Barony

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Barony, a 2015 roguelike that is clearly not demanding by modern standards. The benchmark data shows this combination is capable of pushing well past the refresh rate limits of most displays, even at 4K resolution. With a combo rank of 231 out of 2935 tested configurations, this system sits comfortably in the top tier of performers, making it an overkill but effective choice for this title. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, settings impact, and individual component roles based solely on the provided data.

FAQ

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

A: This combo ranks 231st out of 2935 tested combinations in the game, placing it in the top 7.9% of all systems tested.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Barony?*

A: Yes, easily. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, it produces an average of 90 FPS. Lowering to High settings increases the average to 126 FPS, and at Low settings it reaches 197 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46030, which is a 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, a -0.1% difference from the Ultra 5 235.

Q: What kind of frame rates can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the system delivers an average of 240 FPS. This is a substantial 114 FPS increase over the 126 FPS average seen at 4K with the same settings.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER's 16 GB of VRAM a factor in this game's performance?

A: The data does not indicate any VRAM limitations. The card's 16 GB GDDR6X memory with 736.3 GB/s bandwidth is far more than necessary for a game of this era, and the measured frame rates show no signs of memory-related bottlenecks.

Q: How much faster is Low settings compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average frame rate at Low settings is 597 FPS, while at Ultra settings it is 273 FPS. This represents a 324 FPS difference, with Low settings being over twice as fast as Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings depend heavily on your display's refresh rate and resolution, as this system is capable of producing extremely high frame rates across all presets. The measured data provides a clear picture of the trade-offs between visual fidelity and raw performance.

At 1080p, the data shows the system is overwhelmingly powerful. Even at Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 273 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. For players with 240Hz displays, High settings at 381 FPS offers a significant headroom advantage, while Medium settings at 444 FPS provides a middle ground. Low settings at 597 FPS is only beneficial for competitive play where maximum frame pacing is critical, as the visual downgrade is substantial relative to the modest FPS gain over Medium or High.

For 1440p gaming, High settings at 240 FPS is the sweet spot for those with 240Hz monitors, as it perfectly matches the refresh rate. Ultra settings at 172 FPS remains highly playable and is the best choice for visual quality on 144Hz or 165Hz displays. Medium settings at 280 FPS offers a buffer for those wanting to ensure no frame drops below 238 FPS, which is the measured minimum. Low settings at 377 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as High already provides a flawless experience.

At 4K, the system remains exceptionally capable. High settings at 126 FPS is ideal for 120Hz displays, providing a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. Medium settings at 146 FPS offers a slight performance boost with a minor visual compromise, and its minimum of 124 FPS ensures it stays above the 120Hz threshold. Ultra settings at 90 FPS is the best choice for 4K60 displays, allowing for maximum visual quality without any performance concerns. Low settings at 197 FPS is only relevant for those with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors.

The best overall experience is achieved by matching the preset to your display's refresh rate. For 1080p and 1440p, High or Ultra settings are recommended for most users, as they provide the best balance of visual quality and performance. For 4K, High or Medium settings are the practical choices, with Ultra being perfectly viable for 60Hz displays. The data suggests that Low settings are rarely necessary, as even the most demanding preset at any resolution delivers playable frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary driver of the exceptional frame rates observed in Barony. Its specifications are far beyond what this game requires, but they contribute to the headroom seen in the measured results. The GPU features 10240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines, which are all more than sufficient for the graphical demands of a 2015 roguelike.

The memory subsystem of the RTX 4080 SUPER is a key part of its high performance. It has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This is an enormous amount of memory bandwidth that ensures the GPU is never starved for data, even at 4K resolution. The card's clocks are also notable, with a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz. These high clock speeds, combined with the architecture's efficiency, allow for the massive frame counts seen in the benchmark data.

The GPU's performance is reflected in its benchmark scores. It has an average benchmark score of 54209, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, has an average score of 54247, which is a -0.1% difference. This indicates that the SUPER variant is essentially on par with the standard RTX 4080 in synthetic testing. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, a -1.1% difference, showing the RTX 4080 SUPER is slightly behind that workstation card in raw compute.

In the context of Barony, the GPU's role is to remove any potential graphical bottleneck. The measured data shows that the system's performance scales predictably with resolution, which is a sign of a GPU-bound scenario at higher settings. For instance, at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 273 at 1080p to 172 at 1440p and further to 90 at 4K. This scaling demonstrates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the limiting factor at these high settings, but it is a very high ceiling, as even the lowest 4K result of 90 FPS is more than playable.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER holds a rank of 231 out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. This places the system in the top 7.9% of all configurations tested, which is a very strong showing. This high rank is expected given the caliber of the components involved, but it is important to note that the game itself is not particularly demanding.

The rank of 231 indicates that there are 230 other combinations that perform better in this specific game. Given that the system is already producing frame rates in excess of 270 FPS at 1080p Ultra, the higher-ranked combos are likely achieving even more extreme performance, possibly with higher-end CPUs or GPUs that provide marginal gains in a game with such low computational requirements. The proximity of the CPU and GPU to their nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks suggests that the performance differences between this combo and those ranked just above it are minimal.

The data shows that this combo is not just a high performer, but a consistent one. The percentile rankings of the individual components support this. The CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. When paired together, their combined performance in Barony results in a rank that is slightly higher than either of their individual percentiles, indicating that they work well together for this game. The rank of 231 is a definitive statement that this is a top-tier setup for Barony, and users can expect a flawless experience at any resolution or settings preset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. For a game like Barony, which is not known for heavy multi-threaded usage, the CPU's single-core performance is more critical than its core count. The high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that the processor can handle the game's single-threaded logic without becoming a bottleneck.

The CPU's benchmark results show it is a capable performer. In Cinebench R23, it scores 2085 in single-core and 14769 in multi-core. In PassMark, its single-thread score is 4516, and its multithread score is 37816. These scores indicate a processor that is strong in both single and multi-threaded tasks, but its single-core performance is what will matter most in Barony. The 89th percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms that it is a high-tier processor.

When comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight grouping. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is a 0.1% difference away with a score of 46030, and the Intel Core i9-13900HX is -0.1% off with a score of 46098. These differences are within the margin of error for synthetic benchmarks, suggesting that the Ultra 5 235 performs on par with these competitors. The AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 are also within 0.2% of the Ultra 5 235's score.

In Barony, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain the high frame rates. The measured data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where the CPU load is typically highest relative to the GPU, the system achieves an average of 597 FPS. This indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s also contribute to its ability to keep the GPU supplied with instructions, ensuring consistent performance across all measured scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The system demonstrates exceptional capability, with all results being well above playable thresholds.

At 1920x1080, the performance is staggering. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 597 FPS. Medium settings reduce this to 444 FPS, with a minimum of 377 FPS and a maximum of 510 FPS. High settings deliver an average of 381 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, but the system still manages an average of 273 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system is overwhelmingly powerful, making even the most demanding preset easily playable on any high-refresh-rate monitor.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain extremely high. Low settings produce an average of 377 FPS. Medium settings average 280 FPS, with a minimum of 238 FPS and a maximum of 322 FPS. High settings deliver an average of 240 FPS, which is a perfect match for 240Hz monitors. Ultra settings average 172 FPS, providing a smooth experience on 144Hz and 165Hz displays. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent drop of roughly 35-40% across all settings, which is expected as the GPU is pushed harder.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers impressive results. Low settings average 197 FPS, which is exceptionally high for 4K. Medium settings average 146 FPS, with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 168 FPS. High settings average 126 FPS, making it ideal for 120Hz 4K displays. Ultra settings average 90 FPS, which is perfect for 60Hz 4K monitors. The transition from 1440p to 4K results in a further frame rate reduction, but the system remains well above the threshold for smooth gameplay in all cases. The data clearly shows that this combo is not bottlenecked by the game's requirements, and users can choose any settings preset based on their display's capabilities.