Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents a demanding environment that stresses both processor and graphics hardware. This analysis examines the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, using measured benchmark data to determine the balance between CPU and GPU load, optimal settings, and performance scaling across resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This configuration places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating a high level of general processing capability. In Greedfall, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, AI, and physics, which are heavily reliant on single-thread performance. The Ryzen 7 9700F's strong single-thread score of 4691 in Passmark suggests it is well-suited for these tasks, preventing the processor from becoming a bottleneck in most scenarios.

Looking at its synthetic benchmark scores, the CPU achieves a multi-thread score of 36470 and a single-thread score of 4691. These results are corroborated by its nearest rivals, which show a tightly contested performance envelope. The Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a mere 0.2% higher, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163, which is 0.2% lower. The Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel Core i7-14700K are slightly further apart, with the 7950X scoring 69515 (0.7% higher) and the 14700K scoring 69355 (0.9% higher). The data indicates that the 9700F is a high-end desktop processor whose performance is essentially neck-and-neck with these top-tier rivals, meaning that in a CPU-light scene, it will not be the limiting factor.

The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache is a significant asset for gaming. Greedfall's open-world environments and numerous NPCs can create large working sets that benefit from a sizable cache, reducing the need to access slower system memory. The 9700F's architecture ensures that it can feed the Radeon RX 7700 with sufficient draw calls and game state information, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames quickly. At 1080p, where the GPU is less burdened, the CPU's efficiency in processing commands becomes more critical to achieving high frame rates.

However, the CPU's impact on the measured FPS is most evident when considering the scaling from lower to higher resolutions. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect frame rates to remain static regardless of resolution. The data shows a significant drop in performance as resolution increases, suggesting that while the CPU is capable, it is not the sole determinant of performance. The Ryzen 7 9700F's robust single-threaded performance and high core count make it a suitable partner for the RX 7700, ensuring that the GPU can operate near its full potential without being starved of data.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a significant component in this pairing, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 2459 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz. This hardware configuration places the GPU in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its synthetic performance is highlighted by a Passmark G3D score of 20974, placing it in close competition with its nearest rivals. For instance, the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (0.1% lower), while the AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014 (1% higher). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a slightly faster competitor, scoring 16129, which is 1.7% higher than the RX 7700.

In Greedfall, the GPU is the primary driver of visual fidelity, handling texture rendering, shader calculations, and post-processing effects. The 16 GB VRAM buffer is particularly advantageous for high-resolution textures and complex scenes, as it minimises the need to stream assets from system memory, which can cause stuttering. The GPU's high fill rate, evidenced by a pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s, allows it to maintain high frame rates even with demanding graphical settings.

The measured FPS data shows that the RX 7700 is the main limiting factor in this configuration. As settings increase from Low to Ultra, the average frame rate drops consistently at every resolution. For example, at 1080p, the average FPS goes from 191 on Low to 87 on Ultra, a reduction of over 50%. This pattern strongly indicates that the GPU is struggling to keep up with the increased pixel and shading workload at higher settings, rather than the CPU being unable to provide the necessary data. The GPU's performance is also constrained by resolution; the leap from 1080p to 4K increases the pixel count by a factor of four, which directly impacts the GPU's rendering load. The data confirms that the RX 7700 is a capable mid-range performer that is best suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it will require compromises in settings to maintain playable frame rates at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the game performs across different settings presets. For this CPU and GPU combination, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is found at the Medium preset. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers an average of 150 FPS, which is a significant improvement over the 87 FPS seen on Ultra. This frame rate is exceptionally smooth and ensures a responsive gaming experience. The High preset at 1080p also provides a good experience at 136 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a slightly higher performance headroom, which can be beneficial for maintaining consistency in more demanding scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Medium preset continues to be the sweet spot, delivering an average of 104 FPS. This is a high frame rate that makes full use of 1440p displays. The High preset at this resolution yields 94 FPS, which is still very playable, but the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Medium preset provides an average of 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS, which is playable but dip below the ideal 60 FPS target. The High preset at 4K drops to 56 FPS, which is borderline. For a strictly smooth 4K experience, the Low preset is the only option, delivering 79 FPS, but this requires a significant visual compromise.

The Ultra preset is not a viable option for this hardware. At 1080p, it manages 87 FPS, which is decent, but at 1440p it drops to 60 FPS, and at 4K it falls to a sub-optimal 36 FPS. The data suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on the GPU, which is not sustainable at higher resolutions. Therefore, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation for the best overall experience. It provides high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p and remains playable at 4K, offering a robust balance that leverages the strengths of both the CPU and GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination is ranked 1307 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places the pairing in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, indicating that it is a solid, mainstream performer. The ranking reflects the fact that while the CPU is exceptionally strong, the GPU is a mid-range part. The data shows that the GPU is often the limiting component, which is typical for systems that pair a top-tier processor with a mid-range graphics card.

This rank suggests that the combination is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it will not be at the top of the charts for 4K or maximum settings. The high CPU percentile (94th) is somewhat offset by the GPU's lower percentile (58th), resulting in a combination that is greater than the sum of its parts in CPU-bound scenarios but still constrained by the GPU. The ranking indicates that there is headroom for a more powerful GPU in the future without the CPU becoming a bottleneck, as the processor is capable of supporting a much faster graphics card. In the context of Greedfall specifically, this combo is positioned well for a smooth experience at high settings, but users seeking to max out the game at 4K would need to look at higher-tier GPU options.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline in performance as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average frame rate on the High preset drops from 136 FPS to 94 FPS, a reduction of approximately 31%. This is a significant drop, but the frame rates remain high enough for a fluid experience. The transition from 1440p to 4K is even more demanding, with the High preset falling from 94 FPS to 56 FPS, a further reduction of about 40%. This steep decline indicates that the RX 7700's rendering capabilities are being pushed to their limits as the pixel count increases.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 191 FPS, which drops to 132 FPS at 1440p and then to 79 FPS at 4K. This scaling behaviour reveals that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the frame rates to be more consistent across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not scale with resolution. Instead, the data shows that performance is heavily dependent on the pixel throughput, which is a direct function of the GPU.

The ratio of performance decline also indicates that the system is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K resolution is a bridge too far for the RX 7700. The drop from 1440p to 4K is proportionally larger than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, showing that the GPU is hitting a performance wall. This is typical for a mid-range GPU, which is designed for high refresh rates at lower resolutions rather than maximum fidelity at 4K. The data suggests that for the best experience, users should target 1080p or 1440p, where the GPU can maintain high frame rates without being overwhelmed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides a detailed look at the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset, along with the minimum and maximum FPS where available.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average 191 FPS. This is the highest frame rate achieved, providing an exceptionally smooth experience.
• Medium: Average 150 FPS, with a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS. This is a strong performance that leaves ample headroom.
• High: Average 136 FPS. This is an excellent result for high-refresh-rate monitors.
• Ultra: Average 87 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, but the drop from High to Ultra is significant.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average 132 FPS. This is a very good result for 1440p.
• Medium: Average 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This is a smooth experience, though the minimum dips below 90 FPS.
• High: Average 94 FPS. This is a good, playable frame rate.
• Ultra: Average 60 FPS. This is exactly at the 60 FPS target, but it leaves no headroom for demanding scenes.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average 79 FPS. This is the only settings preset that provides a consistently smooth experience at 4K.
• Medium: Average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS. This is playable, but the minimum FPS indicates potential stutters.
• High: Average 56 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS target and may result in a less fluid experience.
• Ultra: Average 36 FPS. This is not a playable experience, as the frame rate is too low for smooth gameplay.

The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance. The Low preset at 1080p is the only configuration that surpasses 190 FPS, while the Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that falls below 40 FPS. The Medium and High presets provide the most balanced experience across all three resolutions, with the Medium preset offering the best performance-per-visual-quality trade-off, particularly at 1080p and 1440p. The minimum FPS figures, available for the Medium preset, show that the system can maintain consistent performance without severe dips, although the 4K minimum of 53 FPS is a concern for maintaining a locked 60 FPS.