Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents an interesting case study when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The benchmark data indicates a system capable of delivering high frame rates across all tested configurations, but the scaling patterns reveal where the bottlenecks lie. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand the game's behavior under this specific hardware combination, focusing on resolution scaling, CPU and GPU roles, and providing clear settings recommendations based strictly on the observed numbers.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data shows a clear and consistent drop in average FPS as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a decrease from 224.9 FPS to 154.4 FPS, a substantial 70.5 FPS difference. Moving further to 4K at High settings yields 93.4 FPS, which is a further drop of 61 FPS from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern indicates that the rendering load is scaling significantly with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

The scaling behavior at the Ultra preset is particularly telling. At 1080p Ultra, the system produces 141.4 FPS. This drops to 100.3 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and then falls sharply to 60.3 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire dataset, suggesting that the combination of maximum graphical fidelity and high pixel density is placing a very heavy load on the graphics card. The data shows that the performance penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 40 FPS reduction, which is a 39.9% drop from the 1440p figure.

The pattern across all settings presets shows that the game is highly responsive to resolution changes. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is consistently larger than the difference between 1440p and 4K in absolute terms, but the relative drop is still significant. This suggests that while the RTX 4080 SUPER is powerful, the game's engine at these settings is demanding enough to show clear scaling. The data indicates that the limiting component at 4K Ultra is the GPU, as the frame rate falls to 60.3 FPS, a level that suggests the graphics card is fully saturated. At lower resolutions like 1080p, the very high frame rates (224.9 FPS at High, 316.5 FPS at Low) suggest that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately, but the GPU is no longer the primary constraint at these lower pixel counts.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz and a base clock of 3.40 GHz. Its benchmark profile shows strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24063 and a single-core score of 3397. The CPU's average benchmark score is 26574, placing it in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-11900K, has an average score of 26546, which is a 0.1% difference, indicating they are near-identical in overall processing power.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role appears to be sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at most settings. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 316.5 FPS, a very high number that suggests the CPU is capable of processing frames quickly. The data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 141.4 FPS, which is a demanding scenario for any CPU. The 5800X3D's large 96 MB of shared L3 cache likely contributes to its ability to handle game logic and scene data efficiently, which is reflected in these high frame rates.

However, the scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint at higher resolutions. As resolution increases, the frame rate drops proportionally, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation. The CPU's performance, as indicated by its 83rd percentile ranking and close competition with the i9-11900K, is more than adequate for this title. The data indicates that the 5800X3D provides a solid foundation, but the game's performance ceiling is defined by the GPU at 4K and by the CPU at very high frame rates in 1080p, where it still manages to deliver over 300 FPS on Low settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 316.5, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the system's peak frame delivery capability.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 60.3, while at 1080p Ultra, it is 141.4. This represents a 57.4% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same preset.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1440p High settings?

A: The data shows 154.4 FPS at 1440p High settings. Given that the frame rate increases significantly at lower resolutions (224.9 FPS at 1080p High), the CPU is likely not the primary bottleneck at 1440p, as the GPU is still able to produce high frame rates.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 2560x1440?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Low is 215.4, and at 1440p Ultra it is 100.3. This is a difference of 115.1 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for enabling Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 53610. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, has a score of 53489, which is a 0.2% difference. The data suggests they are very closely matched in overall compute performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete matrix of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a low of 141.4 on Ultra to a high of 316.5 on Low. The Medium preset delivers 252 FPS, while High achieves 224.9 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy where Low is the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the slowest at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but drop consistently. Low settings produce 215.4 FPS, Medium yields 170.1 FPS, and High achieves 154.4 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 100.3 FPS. The order of performance is identical to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 115.1 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance is still playable but shows the most significant impact from settings. Low settings yield 130.7 FPS, Medium produces 105.6 FPS, and High achieves 93.4 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding scenario in the dataset, with an average of 60.3 FPS. The data shows that even at 4K, the system can exceed 60 FPS on High settings, but Ultra pushes it right to the edge of that threshold. Across all resolutions, the Low preset offers the highest frame rates, while Ultra offers the lowest, with Medium and High falling in between.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end graphics card with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. It has a boost clock of 2550 MHz and a base clock of 2295 MHz. The card's benchmark scores show strong performance, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6600 and a Passmark G3D score of 34245. Its average benchmark score is 53610, placing it in the 88th percentile against all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, has an average score of 53489, a 0.2% difference.

The GPU's role in Greedfall is clearly the dominant factor at higher resolutions. The data shows a steep performance drop when moving from 1440p to 4K, particularly at the Ultra preset where FPS falls from 100.3 to 60.3. This 40 FPS reduction indicates that the GPU is being pushed to its limits at 4K Ultra. The card's 16 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for this game, as no memory-related issues are apparent in the data.

The GPU's performance at lower resolutions is also strong, with 1080p High delivering 224.9 FPS. However, the scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is starting to become more relevant at these lower pixel counts, as the GPU is not fully saturated. The RTX 4080 SUPER's performance relative to its rivals, being essentially tied with the RX 6900 XT, indicates that this is a top-tier card that can handle Greedfall at high settings. The data shows that the GPU is the primary factor limiting performance at 4K, while at 1080p, the system's overall speed is a combination of both CPU and GPU capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 4K gaming, the High preset offers the best balance, delivering 93.4 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a significant improvement over the 60.3 FPS seen at Ultra, which is a 33.1 FPS difference. The Medium preset at 4K yields 105.6 FPS, which is also a strong option if slightly lower visual quality is acceptable. The Low preset at 4K, at 130.7 FPS, is the fastest but sacrifices visual fidelity. For a smooth 4K experience, High is the recommended preset as it provides the highest quality while maintaining a high frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 154.4 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 100.3 FPS, which is still very smooth and offers the maximum visual quality. The data suggests that Ultra at 1440p is a viable choice for players who prioritize image quality over extreme frame rates. Medium at 170.1 FPS is also a good option for those seeking even higher refresh rates. For 1440p, the Ultra preset is recommended for the best visual experience, as it stays above 100 FPS.

At 1920x1080, all presets deliver high frame rates. The Ultra preset provides 141.4 FPS, which is more than sufficient for most displays. The High preset at 224.9 FPS is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate panels. The data shows that the Ultra preset at 1080p is the most balanced choice, offering the highest visual quality while still maintaining a frame rate above 140. The Medium preset at 252 FPS and Low at 316.5 FPS are available for those who want to maximize responsiveness. Overall, the data indicates that the High preset at 4K, Ultra at 1440p, and Ultra at 1080p provide the best experience per measured row, balancing visual quality with high performance.