Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress test for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B570 combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with performance scaling that tells a clear story about which component is driving the experience. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to understand the capabilities and limitations of this pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K in Greedfall shows a dramatic and consistent decline in frame rates, indicating that the graphics card is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 92 FPS to 64 FPS, a reduction of 30.4%. This pattern continues when stepping up to 3840x2160, where the average falls to 38 FPS, representing a 40.6% decrease from the 1440p figure. The scaling is not linear, suggesting that the demand on the GPU’s memory bandwidth and shading capacity grows exponentially with pixel count.

At Low settings, the resolution scaling is even more pronounced in absolute terms. The Arc B570 delivers 130 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 90 FPS at 1440p and further to 54 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is less than half of the 1080p figure, which strongly implies that the GPU is saturated. The data shows that the 4K Low preset is only able to achieve a 54 FPS average, which is barely above the 50 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for smooth gameplay. This is a clear sign that the Intel Arc B570, with its 160-bit memory bus and 10 GB of GDDR6, struggles to feed the rendering pipeline at 4K, regardless of the graphical complexity.

When examining the Medium settings, which are the only preset with full min/max FPS data, the scaling pattern holds. At 1080p, the average is 102 FPS with a minimum of 87 FPS. At 1440p, the average falls to 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS. At 4K, the average is 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS. The minimum frame rates show a similar proportional decline, indicating that the frame pacing issues are consistent across resolutions. The difference between the 1080p and 1440p averages is 31 FPS, while the difference between 1440p and 4K is 29 FPS, showing that the GPU is being pushed harder at each step.

The data suggests that for a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo in Greedfall. The 4K resolution, even on Low settings, cannot maintain a stable 60 FPS, with the average sitting at 54 FPS. This indicates that the limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU. The CPU, with its high single-thread performance, is unlikely to be the cause of such a severe drop. The benchmark results imply that users seeking 4K gameplay would need to significantly reduce settings or consider a more powerful graphics card.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores are respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15236 and a single-core score of 1965. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6879 and a max-thread score of 6845 indicate that the processor’s performance scales well with additional threads, but the single-thread score of 1060 is the more critical metric for gaming. Greedfall, like many Action RPGs, often relies on a few primary threads for game logic and physics.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU appears to be more than capable of keeping up with the GPU at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 130 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would require a strong CPU to avoid bottlenecking. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the GPU is still able to produce high frame rates. The Ryzen 5 7600X’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth likely contribute to its ability to feed the GPU efficiently.

However, the CPU’s role becomes more nuanced when looking at the performance deltas. The Ryzen 5 7600X has an average benchmark score of 27636, which places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K, both with an average score of 27578, a delta of 0.2%. This indicates that the 7600X is performing as expected for its class. The benchmark results show that the processor is not a weak link in this system. The fact that the FPS drops so steeply from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions as the GPU workload increases.

The data implies that the Ryzen 5 7600X provides a solid foundation for this GPU. Its 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Greedfall’s requirements, and the high boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that the game’s primary thread has access to fast processing. The Passmark single-thread score of 4135 further confirms its strength in lightly-threaded tasks. The CPU is not holding back the Arc B570, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of performance scaling. The combination works well, but the overall system performance is capped by the GPU’s capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of how different settings presets impact performance, and the choice of preset should be dictated by the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but the differences in frame rate are substantial. The Low preset delivers the highest average at 130 FPS, while Medium drops to 102 FPS, High to 92 FPS, and Ultra to 59 FPS. For a competitive or high-refresh-rate experience, Low or Medium is the best choice. The Medium preset, with a minimum of 87 FPS, offers a smoother experience than High, which has no min FPS data but a lower average. Ultra is the only preset that dips below 60 FPS at 1080p, making it less desirable for consistent frame pacing.

At 2560x1440, the recommendations shift. The Low preset is the only one that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, with an average of 90 FPS. Medium follows at 71 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS and provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. High drops to 64 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra falls to 41 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 1440p, offering a 71 FPS average and a minimum of 60 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely dips below the playable threshold. High is acceptable, but Medium provides a better safety margin.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. No preset achieves a 60 FPS average. Low is the best performer at 54 FPS, followed by Medium at 42 FPS, High at 38 FPS, and Ultra at 24 FPS. For 4K, the only viable option for a somewhat playable experience is Low, with its 54 FPS average. Medium is below the 45 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for a playable experience, and High and Ultra are effectively slideshows. The data indicates that 4K is not a realistic target for this combo if a smooth experience is required. Users would be better served by playing at 1440p with Medium settings, which offers a significantly better balance of visual fidelity and frame rate than 4K Low. The recommendation is to prioritize resolution over settings, as the drop from 1440p Medium (71 FPS) to 4K Low (54 FPS) is not worth the marginal visual improvement.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2344 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 20% of all tested systems, which is a surprisingly low ranking for a modern CPU and GPU pairing. The percentile ranking of the individual components does not align with this low combo rank. The CPU is in the 79th percentile, and the GPU is in the 65th percentile, both of which are above average. The low combo rank suggests that the specific hardware configuration has a particular weakness in this game.

The GPU’s nearest rivals provide context. The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534) and the Intel Arc A750 (20582). However, these are raw compute scores, not gaming frame rates. The low combo rank in Greedfall could be due to the Arc B570’s driver overhead or specific architectural inefficiencies in this title. The GPU’s Passmark DirectX 11 score of 118 and DirectX 12 score of 72 are low, which could indicate issues with API optimization. Greedfall may rely on older DirectX 11 paths, which could hamper the Arc B570’s performance.

The rank of 2344 out of 2938 means that a large majority of other CPU/GPU combinations deliver higher frame rates in this specific game. This is not a reflection of the CPU’s capability, as the Ryzen 5 7600X is a strong performer. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, which is unable to deliver competitive frame rates at higher resolutions. The combo’s low rank is a cautionary tale about the importance of GPU selection for specific game titles. The data shows that while the individual components are decent, their synergy in Greedfall is poor, resulting in a system that underperforms relative to its parts.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is a critical component in this analysis, and its specifications highlight why it struggles in Greedfall. It features 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, with a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz. The memory configuration is a 10 GB GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, providing 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 11.52 TFLOPS. These numbers suggest a mid-range graphics card, but the 160-bit memory bus is narrow compared to many competitors, which can limit performance in memory-intensive scenarios like high-resolution gaming.

The GPU’s Passmark G3D score is 14195, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, has a score of 20582, which is only 0.1% higher. This indicates that the B570 is closely matched with its predecessor in raw compute. However, the B570’s memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s is a specific figure that may be insufficient for 4K textures and geometry. The data shows that the GPU’s performance degrades rapidly with resolution, which is a direct consequence of its memory subsystem limitations.

The GPU’s clock behavior is notable. The base and boost clocks are both listed as 2500 MHz, which is unusual and suggests a fixed clock speed. This could be a factor in its performance consistency, but it also means there is no dynamic boost headroom. The GPU’s pixel rate is 200.0 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 360.0 GTexel/s. These rates are adequate for 1080p but become strained at 4K. The measured FPS data confirms this, with the GPU delivering 130 FPS at 1080p Low but only 54 FPS at 4K Low. The GPU is the primary limiter, and its 10 GB of VRAM, while sufficient for 1080p, may cause texture swapping at 4K with High or Ultra settings, leading to the sub-40 FPS averages. The data suggests that the Arc B570 is best suited for 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming, not for high-resolution or high-fidelity experiences in Greedfall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system’s performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 130 FPS. Medium settings average 102 FPS, with a minimum of 87 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS. High settings average 92 FPS. Ultra settings average 59 FPS. The data shows a clear hierarchy, with each higher preset costing roughly 10-20 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 10 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 33 FPS, indicating that Ultra has a disproportionate performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings average 90 FPS. Medium settings average 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. High settings average 64 FPS. Ultra settings average 41 FPS. The Min FPS for Medium at 1440p is exactly 60 FPS, which is the bare minimum for a stable experience. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings: Low loses 40 FPS, Medium loses 31 FPS, High loses 28 FPS, and Ultra loses 18 FPS. The diminishing loss at Ultra suggests that the GPU is already struggling at 1080p with that preset.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overburdened. Low settings average 54 FPS. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 38 FPS. Ultra settings average 24 FPS. The 4K results show that even the Low preset cannot maintain a 60 FPS average. The Medium preset’s minimum of 36 FPS indicates that frame drops are common and severe. The Ultra preset’s 24 FPS average is essentially unplayable. The data across all resolutions shows a consistent pattern: the Arc B570 is a 1080p-class GPU, capable of 1440p at lower settings, but not suitable for 4K gaming in Greedfall.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a consistent 60 FPS?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with Medium settings is the highest resolution that maintains a 60 FPS average (71 FPS) and a 60 FPS minimum. At 1920x1080, all presets except Ultra achieve over 90 FPS on average.

Q: How does the Arc B570 perform at 4K in Greedfall?

A: The Arc B570 cannot sustain a smooth 4K experience. The best 4K result is with Low settings, averaging 54 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra presets average 42, 38, and 24 FPS, respectively, all below the 60 FPS target.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7600X a bottleneck for this GPU in Greedfall?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor. The frame rates drop steeply as resolution increases, which is a hallmark of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s high single-thread performance (1965 in Cinebench R23) is sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings.

Q: Which settings preset offers the best visual quality per frame rate at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice. It provides a 71 FPS average and a 60 FPS minimum, which is a solid playable experience. The High preset, at 64 FPS, offers slightly better visuals but with less headroom and no min FPS data to guarantee smoothness.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems in Greedfall?

A: This specific combo ranks 2344 out of 2938 tested combinations. This is in the bottom 20% of all systems, which is notably lower than the individual component percentiles (CPU at 79th, GPU at 65th). This suggests a poor synergy for this specific game.

Q: Does the GPU’s 10 GB of VRAM cause issues at higher resolutions?

A: The measured data shows significant performance degradation at 4K, with High and Ultra presets dropping to 38 FPS and 24 FPS, respectively. While the VRAM size may not be the sole cause, the combination of the 160-bit memory bus and 10 GB capacity appears insufficient for 4K textures and geometry in Greedfall, leading to the low frame rates.