Greedfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. For an Action RPG like Greedfall, which relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and physics, the CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1212 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4800 indicate a very strong foundation. The processor’s multithreaded capabilities are not the primary driver in this game, but the 96 MB of shared L3 cache and the high boost clock ensure that frame pacing remains stable even when the GPU is the limiting factor. The data shows that the CPU’s average benchmark score of 37780 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the Intel Xeon 6353P at a delta of -0.1%, meaning the 9800X3D is effectively tied with that chip in synthetic tests.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough draw calls and geometry data to keep the frame rate from dropping due to processor stalls. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 8252 and the max-thread score of 10067 show that scaling beyond 8 threads brings only marginal gains, which is typical for a game that is not heavily multithreaded. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 14281 and the Geekbench multicore score of 18413 further confirm that the processor has ample headroom, but the benchmark results indicate that at lower resolutions like 1920x1080, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as the CPU can easily maintain high frame rates without becoming saturated. At higher resolutions like 3840x2160, the CPU’s performance is more than sufficient, and the measured FPS is dictated almost entirely by the graphics card’s ability to render pixels.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s core and clock configuration is a key factor in its ability to handle Greedfall’s varied scenes. With 8 physical cores and 16 threads, the processor can manage background tasks and the game’s main thread simultaneously. The base clock of 4.70 GHz is high, but the boost clock of 5.20 GHz is where the processor spends most of its time during gaming. This is supported by the 3DMark 2-thread score of 2394, which shows that even with just two threads, the processor delivers strong performance, a critical metric for a game engine that may only use a few cores for its primary simulation loop. The processor’s 4 nm process node and 70.6 mm² die size, with 8,315 million transistors, allow for high clock speeds without excessive power draw, though the TDP of 120 W is a consideration for cooling.

The benchmark results show that the CPU’s performance in Greedfall is not the limiting factor at most settings. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 80.6, which suggests that the CPU is capable of pushing well beyond that if the GPU could keep up. The Passmark single-thread score of 4430 and the Geekbench single-core score of 3341 are strong indicators of the processor’s ability to handle the game’s single-threaded tasks. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13900HK with an average score of 38020 and a delta of -0.6%, are slightly behind, but the difference is negligible in real-world gaming scenarios. The data indicates that the 9800X3D’s high clock speeds and large cache contribute to a smooth experience, but the overall frame rates are still bound by the GPU.

When comparing resolutions, the CPU’s impact becomes more apparent at 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, where the frame rate drops are consistent with GPU limitations rather than CPU bottlenecks. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 38.6, while at 1920x1080 with the same settings, it is 58.6. This drop of 20 FPS is due to the increased pixel count, not the CPU’s inability to process the game world. The processor’s memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and dual-channel DDR5 support ensure that data can be fed to the GPU without stalling, but the game’s engine does not appear to demand more than the CPU can provide. In summary, the CPU role here is to provide a stable platform, and the measured results show it does so effectively, with the GPU being the primary determinant of frame rates.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the bottleneck in this combo, as expected given its older GCN 4.0 architecture and 14 nm process node. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, and its base clock is 1257 MHz with a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The memory clock is 2000 MHz, or 8 Gbps effective. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results reflect this. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 8813 places it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 at a delta of 0%. This means the RX 580 is essentially on par with a GPU from several generations previous, which is a critical factor in understanding the measured FPS.

In Greedfall, the GPU’s role is to render the game’s environments, characters, and effects. The 2304 shading units and 144 texture mapping units are responsible for the visual fidelity, but the 32 ROPs limit the pixel fill rate to 42.88 GPixel/s. The texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s is adequate for 1080p, but at higher resolutions, the GPU’s fill rate becomes a limiting factor. The FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS is the theoretical maximum, but in practice, the GPU cannot maintain this under load. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 80.6, which is playable, but at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 14.6, which is not.

The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Greedfall at 1080p, but at 4K with Ultra textures, the memory bandwidth may become a bottleneck. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 24.7, and with Medium settings, it is 26.4, showing that the GPU is struggling to maintain playable frame rates. The DirectX 12 support (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3 are present, but the GPU’s age is evident in its performance. The nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 455, has a delta of 1.1%, meaning the RX 580 is slightly faster, but both are far behind modern GPUs. The GPU’s TDP of 185 W and its PCIe 3.0 x16 interface are not the issues; rather, the raw compute power is insufficient for high-resolution gaming. In this combo, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, and the CPU’s performance is largely wasted at higher settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS is 58.6, which is playable but not exceptionally smooth for an action RPG.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 37780, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Xeon 6353P’s score of 37811, making them effectively identical in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the best resolution for a smooth experience with this GPU?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 80.6, which is the highest measured. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, it drops to 56.8, still playable, but at 3840x2160, the frame rates are below 31 FPS on all settings.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: Based on the measured data, the CPU does not appear to bottleneck at any resolution. For example, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 14.6, which is a GPU limitation, not a CPU one.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The Radeon RX 580 is in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13559, placing it below the median.

Q: How does the GPU’s memory bandwidth affect performance in Greedfall?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p but contributes to the lower frame rates at higher resolutions due to the increased data demands.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings offer the best experience for this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average FPS of 80.6, which is the highest measured across all configurations. This is the only setting at this resolution that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the best choice for a smooth gameplay experience. The Medium preset at 1920x1080 gives 64.5 FPS, which is also playable, but the High preset drops to 58.6 FPS, which may feel slightly less fluid during combat. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 is not recommended, as it averages 36.2 FPS, which is below the threshold for a responsive action RPG.

For users who prefer higher resolutions, the data shows that 2560x1440 is only viable with the Low preset, which averages 56.8 FPS. The Medium and High presets at this resolution drop to 41.5 FPS and 38.6 FPS, respectively, which are borderline for a game that requires precision. The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 24.6 FPS and should be avoided. At 3840x2160, none of the presets are recommended, as even the Low preset averages only 31 FPS, and the High and Medium presets fall to 24.7 and 26.4 FPS, respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K is unplayable at 14.6 FPS.

The optimal configuration is to run the game at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which provides the highest average FPS of 80.6. This setting sacrifices visual fidelity for performance, but the benchmark results indicate that the GPU cannot handle higher settings without a significant frame rate penalty. If visual quality is a priority, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers a balance with 64.5 FPS, but the Low preset is the only one that ensures a consistently smooth experience. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with moderate settings, and players should avoid high resolutions to maintain playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 1593 out of 1705 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 7% of all combinations, which is a direct reflection of the GPU’s limitations. The CPU is among the top performers, with a 90th percentile ranking, but the GPU’s 53rd percentile ranking drags the overall combo down significantly. The data indicates that the CPU’s performance is wasted in this pairing, as the GPU cannot utilize the processor’s full potential. For context, if the CPU were paired with a more capable GPU, the combo rank would likely be much higher, but the current data shows that this specific pairing is not well-suited for Greedfall.

The rank of 1593 out of 1705 means that there are only 112 combos that perform worse, which is a clear indicator that this setup is underpowered for the game’s demands. The measured FPS data supports this, as the maximum average FPS across all settings and resolutions is only 80.6 at 1080p Low. The combo’s performance is heavily skewed by the GPU, and the CPU’s high scores do not translate into better frame rates. The nearest CPU rival, the Intel Core i5-13600KF, has a delta of -0.7%, which is negligible, but the GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950, has a delta of 0.1%, showing that the GPU is also on par with older hardware. This combination is not recommended for Greedfall if a high frame rate is desired, as the data clearly shows that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combo performs across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 80.6 on Low settings to 36.2 on Ultra. Specifically, Low averages 80.6, Medium averages 64.5, High averages 58.6, and Ultra averages 36.2. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, with the largest drop occurring between High and Ultra, a difference of 22.4 FPS. This suggests that Ultra settings introduce significant graphical effects that heavily tax the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are lower across the board. Low averages 56.8, Medium averages 41.5, High averages 38.6, and Ultra averages 24.6. The difference between Low and Medium is 15.3 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is 14.0 FPS. This resolution is only playable at Low settings, as the other presets fall below 45 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is consistently below 31. Low averages 31, Medium averages 26.4, High averages 24.7, and Ultra averages 14.6. The gap between Low and Ultra is 16.4 FPS, but all values are below the playable threshold for an action RPG. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops proportionally, and the GPU’s limitations become more pronounced. The best measured performance is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, and the worst is at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.