Greedfall

# Greedfall — AMD Ryzen 7 9700F + AMD Radeon RX 580

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 produces a combination that sits near the bottom of the tested field for Greedfall, ranking 2672 out of 2938 tested combos. This places the pairing in roughly the 9th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that while the CPU is a high-tier part, the GPU's age and performance ceiling dominate the experience in this Action RPG. The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings reveals a system that can handle 1080p at medium settings with playable frame rates, but struggles significantly at higher resolutions and ultra presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 58 FPS at 1080p to 40 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 24 FPS at 4K. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 40% drop from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative effect is a 59% reduction in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings.

Low settings exhibit a similar pattern but with higher absolute numbers. At 1080p Low, the average is 81 FPS, dropping to 56 FPS at 1440p (a 31% decrease) and 34 FPS at 4K (a 39% decrease from 1440p, and 58% from 1080p). Medium settings show 64 FPS at 1080p, 44 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K, with the 1080p-to-4K reduction being 59%. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with 37 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and just 15 FPS at 4K—a 59% drop from 1080p to 4K as well.

The consistency of the percentage drops across settings—all hovering around 58-59% from 1080p to 4K—strongly suggests that the GPU is the limiting component. The RX 580, with its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus, is being pushed to its limits as pixel count increases. The fact that the scaling pattern is nearly identical regardless of quality preset indicates that resolution, not settings complexity, is the primary bottleneck. This is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the render resolution drives the workload more than the specific graphical features enabled.

Notably, the 4K Ultra setting produces a barely interactive 15 FPS average, while even 4K Low only manages 34 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combination in Greedfall, regardless of settings. The 1440p results are more mixed—playable at Low (56 FPS) but marginal at High (40 FPS) and Medium (44 FPS), and dipping below 30 FPS at Ultra. For this pairing, 1080p remains the only resolution where consistently playable frame rates are achievable across multiple settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2672 out of 2938 tested combinations places this pairing in the bottom 9% of all tested systems for Greedfall. This is a remarkably low ranking given the CPU's capabilities, and it underscores the extent to which the RX 580 drags down the overall experience. The Ryzen 7 9700F alone sits in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.2% higher score), Intel Core i7-14700KF (0.2% lower), AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.7% higher), and Intel Core i7-14700K (0.9% higher). This places the 9700F in elite company, just fractions of a percent away from some of the fastest consumer processors available.

In contrast, the RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% lower score), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% lower), AMD Radeon 740M (0.5% higher), and AMD FirePro W5100 (0.6% higher). This places the RX 580 in the middle of the pack for GPUs, a stark contrast to the CPU's top-tier positioning.

The massive disparity between the CPU's 94th percentile ranking and the GPU's 53rd percentile ranking explains the low combo rank. In Greedfall, the GPU is the bottleneck, and the CPU's headroom cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations. The data shows that this pairing would perform similarly to other mid-range GPU configurations, regardless of the CPU attached. The combo rank of 2672 out of 2938 reflects the GPU's dominant role in determining game performance, with the CPU's strength providing no meaningful uplift in this title. Users considering this pairing for Greedfall should expect performance consistent with the GPU's tier, not the CPU's.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Greedfall with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings produce at least 37 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only Low settings exceed 50 FPS (56 FPS), while High and Medium hover around 40-44 FPS. At 3840x2160, even Low settings only reach 34 FPS, so 4K is not recommended.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RX 580's average benchmark score is 12928, which is within 0.6% of the AMD FirePro W5100 (12847) and 0.5% of the AMD Radeon 740M (12870). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER by 0.4% (12986) and the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile by 0.1% (12940). These are all effectively equivalent in performance.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700F a bottleneck in Greedfall?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 69996, while the GPU ranks in the 53rd percentile. The massive difference in relative performance indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

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

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 81 FPS average, while Ultra produces 37 FPS. This is a 44 FPS difference, representing a 54% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra. Medium settings sit at 64 FPS, and High at 58 FPS.

Q: Does the RX 580's 8 GB VRAM cause issues at higher resolutions?

A: The measured data shows significant frame rate drops at 4K, with the best 4K result being 34 FPS at Low settings. The 8 GB GDDR5 memory and 256 GB/s bandwidth appear insufficient for 4K rendering in Greedfall, as even the lowest settings fail to reach 60 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the Ryzen 7 9700F than its closest rival?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996. Its closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX at 69875, which is 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163, which is 0.2% higher than the 9700F.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the best experience is achieved with Low settings, which produce 81 FPS average. However, Medium settings at 64 FPS offer a substantial visual upgrade while maintaining smooth frame rates, and the minimum FPS of 54 suggests acceptable frame pacing. High settings at 58 FPS are also viable, though the lack of minimum FPS data makes it harder to assess consistency. Ultra settings at 37 FPS dip below the 60 FPS threshold and approach the 30 FPS boundary, making them unsuitable for fast-paced gameplay.

At 2560x1440, Low settings (56 FPS) are the only preset that reliably exceeds 50 FPS. Medium settings (44 FPS, min 38, max 51) are borderline playable but may experience noticeable stutters, while High (40 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) fall short of smooth performance. For users prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate, Medium at 1440p represents a reasonable compromise, but the data suggests that 1080p is the intended resolution for this hardware.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset delivers acceptable performance. Low (34 FPS) is the only preset above 30 FPS, while Medium (26 FPS, min 22, max 30) and High (24 FPS) are below playable thresholds, and Ultra (15 FPS) is effectively unplayable. The recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combination, or to use resolution scaling techniques if the game supports them (though such features are not covered in the measured data).

The overall best experience per the measured rows is 1080p at Medium settings. This preset delivers 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS, providing smooth gameplay with moderate visual quality. Users with high-refresh-rate monitors may prefer Low settings at 1080p for 81 FPS, accepting reduced visual fidelity for maximum frame rate. For those who prioritize visuals, High at 1080p (58 FPS) is a viable alternative, though it sacrifices some performance margin compared to Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows a clear progression. Low settings yield the highest average at 81 FPS, followed by Medium at 64 FPS (minimum 54, maximum 73). High settings produce 58 FPS, and Ultra drops to 37 FPS. This represents a 44 FPS spread between the lowest and highest quality presets, with each step up in quality costing roughly 6-27 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages decrease across all settings. Low leads at 56 FPS, followed by Medium at 44 FPS (minimum 38, maximum 51), High at 40 FPS, and Ultra at 26 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with Low losing 25 FPS, Medium losing 20 FPS, High losing 18 FPS, and Ultra losing 11 FPS. The smaller absolute drop at Ultra reflects the already low baseline at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes marginal across the board. Low averages 34 FPS, Medium averages 26 FPS (minimum 22, maximum 30), High averages 24 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. The progression from 1440p to 4K sees Low losing 22 FPS, Medium losing 18 FPS, High losing 16 FPS, and Ultra losing 11 FPS. The narrowing gaps at higher resolutions indicate that the GPU is nearing its absolute limits, where even settings changes have diminishing returns.

The minimum and maximum FPS data for Medium settings provides insight into frame consistency. At 1080p, the range is 54-73 FPS (a 19 FPS spread), at 1440p it is 38-51 FPS (a 13 FPS spread), and at 4K it is 22-30 FPS (an 8 FPS spread). The tighter ranges at higher resolutions suggest that the GPU is consistently saturated, whereas at 1080p there is more headroom for frame rate variation. This pattern reinforces the conclusion that the RX 580 is the limiting component across all tested configurations.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The CPU has a 65 W TDP and supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel configuration, providing 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core provide ample data storage for game workloads.

In terms of benchmark performance, the 9700F scores 4691 in single-threaded tests and 36470 in multithreaded tests. Its PassMark multithread score of 36470 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. The nearest rivals are all within 1% of its score, indicating that the 9700F is at the top of the performance curve for consumer processors. The data compression score of 421988 and floating point math score of 77955 highlight the CPU's computational strength.

For Greedfall specifically, the CPU's performance is more than sufficient. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at every resolution and settings combination. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU has the least work to do, the frame rate is 81 FPS—a figure that is likely constrained by the GPU's rendering capabilities rather than the CPU's processing power. The 9700F's 16 threads and high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensure that even demanding scenes with many AI characters or physics calculations would not strain the CPU, though the GPU would still limit overall frame rates.

The CPU's DDR5 memory support and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth are also relevant, as Greedfall's open-world environments benefit from fast memory access. However, since the GPU is the limiting factor, these CPU advantages do not translate into higher frame rates in this game. The data indicates that pairing this CPU with a more powerful GPU would yield substantially better results, as the 9700F has significant headroom that is currently unused.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on the Polaris 20 chip using the GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The GPU has a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, with memory clocked at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory operates on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The RX 580's benchmark results show a mixed profile. Its PassMark G3D score is 8813, while DirectX 11 performance is 60, DirectX 12 is 43, and DirectX 9 is 124. The GPU compute score is 3488, and the Vulkan score via Geekbench is 45173. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1005. These figures place the GPU at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.6% of its performance, indicating that the RX 580 sits in a tightly contested mid-range segment.

In Greedfall, the RX 580's limitations are evident from the measured FPS data. The GPU's 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 193.0 GTexel/s texture rate are insufficient for 4K rendering, where even Low settings only reach 34 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM is not the limiting factor at 1080p, where the GPU's raw compute power is the constraint. At 4K, the combination of increased pixel count and texture memory demands overwhelms the GPU's capabilities.

The RX 580's 185 W TDP and suggested 450 W PSU indicate a power-hungry design by modern standards, but this is not reflected in the game performance. The GPU's age—it was released in 2017—is evident in its DirectX 12 score of 43, which is notably lower than its DirectX 11 score of 60. Greedfall, released in 2019, likely uses modern rendering techniques that favor newer architectures, putting the GCN 4.0 design at a disadvantage. The data shows that the RX 580 is the definitive bottleneck in this pairing, and users seeking better Greedfall performance would need to upgrade the GPU rather than the CPU.