Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, presents a demanding environment that stresses both the processor and the graphics card. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, interpreting the data to determine what kind of experience this combo can deliver across different resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination for Greedfall?

A: The combo is ranked 2273 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the lower to middle tier of all tested systems for this specific game.

Q: Can this system achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: Yes, benchmark results indicate it can. At 2560x1440, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS on High settings, 87 FPS on Medium, and 111 FPS on Low, all of which exceed the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best visual preset that maintains a playable frame rate at 4K (3840x2160)?

A: The data shows that only the Low preset remains playable at 4K, with an average of 66 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 52 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 47 FPS and 30 FPS, respectively, making them unplayable.

Q: How does the RTX 5050's benchmark score compare to its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, which is 1.6% higher than the RX 5600 XT's score of 20713, indicating very similar raw performance potential.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more likely to be a limiting factor for this game at higher resolutions?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The frame rate at 4K is significantly lower than at 1080p across all settings, indicating a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's benchmarks, such as a strong Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122, suggest it is not the bottleneck.

Q: Does the CPU have a significant performance edge over its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288. The delta is a mere 0.6%, indicating they are effectively equal in performance based on this aggregate metric.

How This Combo Ranks

The performance tier for this configuration is firmly established by its rank of 2273 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This position places it in the 61st percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms roughly 60% of them. This is a solid, mid-to-upper tier ranking.

The ranking is a composite of the CPU's and GPU's individual capabilities. The Intel Core i7-14700F is a very strong processor, holding a 91st percentile rank against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 53620. This puts it in the top 10% of all processors. However, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is a more modest performer, holding a 66th percentile rank against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21035. The GPU's more average standing, relative to the CPU's excellence, is what likely pulls the combined ranking down from the very top tier. The system's overall position is not determined by a single weak link, but rather by the GPU's performance ceiling relative to other high-end graphics cards.

The ranking suggests this is a capable pairing, but not a top-tier one. The CPU is a high-end part, but the GPU is a mid-range part. In a game like Greedfall, which can be demanding on both the CPU and GPU, the RTX 5050 will likely be the component that caps the performance ceiling, a hypothesis that is confirmed when looking at the FPS breakdown across different resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear and detailed picture of this combo's performance. The data was measured directly as opposed to being estimated. The results are broken down by resolution and settings:

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: The system achieves an average of 73 FPS.
• High: The average FPS increases to 114.
• Medium: The average FPS is 126, with a minimum of 107 and a maximum of 144.
• Low: The highest performance is seen here, with an average of 160 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: The average FPS drops to 50, below the playable threshold.
• High: The average FPS is 79, which is a solid playable result.
• Medium: The average FPS is 87, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 100.
• Low: The average FPS climbs to 111.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: The average FPS falls to 30, which is the most demanding setting.
• High: The average FPS is 47.
• Medium: The average FPS is 52, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60.
• Low: The average FPS is 66, the only 4K setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold and is considered playable.

The data shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. The gap between the highest and lowest settings at 4K is significant, with the Ultra preset delivering less than half the frame rate of the Low preset. The 1440p High preset appears to be a sweet spot, delivering a solid 79 FPS average while still maintaining high visual quality.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The individual benchmark scores for the CPU and GPU give a clear picture of what other hardware would behave similarly. For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700F, with an average benchmark score of 53620, is flanked by several rivals with nearly identical scores. This indicates that a system builder could swap in any of these processors without seeing a meaningful change in CPU-bound performance at the same clock speeds. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is 0.6% slower, and the Intel Xeon 6505P is 0.2% slower, making them virtually indistinguishable in aggregate performance. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 is 0.3% faster.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050's average score of 21035 places it in a tight cluster with its rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is only 1.6% slower, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL is 0.6% slower and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M is 1% slower. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile is only 1.6% faster. This puts the RTX 5050 in a very specific performance tier, where swapping to any of these cards would yield nearly identical frame rates in Greedfall.

However, it is crucial to note that these rival comparisons are based on aggregate benchmark scores. The measured FPS data for the RTX 5050 shows that it is the definitive performance bottleneck for this game at high resolutions. The CPU's performance is strong enough to feed the GPU in all but the most extreme scenarios, but the GPU's raw rendering power is what determines the final frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend about which component is doing the heavy lifting in Greedfall. The most telling evidence comes from the performance scaling between resolutions. When a system is CPU-bound, the FPS does not change much when the resolution is increased, because the CPU is the limiting factor. When a system is GPU-bound, the FPS drops in proportion to the increase in pixel count.

The data shows a massive decline in FPS as resolution increases. For example, on the High preset, the average FPS drops from 114 at 1080p to 79 at 1440p, a 31% reduction. It then drops further to 47 FPS at 4K, a 59% reduction from the 1080p result. This steep drop-off is a classic symptom of a GPU-bound system. The RTX 5050 is working at its limit, and increasing the resolution adds more work for the GPU, directly impacting the frame rate.

The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls. Given the high CPU benchmarks, particularly the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122, it is highly unlikely that the i7-14700F is the bottleneck at any resolution. The data shows that the game is almost exclusively GPU-bound, with the RTX 5050's rendering the ultimate arbiter of frame rates. The sharp performance drop at 4K suggests the 8GB of VRAM on the RTX 5050 may also become a limiting factor at that resolution, but the core constraint is the GPU's raw shading power.

Interestingly, the scaling between the Low and Ultra presets at the same resolution also points to the GPU's importance. At 1080p, the Ultra preset (73 FPS) is less than half of the Low preset (160 FPS). This is a massive performance hit for turning up the visual quality, again confirming that the GPU is the component under stress.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Greedfall, but the playability depends heavily on the resolution and desired visual settings. The verdict is clear:

• At 1920x1080, this system is a decisive winner. The Ultra preset averages 73 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the ideal resolution for this combo, allowing for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.
• At 2560x1440, the system remains very capable. High settings provide an average of 79 FPS, which is excellent. Medium settings also offer a comfortable 87 FPS. However, the Ultra preset is not playable, averaging only 50 FPS.
• At 3840x2160, the system is only playable on the lowest settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 66 FPS, but any higher settings will result in a sub-60 FPS experience. Choosing High or Ultra will result in a noticeable drop in smoothness.

In essence, the pairing is best suited for 1080p and 1440p high-refresh rate gaming. For 4K, the user must be prepared to make significant compromises in visual fidelity to maintain a playable frame rate.

Best Settings per Resolution

The following settings are the most demanding presets that stay at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold at each resolution:

• 1920x1080: The best playable setting is Ultra, which yields an average of 73 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while still maintaining a smooth and responsive frame rate.
• 2560x1440: The best playable setting is High, which yields an impressive average of 79 FPS. This strikes an excellent balance between visual quality and performance.
• 3840x2160: The best playable setting is Low, which yields an average of 66 FPS. This is the only way to hit the 60 FPS target at 4K, and it requires downgrading to the lowest visual fidelity.