Greedfall

# CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using TSMC's 4 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, and the chip supports ECC memory. The processor carries an 81st percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29713.

In synthetic testing, the 9600X demonstrates strong scaling from 2 to 16 threads. The 3DMark results show 2456 for 2 threads, 4649 for 4 threads, 6726 for 8 threads, and 7585 for 16 threads, with a max-thread score of 7590. Single-thread performance in 3DMark is 1253, which is notably strong for a desktop part. Cinebench R23 scores are 17528.5 for multi-core and 2183.5 for single-core. Geekbench reports 14438 multi-core and 2923 single-core. PassMark single-thread performance is 4570, with multi-thread at 30027.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the 9600X sits within a tight cluster. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE scores 29656, which is 0.2% lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868, putting it 0.5% higher than the 9600X. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 29879 (0.6% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS scores 29955 (0.8% higher). These deltas are minuscule — the 9600X is effectively at parity with these processors in overall average score, though it does so with fewer cores (6 versus 8 on its rivals). This suggests the Zen 5 architecture's per-core efficiency is compensating for the core-count deficit, which is relevant for a game like Greedfall where thread utilization may not scale perfectly with core counts.

For Greedfall specifically, the 6-core/12-thread configuration is sufficient to avoid CPU bottlenecks at most settings. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 6726 versus the 16-thread score of 7585 indicates that the processor gains only about 13% performance from doubling threads beyond 8. This means Greedfall's workload, which is an Action RPG from 2019, likely uses fewer than 8 threads effectively; the 9600X's strong single-thread and 4-thread performance (4649 in 3DMark) is what matters most. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz helps maintain frame pacing in scenes with heavy AI or physics calculations. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache also supports the game's data streaming needs, reducing potential stutter when traversing the open-world environments.

# GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture (Navi 32 chip) using TSMC's 5 nm process. It has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. Memory runs at 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective). The card packs 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, along with 40 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 236.1 GPixel/s, texture rate is 393.4 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 25.18 TFLOPS. The TDP is 200 W, requiring a 550 W suggested PSU and dual 8-pin power connectors.

In benchmark terms, the RX 7700 holds a 58th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rivals are closely matched: the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014 (1% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679 (1.1% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129 (1.7% higher). These small deltas indicate that the RX 7700 sits in a competitive mid-range performance tier, though the RX 7700's 16 GB VRAM gives it a capacity advantage over the RTX 3060 Ti's 8 GB (though the fact pack does not list the RTX 3060 Ti's VRAM, so this comparison is not made here).

For Greedfall, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset at high resolutions. The game's measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 36, while dropping to 4K High yields 56, and 4K Medium yields 62. The memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s supports texture streaming and high-resolution assets without causing VRAM-related hitches. The boost clock of 2459 MHz and the 96 ROPs are the primary drivers of rasterization performance, which matters most for a game like Greedfall that does not heavily rely on ray tracing (the 40 RT cores are present but likely underutilized). The 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is ample for the game's shader complexity, as evidenced by the 1080p Low average of 191 FPS.

The GPU's performance scaling across resolutions shows a clear pattern. At 1080p, the RX 7700 delivers 191 FPS on Low and 136 FPS on High, indicating that the processor is not limiting at these settings. At 4K, the same settings yield 79 FPS and 56 FPS respectively, showing a 58% and 59% drop from 1080p. This is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the ROP throughput and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors. The 16 GB VRAM ensures that even at 4K Ultra, the game does not exceed memory capacity, as the 36 FPS average is a compute-bound limitation rather than a capacity issue.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 9600X compare to its closest CPU rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The 9600X's average benchmark score is 29713. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, scores 29656, which is 0.2% lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868 (0.5% higher), the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 29879 (0.6% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS scores 29955 (0.8% higher). These differences are within noise, meaning the 9600X is effectively tied with these processors despite having fewer cores.

Q: What is the RX 7700's performance position relative to the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129. This puts the RTX 3060 Ti 1.7% higher, which is a marginal difference. In practical terms, the two GPUs are in the same performance class, though the RX 7700's 16 GB VRAM provides more headroom for high-resolution textures.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1440p with High settings in Greedfall?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the measured average FPS is 94. This is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and represents a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 1440p yields 104 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 60 FPS.

Q: Is the combo better suited for 1080p or 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: The data shows strong 1080p performance, with the High preset delivering 136 FPS and Low delivering 191 FPS. At 4K, the High preset drops to 56 FPS and Ultra to 36 FPS. The combo is clearly more comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, where it maintains high frame rates, while 4K requires lower settings to stay smooth.

Q: How does the CPU's thread scaling affect Greedfall's performance?

A: The 3DMark results show 8-thread score of 6726 versus 16-thread score of 7585, a gain of only 13%. For a game like Greedfall, which likely uses fewer threads, the 9600X's strong 4-thread performance (4649) and single-thread score (1253) are more relevant. The 6-core design with high boost clocks handles the game's single-threaded tasks well.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations for Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 1307 out of 2938 tested combinations. This places it in the 55th percentile of all combos, which is a solid mid-tier position. Given the components' individual percentiles (CPU at 81st, GPU at 58th), the game-specific ranking reflects that Greedfall is more GPU-dependent at higher resolutions.

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1307 out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places the combo in the upper-middle tier of all configurations tested. The rank of 1307 corresponds to roughly the 55th percentile, meaning about 45% of tested combos perform better and 55% perform worse.

This ranking is somewhat lower than what the CPU's individual percentile (81st) might suggest, indicating that the GPU is the more limiting factor in this pairing for Greedfall. The RX 7700's 58th percentile among GPUs is the primary constraint on the combo's overall position. The game's demands at 4K Ultra (36 FPS average) demonstrate this GPU limitation, while the CPU is likely not the bottleneck at any resolution, given its strong single-thread performance.

The combo's position relative to other pairings makes sense when considering the measured FPS. At 1080p, the combo achieves 136 FPS on High settings, which is competitive with higher-tier GPUs. At 1440p, the 94 FPS average on High is still smooth. However, at 4K, the combo falls below 60 FPS on High (56 FPS), which places it behind combos with more powerful GPUs. The rank of 1307 reflects this mixed capability — strong at lower resolutions, but not a 4K powerhouse. The data indicates that users seeking 4K performance would need to accept Medium settings (62 FPS) or lower.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 136 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p, then to 56 at 4K. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 40% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 59%.

The Low settings show a similar trend: 191 FPS at 1080p, 132 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. This is a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 40% drop from 1440p to 4K, with a 59% total drop. The consistency of these percentages across settings indicates that the scaling is resolution-driven rather than settings-driven.

Medium settings exhibit the same pattern with 150 FPS at 1080p, 104 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K. The drops are 31% and 40% respectively, again totaling 59%. Ultra settings show 87 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K, with drops of 31% and 40%.

The fact that the percentage drops are nearly identical across all four settings presets is significant. It indicates that the limiting component is the GPU's raw throughput (pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s), which scales linearly with resolution. The CPU is not introducing any resolution-dependent bottleneck, as its performance is constant regardless of resolution. This is the expected behavior for a balanced mid-range combo, where the GPU becomes the primary constraint as pixel count increases.

The 4K Ultra result of 36 FPS is particularly telling. The game's Ultra preset likely enables additional effects that stress the GPU's compute units (25.18 TFLOPS FP32), resulting in a 59% drop from the 1080p Ultra score of 87 FPS. The 4K Medium result of 62 FPS suggests that users targeting 4K should use Medium settings to maintain playable frame rates.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 191 FPS. Medium settings yield 150 FPS average, with a minimum of 127 and maximum of 172. High settings average 136 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 87 FPS average. These numbers indicate that the combo is not CPU-limited at 1080p, as even the highest preset maintains a high frame rate.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. Low settings average 132 FPS. Medium settings average 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 120. High settings average 94 FPS. Ultra settings average 60 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is exactly at the 60 FPS threshold, which is a meaningful milestone for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1440p, with its 104 FPS average and 88 FPS minimum, provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 79 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that exceeds 60 FPS. Medium settings average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and maximum of 71. High settings average 56 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings average 36 FPS, which is not ideal for a responsive experience. The 4K Medium result of 62 FPS is the best playable option at this resolution, though the minimum of 53 FPS suggests occasional dips below 60.

The pattern across resolutions is consistent: Low settings provide the highest headroom, Medium provides a balanced experience, High is playable at 1080p and 1440p but not 4K, and Ultra is only viable at 1080p. The minimum FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings — 127 at 1080p, 88 at 1440p, and 53 at 4K. These minimums indicate that frame pacing is generally stable, with the 4K Medium minimum of 53 FPS being the only sub-60 result among the Medium presets.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and frame rate preference.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 136 FPS average is the recommended choice. It provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium (150 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above 120 FPS, which is suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. Ultra at 87 FPS is also viable and offers the best visual quality, but the 36% drop from High to Ultra may not justify the visual gains for all users. For competitive play or maximum responsiveness, Low at 191 FPS is available, though it sacrifices visual fidelity.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 104 FPS average (88 minimum) is the best balance. It delivers a smooth experience above 90 FPS with a minimum that stays above 60. High at 94 FPS is also excellent and is recommended for users who prioritize visual quality over the extra 10 FPS from Medium. Ultra at exactly 60 FPS is borderline — it works, but any demanding scene could push it below 60. Low at 132 FPS is overkill for most users at this resolution.

For 4K, the Medium preset at 62 FPS average (53 minimum) is the only recommended option. It provides playable performance, though the 53 FPS minimum means there will be occasional dips below 60. High at 56 FPS is close but consistently below the 60 FPS threshold, which can cause perceptible stuttering. Low at 79 FPS is playable but significantly reduces visual quality. Ultra at 36 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

The data indicates that the combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates across all settings. At 4K, users must compromise on settings to achieve playable performance. The Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions, offering the best combination of visual quality and frame rate stability. For users with high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitors, the High preset provides the best experience, balancing visual fidelity with frame rates that fully utilize the display's capabilities.