Barony

Barony is a lightweight roguelike title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 shows a combination that delivers extremely high frame rates across all tested settings, firmly placing it in the upper half of all tested system configurations. The measured results indicate this pairing is heavily overqualified for the game’s demands, with even the most demanding Ultra preset at 4K producing an average of 58 FPS, while lower resolutions and settings push well past the refresh rate of typical high-end monitors.

FAQ

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

A: The combo ranks 1230 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the 58th percentile of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. It is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030, and the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46098, showing a delta of just 0.1% in either direction. It also sits 0.2% above the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 3070 and its closest GPU competitors?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 17208. It is 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, and 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 7970M. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c is 1.5% ahead of it.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved at 1920x1080?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded at 1920x1080 is 385 FPS, achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: Does the game maintain playable frame rates at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 58 FPS on Ultra settings to 127 FPS on Low settings, with High and Medium presets producing 81 FPS and 95 FPS respectively.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates recorded for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum frame rates. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 80 FPS and the maximum is 109 FPS. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 154 FPS and the maximum is 208 FPS. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 244 FPS and the maximum is 330 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process node. It features 14 cores and 14 threads, a base clock of 3.40 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This configuration provides substantial processing power, reflected in its 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The processor’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. While Barony is not a title known for heavy multi-threaded scaling, the Core Ultra 5 235’s raw single-thread performance is strong, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and PassMark single-thread score of 4516.

In the context of this game, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic, which is rarely a bottleneck for a title from 2015. The measured frame rates show that the system is never CPU-limited, as even at 1080p Low, the average FPS reaches 385, a figure that is far beyond what the game’s engine would require for smooth gameplay. The processor’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s with dual-channel DDR5 support ensures that data transfer is not a limiting factor. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 235’s average benchmark score of 46062 is within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, Intel Core i9-13900HX, AMD EPYC 4364P, and AMD EPYC 7303, meaning that swapping to any of these CPUs would produce virtually identical results in this game.

The 14 threads, while not extreme, are more than sufficient for Barony’s single-threaded-heavy workload. The 5.00 GHz boost clock is the key specification here, allowing the CPU to handle any potential simulation or procedural generation spikes without issue. The data shows that at every resolution and settings combination, the average frame rates are exceptionally high, which suggests that the CPU is providing a stable platform with no observable adverse effects on performance. The processor’s TDP of 65 W and 3 nm process node also indicate it does so efficiently, though the benchmark data does not include power consumption figures for this specific game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is an Ampere-architecture GPU built on Samsung’s 8 nm process, featuring 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output pipelines. It has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz, with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. These specifications position the card in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208. For Barony, a game with simple geometry and low-resolution textures compared to modern titles, the RTX 3070 is a very powerful component, and the measured FPS data confirms that it is the primary driver of performance.

The GPU’s role in this pairing is to render frames at high speed, and the data shows it performs admirably. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates range from 176 FPS on Ultra to 385 FPS on Low. The performance scaling with resolution is also telling: at 2560x1440, the averages drop to 111 FPS on Ultra and 243 FPS on Low, while at 3840x2160, they fall to 58 FPS on Ultra and 127 FPS on Low. This scaling indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor as resolution increases, which is expected, but even at 4K Ultra, the 58 FPS average is playable. The RTX 3070’s 8 GB VRAM is not a concern here, as Barony’s textures are unlikely to exceed that amount, even at 4K with Ultra settings.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 3070 is closely matched with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which has an average score of 17083, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, which scores 17037. The performance deltas are minimal, at 0.7% and 1% respectively, meaning that in a game like Barony, differences between these GPUs would be within the margin of error. The RTX 3070’s boost clock of 1725 MHz is sufficient to drive the high frame rates seen in the data, and the 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth prevents any bandwidth-related stutter. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring full compatibility with the game’s rendering requirements.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1230 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. This places it in the 58th percentile of all systems, meaning it outperforms a majority of the tested setups. Given the game’s age and its low system requirements, this rank is expected; the hardware is capable of far more demanding titles, but in Barony, it is more than sufficient. The rank also reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU; neither component is a bottleneck, as evidenced by the high frame rates at all settings.

The combo’s rank is likely influenced by the fact that many other tested combinations may include higher-end GPUs or CPUs that achieve even higher frame rates, but the difference in practical gameplay is negligible. For instance, the RTX 3070’s nearest rivals, such as the RX 7600 XT, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, so the rank is not indicative of a significant performance gap. The CPU’s rivals also show minimal deltas, reinforcing that the system is well-balanced. The 89th percentile CPU and 61st percentile GPU combine to produce a system that is greater than the sum of its parts in this specific game, as the low graphical demands allow the CPU’s strong single-thread performance to shine, pushing frame rates to levels that only the fastest CPUs can achieve.

In the context of the 2935 tested combos, a rank of 1230 is solidly above average. The data shows that the system performs best at lower resolutions, where the CPU’s high boost clock is fully utilized, and the GPU’s raw power is more than enough to keep up. At higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, but the frame rates remain respectable. Overall, this combo is a strong performer in Barony, and its rank reflects that it is a capable, if not top-tier, system for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. On Low settings, the average FPS is 385. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 287 FPS, with a minimum of 244 FPS and a maximum of 330 FPS. High settings produce an average of 246 FPS, and Ultra settings reduce the average to 176 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of driving very high refresh rate monitors, with even the Ultra preset delivering frame rates well above 144 Hz.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset yields an average of 243 FPS, while Medium produces 181 FPS, with a minimum of 154 FPS and a maximum of 208 FPS. High settings average 155 FPS, and Ultra averages 111 FPS. These figures are still excellent for 1440p gaming, with the Ultra preset maintaining a playable 111 FPS average, which is suitable for most high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset’s minimum of 154 FPS ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate does not drop below the refresh rate of a 144 Hz monitor.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits, but the performance remains playable. The Low preset averages 127 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. Medium settings average 95 FPS, with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 109 FPS. High settings average 81 FPS, and Ultra settings average 58 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that dips below 60 FPS on average, but 58 FPS is still a smooth experience for a game like Barony, which does not require fast-paced, twitch reactions. The Medium preset’s minimum of 80 FPS at 4K shows that the system can handle 4K gaming without significant frame drops, provided the settings are not maxed out.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the user’s priority between visual fidelity and frame rate. For users with a 1080p 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor, the Ultra preset is recommended, as it delivers an average of 176 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The High preset at 246 FPS is also a solid choice for those who want a higher frame rate buffer, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in a game like Barony may be minimal. The Medium preset at 287 FPS is overkill for any monitor and offers no tangible benefit over High, making High or Ultra the best choices for 1080p.

For 1440p displays, the Ultra preset at 111 FPS is likely the best balance, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining frame rates above 100 FPS. The High preset at 155 FPS is also excellent for users with 144 Hz monitors, offering a higher frame rate with a slight reduction in visual effects. The Medium preset at 181 FPS is unnecessary unless the user has a very high refresh rate monitor, but the minimum of 154 FPS ensures no drops below 144 Hz. For 1440p, the recommendation is to use Ultra if the monitor is 120 Hz or lower, and High if the monitor is 144 Hz or higher.

For 4K resolution, the Medium preset is the recommended setting, as it delivers an average of 95 FPS with a minimum of 80 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience on a 60 Hz or 120 Hz display. The High preset at 81 FPS is also acceptable, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate provides a more consistent experience. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS is playable, but for users who prefer a stable 60 FPS, Medium is the safer choice. The Low preset at 127 FPS is unnecessary, as the visual quality reduction is likely too severe for the frame rate gain. In summary, the data suggests that the Medium preset at 4K, High or Ultra at 1440p, and Ultra at 1080p provide the best balance of visual quality and performance for this system in Barony.