Greedfall

Greedfall’s measured performance with the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 shows a system that is well-balanced at 1440p but becomes clearly GPU-limited at 4K Ultra. The data indicates that this pairing delivers a highly playable experience across most settings, with the most significant performance headroom found at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K demands careful settings selection to maintain a smooth frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, pointing directly to the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 204 FPS at 1920x1080 to 141 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 63 FPS, and then further down to 84 FPS at 3840x2160, representing a 120 FPS total drop from 1080p to 4K. This is a 58.8% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a scaling pattern that strongly indicates the rendering pipeline is being saturated by pixel throughput rather than CPU logic.

The trend is even more pronounced at High settings. The average FPS at 1080p is 146, which drops to 101 at 1440p and then to 60 at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K is 41 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than the 45 FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p. This accelerating decline as resolution increases is the classic signature of a GPU that is running out of fillrate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 3070’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed heavily at 4K, where the pixel count is over four times that of 1080p.

At Medium settings, the scaling tells a similar story, with averages of 160 FPS at 1080p, 111 FPS at 1440p, and 66 FPS at 4K. The 4K result here is notably higher than the High preset, showing that reducing the quality of certain effects can substantially relieve the GPU. The Ultra preset, however, reveals the most severe scaling, plunging from 93 FPS at 1080p to 64 FPS at 1440p and then to just 38 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is barely playable, and the 26 FPS difference between 1440p and 4K Ultra shows that this settings level is far too demanding for the combination’s GPU at that resolution.

The data suggests that the 1080p results are partially CPU-bound, as the Ryzen 5 7500X3D with its 6 cores and 12 threads is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions. At 4K, the CPU’s role diminishes significantly, and the RTX 3070 becomes the limiting factor. The fact that the 4K Low preset (84 FPS) is only slightly higher than the 1440p High preset (101 FPS) reinforces that the GPU is the dominant constraint once resolution climbs past 1440p.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, built on the Raphael codename with a 5 nm process from TSMC. Its base clock of 4.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.50 GHz are not extreme by modern standards, but its cache configuration is unusual for a non-X3D part. The L3 cache is listed as 96 MB shared, which is a substantial amount that likely aids in keeping frequently accessed game data close to the cores. This cache size is critical for a game like Greedfall, which is an Action RPG that often involves traversing dense environments and loading many assets on the fly.

In the benchmark data, the CPU’s Passmark multithread score is 25047, and its single-thread score is 3494. These scores place the processor in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. Compared to its nearest rivals, the 7500X3D’s average benchmark score of 44573 is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13950HX, and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385. It also trails the Intel Core i5-14600 by 0.7%. These are all very close margins, suggesting that the 7500X3D is competitively positioned in raw compute tasks.

For Greedfall specifically, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p. At Low settings, the 204 FPS average is a strong indicator that the CPU can comfortably handle the game’s draw calls and physics calculations at that resolution. The fact that the 1080p Low result is nearly double the 4K Low result (84 FPS) shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across all resolutions, but the data shows a clear downward trend as resolution increases.

The 12 threads are sufficient for modern games, and the high L3 cache likely helps mitigate any potential stuttering from loading new areas. While the CPU’s Passmark physics score of 2779 is modest, this does not appear to hinder the game’s performance, as the measured FPS at 1080p is exceptionally high. The data indicates that the 7500X3D is more than capable of supporting the RTX 3070 at 1080p and 1440p, and it only becomes less relevant at 4K where the GPU’s workload dominates the frame time.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is the definitive performance driver in this configuration, and its specifications explain the measured results. Built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip using an 8 nm Samsung process, the GPU features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. Its boost clock is 1725 MHz, and it has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. These figures are consistent with a card designed for high-refresh 1440p gaming, but they are challenged by 4K Ultra settings.

The GPU’s Passmark G3D score is 22214, and its percentile ranking is 61st among all GPUs, which is a solid mid-to-high tier position. Its average benchmark score of 17208 places it 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, and 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 7970M. It trails the NVIDIA Tesla K40c by 1.5%. These rival comparisons show that the RTX 3070 is slightly above the RX 7600 XT in general compute, but the Greedfall results are likely more dependent on driver optimizations and specific game engine behavior.

In Greedfall, the GPU’s VRAM capacity and bandwidth are the most critical factors at 4K. The 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient for Low and Medium settings, but the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 drops to 38 FPS, which suggests that the card is running out of memory bandwidth or capacity for the high-resolution textures and effects. The 4K Medium result of 66 FPS is a 28 FPS improvement over Ultra, showing that the card has headroom if settings are moderated. The 4K High result sits at 60 FPS, which is exactly at the threshold for smooth gameplay on a 60 Hz display.

At 1440p, the RTX 3070 shows its strengths. The High preset delivers 101 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and the Low preset reaches 141 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 64 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh monitors. The 1080p results are uniformly excellent, with the Low preset hitting 204 FPS and the Ultra preset still managing 93 FPS. These numbers confirm that the RTX 3070 is a capable 1080p and 1440p card, but its 4K performance is limited to lower presets for a consistent experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 7500X3D and RTX 3070 ranks 1224th out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested, which is a reasonable position given the GPU’s age and the CPU’s relatively recent release. The ranking out of 2938 combos means that this pairing outperforms more than half of all tested configurations, but it is not in the top tier reserved for flagship GPUs and high-end processors.

The rank suggests that while this combo is strong, it is not exceptional in the context of all possible hardware pairings. The CPU’s high percentile ranking (89th) does not fully compensate for the GPU’s lower percentile (61st), which drags the overall combo ranking down. In practical terms, this means that users with this combo will have a good experience at 1440p, but they will need to compromise at 4K. The data indicates that the combo is well-suited for the majority of Greedfall players who are likely using 1080p or 1440p monitors.

Comparatively, the CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600, are close in performance, and the GPU’s rivals, like the RX 7600 XT, are also near in score. This suggests that swapping either component for a direct competitor would yield similar results in this game. The combo’s ranking is a function of the GPU’s limitations at high resolutions, not the CPU’s. If the RTX 3070 were paired with a faster GPU, the ranking would likely improve significantly, as the CPU has enough headroom to support higher frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS are consistently high across all presets. The Low preset averages 204 FPS, which is the highest recorded score for this combo. The Medium preset averages 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS, showing a stable frame delivery. The High preset averages 146 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 93 FPS. All of these results are above 60 FPS, and even the Ultra preset is suitable for 60 Hz displays, though not for high-refresh 144 Hz monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU’s workload. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 111 FPS, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS, indicating only minor frame dips. The High preset averages 101 FPS, which is smooth for most gameplay scenarios. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which is playable but close to the edge for a 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the results are more varied. The Low preset averages 84 FPS, which is the only 4K result that offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS, meaning that some scenes will drop below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset averages 60 FPS, which is exactly at the target but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset averages 38 FPS, which is not playable for a smooth experience and should be avoided.

The data shows a clear tiering: 1080p is always smooth, 1440p is smooth on all but Ultra, and 4K is only smooth on Low and Medium. The minimum FPS values are only provided for the Medium preset, and they show that the frame rate can dip by about 15-20% below the average, which is a normal range for a game like Greedfall.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K gaming, the data strongly suggests using the Medium preset as the best balance between visual fidelity and performance. The 66 FPS average, with a minimum of 56 FPS, is close to the 60 FPS target, and the visual upgrade over Low is likely significant. The Low preset at 84 FPS is the safest choice for a locked 60 FPS experience, but the Medium preset offers a better image quality without a major performance penalty. The High preset at 60 FPS is too risky, as any complex scene could push the frame rate below the threshold, and the Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not viable for gameplay.

At 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers 101 FPS on average. This is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a good balance of visual quality. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is also viable if the user prefers maximum detail, but it will not be as smooth as High. The Medium preset at 111 FPS is a good option for users with 144 Hz monitors, as it offers a higher frame rate with only a modest reduction in quality. The Low preset at 141 FPS is unnecessary for most players, as the visual downgrade is not worth the extra frame rate.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset at 93 FPS is the best choice for visual quality, as it is still well above 60 FPS. Users with high-refresh monitors may prefer the High preset at 146 FPS, which offers a significant frame rate increase with a minor visual compromise. The Medium preset at 160 FPS is ideal for competitive play or for users who prioritize frame rate above all else. The Low preset at 204 FPS is excessive for this game, as the engine’s visual quality is best appreciated on higher settings.

Overall, the measured rows indicate that the optimal experience for this combo is 1440p High, which provides a high frame rate and good visual detail. For 4K, Medium is the only sensible choice for a playable experience, and 1080p Ultra is the best way to maximize visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.