Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a clear picture for Greedfall: at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, this combination provides smooth, playable frame rates across most presets, while 3840x2160 remains a challenge. Benchmark results show the system’s strengths and limitations across three resolutions and four quality settings, with the data indicating a consistent pattern where lower resolutions unlock higher performance headroom. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, compares nearby hardware alternatives, and determines the best settings for each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Intel Core i5-14600K and Intel Arc B580 deliver the highest frame rates in the test set. The Low preset averages 146.6 FPS, which is the fastest result recorded for this combo. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 115.6 FPS, still a substantial margin above the 60 FPS playability threshold. High settings produce an average of 102.4 FPS, showing a further decline but retaining excellent smoothness. The Ultra preset, the most demanding at this resolution, averages 66.2 FPS. This is above the playable threshold but with less headroom, indicating that Ultra is viable for consistent 60 FPS gameplay with minimal risk of dips below that mark.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 101.5 FPS, which is 45.1 FPS lower than the same preset at 1080p. Medium follows at 79 FPS, while High averages 70.8 FPS. These three presets all clear the 60 FPS threshold comfortably. The Ultra preset, however, averages 45.3 FPS, falling below the playable mark. This represents a 20.9 FPS drop from High to Ultra at this resolution, highlighting the heavy cost of Ultra settings on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. The Low preset averages 57.8 FPS, which is just shy of the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 49.9 FPS, High averages 45.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 27.5 FPS. None of these presets reach the 60 FPS playability threshold, and the gap from Low to Ultra is a substantial 30.3 FPS. The data shows that 4K resolution is too demanding for this combination, even on the lowest settings, as the average FPS sits below the playable mark.

Across all resolutions, the scaling from Low to Ultra shows a consistent pattern: Ultra settings impose a significant penalty, often reducing frame rates by more than half compared to Low. For example, at 1080p the difference between Low and Ultra is 80.4 FPS, at 1440p it is 56.2 FPS, and at 2160p it is 30.3 FPS. The relative impact of Ultra grows as resolution increases, confirming that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14600K, based on aggregate benchmark scores, include several processors with comparable average scores. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H has an average score of 48698, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-14600K’s 48618. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a 0.3% difference. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, a 0.7% difference, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, a 0.8% difference. These deltas are minimal, meaning any of these CPUs would yield nearly identical gaming performance in Greedfall, as the game’s frame rates are not heavily dependent on CPU scaling beyond the tested presets.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B580’s nearest rivals show similar aggregate scores. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP has an average score of 23061, which is 0.2% lower than the Arc B580’s 23021. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, a 0.6% difference, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, a 0.7% difference. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, a 1% difference. These GPU alternatives would produce nearly identical frame rates in Greedfall, given the small score deltas. However, the Arc B580’s 12 GB VRAM and modern architecture may offer different driver-level behavior, but based on aggregate benchmarks, the performance envelope is tight.

When considering a full system swap, pairing any of the rival CPUs with the Arc B580 would likely yield frame rates within a few percent of the measured values. Conversely, swapping the GPU for an RTX 2080 or RTX 3080 would produce similar FPS numbers, though the RTX 3080’s slightly higher avgScore suggests a marginal edge. The data implies that users with these adjacent components would experience Greedfall in a very similar way, with the same resolution and preset limitations.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Greedfall indicate that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. At 1920x1080, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the large FPS differences between presets. For instance, the 146.6 FPS at Low versus 66.2 FPS at Ultra shows that the GPU workload scales heavily with settings, while the CPU remains capable. The i5-14600K, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, provides ample processing power for the game’s logic and AI, but the Arc B580’s rendering speed is the limiting factor.

At 2560x1440, the GPU’s role becomes more pronounced. The drop from 101.5 FPS at Low to 70.8 FPS at High shows a 30.7 FPS reduction, while the jump to Ultra at 45.3 FPS is a further 25.5 FPS decline. This pattern suggests that the GPU is increasingly strained as pixel count rises, and the CPU’s contribution diminishes. The Intel Core i5-14600K’s single-thread performance, which scores 2064 in Cinebench R23 single-core, is more than sufficient for Greedfall’s engine, so the frame rate scaling is driven by the GPU’s fill rate and shader throughput.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is 57.8, just below the playable threshold, indicating that the Arc B580 cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K regardless of CPU performance. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 30.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset’s 27.5 FPS shows that the GPU is overwhelmed. The CPU’s role is minimal here, as the game’s frame rate is constrained by the GPU’s pixel processing capabilities, not by the processor’s speed.

The scaling between resolutions further confirms this. At 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the FPS drops from 146.6 to 101.5, a 45.1 FPS reduction. From 1440p Low to 2160p Low, the drop is from 101.5 to 57.8, a 43.7 FPS reduction. These linear declines align with the GPU’s computational load, while the CPU’s performance remains constant across resolutions. Thus, for this game, the Intel Arc B580 dictates the playable settings, and the Intel Core i5-14600K provides sufficient headroom to avoid becoming a limiting factor.

The Verdict

Based on the measured FPS data, this PC can run Greedfall at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 with certain presets, but not at 3840x2160. At 1920x1080, the verdict is clear: all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—average above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 66.2 FPS, which clears the playable threshold, so users can enjoy maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, the verdict is that High, Medium, and Low presets are playable, with High averaging 70.8 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 45.3 FPS, so it is not recommended for 60 FPS gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is negative. None of the presets reach 60 FPS, with the best option being Low at 57.8 FPS. This is just below the playable threshold, meaning even the lowest settings cannot deliver a consistent 60 FPS experience. The data shows that this combination is not suited for 4K gaming in Greedfall, and users should stick to 1440p or lower for a smooth experience.

The verdict by resolution confirms this: 3840x2160 has no playable settings, 2560x1440 lists High, Low, and Medium as playable with High being the best at 70.8 FPS, and 1920x1080 lists all four presets as playable with Ultra being the best at 66.2 FPS. Therefore, the system is fully capable for 1080p gaming, highly capable for 1440p gaming with high settings, and inadequate for 4K gaming.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average FPS of 66.2. This allows users to run the game at maximum visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate. The next step down, High, averages 102.4 FPS, which offers even more headroom, but Ultra remains the best choice for visual fidelity.

For 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that clears 60 FPS is High, with an average of 70.8 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset averages 79 FPS, while Low averages 101.5 FPS, but High is the highest preset that stays above the threshold. Ultra at 45.3 FPS is not recommended for this resolution.

For 3840x2160, there is no preset that reaches 60 FPS. The best result is Low at 57.8 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Since no settings achieve the target, users should either lower the resolution or accept sub-60 FPS performance. The data shows that 4K is not viable for this combination, so the best settings for 4K would be to use a lower resolution instead.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600K and Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2827 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the lower half of all systems tested, indicating that while it can handle the game at 1080p and 1440p, it is not among the top performers. The rank of 2827 out of 3703 suggests that many other hardware combinations achieve higher frame rates, likely due to more powerful GPUs or CPUs. However, the combo still delivers playable performance at common resolutions, with the 1080p Ultra preset averaging 66.2 FPS and the 1440p High preset averaging 70.8 FPS.

The percentile data for the CPU and GPU individually provides context. The Intel Core i5-14600K is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. The Intel Arc B580 is in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, showing it is above average but not top-tier. The combination’s rank reflects the GPU’s mid-range position, as Greedfall’s performance is GPU-bound at higher resolutions. The CPU’s strength does not compensate for the GPU’s limitations at 4K, but it ensures stable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p.

Compared to the nearest rivals, the combo’s performance is closely matched with systems using similar components. The GPU’s aggregate score is within 1% of the RX 580 2048SP, RTX 2080, RTX 3080, and P106-100, meaning these alternatives would rank similarly. The CPU’s score is within 0.8% of its rivals, so swapping the processor would not significantly change the outcome. This rank indicates that the combo is a solid mid-range choice for Greedfall, but not exceptional.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Greedfall at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 66.2, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the best preset for this resolution, as it maintains smooth gameplay while offering maximum visual quality.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440 that stays above 60 FPS?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that clears 60 FPS at 1440p, with an average of 70.8 FPS. Medium and Low also exceed 60 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality without dropping below the threshold.

Q: Is 3840x2160 playable with this combination?

A: No, none of the presets at 4K reach 60 FPS. The best result is Low settings at 57.8 FPS, which falls just below the playable threshold. Users should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a smooth experience.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B580’s average benchmark score is 23021, which is within 1% of the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23172), and NVIDIA P106-100 (23249). This means performance in Greedfall would be nearly identical with these GPUs.

Q: What is the frame rate at 1080p Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p Low is 146.6, which is the highest result in the test set. This provides maximum performance headroom for competitive play or high refresh rate displays.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU matter more for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary factor, especially at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck, as even Low settings fail to reach 60 FPS. The CPU provides sufficient headroom at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU dictates the playable presets.