Greedfall

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers a split personality in Greedfall, depending entirely on the resolution. At 1080p, this pairing is a high-refresh powerhouse, but at 4K, it stumbles below playable thresholds. The measured data reveals a clear pattern: the Arc B570's 10 GB frame buffer and 160-bit bus are the limiting factors as pixel counts rise, while the 20-core CPU sits largely idle. This analysis breaks down exactly where the bottleneck shifts and what settings salvage the experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the data paints a grim picture for high-fidelity play. With Ultra settings, the average FPS collapses to 24, which is not only below the 60 FPS playable threshold but also below standard 30 FPS cinematic minimums. Dropping to High settings improves the average to 38 FPS, still unplayable by the benchmark's standard. Medium settings yield 42 FPS average, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, indicating consistent sub-60 performance. Even at Low settings, the average only reaches 54 FPS, which remains below the playable threshold. The data shows no configuration at 4K clears the 60 FPS bar.

The situation improves dramatically at 2560x1440. Ultra settings produce an average of 41 FPS, which is playable in a pinch but misses the threshold. High settings jump to 64 FPS average, clearing the 60 FPS line. Medium settings deliver 71 FPS average, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS, showing consistent performance right at the boundary. Low settings reach 90 FPS average, offering headroom for high-refresh monitors.

At 1920x1080, the combo shines. Ultra settings average 59 FPS, just one frame shy of the playable threshold. High settings produce a robust 92 FPS average. Medium settings hit 102 FPS average, with a minimum of 87 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS, demonstrating excellent frame pacing. Low settings push to 130 FPS average, maximizing the potential of any 120Hz or 144Hz display. The frame time consistency at 1080p Medium, with its tight 87-117 FPS range, suggests the GPU is well-suited for this workload when not overburdened by pixel count.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data indicates a fundamental shift in system bottleneck between resolutions. At 3840x2160, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting factor. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a drop from 54 FPS to 24 FPS, a 55% reduction in performance. This steep decline with increased graphical load proves the Arc B570 is saturated at 4K, and the i7-14700KF's processing power is largely irrelevant. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is waiting on the GPU to finish each frame.

At 2560x1440, the balance begins to equalize. The drop from Low (90 FPS) to Ultra (41 FPS) is a 54% reduction, still GPU-dominated, but the absolute numbers are higher. The fact that Medium stays above 60 FPS while High also clears it suggests the GPU has enough bandwidth to feed the CPU at this resolution, but there is little headroom. The i7-14700KF's high single-thread performance (evidenced by its 6235 Cinebench R23 single-core score) is not the constraint here.

At 1920x1080, the roles invert slightly. The performance spread from Low (130 FPS) to Ultra (59 FPS) is a 55% reduction, but the absolute FPS at Low and Medium indicates the GPU is still the primary driver. However, the 59 FPS at Ultra suggests a potential CPU limitation at very high frame rates. The i7-14700KF's architecture, while powerful, can only feed the GPU so many draw calls per second. The data implies that at 1080p Ultra, the CPU's per-core performance becomes a co-limiting factor, preventing the GPU from pushing past the 60 FPS mark. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14195 places it in the 65th percentile, suggesting mid-range capability, which aligns with this behavior.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the verdict is clear: no preset achieves 60 FPS. The best possible average is 54 FPS at Low settings, which is still below the playable threshold. The data shows that even sacrificing all visual fidelity does not yield playable performance. Therefore, no "best settings" exist for 4K, and the recommendation is to run the game at a lower resolution.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, which delivers an average of 64 FPS. This is the optimal balance, providing the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. Medium settings also work at 71 FPS, but High offers better visuals for a modest performance cost.

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that clears 60 FPS is High, averaging 92 FPS. This is the clear winner for 1080p gaming, offering a significant performance buffer. Medium settings are also viable at 102 FPS, but High provides superior image quality without sacrificing frame rate. Ultra settings miss the threshold at 59 FPS, making High the definitive choice. The data suggests that the 130 FPS at Low is unnecessary for most users, as High provides a 92 FPS experience with much better visuals.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2979 out of 3703 combinations. This places it in the bottom 20% of all tested systems. This rank is surprising given the CPU's strength; the i7-14700KF sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70163. However, the GPU holds the combo back. The Arc B570's average benchmark score of 20556 puts it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, and its performance in this game is clearly insufficient for high-resolution play.

The data implies that this rank is almost entirely dictated by the Arc B570. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (with a 0.2% higher average score) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (with a 0.9% higher score), would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Greedfall if paired with this GPU. The bottleneck at 4K and the co-limitation at 1080p Ultra are GPU-centric. The combo's low rank is a function of the GPU's mid-range positioning, not the CPU's flagship-tier processing power.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Greedfall at 4K?*

A: No. The measured data shows that no preset at 3840x2160 reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest average is 54 FPS at Low settings, which is still below playable.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 is the most demanding that stays playable, delivering an average of 64 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at all resolutions except 1080p Ultra. The performance drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is 55%, proving the Arc B570 is saturated. At 1080p Ultra, the 59 FPS result suggests the CPU's per-core performance becomes a co-limiting factor.

Q: What is the highest FPS achievable at 1080p?

A: At Low settings, the system reaches an average of 130 FPS. However, the High preset provides a more balanced experience at 92 FPS, which is still well above the playable threshold.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 2979 out of 3703 combinations, placing it in the bottom 20% of all tested systems. This is due to the GPU's mid-range 65th percentile standing, despite the CPU's high 94th percentile ranking.

Q: Should I use Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The data suggests no. Ultra settings average 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset at 92 FPS is a better choice, offering a large performance buffer with minimal visual difference.

The Verdict

The data indicates that this PC can run Greedfall, but only conditionally. At 3840x2160, the system is not playable, with no settings clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The best case scenario is 54 FPS at Low, which will feel stuttery. At 2560x1440, the system is playable, with High settings providing 64 FPS and Medium settings providing 71 FPS. This resolution represents the sweet spot for this hardware, balancing visual fidelity with consistent performance. At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable, with High settings delivering 92 FPS and Low settings reaching 130 FPS. The only caveat is that Ultra settings at 1080p just miss the mark at 59 FPS.

For a gamer targeting 1440p, this is a viable mid-range setup. For 4K, it is a non-starter. The i7-14700KF provides ample CPU headroom, but the Arc B570 is not strong enough to push high pixel counts. The system's performance is essentially defined by the GPU's 65th percentile standing, making it a solid 1080p machine and a decent 1440p machine, but not a 4K contender.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals in the database, several hardware alternatives would behave nearly identically to this combo. On the CPU side, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996, which is just 0.2% lower than the i7-14700KF's 70163. This means swapping the CPU would have an almost imperceptible impact on Greedfall frame rates, as the GPU remains the bottleneck. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (score 69875, 0.4% lower) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (score 69515, 0.9% lower) would all produce statistically identical results in this game.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile has an average score of 20534, just 0.1% below the Arc B570's 20556. This indicates that the mobile RTX 3070 would provide nearly the same performance in Greedfall. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, a -0.1% delta, making it an almost exact match. More interestingly, the AMD Radeon R9 M390X scores 20662, 0.5% higher, suggesting it might offer a marginal FPS improvement in this specific title. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20480, 0.4% lower, rounding out a set of alternatives that all fall within a 1% performance band. For a user seeking similar behavior, any of these GPUs paired with a high-end 14th-gen or Ryzen 7000-series CPU would replicate the measured FPS results almost exactly. The data shows that this performance tier is tightly clustered, with no single component offering a significant advantage in Greedfall.