Barony

Barony, a roguelike released in 2015, is not typically the first title that comes to mind for high-end hardware stress testing. However, the measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination reveals a compelling story about how a modern, high-core-count CPU and a mid-range GPU interact at various resolutions and settings. The dataset provides twelve distinct performance points, offering a clear view of the system's scaling behavior from 1080p up to 4K. The analysis that follows interprets these numbers to determine where the bottleneck lies and how the combo performs relative to other tested configurations in the database.

Resolution Scaling

The progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 shows a dramatic shift in system behavior. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 340 FPS, which is an exceptionally high frame rate that indicates the GPU is not being pushed to its limit. As the resolution increases to 2560x1440, that same Low preset drops to 215 FPS, a 36.8% decrease. Moving further up to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields 112 FPS, which is a 67.1% reduction from the initial 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is typical for a system where the CPU has significant headroom; the frame rate is largely dictated by the GPU's rendering capabilities as pixel count rises.

The High preset tells a similar story of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p, the system produces 217 FPS. At 1440p, this falls to 137 FPS, and at 4K, it drops to 72 FPS. The relative performance loss from 1080p to 1440p is 36.9%, which is nearly identical to the drop seen on Low settings. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K on High settings results in a 47.4% reduction. This steeper decline at the highest resolution suggests that the RTX 4060's memory bandwidth and processing power become increasingly strained as the pixel workload grows.

The data points to a clear conclusion: the limiting component at 4K is the GPU. The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 yields only 51 FPS, which is the lowest average in the entire dataset. The fact that the system can drop from 340 FPS at 1080p Low to 51 FPS at 4K Ultra represents an 85% reduction in performance. This indicates that while the CPU is more than capable of feeding frames at lower resolutions, the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates when tasked with the most demanding visual settings at 4K. The scaling is consistent and predictable, which is a sign of a stable platform without unexpected throttling or driver-level anomalies.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The card's boost clock is rated at 2460 MHz, with a base clock of 1830 MHz. In the context of Barony, a game that does not feature demanding modern graphics, this configuration is generally sufficient for high frame rates, but the 8 GB VRAM capacity becomes a relevant factor at higher resolutions and settings.

Looking at the benchmark scores, the GPU achieves a passmark_g3d score of 19545, which places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 17639, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and the AMD Radeon 780M, with deltaPct values of -0.2% and +0.3% respectively. These rivals are significantly older or integrated solutions, which highlights that the RTX 4060 is positioned at the lower end of the discrete GPU spectrum.

The VRAM allocation is a key observation. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is able to handle the game's assets without issue, as evidenced by the high frame rates. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 51, suggesting that the combination of higher resolution textures and settings may be pushing against the memory limits or the GPU's compute capacity. The data shows that the GPU is the primary factor in the performance decline at 4K, as the CPU's role becomes less significant when the pixel throughput dominates the workload. The 115 W TDP of the RTX 4060 also indicates a power-efficient design, but efficiency does not translate to raw 4K performance in this scenario.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, featuring 24 cores and 24 threads. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. This is a high-end CPU designed for multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by its strong synthetic benchmark results. In Cinebench R23, it scores 44253 in multicore and 2439 in singlecore. The PassMark multithread score is 68574, and the single-thread score is 5068.

The CPU's percentile ranking is 96, meaning it outperforms 96% of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 93785, with nearest rivals including the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta) and AMD EPYC 4564P (-1.5% delta). This places the Ultra 7 270K Plus in a performance tier that is far above what a game like Barony requires. In the measured FPS data, the CPU's strength is evident at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system produces 340 FPS, which is likely close to the engine's maximum frame rate limit or the point where the CPU can no longer feed the GPU faster.

The CPU's role becomes less apparent as resolution increases. At 4K, the frame rates are significantly lower across all settings, which suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck. For instance, at 4K High, the system achieves 72 FPS, whereas at 1080p High, it achieves 217 FPS. This 145 FPS difference is primarily due to the GPU's inability to render at the same speed at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the CPU has ample headroom even at 4K, as the frame rates are not limited by core count or clock speed but by the graphics card's output. The 24 cores and 24 threads are largely idle in this roguelike, which likely does not utilize more than a few threads effectively.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combo ranks 1555 out of 2935 combinations for Barony. This places it in the 53rd percentile of all combos, which is a middle-of-the-pack result. Given the high-end CPU and the mid-range GPU, this ranking is expected. The combo's rank is likely dragged down by the GPU's performance ceiling, as many other combos in the database feature more powerful graphics cards that can push higher frame rates at 4K.

The ranking suggests that while this setup is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, it is not a top-tier performer for this game. The combo's rank of 1555 indicates that over 1300 other combinations were able to achieve better average FPS scores. This is not a criticism of the hardware, but rather a reflection of the fact that the RTX 4060 is not designed for extreme high-refresh-rate gaming at 4K. In contrast, a combination featuring a higher-end GPU would likely rank much higher, even with a weaker CPU, because Barony is not CPU-intensive.

The data reinforces the idea that the GPU is the determining factor in this combo's rank. The CPU's performance is exceptional, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations in a graphics-bound scenario. The combo's rank of 1555 is a solid result for a mid-range build, but it is not competitive with systems that pair the same CPU with a flagship GPU. The percentile ranking of 53% is a fair representation of where this hardware sits in the overall performance spectrum for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 340 FPS, Medium produces 253 FPS with a minimum of 215 and a maximum of 291, High produces 217 FPS, and Ultra produces 156 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 184 FPS, which demonstrates the significant impact of visual settings on the GPU workload.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop considerably. Low settings average 215 FPS, Medium averages 160 FPS with a range of 136 to 183, High averages 137 FPS, and Ultra averages 98 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly consistent, with each setting seeing a 30-40% reduction in average FPS. This is a typical pattern for a GPU that is becoming more pixel-bound.

At 3840x2160, the system's performance is notably weaker. Low settings still manage an average of 112 FPS, which is playable. Medium settings average 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 and a maximum of 96. High settings drop to 72 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 51 FPS. The 4K results show that the RTX 4060 is struggling to maintain high frame rates at the highest resolution, with only the Low preset staying comfortably above 100 FPS. The data suggests that for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the user would need to stick to Medium settings or lower.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the system is over-equipped. Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS is 156, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data shows that there is no need to compromise on visual quality at this resolution; the Ultra preset provides the best experience without any performance concerns.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset yields 98 FPS, which is still excellent for most displays. The High preset at 137 FPS is also a strong choice, but Ultra does not incur a severe penalty. The Medium preset at 160 FPS is an option for users with 165 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, but the visual quality difference between Medium and Ultra may be noticeable. Given the data, Ultra at 1440p appears to be the best balance of image quality and performance, as it remains above 90 FPS.

At 4K, the recommendations change. The Ultra preset at 51 FPS is below the 60 FPS target and may feel less smooth. The High preset at 72 FPS is a better option, providing a more stable frame rate while sacrificing some visual fidelity. However, the Medium preset at 83 FPS is the sweet spot for a 60 Hz display, offering a significant performance boost over High and Ultra while maintaining a decent visual quality. For users who prioritize frame rate over visuals, the Low preset at 112 FPS is also viable. In summary, the measured data suggests that at 4K, the Medium preset offers the best experience for a standard 60 Hz monitor, while Ultra and High are better suited for 1440p displays.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS the combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS at 1920x1080 is 340, which is achieved with the Low settings preset.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average FPS of 51, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the frame rates drop significantly at higher resolutions despite the CPU's high benchmark scores.

Q: What are the nearest rivals to the RTX 4060 based on average benchmark score?

A: The nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with a deltaPct of -0.2% and the AMD Radeon 780M with a deltaPct of 0.3%.

Q: What is the combo's rank in the database for Barony?

A: The combo ranks 1555 out of 2935 tested combinations, placing it in the 53rd percentile.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 136, with a maximum of 183.