Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study in system scaling when paired with the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. The measured data reveals a configuration that is heavily influenced by resolution, with the CPU and GPU taking turns as the limiting factor depending on the workload.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 248 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, that figure falls to 172 FPS, a significant reduction. At 3840x2160, the average drops further to 103 FPS. This pattern shows that as resolution increases, the demand on the GPU grows exponentially, pulling the frame rate down from a highly fluid range to a still playable but much less extreme level.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling. At Medium settings, the 2560x1440 resolution yields 135 FPS, but at 3840x2160, it drops to 81 FPS. This 54 FPS difference (a 40% reduction) is substantial. The data suggests that the RTX 4070, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 192-bit bus, has enough raw power for high-refresh 1440p gaming, but the jump to 4K nearly halves the frame output. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is working at its limits, and the high pixel count is the primary factor in the performance degradation.

Interestingly, the frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p is less severe than the drop from 1440p to 4K. For instance, at High settings, the system achieves 177 FPS at 1080p and 123 FPS at 1440p, a 54 FPS drop. However, the transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings sees a further 50 FPS drop to 73 FPS. This suggests that while the GPU is still the main driver of performance at 1440p, the CPU is able to keep up well enough to not be the sole limiting factor, but at 4K the GPU's pixel throughput becomes the absolute ceiling.

The data implies that for competitive or high-refresh gaming, 1080p is the sweet spot, with all settings producing frame rates above 113 FPS. For a balanced visual and performance experience, 1440p is viable, with High settings yielding 123 FPS. At 4K, the system is best suited for less demanding settings, as the Ultra preset drops to an average of just 47 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay on many displays.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the undisputed workhorse in this configuration, and its specifications directly correlate with the observed performance. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz are key to its ability to push high frame rates at lower resolutions. However, the true differentiator in this game is its memory subsystem. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory running on a 192-bit bus, the RTX 4070 delivers a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This bandwidth is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and geometry in Greedfall, which is an Action RPG with dense environments.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. In the measured FPS data, the GPU's strength is most apparent at 1440p and 1080p. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the system hits 172 FPS, and at 1920x1080 with Low settings, it reaches 248 FPS. These numbers show that the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly when the CPU can feed it enough data.

However, the GPU's role changes at 4K. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the frame rates drop significantly across all settings. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The RTX 4070, while powerful, is not a top-tier 4K card, and the data confirms this. The average FPS at 4K Ultra is 47, which is only 41% of the 1080p Ultra score of 113 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated at 4K, making it the definitive limiting component in that scenario.

The RTX 4070's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.4% respectively. This suggests that while the RTX 4070 is a strong performer, it is not in a league of its own compared to these other cards. In the context of Greedfall, this means that the GPU's performance is solid but not exceptional, and its capabilities are best utilized at 1440p and below.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G plays a supporting role that becomes more critical at lower resolutions. This processor, part of the 4000 series with a Zen 2 architecture, has 6 cores and 12 threads. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.20 GHz. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 13593 and a single-core score of 1919, indicate a capable mid-range processor. However, its performance is not in the same tier as high-end desktop CPUs.

The CPU's influence is most evident when comparing the frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 248 FPS. At 2560x1440 with the same settings, it drops to 172 FPS. While the GPU is certainly working harder at 1440p, the 76 FPS difference is also influenced by the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls. The Ryzen 5 4600G, with its 8 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s), is able to keep the GPU fed at these resolutions.

The data shows that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 4K. At 3840x2160, the frame rates are consistently lower across all settings, which points to the GPU being the limiting factor. However, the CPU still matters. The jump from 1080p Ultra (113 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (78 FPS) is a 35 FPS drop, which is larger than the drop from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (47 FPS, a 31 FPS drop). This suggests that the CPU is still contributing to the performance ceiling at 1440p, but its impact diminishes as the GPU becomes more overwhelmed at 4K.

The Ryzen 5 4600G's position in the 71st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17507, places it in a competitive range. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE and the Intel Core 7 150U, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.6% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is a solid but not exceptional performer. In Greedfall, it is sufficient to drive high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but it is not the star of the show, which is reserved for the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and the desired smoothness. For players with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is viable, as it produces an average of 113 FPS. However, the High preset at 177 FPS offers a much smoother experience with only a minor visual fidelity reduction. The data suggests that High is the best balance for 1080p, as it provides a significant FPS boost over Ultra while still looking good.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset is the clear winner. At 2560x1440, High settings yield an average of 123 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 135 FPS is also viable, but the jump to High is worth the slight performance cost for better visuals. The Ultra preset at 78 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action sequences. The Low preset at 172 FPS is for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but it is not recommended for a game like Greedfall, which has detailed environments.

At 4K, the recommendations become more conservative. The Medium preset, with an average of 81 FPS, is the best option for a playable experience. The High preset at 73 FPS is also acceptable, but it is close to the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 103 FPS offers the highest frame rate, but the visual quality takes a significant hit. The Ultra preset at 47 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the standard for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that for 4K, Medium settings provide the best compromise between visual fidelity and performance, with the min FPS of 69 still being above the 60 FPS mark.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 912 out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 25% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing. This ranking confirms the balanced nature of the system, where the GPU is powerful enough to handle most scenarios, and the CPU is sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck at common gaming resolutions.

The rank suggests that this combo is better than 75% of the other configurations tested in this game. This is a solid result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The data implies that the system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates with ease. The rank also indicates that the system is not overkill for the CPU, as it is able to keep up with the GPU's demands at these resolutions.

However, the rank also implies that there are many configurations that perform better, likely those with more powerful CPUs that can push even higher frame rates at lower resolutions. The 912th position out of 3703 combos is a good result, but it is not at the top tier. This is expected, as the Ryzen 5 4600G is a budget-oriented processor, and its limitations become apparent in CPU-bound scenarios. In Greedfall, this is less of an issue, but it is a factor in the overall ranking.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 248 FPS on Low, 195 FPS on Medium (with a min of 166 and a max of 224), 177 FPS on High, and 113 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear progression, with each increase in settings costing a significant number of frames. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 135 FPS, which is a massive gap.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. The system averages 172 FPS on Low, 135 FPS on Medium (with a min of 115 and a max of 155), 123 FPS on High, and 78 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is now 94 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, with an average reduction of about 30-35%, which aligns with the increase in pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly GPU-bound. The averages are 103 FPS on Low, 81 FPS on Medium (with a min of 69 and a max of 93), 73 FPS on High, and 47 FPS on Ultra. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe, averaging around 40-45%. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, indicating that this setting is too demanding for the RTX 4070 at this resolution. The data shows that the system is most comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates with all settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Greedfall?

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At this resolution, the High preset delivers an average of 123 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience, while the Ultra preset still manages a playable 78 FPS. 1080p is also great for high-refresh monitors, but 1440p offers a better balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: Yes, but with limitations. The system can achieve 73 FPS on High and 81 FPS on Medium at 3840x2160, which is playable. However, the Ultra preset drops to 47 FPS, which is not ideal. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 4K, the Medium preset is the recommended maximum.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 4600G affect performance in this game?

A: The CPU is sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p, as evidenced by the high frame rates. However, its influence diminishes at 4K, where the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads, along with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, are enough for this Action RPG.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 a good match for the Ryzen 5 4600G?

A: The data suggests this is a well-balanced pairing. The combo ranks 912 out of 3703 tested, placing it in the top 25%. The GPU is powerful enough to drive high frame rates, and the CPU is strong enough to keep up at common gaming resolutions. The system is not held back by a significant bottleneck.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 248 FPS, while Ultra averages 113 FPS, a difference of 135 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 94 FPS (172 vs 78), and at 4K, it is 56 FPS (103 vs 47). This shows that Ultra settings place a significant load on the GPU.

Q: Are the measured frame rates consistent, or is there a lot of variation?

A: The data shows that the Medium preset has the most recorded variation, with a min and max FPS provided. At 1080p Medium, the range is 166 to 224 FPS. At 1440p, it is 115 to 155 FPS, and at 4K, it is 69 to 93 FPS. This suggests that the frame rate can fluctuate, but the average remains stable for the other presets.