Greedfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a heavily GPU-limited experience in Greedfall, where the integrated graphics solution becomes the decisive factor at every resolution. Benchmark data shows that this combination ranks 3291 out of 3703 tested combos for this game, placing it in the lower percentile of systems. The Arc B390’s performance relative to other GPUs is equally modest, sitting at the 9th percentile with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482. This is not a configuration built for high-refresh-rate gaming; it is a system where settings management and resolution choices dictate whether the game remains playable at all. The measured FPS data confirms that the CPU’s strong multi-core capabilities are largely wasted in this title, as the GPU becomes the bottleneck even at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals a system entirely constrained by the GPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 84 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops that to 58 FPS, a reduction of 26 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls to 35 FPS, which is less than half the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario: the CPU has ample headroom, but the Arc B390 cannot maintain frame rates as pixel count increases.

The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 26 FPS at Low settings, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 23 FPS. These are nearly linear drops, suggesting that the GPU’s shading units, texture mapping units, and render output units are saturated at all resolutions. With only 24 ROPs and a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s, the Arc B390’s fill rate becomes a hard limit. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS collapses to 16, which is unplayable by any standard. Even at 4K Low, the 35 FPS average is borderline, and the lack of minimum FPS data for that row suggests the frame pacing may be inconsistent.

At 1440p, the scaling is less severe but still pronounced. High settings yield 42 FPS, Medium yields 46 FPS, and Low yields 58 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 31 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s limited processing power is the primary lever. At 1080p, the story is similar: Low hits 84 FPS, Medium hits 66 FPS, High hits 60 FPS, and Ultra drops to 38 FPS. The 1080p Low figure is the only measurement in the entire dataset that approaches a smooth experience, and even that is only 84 FPS.

The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The Ryzen 7 5700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is capable of far more than this game demands at these settings. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13184 and a single-core score of 1499, are strong, but they are irrelevant when the GPU is the bottleneck. The data indicates that reducing resolution from 4K to 1080p at the same settings yields roughly a 2.4x improvement in FPS, which is consistent with a GPU that is overwhelmed at higher pixel counts.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its role in this pairing is defined by severe resource limitations. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. It also includes 12 ray tracing cores, but the raw compute throughput is modest: FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS, and FP16 performance is 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). The texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, which sounds capable on paper but is throttled by the system-shared memory architecture.

The memory configuration is the most significant constraint. The Arc B390 uses System Shared memory, with a bus width and bandwidth listed as System Dependent. This means the GPU relies on the CPU’s DDR4 memory, which for the Ryzen 7 5700X is dual-channel with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. That bandwidth is shared between the CPU and GPU, and in a game like Greedfall, which demands constant texture streaming, this creates a bottleneck. The lack of dedicated VRAM means the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access, and the results show it: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 16, with no minimum or maximum reported. At 4K Medium, the average is 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32, indicating tight frame pacing but at an unplayable level.

The GPU’s clock speeds are listed as 300 MHz base and 2500 MHz boost. The boost clock is respectable, but the power envelope is only 80 W, which limits sustained performance. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are older discrete cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3) and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5). This comparison is stark: the Arc B390 performs in the same tier as decade-old entry-level mobile GPUs. In Greedfall, this translates to 60 FPS at 1080p High, but only 38 FPS at 1080p Ultra. The GPU’s lack of dedicated memory and limited ROP count are the primary reasons why Ultra settings are not viable.

The GPU’s FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS is not the limiting factor in this game; rather, it is the memory bandwidth and fill rate. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s means that at 4K (8.3 million pixels), the theoretical maximum is around 7 frames per second if the GPU were only doing pixel writes, but in practice, the 25 FPS at 4K High shows that the GPU is doing more than just fill work. The data suggests that the GPU is bandwidth-limited, not compute-limited. The system-shared memory architecture, combined with the CPU’s 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, creates a scenario where increasing resolution or settings directly increases memory pressure, which crushes FPS.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is a Zen 3 (Vermeer) processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, base clock of 3.40 GHz, and boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It has a 32 MB shared L3 cache, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 KB L1 per core. The CPU’s benchmark performance is strong: Cinebench R23 multi-core is 13184, single-core is 1499, and Geekbench multi-core is 10779 with single-core at 2016. Its average benchmark score is 27578, which places it at the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12600K with a deltaPct of 0, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 with a deltaPct of 0.2, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X with a deltaPct of -0.2. This indicates that the 5700X is a solid mid-range performer.

In Greedfall, the CPU’s role is minimal because the GPU is the bottleneck at all measured resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the CPU still does not become the limiting factor; the 84 FPS average is likely near the GPU’s maximum. The CPU’s 16 threads and high boost clock are more than sufficient for this Action RPG, which is not known for heavy CPU simulation. The data shows no scenario where reducing settings or resolution yields a CPU-bound result; even at 4K Ultra, the 16 FPS average is entirely due to GPU limitations.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth is relevant here because the GPU uses system memory. At higher resolutions, the CPU must manage memory traffic for both its own operations and the GPU’s texture fetching. The 32 MB L3 cache helps reduce memory latency for the CPU, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s lack of dedicated VRAM. The CPU’s 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes are unused in this configuration because the Arc B390 is an integrated GPU with an IGP bus interface, meaning it does not use the PCIe lanes for graphics. This is a peculiar pairing: a powerful desktop CPU with an integrated GPU that is typically found in portable devices.

The CPU’s single-thread performance, as measured by Passmark single-thread score of 3385 and Geekbench single-core of 2016, is adequate for Greedfall’s game logic and AI. But the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is never the limiting factor. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6858 and max-thread score of 6850 show that the CPU scales well with multi-threaded workloads, but this game does not exercise that capability to a degree that would matter. The CPU’s role is to feed the GPU, and it does so without issue; the GPU simply cannot deliver playable frame rates at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable experience is at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 84, which is smooth and responsive. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 76, which is still playable but with occasional dips. At 1080p High, the average is 60 FPS, which is acceptable for a slower-paced Action RPG, but the lack of minimum FPS data for that row suggests potential stuttering. At 1080p Ultra, the average falls to 38 FPS, which is not recommended for any real-time gameplay.

At 1440p, the situation is worse. Low settings yield 58 FPS, which is borderline playable, but Medium drops to 46 FPS, High to 42 FPS, and Ultra to 27 FPS. None of these are ideal for a game that requires precise combat timing. The 1440p Medium row shows a minimum of 39 FPS and maximum of 53 FPS, indicating that the frame rate will fluctuate significantly. At 4K, all settings are unplayable: Low is 35 FPS, Medium is 27 FPS, High is 25 FPS, and Ultra is 16 FPS. The 4K Medium row has a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32, which is a 9 FPS spread, showing inconsistent performance.

The best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Low, which provides the highest average FPS at 84. This setting also avoids the frame pacing issues seen at higher settings. For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1080p Medium at 66 FPS is a reasonable compromise, as it offers a 22% drop in FPS compared to Low but with better textures and effects. The 1080p High setting at 60 FPS is the maximum acceptable for a stable experience, but it is not advisable because the minimum FPS is unknown and likely lower than 60. The data strongly suggests avoiding Ultra at any resolution, as the GPU cannot handle the increased memory pressure.

The GPU’s 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs means that this system is not designed for high-end gaming. The measured FPS at 1080p Low is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, and even that is not by a wide margin. For a game like Greedfall, which has a focus on story and exploration, 60 FPS at 1080p Low is playable, but players should expect to lower resolution to 720p if they want to enable Ultra settings, though no data is available for that resolution.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Greedfall at 4K?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 4K is 35 FPS with Low settings, while Ultra settings yield only 16 FPS. All 4K measurements are below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combination?

A: 1080p Low provides the highest average FPS at 84, making it the smoothest experience. 1080p Medium at 66 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance, with a minimum of 56 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390’s average benchmark score is 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463) and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443). It ranks at the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Does the CPU become a bottleneck at any resolution or setting?

A: No. The benchmark data shows that the GPU is the limiting component at all measured resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 4K) and all settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). The Ryzen 7 5700X’s strong multi-core performance is never fully utilized.

Q: What is the frame rate range at 1080p Medium?

A: The average FPS is 66, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 76. This indicates a 20 FPS spread, which may cause noticeable frame pacing changes during intense scenes.

Q: Why does the GPU perform so poorly despite having 1536 shading units?

A: The GPU uses System Shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the CPU’s DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. This shared memory architecture, combined with only 24 ROPs and a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s, limits performance in memory-intensive games like Greedfall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo’s performance in Greedfall. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves its best results. Low settings produce an average of 84 FPS, with no minimum or maximum reported. Medium settings yield an average of 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 76. High settings drop to 60 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 38 FPS. The 1080p Medium row is the only one at this resolution with full min/max data, showing a 20 FPS range.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades significantly. Low settings average 58 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53, High averages 42 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The 1440p Medium row shows a 14 FPS range, which is tighter than at 1080p but still indicative of variable frame pacing. The drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is 26 FPS, a 31% reduction. The drop from 1080p High to 1440p High is 18 FPS, a 30% reduction.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. Low settings average 35 FPS, Medium averages 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32, High averages 25 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. The 4K Medium row shows a 9 FPS range, which is the tightest of any resolution but still unplayable. The difference between 4K Low and 4K Ultra is 19 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset nearly halves the frame rate compared to Low.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: Low settings provide the highest FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra in that order. The only exception is at 1440p where High (42 FPS) is slightly lower than Medium (46 FPS) but not by a large margin. The data also shows that the GPU’s performance scales almost linearly with pixel count, as the 1080p to 1440p drop is roughly 26-31% depending on settings, and the 1440p to 4K drop is another 40-46%. This confirms that the Arc B390 is the sole bottleneck, and no CPU-side adjustment can improve these numbers.