Barony

Barony is a roguelike that, on this Intel Core Ultra 7 265 + Intel Arc B570 platform, demonstrates a clear GPU-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases, yet the combination still delivers playable framerates across most settings. The data shows a substantial performance cliff from 1080p to 4K, with the average FPS at Ultra settings dropping by 67% (from 112 to 37 FPS), which firmly identifies the graphics card as the limiting factor in this pairing. The combo ranks in the 20th percentile (2344 out of 2935 tested configurations), indicating that while this is not a top-tier gaming setup, it provides a consistent and capable experience for a title of this genre.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic resolution-scaling curve, where performance degrades proportionally with the increase in pixel count. At 1080p, the system exhibits headroom, with the Ultra preset achieving 112 FPS and the Low preset reaching 245 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at lower resolutions. However, the transition to 1440p introduces a noticeable drop: Ultra falls to 71 FPS, a 37% reduction from 1080p, while High settings yield 99 FPS. This indicates that the rendering load is beginning to strain the Arc B570’s resources more heavily.

The most dramatic scaling occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K (3840x2160). At this resolution, the Ultra preset plummets to an average of 37 FPS, which is only 33% of the 1080p Ultra performance. High settings fare better but still drop to 52 FPS, a 47% loss from 1440p High. Even the Low preset, which maintains 81 FPS at 4K, represents a significant 67% reduction from the 245 FPS seen at 1080p Low. This pattern strongly suggests that the Arc B570’s fill rate and memory bandwidth (380.0 GB/s) are the primary bottlenecks, as the game’s pixel-shading demands outpace the GPU’s capabilities at higher resolutions.

The scaling behavior also highlights the CPU’s role in this equation. Because the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has 20 cores and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, it does not appear to be the constraining factor at any resolution. The consistent drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the workload is shifting entirely to the GPU, and the CPU is not introducing frame-time spikes or limiting the frame rate. For a roguelike like Barony, which typically involves procedural generation and complex game logic, this CPU configuration provides ample headroom, ensuring that the GPU is the sole performance gate.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B570 achieves a rank of 2344 out of 2935 tested combos for Barony. This places it in the lower 20% of all configurations, which aligns with the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The Intel Arc B570’s individual average benchmark score is 20,556, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (deltaPct 0.1%) and the Intel Arc A750 (deltaPct -0.1%), indicating that its raw compute performance is competitive with those parts. However, in this game, the combo’s rank suggests that Barony’s specific rendering requirements are not fully optimized for this GPU architecture.

The CPU’s own ranking is significantly higher, with a percentile of 93 versus all CPUs and an average benchmark score of 64,640. Its nearest rivals are all server-class processors, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P (deltaPct -0.3%) and the AMD EPYC 9124 (deltaPct -0.7%), which underscores the desktop CPU’s strength in multi-threaded workloads. This discrepancy between the CPU’s high percentile and the combo’s low rank in-game confirms that the GPU is the performance limiter. If the pairing were more balanced, one would expect a higher combo rank, but the data shows that the Arc B570 cannot fully leverage the ultra 7 265’s computational power in Barony.

The rank also reflects the game’s age and genre. Barony, released in 2015, is a roguelike that may not utilize modern GPU features like ray tracing or advanced tessellation heavily, instead favoring raw pixel throughput. This explains why the combo’s rank is lower than the GPU’s percentile would suggest; the Arc B570’s architecture, with 2,304 shading units and 80 ROPs, is competent but not exceptional for this game’s demands. The data implies that users seeking higher ranks would need a more powerful GPU, but for the intended audience of roguelike enthusiasts, this setup offers a stable baseline.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.30 GHz, combined with a 30 MB shared L3 cache, position it as a high-end desktop part. In Barony, the CPU’s role is primarily to manage game logic, procedural map generation, and enemy AI, which are typically single-threaded or lightly threaded tasks. The benchmark results show that the CPU is more than adequate for these duties, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low (245 FPS), where the CPU is likely the primary driver of performance.

The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are showcased in synthetic benchmarks, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,216 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 49,682. These numbers indicate that the CPU can handle complex simulations, but Barony does not appear to scale well with the 20 available threads. The game’s performance remains consistent regardless of resolution, suggesting that the CPU is not a bottleneck. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is severely stressed, the average FPS of 37 is likely limited by the GPU’s pixel throughput rather than any CPU constraint.

The clock speed of 5.30 GHz is particularly relevant for a roguelike, as these games often involve rapid input processing and turn-based logic updates. The high boost clock ensures low latency for single-threaded operations, which is critical for maintaining a responsive feel. The L3 cache of 30 MB also helps with data locality for the game’s map data, reducing memory access times. In comparison to its rivals, the CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 4,689 is robust, and its nearest rivals in that benchmark are all EPYC processors, which trade single-thread performance for core counts, making the Ultra 7 265 a better fit for gaming scenarios like this one.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance across the board: Low settings achieve 245 FPS, Medium reaches 182 FPS (with a minimum of 155 and maximum of 209), High hits 156 FPS, and Ultra maintains a solid 112 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors, even at the highest quality presets. The gap between Medium and High is relatively small (26 FPS), suggesting that the game’s visual fidelity improvements are not overly demanding at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains highly playable but shows the GPU’s strain. Low settings produce 154 FPS, Medium drops to 115 FPS (min 98, max 132), High yields 99 FPS, and Ultra falls to 71 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p shows a 54% reduction in FPS, which is consistent with the increased pixel count. For users targeting 1440p, the Medium preset offers a good balance between visual quality and smoothness, with the 115 FPS average comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes the primary concern. Low settings deliver 81 FPS, which is still respectable, but Medium drops to 60 FPS (min 51, max 69), High falls to 52 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 37 FPS. This resolution clearly pushes the Arc B570 to its limits, and the data suggests that 4K gaming is only viable at Low or Medium settings for a consistently smooth experience. The minimum FPS of 51 at 4K Medium indicates potential frame dips, which could be noticeable in fast-paced segments. The Ultra preset at 37 FPS is below the standard 60 FPS target, highlighting the GPU’s inability to handle maximum settings at 4K.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the clear bottleneck in this configuration, and its specs explain why. It features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. While this is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, the 4K resolution demands more memory bandwidth and fill rate than the card can provide. The GPU’s boost clock is fixed at 2500 MHz, and it has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, which gives it a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. These figures are moderate for a modern GPU, and they directly correlate with the FPS drops seen at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, has a deltaPct of -0.1% in average benchmark score, indicating that the B570 is essentially on par with its predecessor in raw compute. However, in Barony, the B570’s 10 GB VRAM may be a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where texture sizes and memory usage can exceed the capacity, leading to potential stuttering or asset thrashing. The measured data does not show min FPS for Ultra settings, but the low average of 37 FPS suggests that the GPU is operating at its architectural limits.

The lack of Tensor cores and a DirectX 12 Ultimate feature set (12_2) means that the GPU is designed for standard rasterization, which aligns with Barony’s graphical demands. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 14,195 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2,649 are indicative of its mid-range positioning. For a roguelike that does not heavily utilize advanced effects like ray tracing, the B570 is adequate, but the data shows that it cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K, making it a better fit for 1080p or 1440p gaming.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and performance targets. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers 112 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the best visual experience. There is no reason to compromise on quality at this resolution, as even the most demanding preset remains highly playable. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or above), the High preset at 156 FPS might be preferable to maximize smoothness, but the difference in visual fidelity is minimal.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset offers the best balance, with an average of 115 FPS and a minimum of 98 FPS, ensuring a stable experience without significant drops. High settings at 99 FPS are also viable, but the 16 FPS reduction from Medium may not justify the visual gains for some users. The Ultra preset at 71 FPS is playable but leaves less headroom for frame-time spikes, so Medium or High are safer choices for maintaining a consistent frame rate in combat-heavy scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the data strongly recommends the Low preset, which achieves 81 FPS, providing a smooth experience while sacrificing visual detail. The Medium preset at 60 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 51 FPS that could cause noticeable hitches, so it is only suitable for users who prioritize graphics over absolute smoothness. High and Ultra presets at 52 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for 4K gaming, as they fall below the 60 FPS target and would result in a less responsive experience. For the best overall experience, users should aim for 1080p High or 1440p Medium, where the combo performs most efficiently.