Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 action RPG from Spiders, presents a demanding workload that quickly exposes the limits of integrated graphics. This analysis examines the performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the Intel Arc B390, a combination that ranks near the bottom of our tested configurations. The data reveals a system where the CPU is overwhelmingly capable, but the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck, resulting in playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X + Intel Arc B390 combo in Greedfall?

A: This specific combination ranks 2595 out of 2938 tested combos in our database for Greedfall, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations we have measured for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its closest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, 1.3% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, 1.5% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, 2.5% slower). It is only 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which scores 1443.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved at 1080p with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded at 1920x1080 is 84 FPS, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. The High preset delivers 60 FPS, while Medium and Ultra yield 66 FPS and 38 FPS, respectively.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700X a high-performing CPU relative to other processors?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 7 9700X has a percentile ranking of 86, meaning it performs better than 86% of all CPUs in our benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 37943, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-14901E (score 37911, 0.1% faster).

Q: What type of memory does the Intel Arc B390 use?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses System Shared memory, with its memory type, bus width, and bandwidth all being system-dependent. This means it relies on the system's main memory rather than having its own dedicated VRAM.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combo at 4K?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 16 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset. This is far below the threshold for smooth, playable performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its role in this system is defined by its hardware limitations and its shared memory architecture. With a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a base clock of 300 MHz, it operates within a modest 80 W TDP. The GPU is equipped with 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines, alongside 12 ray tracing cores. Its theoretical performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 compute. Critically, the memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Dependent," which ties its memory performance directly to the host system's RAM.

This lack of dedicated video memory is a primary factor in the benchmark results. In Greedfall, a game that can be demanding on memory bandwidth, the Arc B390 must compete with the CPU for access to system memory. This shared resource contention can lead to stutter and reduced frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions and detail settings where the demand for texture data and frame buffer space increases. The GPU's benchmark performance is quite low, as evidenced by its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA integrated or entry-level discrete parts, such as the GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, underscoring its position as a low-performance solution.

The data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's limited memory bandwidth and the frame rates in Greedfall. At 1080p Low, the game achieves an average of 84 FPS. However, when the settings are raised to Ultra, the average drops to 38 FPS. This significant performance penalty is consistent with a GPU that is struggling to manage the increased memory footprint and shading complexity of higher presets. The GPU's role is the primary limiting factor, and its capabilities dictate that the CPU's considerable power (the Ryzen 7 9700X scores 20485 in Cinebench R23 multicore) will remain largely untapped in this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B390 holds a rank of 2595 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 11.7% of all configurations, indicating that it is one of the less capable setups for this title. The ranking reflects the end-to-end performance of the pairing, and the data strongly suggests that the GPU is the dominant constraint.

To contextualize this, consider the individual components. The Ryzen 7 9700X is a high-end desktop processor. It ranks in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37943. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i9-14901E (0.1% faster), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (0.1% faster), the Intel Core 5 211E (0.3% faster), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 (0.4% faster). This demonstrates that the CPU is a top-tier performer in synthetic benchmarks, with strong multi-threaded capabilities from its 8 cores and 16 threads.

In stark contrast, the Intel Arc B390 is a low-tier integrated GPU. It sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are all significantly older and slower parts, like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower) and the GeForce 800M (1.5% slower). The massive disparity in the component-level percentiles directly explains the combo's poor rank. The system is essentially a high-performance CPU paired with a very low-performance GPU, creating a severe bottleneck. The combo's rank of 2595 out of 2938 is a direct consequence of this imbalance, and it indicates that the system will struggle to deliver a smooth experience in most modern games, including Greedfall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo in Greedfall provide a detailed look at its performance across different resolutions and settings. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern: performance is heavily dependent on both resolution and graphical fidelity.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. With the Low preset, the average frame rate is 84 FPS. Moving to the Medium preset drops the average to 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 60 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of 38 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system can provide playable frame rates on Low, Medium, and High settings, but Ultra presents a significant challenge.

At 2560x1440, the performance impact of the higher resolution is evident. The Low preset delivers an average of 58 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS (min 39, max 53), and the High preset averages 42 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to an average of 27 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant across all settings, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and fill rate are being taxed more heavily.

At 3840x2160, the system is largely overwhelmed. The Low preset manages an average of 35 FPS. The Medium preset averages 27 FPS (min 23, max 32), and the High preset averages 25 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an unplayable 16 FPS average. The data shows that 4K resolution is not a viable option for this hardware in Greedfall, as even the lowest settings struggle to maintain a smooth frame rate.

The spread between the minimum and maximum frame rates at 1440p Medium (39-53 FPS) and 1080p Medium (56-76 FPS) also suggests some frame pacing inconsistency, which can be more noticeable than a low average FPS. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown illustrates a GPU that is only capable of delivering a satisfactory experience at 1080p, and even then, only on lower to medium presets.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K for this combo is steep and reveals the nature of the bottleneck. At 1080p High, the average frame rate is 60 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 1440p High, the average drops to 42 FPS, a 30% decrease. Moving to 4K High, the average falls to 25 FPS, which is a 58% decrease from the 1080p figure and a 40% decrease from the 1440p figure. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets.

This scaling behavior is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound system. When the resolution increases, the number of pixels that the GPU must render grows exponentially. The workload on the CPU, however, does not scale in the same way. Since the Ryzen 7 9700X is a very powerful processor, it can easily handle the game's logic and draw calls at all resolutions. The frame rate is therefore dictated almost entirely by the GPU's ability to fill pixels.

The data shows that the Arc B390 simply does not have the raw pixel throughput or memory bandwidth to handle higher resolutions. For instance, the 4K Ultra preset yields a 16 FPS average, which is a 58% drop from the 1080p Ultra result of 38 FPS. The performance loss from 1440p to 4K is more severe than from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU's resources are being exhausted at an increasing rate as the pixel count grows. The fact that the frame rate drops so dramatically with resolution confirms that the Intel Arc B390, with its system-shared memory, is the limiting component. The CPU is not the issue; rather, the integrated GPU's capabilities are insufficient for the demands of higher resolution rendering in Greedfall.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and performance preferences. The goal is to find a balance between visual fidelity and a smooth, playable frame rate.

For 1920x1080, the High preset provides an average of 60 FPS, which is generally considered the baseline for a smooth experience. This is a solid choice. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS, which could be preferable for users who want a bit more headroom to avoid dips. The Low preset, with an average of 84 FPS, is the best choice for competitive play or for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as it ensures maximum fluidity. The Ultra preset, at 38 FPS average, is not recommended, as the visual improvement is unlikely to justify the significant performance hit.

For 2560x1440, the options are more limited. The Low preset at 58 FPS is the only setting that consistently stays near the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset (46 FPS) and High preset (42 FPS) are playable but may feel less smooth, particularly in more demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 27 FPS is not recommended for a good experience.

For 3840x2160, none of the settings presets are recommended for a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 35 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the Ultra preset at 16 FPS is effectively a slideshow. Users with a 4K display should strongly consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or 1080p to achieve a playable frame rate.

In summary, the best experience with this hardware is achieved at 1080p. The High preset offers a good balance of visuals and performance at 60 FPS. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to Medium or Low will provide a noticeable boost. At 1440p, the Low preset is the most viable option. This configuration is best suited for 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings, and users should avoid high resolutions and the Ultra preset to maintain a smooth frame rate.