Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combination. The measured data across resolutions and settings reveals a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck, with the CPU demonstrating ample headroom. The benchmark results indicate that achieving a fluid experience requires careful attention to both resolution and graphical presets, as the GPU's 4 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become significant limiting factors at higher loads.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a stark and predictable decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, confirming that pixel throughput is the dominant constraint. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 51.2 FPS at 1080p to 39.1 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of roughly 24%. Pushing further to 4K, the average plummets to 22.5 FPS, which is a 56% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the GTX 1650's 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 128.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth are simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of pixels.

The Low preset tells a similar story, albeit from a higher baseline. At 1080p, Low settings yield 73.8 FPS, which is a very playable figure. However, at 1440p this falls to 51.1 FPS, and at 4K it drops to 32.4 FPS. The fact that even the lowest settings cannot maintain 60 FPS at 1440p underscores the GPU's limitations. The difference between Low and High at 1080p is 22.6 FPS, but at 4K that difference shrinks to 9.9 FPS (32.4 vs 22.5). This compression of performance at higher resolutions indicates that the fill-rate and memory bandwidth constraints become so severe that the visual complexity of the preset matters less than the raw pixel count.

The 4K results are consistently poor across all settings. The Ultra preset manages only 12.9 FPS, which is effectively unplayable, while even the Low preset struggles to reach 32.4 FPS. This data strongly suggests that 4K is not a viable resolution for this hardware combination in Greedfall, regardless of how much visual fidelity is sacrificed. The system is fundamentally limited by the GTX 1650's 4 GB GDDR5 memory and 128-bit bus, which cannot provide the necessary data throughput for a smooth 4K experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its synthetic benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20851 and a single-core score of 2943. In the context of Greedfall, this level of CPU performance appears to be more than sufficient, as the system's frame rates are so heavily dictated by the GPU that the processor is likely never the limiting factor.

This assessment is supported by the CPU's percentile ranking, which places it in the 82nd percentile against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 25064 is nearly identical to that of the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (25057), showing a 0% delta, and it is actually 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24993). This performance parity with older, higher-tier processors indicates that the 8400F has ample computational headroom for a game like Greedfall, which is not known for being particularly CPU-intensive.

The data suggests that the CPU's role in this specific configuration is to safely deliver frames without bottlenecking the GPU. The fact that FPS scales so dramatically with resolution and settings—where the GPU workload changes significantly—while the CPU's workload remains relatively constant, is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the 73.8 FPS average is likely still below the CPU's maximum potential output, meaning the GTX 1650 is still setting the pace. The Ryzen 5 8400F's 16 MB of shared L3 cache and DDR5 memory support provide a solid foundation that does not introduce frame pacing issues or stutter in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the undisputed performance bottleneck in this pairing. Built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process, it features 896 shading units and 32 ROPs. Its core clocks are set to a base of 1485 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz. The card is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results for Greedfall reflect that.

The GPU's synthetic scores reinforce its position in the market. Its Passmark G3D score of 7880 and average benchmark score of 8713 place it in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746, -0.4% delta) and the AMD Radeon 550X (8749, -0.4% delta), which are comparably performing parts. This places the GTX 1650 firmly in the entry-level segment, and Greedfall's demands on geometry, textures, and post-processing quickly expose its limitations.

The measured FPS data demonstrates that the 4 GB VRAM is a critical constraint. At 1080p, the card can manage playable frame rates, with a 56.6 FPS average on Medium settings. However, the jump to 1440p causes the average to drop below 40 FPS on all presets except Low. The Ultra preset is particularly punishing, yielding only 24.8 FPS at 1440p and 31.4 FPS at 1080p. This indicates that the card's 2.984 TFLOPS of compute power is insufficient for the high-detail shaders and effects, and the memory subsystem struggles to feed the GPU with the required texture data at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Greedfall at 60 FPS?

A: Only at 1080p with the Low preset, where the data shows an average of 73.8 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 56.6 FPS, and the High preset is at 51.2 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides a consistently playable experience. At 1440p, the highest average FPS is 51.1 on Low settings, while 4K results are all below 32.4 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: Its average benchmark score is 8713. It is 0.4% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746) and 0.4% slower than the AMD Radeon 550X (8749), while being 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8671).

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 8400F a bottleneck for the GTX 1650?

A: No. The benchmark results show that FPS scales primarily with resolution and settings, which are GPU-centric workloads. The CPU's performance, ranking in the 82nd percentile, is sufficient to keep up with the GTX 1650.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The average FPS at Low is 73.8, while at Ultra it is 31.4. This is a difference of 42.4 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for the highest visual fidelity.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever playable?

A: The data suggests it is not. The highest average FPS recorded on the Ultra preset is 31.4 at 1080p. At 1440p it drops to 24.8 FPS, and at 4K it is only 12.9 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware is found at 1920x1080 resolution. At this resolution, the Low preset delivers an average of 73.8 FPS, which is the only configuration in the dataset that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS target. This preset should be the default choice for players who prioritize smooth, responsive gameplay over graphical fidelity.

For those who wish to improve visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p offers a reasonable compromise. The measured average of 56.6 FPS is close to the 60 FPS target and provides a noticeable improvement over Low settings. The High preset at 1080p is also an option, with an average of 51.2 FPS, but this involves a greater performance trade-off for diminishing visual returns.

The data strongly advises against using the Ultra preset at any resolution. Even at 1080p, the 31.4 FPS average is below the threshold for a smooth action RPG experience. All 1440p and 4K configurations should be avoided, as they all fall below 51.1 FPS, with most presets well into the 20s or lower. The GPU's 4 GB VRAM and limited bandwidth make higher resolutions unviable, so sticking to 1080p with Medium or Low settings is the recommended path to ensure the best balance of performance and visual quality.