Barony

Barony, a roguelike from 2015, is not the typical stress test for high-end hardware, but the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 reveal a clear performance hierarchy. The data shows a system capable of extreme frame rates, even at 4K, but the scaling between resolutions indicates where the bottleneck lies.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a significant and predictable drop as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that drop tells a clear story about system balance. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 449 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 284 FPS, a reduction of 165 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 148 FPS. This pattern shows that while the CPU is capable of pushing massive frame counts at lower resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is steep, indicating that the RTX 3080 is being fed enough data by the CPU to max out its capabilities. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K is comparatively less punishing in percentage terms, which suggests the GPU is starting to hit its raw throughput ceiling. For example, at High settings, the system delivers 287 FPS at 1080p, 181 FPS at 1440p, and 95 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 106 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 86 FPS. This compression of the gap at higher resolutions is typical of a system where the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are becoming the primary constraints.

Looking at the Medium settings preset, which includes min and max FPS data, the trend continues. At 1080p Medium, the average is 334 FPS with a minimum of 284 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 211 FPS with a minimum of 179 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 110 FPS with a minimum of 94 FPS. The minimum frame rates scale down proportionally, which suggests consistent frame pacing without sudden stutters. The 4K Medium minimum of 94 FPS is still very high, indicating that even in demanding scenes, the system holds onto a playable frame rate.

The Ultra preset shows the most significant performance hit. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 206 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 130 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 68 FPS. This 4K Ultra result is the only measured point below the 100 FPS threshold. The data suggests that at 4K, the RTX 3080's 10 GB of memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed heavily by the Ultra settings, but the CPU is still keeping up, as the frame rate does not collapse entirely.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process and features 36 MB of shared L3 cache. In Barony, which is not a heavily threaded game, the high boost clock is likely the most critical factor for achieving the extreme frame rates seen at 1080p. The single-core performance, as indicated by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2439, is strong enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions.

The benchmark results for the CPU show it is a top-tier part. It scores 44,253 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 68,574 in Passmark multithread. Its percentile vs all CPUs is 96, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors. The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark data are server-class chips like the Intel Xeon 6520P (deltaPct 0) and AMD EPYC 4564P (deltaPct -1.5), which reinforces that this desktop chip has extreme multi-threaded muscle. However, in a game like Barony, the 24 cores are less relevant than the ability to push a single thread to 5.50 GHz.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system hits 449 FPS. This is an enormous frame rate that is beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. It indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU as fast as it can render frames at that resolution. The fact that the 1080p Ultra average (206 FPS) is lower than the 1440p Low average (284 FPS) shows that the settings preset has a larger impact on the GPU load than the resolution change alone. The CPU's role is to maintain that high level of throughput without becoming the limiting factor. With a Passmark single-thread score of 5068, it has ample headroom for this task.

The memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory also contribute to the CPU's ability to keep data flowing. The L3 cache of 36 MB is substantial, which helps in holding game assets closer to the cores. In a roguelike with potentially many objects on screen, this cache size can help reduce memory latency. The data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution tested, as the frame rate drops consistently with resolution and settings, which is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is an Ampere architecture GPU with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. It has 8704 shading units, 68 RT cores, and a boost clock of 1710 MHz. Its benchmark scores are solid, with a Passmark G3D score of 25086 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407. However, its percentile vs all GPUs is 68, which is lower than the CPU's 96. This indicates that while the GPU is competent, it is not in the top tier of current hardware.

The GPU's role in Barony is clearly defined by the resolution scaling. At 1080p, the GPU is not the limiting factor. The 449 FPS Low result reflects the CPU's ability to push frames faster than most displays can show. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU's workload grows. The 4K Low average of 148 FPS shows the GPU is still handling the load well. The 4K Ultra average of 68 FPS shows the GPU is fully saturated.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is a point of concern for very high-resolution gaming. While the measured data for Barony does not show a catastrophic failure at 4K Ultra, the 68 FPS average suggests the GPU is working at its limit. The memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s is high, but the capacity might be a limiting factor in more demanding titles. In this specific game, the data shows a smooth degradation from 110 FPS at 4K Medium to 68 FPS at 4K Ultra, which indicates the GPU is managing its memory resources without stuttering, as the min FPS at 4K Medium is 94 FPS.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark data are significantly weaker parts, such as the NVIDIA P106-100 (deltaPct -0.3) and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (deltaPct -0.3). This is a strange comparison, as those are not gaming GPUs. This suggests that the RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172 places it among a wide range of GPUs, but its gaming performance in Barony is clearly superior to those parts. The data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at 4K, as the frame rate drops by over half from Low to Ultra settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Barony?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 449, which occurs at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The average FPS drops from 148 at Low settings to 68 at Ultra settings, while the CPU's high single-thread score and boost clock keep it from being the bottleneck.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 181 at 2560x1440 to 95 at 3840x2160, which is a difference of 86 FPS.

Q: Does the 10 GB VRAM cause issues at 4K Ultra?

A: The data shows a significant performance drop at 4K Ultra (68 FPS average) compared to 4K Medium (110 FPS average), but the minimum FPS is not listed for Ultra. The 4K Medium minimum is 94 FPS, so the system is not stuttering severely.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values at Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS values are 284 at 1920x1080, 179 at 2560x1440, and 94 at 3840x2160.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93785. It is effectively tied with the Intel Xeon 6520P (deltaPct 0) and is 1.5% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4564P and 1.9% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9175F.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 806 out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the upper third of all tested systems. Given the CPU's high percentile ranking (96) and the GPU's more modest percentile (68), the overall combo rank is pulled down by the GPU. The data suggests that this pairing is balanced in the sense that the CPU has significant headroom, but the GPU is the limiting component for achieving higher frame rates at 4K.

The rank of 806 means there are 805 other combos that perform better in this game. This is likely due to combos with newer or more powerful GPUs. The CPU is not holding the system back, as its benchmark scores are near the top. The GPU, while capable, is from the Ampere generation and is outpaced by newer architectures. The data shows that if a user were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, the combo rank in Barony would likely improve significantly, as the CPU's performance is not a constraint.

The 4K Ultra average of 68 FPS is a playable frame rate, but it is not in the high-refresh territory that the 1080p results suggest the system is capable of. The combo rank reflects this balance, showing a system that is excellent for high-refresh 1440p gaming but merely good for 4K gaming. The 2935 total combos include many with lower-end CPUs, so the 806 rank indicates that the RTX 3080 is the reason this combo does not rank higher.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 206 FPS. This is well above the refresh rate of most 1080p monitors (typically 144 Hz or 240 Hz). The CPU and GPU have ample headroom, so the visual fidelity of Ultra comes at no practical cost to smoothness.

For 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance. It delivers an average of 181 FPS, which is sufficient for high-refresh 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 130 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant 51 FPS loss. The Medium preset at 211 FPS is also viable, but the jump to High provides better visuals with only a 30 FPS loss. The data shows that High at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combination.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the most reasonable choice. It delivers an average of 110 FPS with a minimum of 94 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset at 95 FPS is also acceptable, but the Ultra preset drops to 68 FPS, which may be too low for players sensitive to frame rate fluctuations. The Low preset at 148 FPS is fast, but the visual quality in a game like Barony, which can have dark environments, is likely too compromised. The Medium preset provides the best combination of visual quality and performance at 4K, keeping the average FPS above 100.