Barony

# Barony with Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

This combination pairs a 24-core, 24-thread Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus desktop processor with an 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, producing a system that ranks 2069th out of 2935 tested combinations in Barony. The data shows a CPU capable of extreme multi-threaded throughput paired with a mid-range GPU from the Turing generation, resulting in performance that varies dramatically by resolution and settings preset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture using a 3 nm process from TSMC, housing 24 cores and 24 threads. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The processor features a three-tier cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. PassMark results show a multi-thread score of 60860 and a single-thread score of 4823. The processor achieves a 96th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores 83807 (a 0.2% delta), the AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090 (1.1% delta), and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980 (1.2% delta). The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85072, which is -1.3% relative to the 290K Plus.

For Barony, a roguelike game, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing rather than pushing extreme frame rates. The game's procedural generation and simulation logic can benefit from high single-thread performance, where this chip excels with its 5.80 GHz boost clock. The 24 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and any multi-threaded game logic, though Barony's genre typically does not scale across many cores. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 287 FPS average, which strongly suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower settings — the GPU becomes the bottleneck well before the processor's capabilities are exhausted. The processor's 96th percentile ranking indicates it outperforms the vast majority of installed CPUs, so in this pairing, the CPU side of the equation is rarely the constraint.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is based on the TU106 chip using the Turing architecture on a 12 nm process. It features 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory runs across a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Pixel rate is 105.6 GPixel/s, texture rate is 224.4 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 7.181 TFLOPS. The card carries a 175 W TDP and requires a 450 W suggested power supply.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 2060 SUPER scores 16462 in PassMark G3D and 6721 in PassMark GPU compute. It achieves a 62nd percentile ranking versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18093. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile at 18159 (-0.4% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 at 18189 (-0.5% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 460 at 18373 (-1.5% delta), and the Intel Arc A770M at 18383 (-1.6% delta).

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Barony's roguelike visuals, which are not particularly demanding in terms of texture memory. The 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is more than adequate for the game's data requirements. The measured FPS data reveals that at 4K Ultra, the system drops to 43 FPS average, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint at high resolutions and demanding settings. Conversely, at 1080p Low, the system reaches 287 FPS, which shows the GPU can handle the game's lighter loads with ease. The 62nd percentile GPU ranking places this card in the mid-range tier, and the data confirms that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the component that determines the system's upper limits in Barony at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 213 FPS average with a minimum of 181 FPS and a maximum of 245 FPS. The High preset at 1080p yields 183 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 131 FPS average. The Low preset at 1080p reaches 287 FPS average, but the visual quality trade-off is substantial for a game where the difference between Medium and Low is mainly in lighting and effects.

At 1440p, the Medium preset produces 135 FPS average with a minimum of 114 FPS and a maximum of 155 FPS. High at 1440p gives 116 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 83 FPS average. Low at 1440p reaches 181 FPS average. The Medium preset at both 1080p and 1440p maintains frame rates well above 60 FPS, with minimums that stay comfortably high.

At 4K, the Medium preset delivers 70 FPS average with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. High at 4K drops to 60 FPS average, while Ultra falls to 43 FPS average. Low at 4K reaches 95 FPS average. The data indicates that Medium is the recommended preset for this combination: it provides the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate stability. At 4K, Medium maintains a 60 FPS minimum, which is the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1080p and 1440p, Medium offers frame rates that exceed typical display refresh rates. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, introduces frame rate dips that are less desirable — at 4K it averages only 43 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold for most players.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 2069th out of 2935 tested combos in Barony, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the distribution. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning more than the CPU's high-end capabilities. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile GPU ranking aligns with a combo position that is roughly 70th percentile from the bottom (or 30th percentile from the top). The CPU's 96th percentile ranking does not boost the combo's position because Barony's performance at higher settings is GPU-bound.

The gap between this combo's rank and the top performers is substantial, but the data shows that for a roguelike game, this position is serviceable. The combo's rank of 2069 out of 2935 means there are 866 combinations that perform worse, indicating that this system sits above the median. The CPU's nearest rivals — the Core Ultra 9 285K, EPYC 4584PX, and EPYC 9135 — all have similar average scores within 1.2% of the 290K Plus, so swapping the CPU for any of these would likely result in minimal FPS changes in Barony. The GPU's nearest rivals — RTX 3060 Mobile, Radeon Pro 5700, RX 460, and Arc A770M — are within 1.6% of the RTX 2060 SUPER's average score, suggesting that the combo's rank would shift only slightly with a different GPU in this performance class.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how performance scales from 1080p to 4K, revealing the limiting component. At Low settings, the system achieves 287 FPS at 1080p, 181 FPS at 1440p, and 95 FPS at 4K. This represents a 66.9% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 47.5% drop from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the system achieves 213 FPS at 1080p, 135 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 36.6% from 1080p to 1440p and 48.1% from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the system achieves 183 FPS at 1080p, 116 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. The drops are 36.6% and 48.3%, respectively. At Ultra settings, the system achieves 131 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K. The drops are 36.6% and 48.2%.

The consistent pattern of roughly 36-37% drops from 1080p to 1440p, followed by 47-48% drops from 1440p to 4K, across Medium, High, and Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. The pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p to 1440p and by 125% from 1440p to 4K, and the FPS drops track closely with these increases. At Low settings, the larger drop from 1080p to 1440p (66.9%) suggests that the CPU is partially involved at 1080p Low, where the GPU has enough headroom to let the processor influence frame rates. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the sole constraint, and the scaling pattern becomes uniform across settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 287 FPS average. Medium settings yield 213 FPS average with a minimum of 181 FPS and a maximum of 245 FPS. High settings reach 183 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 131 FPS average. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 156 FPS, showing the significant impact of graphics settings at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. Low settings produce 181 FPS average. Medium settings yield 135 FPS average with a minimum of 114 FPS and a maximum of 155 FPS. High settings reach 116 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 83 FPS average. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 98 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. Low settings produce 95 FPS average. Medium settings yield 70 FPS average with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. High settings reach 60 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 43 FPS average. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 52 FPS.

The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings at each resolution: 181 FPS at 1080p, 114 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. These minimums indicate that the Medium preset maintains stable frame pacing without severe dips. The maximum FPS values at Medium settings are 245 FPS at 1080p, 155 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K, showing a consistent reduction in peak performance as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Barony?

A: The data shows that 1440p with Medium settings delivers 135 FPS average with a 114 FPS minimum, which is well above smooth gameplay thresholds. At 4K Medium, the system still maintains 70 FPS average with a 60 FPS minimum, so 4K is viable with the Medium preset.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Core Ultra 9 285K, 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX, and 1.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 9135. It trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 by 1.3%.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The resolution scaling data shows that FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU-bound performance. At 1080p Low, the CPU may influence results, but at higher resolutions, the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting component.

Q: What GPU performance tier does the RTX 2060 SUPER occupy?

A: The GPU ranks in the 62nd percentile versus all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 18093 is within 1.6% of its nearest rivals, including the RTX 3060 Mobile, Radeon Pro 5700, RX 460, and Arc A770M.

Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings in Barony?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 131 FPS average. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 83 FPS average. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 43 FPS average. Ultra is playable at 1080p and 1440p but not at 4K.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 2069th out of 2935 tested combos in Barony. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the distribution, consistent with the GPU's mid-range performance tier.