Greedfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 produces a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card in Greedfall, resulting in a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings. Benchmark data shows the CPU is a high-end performer, ranking in the 86th percentile against all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 40th percentile, creating a significant bottleneck that dictates the game's overall performance ceiling. The measured frame rates confirm this, with the system failing to reach 60 FPS at 1080p on any preset, and performance degrading sharply as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is a formidable processor that is not the limiting factor in this configuration. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, it provides ample processing power for Greedfall's gameplay logic and AI. Its base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensure strong single-threaded performance, which is crucial for game logic, while the 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps maintain smooth data flow. The CPU’s benchmark scores are consistently high, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20485 and a single-core score of 2211, placing it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates that the processor has a vast amount of headroom to handle the game's demands, and it is not the source of the frame rate limitations observed.

The data shows that the CPU is a top-tier part, with an average benchmark score of 37943, putting it in close competition with rivals like the Intel Core i9-14901E and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, both of which are within 0.1% of its score. Its performance in the 3DMark test scales well with thread count, jumping from a single-thread score of 1280 to a 16-thread score of 9824, demonstrating its multi-threading capabilities. In the context of Greedfall, this means the Ryzen 7 9700X is fully capable of feeding the GTX 1650 with data, and the frame rates are not CPU-bound. The system's performance is instead dictated by the GPU's ability to render the game's graphics, as the CPU is effectively waiting for the graphics card to complete its work.

When examining the measured FPS, the CPU's role is clear. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 73 FPS, which is the highest of any measured setting. Even at this point, the performance is likely still limited by the GPU, as the CPU could handle far more frames. The fact that the CPU is in the 86th percentile while the GPU is in the 40th percentile reinforces the interpretation that this is a GPU-limited scenario. The Ryzen 7 9700X is simply not the bottleneck, and its high performance ensures that any frame rate drops are directly attributable to the graphics card's capabilities.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the definitive limiting component in this system, as its performance metrics and benchmark scores are significantly lower than the CPU's. The GPU features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its base clock of 1485 MHz and boost clock of 1665 MHz allow for a peak FP32 performance of 2.984 TFLOPS. These specifications are modest by modern standards, placing the GTX 1650 in the 40th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 7472 is closely matched by rivals such as the AMD Radeon HD 8850M and the Intel UHD Graphics 750, which are within 0.3% and 0.4% of its score, respectively.

The GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth are critical for Greedfall. The 4 GB VRAM is a likely constraint at higher settings and resolutions, as the game may require more memory for textures and assets. The measured FPS shows a clear correlation between the GPU's load and performance. At 1080p Ultra, the system only manages 33 FPS, while at 1080p Low, it achieves 73 FPS. This dramatic difference of 40 FPS is a direct result of the GPU's workload. The GTX 1650's limited number of shading units (896) and texture mapping units (56) are insufficient to handle the increased complexity of higher graphics presets, leading to a significant reduction in frame rates.

The GPU's role is further highlighted by its low performance in DirectX benchmarks. The PassMark DirectX 11 score is 58, and the DirectX 12 score is 35, which are exceptionally low numbers, indicating that the GPU struggles with modern graphics APIs. This is a key factor in Greedfall's performance, as the game likely uses DirectX 11 or 12. The GPU's compute performance is also weak, with a PassMark GPU compute score of 3048. In essence, the GTX 1650 is a low-end part that can only deliver playable frame rates at lower settings, and the data consistently shows that it is the primary reason for the system's performance ceiling in Greedfall.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases, which is a clear indicator of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 52 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same High settings, the average FPS drops to 36, a reduction of 16 FPS (31%). Going further to 4K (3840x2160) at High settings, the average FPS falls to 21, which is a 60% reduction from the 1080p performance. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is struggling to fill more pixels, as the CPU has more than enough headroom to handle the additional resolution without becoming a bottleneck.

The data across all settings confirms this trend. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 73 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p, and then to 30 at 4K. At Ultra settings, the drop is even more pronounced, with 33 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and only 14 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are substantial, indicating that the GTX 1650 is the sole limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the consistent and large FPS drops at every setting level strongly suggest that the GPU's rendering capabilities are saturated.

The resolution scaling also shows how the GPU's memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity become increasingly stressed. At 4K, the number of pixels to be rendered is four times that of 1080p, and the 4 GB VRAM may not be able to hold all the necessary texture data, leading to potential stuttering or reduced performance. The minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium is 20, and the maximum is 27, showing a tight range that indicates the GPU is working at its absolute limit. This system is clearly not designed for high-resolution gaming, and the data confirms that 1080p is the only reasonable resolution for achieving playable frame rates, and even then, only at lower settings.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can achieve playable frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 33 on Ultra to 73 on Low. At 1440p, the average FPS is between 23 and 50, which is less consistent, and at 4K, the average FPS drops to between 14 and 30, which is unplayable.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X has an average benchmark score of 37943. Its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i9-14901E and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, both have scores within 0.1% of it. The Intel Core 5 211E is 0.3% behind, and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 is 0.4% behind.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7472. Its closest rival, the Intel Arc A310, is 1% ahead. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is 0.3% behind, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is 0.4% behind, and the AMD Radeon R7 350 is 0.6% behind.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 73 FPS on Low settings and 33 FPS on Ultra settings. This represents a 40 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset is significantly more demanding on the GPU.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU is in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 40th percentile. The frame rates drop significantly with increased resolution and settings, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation, while the CPU has ample performance headroom.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this system?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 14, which occurs at a resolution of 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the most demanding configuration tested and is unplayable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how the system performs across different resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system is at its best. The Low preset achieves an average of 73 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 66. The High preset averages 52 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 33 FPS. The step from High to Ultra is a significant drop of 19 FPS, demonstrating the heavy cost of the Ultra settings.

Moving to 1440p, the performance declines. The Low preset averages 50 FPS, which is a 23 FPS drop from 1080p. The Medium preset averages 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 45. The High preset averages 36 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 23 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 27 FPS, which is comparable to the 1080p difference, but the absolute numbers are lower.

At 4K, the system is severely strained. The Low preset averages 30 FPS, which is the first time the average dips below the 30 FPS threshold. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27. The High preset averages 21 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 14 FPS. The data shows that even the Low preset is not consistently playable at 4K, as the average is right at the edge of playability. The performance scaling is consistent across all settings, with each resolution increase resulting in a substantial FPS loss, confirming the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended approach is to prioritize 1080p resolution and use the High or Medium preset for the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers an average of 52 FPS, which is a smooth and playable experience for an Action RPG like Greedfall. The Medium preset offers a slightly higher average of 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS, which provides a bit more headroom for demanding scenes. While the Low preset achieves the highest average of 73 FPS, the visual compromise is significant, and the Medium or High preset offers a better visual experience without sacrificing playability.

The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended, as it drops the average FPS to 33, which can feel stuttery and less responsive. The performance cost of Ultra settings is too high for the GTX 1650, and the visual improvements are not worth the loss of smoothness. For users who prefer a higher resolution, 1440p is only viable on Low settings, which averages 50 FPS, but this is a marginal experience. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 40 FPS, which is borderline playable but may have noticeable dips. 4K is not a viable option, as all presets yield an average FPS below 30, which is not a smooth gaming experience.

The best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This setting provides an average of 57 FPS, which is well within the playable range, and the minimum of 48 FPS ensures that there are no major stutters. The High preset is also a strong choice, offering a slightly lower average of 52 FPS but potentially better visual fidelity. Ultimately, the data suggests that this system is best suited for 1080p gaming, and the Medium or High presets provide the optimal balance of frame rate and graphical quality for Greedfall.