Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case when paired with the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The benchmark data shows a combination where the GPU is vastly overqualified for the task, yet the system still delivers playable, and often extremely high, frame rates across all tested resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the performance dynamics, the balance between the CPU and GPU, and what settings users should prioritize.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern in how performance scales from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 256 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, the average drops to 178 FPS, a significant reduction. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 106 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that while the GPU is still the primary driver of performance at lower resolutions, the frame rates are so high that the CPU's capabilities are likely being approached.

The most telling indicator is the jump from 1440p to 4K. The frame rate drops by 72 FPS (from 178 to 106), which is a substantial 40% reduction. This steep decline suggests that at 4K, the rendering load on the RTX 5090 is finally becoming the sole limiting factor, as the GPU's immense power is fully utilized. In contrast, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 78 FPS (from 256 to 178), a 30% reduction. While still significant, the absolute frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are so high that they may be partially constrained by the Ryzen 5 5500's single-thread performance in certain scenes, preventing the GPU from reaching its absolute maximum output.

The data implies that the RTX 5090 is the definitive bottleneck at 4K, with the CPU providing enough headroom to feed the GPU. At 1080p and 1440p, the system is likely more balanced, but the frame rates are so high that the experience is overwhelmingly GPU-bound in most scenarios, with the CPU potentially capping the absolute peak in less demanding moments. The 4K Ultra setting, which drops to 68 FPS, shows the most demanding scenario where both components are working hard, but the GPU's raw power is the deciding factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The benchmark data shows an average of 178 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings, indicating a very smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's performance compare to its nearest rival in this data?

A: The RTX 5090's average benchmark score is 79,842. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, has an average score of 79,605, which is a 0.3% difference. This places the RTX 5090 slightly ahead of that rival in overall benchmark scores.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5500 a strong performer relative to other CPUs?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has a percentile rank of 73, meaning it scores higher than 73% of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 19,593 is very close to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, which scores 19,617, a negligible -0.1% difference.

Q: What is the best-case frame rate scenario for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 340 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the system's immense potential for ultra-high refresh rates at lower resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the most demanding test in the data?

A: The most demanding test is 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which yields an average of 68 FPS. This is the only tested configuration that drops below the 100 FPS mark, indicating a heavy load on the GPU.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5090 have and what is its clock speed?

A: The RTX 5090 is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. Its base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Greedfall, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds a rank of 113 out of 3,703 tested combos. This places it in the top 3% of all configurations, indicating that it is a very high-performing setup for this game. Given the RTX 5090's status as a flagship GPU, this high rank is expected, but it also confirms that the Ryzen 5 5500 does not hold the system back to a significant degree in this title, allowing the combo to achieve elite-level performance.

The rank reflects the GPU's dominance. The RTX 5090's average benchmark score of 79,842 and its 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs ensure that it will provide exceptional frame rates in almost any game. The CPU, while not top-tier, is still a competent partner, with its 73rd percentile rank showing it is a capable mid-range processor. The combination of a top-tier GPU with a mid-range CPU results in a system that is firmly in the upper echelon of performance for Greedfall, as reflected by its 113th rank.

This performance level suggests that users with this combo can expect a near-best-case experience in Greedfall, regardless of the resolution or settings they choose. While it does not reach the very top of the ranking, it is likely that the systems ranked above it feature even more powerful or more optimally matched components, but the difference in actual gameplay FPS is likely to be minimal.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset yields an average of 340 FPS, which is the highest recorded score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset delivers an average of 282 FPS, with a minimum of 240 FPS and a maximum of 325 FPS. High settings produce an average of 256 FPS, while the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still manages an average of 164 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the combo is capable of driving even the highest refresh rate monitors to their limits, with all presets providing a fluid experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains very high. The Low preset achieves an average of 249 FPS. Medium settings result in an average of 196 FPS, with a min and max of 166 and 225 FPS, respectively. High settings see the average drop to 178 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 113 FPS. This resolution is still well within the comfort zone of the RTX 5090, and even the most demanding settings provide a great experience for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly. The Low preset yields an average of 149 FPS. Medium settings deliver an average of 117 FPS, with a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 134 FPS. High settings produce an average of 106 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that drops below 60 FPS, with an average of 68 FPS. This shows that while the RTX 5090 is powerful enough to handle 4K, the most demanding settings will push it to its limits, though it still remains playable.

Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that the optimal experience depends heavily on the user's display and preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate. For users with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, the High preset appears to offer the best balance. At 1440p, High provides an average of 178 FPS, which is more than enough for a smooth experience on any monitor. The jump to Ultra at 1440p drops the average to 113 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns for the performance cost. The High preset for Greedfall seems to provide a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a substantial frame rate advantage over Ultra.

For 4K users, the choice is more nuanced. The High preset at 4K yields an average of 106 FPS, which is an excellent result for 4K gaming. The Medium preset provides a slight boost to 117 FPS, but the visual difference may be noticeable. The Ultra preset, averaging 68 FPS, is the only one that approaches the 60 FPS threshold, and its visual benefits are likely not worth the steep performance drop from High. Therefore, the High preset at 4K is the recommended choice, as it provides a high frame rate while maintaining good visual quality.

The Low preset, while delivering the highest frame rates, is not recommended for typical gameplay as it would significantly reduce visual fidelity. The data indicates that the Medium preset can be a fallback if higher frame rates are needed, but High offers the best combination of visuals and performance across all resolutions. The Ultra preset is available for those who prioritize image quality above all else, but it comes with a significant performance penalty.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In the context of Greedfall, the data shows that this CPU is more than adequate to support the RTX 5090, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, which has a -0.4% delta in score, indicate that it is a solid mid-range performer.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are extremely high, and it is possible that the CPU's single-thread performance limits the absolute maximum FPS. However, even with this potential limitation, the average frame rates are still above 250 FPS on High settings, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The 3DMark single-thread benchmark score of 836 for the CPU is a modest figure, but it appears to be sufficient for this game.

The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are adequate for Greedfall. The data shows that the combo does not suffer from any major CPU-related stuttering or frame dips, as evidenced by the minimum FPS values recorded for the Medium settings at 1440p and 4K. The CPU's performance is well-matched for this game, ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its base clock is 2017 MHz, which boosts to 2407 MHz. The GPU's raw power is evident in its benchmark scores, with an average score of 79,842 and a 92nd percentile ranking. This places it in the top tier of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which it leads by 0.3%.

In Greedfall, the GPU is the primary driver of performance in almost all tested configurations. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly shows the GPU being increasingly taxed as resolution increases. The data indicates that the RTX 5090 can handle this game with ease, providing over 100 FPS on High settings at 4K. The GPU's huge VRAM allocation of 32 GB is far more than Greedfall requires, ensuring that there is no memory-related bottleneck.

The GPU's architecture, Blackwell 2.0, and its 21,760 shading units provide immense compute power. This is reflected in the high frame rates at all settings. The only configuration where the GPU shows signs of strain is at 4K with Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 68. This demonstrates that even the most powerful consumer GPU can be challenged by the highest settings at 4K, but it still maintains a playable frame rate. The RTX 5090's role is to provide an overwhelming amount of performance, and in this game, it succeeds.