 5 225 sits in a very competitive performance bracket. The GPU's percentile is lower at 61, but its nearest rivals include integrated graphics like the AMD Radeon 780M, which highlights that the RTX 4060 is being compared against a wide range of graphics solutions, including those far less powerful. The high rank of the CPU compared to the GPU percentile suggests that the processor provides a strong foundation, but the game's performance is not heavily reliant on the GPU's absolute compute potential.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, is the primary rendering engine for this combo. It operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. These specifications are substantial for a game like Barony, which does not feature demanding high-resolution textures or complex shaders.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's role becomes clear as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the frame rate is astronomically high at 340 FPS. As the resolution scales to 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 51, demonstrating that the GPU is the component that handles the increased pixel count and visual fidelity. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows the GPU's workload increasing. For instance, at 1440p, the frame rate drops from 215 FPS on Low to 98 FPS on Ultra. This indicates that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower settings, the GPU's rendering load becomes the constraining factor at higher presets, especially at 4K where the difference between Low (112 FPS) and Ultra (51 FPS) is most pronounced. The 8 GB VRAM is ample for this title, as the game does not appear to exceed this capacity even at 4K Ultra, given the playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings. On Low, the system achieves 340 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 253 FPS with a minimum of 215 FPS and a maximum of 291 FPS. High settings yield 217 FPS, and Ultra dips to 156 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is almost certainly bottlenecked by the CPU or game logic, as even the most demanding preset produces a frame rate far exceeding standard display refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very high. The Low preset produces an average of 215 FPS. Medium settings result in an average of 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 183 FPS. High settings reach 137 FPS, while Ultra drops to 98 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a performance reduction of over 50%, indicating that the GPU is starting to become a more significant factor, though the frame rates remain excellent for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload is most apparent. The Low preset still delivers a high average of 112 FPS. Medium settings result in an average of 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. High settings average 72 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 51 FPS. This is the only configuration in the dataset that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that 4K Ultra is the limit for maintaining a consistently smooth experience with this hardware. The data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens, illustrating the GPU's dominant role at higher pixel counts.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1851 platform. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This processor is a strong performer in synthetic benchmarks, scoring 25891 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3655 in single-core, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. For a game like Barony, which is a roguelike and likely has simple AI and game logic, the CPU's role is to ensure that frame times are consistent and that the game logic does not become a bottleneck.

The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 340 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate that most games cannot reach due to CPU limitations. This suggests that the Ultra 5 225 has ample single-threaded performance to handle the game's logic at very high speeds. The Passmark single-thread score of 4412 supports this, showing strong per-core performance. However, the fact that the frame rate does not scale perfectly from Low to Ultra suggests that the CPU is still a factor in maintaining those high numbers, though it is clearly not a source of stutter or low performance.

As resolution increases, the CPU's relative importance diminishes. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 51 FPS, which is a direct result of the GPU's rendering load. The CPU, while busy, is waiting for the GPU to complete its work. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 5 225 provides more than enough processing power for Barony, ensuring that the GPU is the primary constraint on performance at higher settings and resolutions. The 20 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock likely contribute to the smooth frame delivery observed in the dataset.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data allows for clear settings recommendations based on display resolution. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. With an average frame rate of 156 FPS, the system has more than enough performance to drive a high-refresh-rate monitor at maximum visual quality. There is no reason to lower settings at this resolution, as even the most demanding preset yields a frame rate that is three times higher than a standard 60 Hz display.

For 1440p displays, the Ultra preset is also recommended. The average of 98 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience. The High preset offers a slight performance increase at 137 FPS, but the visual fidelity difference between High and Ultra in a game like Barony is likely minimal, and 98 FPS is still a very high frame rate. Users prioritizing maximum frame rates could choose High, but Ultra offers the best balance of visual quality and performance.

At 4K resolution, the choice becomes more nuanced. The Ultra preset yields an average of 51 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced roguelike but is below the standard for smooth action. The High preset provides a solid 72 FPS, which is a significant improvement and ensures a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset offers 83 FPS, but the visual reduction from High to Medium is more noticeable. Therefore, for 4K users, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it provides a comfortable performance margin above 60 FPS while retaining a high level of visual quality. The Low preset at 112 FPS is an option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the High preset offers the best overall experience for 4K gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the shift in bottleneck from the CPU to the GPU. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 217 FPS at 1080p to 137 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of approximately 37%. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops again from 137 FPS to 72 FPS, a further reduction of approximately 47%. This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload increases with pixel count.

The scaling is even more dramatic at Ultra settings. The frame rate drops from 156 FPS at 1080p to 98 FPS at 1440p, a 37% decrease. From 1440p to 4K, it drops to 51 FPS, a 48% decrease. The consistent percentage drops at each step indicate that the GPU's fill rate and pixel processing capabilities are the primary limits at these higher resolutions. The data shows that the game is heavily GPU-bound at 4K, especially on higher presets.

Conversely, at Low settings, the scaling is less severe. The frame rate drops from 340 FPS at 1080p to 215 FPS at 1440p, a 37% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops from 215 FPS to 112 FPS, a 48% reduction. This suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The fact that the percentage drops are similar across settings indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in these tests. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 provides a robust platform that allows the RTX 4060 to perform to its full potential, with the GPU's workload becoming the sole determinant of performance as resolution increases.