Barony

Barony is a roguelike title from 2015, and the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 show a configuration that scales predictably across resolutions. The data set provides average frame rates at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K across Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets, offering a clear picture of where this combo excels and where it begins to strain. The CPU, a 10-core Arrow Lake-S part with a 4.90 GHz boost clock, and the GPU, an 8 GB GDDR7 Blackwell part with a 2497 MHz boost clock, combine to deliver frame rates that range from 363 FPS at 1080p Low to 55 FPS at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes it against other tested combos, and provides actionable settings guidance based strictly on the numbers available.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep, but the pattern reveals a system that is clearly GPU-limited at higher resolutions while remaining exceptionally fast at 1080p. At the Low preset, the average FPS falls from 363 at 1920x1080 to 229 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 134 FPS, and then to 120 at 3840x2160. That is a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the RTX 5060’s 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are being heavily taxed as pixel count quadruples. The 8 GB VRAM capacity also becomes a factor at 4K, though the measured data does not specify any texture-related stutter, only the average FPS numbers.

Moving to the Medium preset, the scaling is similar but slightly less dramatic. The average FPS at 1080p is 270, dropping to 170 at 1440p and 89 at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K here is 81 FPS, which is proportionally larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p (100 FPS). This suggests that the GPU’s compute units and memory subsystem are the limiting factor, as the CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than sufficient to feed the graphics card at lower resolutions. At 1440p, the CPU still has headroom, but at 4K, the RTX 5060 is working near its limits, especially with the Ultra preset.

The High preset shows a similar trend, with 231 FPS at 1080p, 146 FPS at 1440p, and 76 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with 166 FPS at 1080p, 105 FPS at 1440p, and just 55 FPS at 4K. That 55 FPS figure is the only result below 60 FPS in the entire dataset, and it highlights that 4K Ultra is beyond this combo’s comfort zone for a smooth experience. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 50 FPS drop, which is the largest absolute decline across any preset, reinforcing that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, prevents any CPU-side ceiling, as the frame rates are extremely high even at Ultra.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p or 1440p, where the RTX 5060 can push well beyond 100 FPS on most presets. At 4K, only the Low preset achieves a comfortable 120 FPS, while Medium and High are playable at 89 and 76 FPS, respectively. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU, given that the CPU’s average benchmark score of 36938 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU’s average score of 26331 puts it in the 72nd percentile. The GPU is the weaker link, and the resolution scaling data confirms this.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination ranks 1258 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This rank is a composite measure of how the pair performs in this specific game, and it reflects the fact that Barony is a roguelike with relatively modest graphics demands compared to modern AAA titles. The combo’s percentile standing is not listed directly, but the rank of 1258 out of 2935 means it sits above roughly 57% of all tested configurations, which is a solid result given that many combos include higher-tier GPUs.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU’s nearest rivals provide context for its contribution. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, deltaPct 0) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, deltaPct -0.2). The Intel Core i9-12900T is also close at 37112, with a deltaPct of -0.5. This means the Ultra 5 225 is effectively on par with these CPUs in synthetic tests, and in Barony, its 10 cores and 10 threads are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5060 at most settings. The CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 30459 and single-thread score of 4412 support this, as the game’s roguelike nature likely does not demand extreme multi-core scaling.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a tighter grouping. The RTX 5060’s average benchmark score is 26331, which is just 0.3% below the AMD Radeon 860M (26401) and 0.3% above the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (26421). The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% higher at 26553, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is 1.2% lower at 26011. These deltas are small, indicating that the RTX 5060 sits in a competitive performance band. In Barony, the measured FPS numbers suggest that the GPU is delivering performance consistent with its benchmark standing, but the combo rank of 1258 indicates that other pairings with faster GPUs or CPUs will naturally outperform it.

The rank of 1258 also implies that this combo is not a top-tier configuration for Barony, but it is far from the bottom. The fact that it achieves 166 FPS at 1080p Ultra and 105 FPS at 1440p Ultra means it can handle the game’s highest settings at mainstream resolutions with room to spare. The combo’s position in the database is likely influenced by the 8 GB VRAM limitation at 4K, where the Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS, pulling the overall rank down relative to combos with larger memory pools. Nevertheless, for a roguelike with a 2015 release date, this pairing is more than adequate, and the rank reflects a balanced system that is neither overkill nor underpowered for the game’s demands.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo, particularly for users targeting 60 FPS or higher at all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 270 FPS on average, with a minimum of 229 FPS and a maximum of 310 FPS. This is far above the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the headroom allows for V-sync or frame rate capping without any perceptible loss. At 1440p, Medium averages 170 FPS, with a minimum of 145 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth for any display. Even at 4K, Medium holds an average of 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS, which is playable on most monitors and provides a consistent experience above 60 FPS.

The High preset is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. At 1080p, High averages 231 FPS, which is still excellent, and at 1440p it drops to 146 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS. However, at 4K, High falls to 76 FPS, which is lower than Medium’s 89 FPS but still acceptable for a roguelike where reaction times are less critical than in fast-paced shooters. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p or 1440p gaming, as it delivers 166 FPS and 105 FPS, respectively, but at 4K it drops to 55 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter on high-refresh-rate displays. The Low preset, while delivering 363 FPS at 1080p and 120 FPS at 4K, sacrifices too much visual quality for a game like Barony, where the dungeon-crawling aesthetic benefits from higher settings.

For a 60 FPS target at 4K, the Medium preset is the safest choice, as it provides a 89 FPS average with a 76 FPS minimum. For 1440p, the High preset is recommended, as it offers 146 FPS and a better visual experience than Medium without the performance penalty of Ultra. At 1080p, the Ultra preset is the best option, as it still achieves 166 FPS, which is more than enough for any monitor. The data shows that this combo never dips below 55 FPS at any resolution or preset, so users can confidently select Medium for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, or High for 1440p and 1080p gaming with enhanced details.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full dataset provides exact numbers for each resolution and settings combination, with average FPS recorded for all rows and minimum/maximum FPS only for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 363 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. Medium at 1080p averages 270 FPS, with a minimum of 229 FPS and a maximum of 310 FPS. High averages 231 FPS, and Ultra averages 166 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the combo is largely CPU-bound at lower presets, as the RTX 5060 has ample headroom, but even at Ultra, the frame rate remains high.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 229 FPS, which is still very high. Medium averages 170 FPS, with a minimum of 145 FPS and a maximum of 196 FPS. High averages 146 FPS, and Ultra averages 105 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 124 FPS, showing a significant impact from the graphics settings. The minimum FPS of 145 at Medium suggests that the 1% lows are still above 140 FPS, which is excellent for smooth gameplay. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 120 FPS, which is the only 4K result above 100 FPS. Medium averages 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS. High averages 76 FPS, and Ultra averages 55 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 65 FPS, and the Ultra result is the only one below 60 FPS.

The measured data also shows a consistent pattern where the Medium preset is the only one with min/max values recorded, suggesting that the benchmark methodology captured a range of frame times for this setting. At 1080p Medium, the spread from 229 to 310 FPS indicates some variance, but it is minimal in absolute terms. At 1440p Medium, the spread from 145 to 196 FPS is similar, and at 4K Medium, the spread from 76 to 102 FPS is the tightest, likely due to the GPU being more consistently utilized. These numbers provide a complete picture of the combo’s performance, and they show that the RTX 5060 is capable of delivering high frame rates across the board, with only 4K Ultra posing a challenge.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is the primary driver of frame rates in Barony, and its specifications directly explain the measured performance. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a modest memory configuration for 4K gaming, and the data reflects that, as the Ultra preset at 4K drops to 55 FPS. The 8 GB capacity is likely a limiting factor at 4K with high-resolution textures, though the measured FPS does not show any sudden drops that would indicate VRAM swapping, only a general reduction in average FPS.

The GPU’s clocks are set at a base of 2280 MHz and a boost of 2497 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). These clocks contribute to the GPU’s 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is a measure of its raw compute capability. In Barony, a roguelike with relatively simple geometry but potentially complex lighting and particle effects, the RTX 5060’s 3840 shading units and 48 ROPs are sufficient to handle the workload at most settings. The pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s also play a role, as they determine how quickly the GPU can fill pixels and apply textures, which is critical at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s benchmark scores provide additional context. Its PassMark G3D score is 20891, and its average benchmark score is 26331, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. This is below the CPU’s 85th percentile, confirming that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing. The nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT with a deltaPct of 1.2, show that the RTX 5060 is competitive with mid-range cards, but it is not a high-end solution. In Barony, this translates to excellent performance at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the GPU’s 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus become bottlenecks, particularly at Ultra settings where the 55 FPS result is the clear outlier.

The GPU’s 145 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU are not directly relevant to the measured FPS, but they indicate that this is a power-efficient card that can run in most systems. The PCIe 5.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU, and the 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs allow for modern display connections. Overall, the RTX 5060’s role in this combo is to deliver high frame rates at mainstream resolutions, and it does so effectively, with the only weakness being 4K Ultra performance, which is a reasonable trade-off for a card in this performance class.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 363, recorded at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the maximum figure in the measured data, and it indicates that the combo is capable of extremely high frame rates at 1080p.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the combo achieves an average of 55 FPS. This is the lowest result in the dataset and the only one below 60 FPS, suggesting that 4K Ultra is not ideal for a consistently smooth experience.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with the Medium preset, the minimum FPS is 145 and the maximum is 196, with an average of 170 FPS. These values are the only min/max data provided for that resolution.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is 0% different from the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945), 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018), and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112). This shows the CPU is statistically tied with these rivals.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in Barony out of all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 1258 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. This places it in the upper-middle tier, indicating it outperforms roughly 57% of all tested combos.

Q: Does the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM affect performance at 4K?

A: The data shows a significant drop at 4K, with the Ultra preset averaging 55 FPS and the High preset averaging 76 FPS. While the 8 GB GDDR7 memory with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is a likely factor in this reduction, the measured FPS does not show any specific VRAM-related stutter, only lower average frame rates.