Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers an exceptionally high frame rate in Greedfall, clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution and preset tested. The database records average FPS values ranging from 70.2 at 4K Ultra to 266.6 at 1080p Low, with the combo ranking 195th out of 3703 tested configurations. This pairing of a 6-core Coffee Lake CPU with a Blackwell 2.0 GPU produces a system that is playable across the board, though the CPU's modest 47th percentile standing suggests it may cap performance at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Greedfall provides average FPS at three resolutions and four settings presets, with no separate minimum or maximum frame time values included. At 3840x2160, the averages are 109.4 on High, 149.9 on Low, 119.2 on Medium, and 70.2 on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Ultra delivering roughly half the frame rate of Low. The 4K Ultra result of 70.2 FPS sits just above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning the highest preset remains comfortably playable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages climb to 182.6 on High, 236.7 on Low, 201.1 on Medium, and 113.4 on Ultra. The scaling from 4K to 1440p is significant: High settings jump from 109.4 at 4K to 182.6 at 1440p, while Ultra moves from 70.2 to 113.4. This pattern shows that the GPU has ample headroom when the pixel count is reduced, and even the most demanding preset at 1440p stays well above the playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the averages are 239.3 on High, 266.6 on Low, 244.5 on Medium, and 167.5 on Ultra. The 1080p Low result of 266.6 FPS is the highest recorded in the entire dataset, suggesting that the CPU may be the limiting factor at this resolution, as the GPU is far more powerful than needed for such a light workload. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 99.1 FPS (266.6 to 167.5), which is narrower than the spread at 4K (149.9 to 70.2), indicating that higher resolutions amplify the GPU's role.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear shift in performance drivers as resolution changes. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 266.6 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 149.9 FPS. This 116.7 FPS reduction across resolutions points to the GPU becoming the dominant factor as pixel count increases. The CPU, an Intel Core i5-9400 with 6 cores and 6 threads, a base clock of 2.90 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, sits at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, sits at the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. This asymmetry is stark: the GPU is far more powerful relative to its peers than the CPU.

At 1080p, the CPU's performance ceiling is likely the bottleneck. The 266.6 FPS on Low is impressive, but the GPU could theoretically push higher if the CPU were stronger. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 are modest, while the GPU's Passmark G3D score of 39650 is among the highest in the database. At 4K, the GPU's workload expands dramatically, and the FPS differences between presets widen: Low delivers 149.9 FPS, while Ultra drops to 70.2 FPS. This widening gap confirms that at 4K, the GPU is the primary limiter, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at these frame rates.

The scaling between presets also supports this interpretation. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 99.1 FPS, while at 4K it is 79.7 FPS. The absolute values are lower at 4K, but the relative drop from Low to Ultra is larger, indicating that the GPU is more heavily taxed by higher settings when the resolution is high. In contrast, at 1080p, the CPU's limitations prevent the GPU from fully flexing its muscle, so the preset scaling is less pronounced.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 195th out of 3703 tested configurations, placing it in the upper tier of the database. This rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's 92nd percentile standing, as the CPU's 47th percentile is below average. The measured FPS data confirms that the system delivers over 60 FPS at all settings and resolutions, which is a direct result of the GPU's raw compute power. The GPU's benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 39650 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18355, are exceptional, while the CPU's scores are more typical of a mid-range desktop processor.

The rank of 195 out of 3703 means that only 194 other combos perform better in this game, which is a strong showing. However, the CPU's modest percentile suggests that the combo's rank is not as high as the GPU alone would achieve. If paired with a higher-ranked CPU, this GPU would likely push the combo into the top 100. The data also shows that the combo's performance is consistent across resolutions, with no preset dropping below 70 FPS at 4K, which confirms the GPU's dominance.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Greedfall. The verdict by resolution shows that all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at every resolution, as all recorded average FPS values exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, the best settings preset is Ultra, delivering an average of 70.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra delivers 113.4 FPS. At 1920x1080, Ultra delivers 167.5 FPS. This means users can run the game at maximum settings at all three resolutions without any concern about dropping below playable frame rates.

The 4K Ultra result of 70.2 FPS is the closest to the threshold, but it still clears it by a comfortable margin. The 1440p and 1080p results are far above the threshold, providing a smooth experience even in demanding scenes. The RTX 5090 has a launch MSRP of 1,999 USD, and its performance in Greedfall justifies that positioning, as it enables maximum settings at 4K with headroom to spare.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 with an average benchmark score of 2259 and a delta of -0.2%, the Intel Core i7-10710U with a score of 2248 and a delta of +0.3%, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 with a score of 2246 and a delta of +0.4%, and the Intel Core i3-10305 with a score of 2264 and a delta of -0.4%. The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, so these four alternatives are all within 0.4% of its performance. Systems using any of these CPUs would behave similarly in Greedfall, though the i7-1068NG7 and i7-10710U are mobile parts, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 and i3-10305 are desktop parts.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB with an average score of 79605 and a delta of +0.3%, the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB with a score of 79396 and a delta of +0.6%, the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT with a score of 78940 and a delta of +1.1%, and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X with a score of 80959 and a delta of -1.4%. The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 79842. These alternatives are within 1.4% of the RTX 5090's score, meaning that systems with these GPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Greedfall. Note that the Tesla P100 and Radeon Pro Vega 64X are professional or workstation cards, but their raw compute performance is comparable in this title.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i5-9400 and RTX 5090 run Greedfall at 4K?

A: Yes. The recorded data shows average FPS of 70.2 on Ultra, 109.4 on High, 119.2 on Medium, and 149.9 on Low at 3840x2160, all above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: The verdict indicates that Ultra is the best settings preset, delivering an average of 113.4 FPS at that resolution.

Q: Which component limits performance in Greedfall with this combo?

A: At 1080p, the CPU's 47th percentile ranking and the high FPS of 266.6 on Low suggest the CPU is the limiting factor. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary driver, as FPS drops to 70.2 on Ultra.

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

A: It ranks 195th out of 3703 tested combos, placing it in the upper tier of the database.

Q: What CPUs are closest in performance to the i5-9400?

A: The nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305, all within 0.4% of the i5-9400's average score of 2254.

Q: What GPUs are closest in performance to the RTX 5090?

A: The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB, AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X, all within 1.4% of the RTX 5090's average score of 79842.