Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is clearly capable but exhibits a distinct performance ceiling. This analysis examines the data to understand how this pairing behaves, where its strengths lie, and what the numbers indicate about the balance between the CPU and GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The most immediate observation from the measured data is the dramatic impact of resolution on performance. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 191 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 132 FPS, and at 4K Low it further declines to 79 FPS. This represents a 59% reduction in average frame rate from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings. The scaling is consistent with a system that is becoming increasingly GPU-limited as the pixel count rises.

The pattern holds across the other settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 136 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p (a 31% drop) and then to 56 at 4K (a further 40% drop from 1440p). The Ultra preset tells a similar story, with 87 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The frame rate drops are not linear, suggesting that the GPU's rendering workload scales super-linearly with resolution, which is typical for a game like Greedfall that is heavy on geometry and texture detail.

What does this imply about the limiting component? The fact that the FPS at 1080p Low (191) is so much higher than at 1440p Low (132) suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is still able to feed the GPU sufficiently, and the bottleneck is not absolute. However, the sharp decline at 4K, particularly the drop from 62 FPS at Medium to 36 FPS at Ultra, points to the GPU being the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The RX 7700, with its 16 GB of VRAM, is not running out of memory, but the raw processing power of the Navi 32 chip is what limits the frame rate when the pixel count is high. The data suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, this GPU requires a reduction in settings, while 1440p and 1080p are far more comfortable territories.

How This Combo Ranks

Looking at the overall standing, this CPU and GPU pairing ranks 1307 out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the 55th percentile of all tested combinations, which is a solidly mid-pack result. It is not a top-tier performer, but it is also far from the bottom. The rank indicates that while this combination is capable of running the game well, there are many other systems that can achieve higher frame rates, likely those pairing the same or similar CPUs with more powerful GPUs.

The rank is a composite measure, and the FPS data helps contextualize it. A rank of 1307 out of 2938 suggests that this combo is in the upper half of all systems, but not among the elite. This is consistent with the GPU's own benchmark percentile of 58, which indicates it performs better than 58% of all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, highlighting that the processor is a top-tier component while the graphics card is a more mid-range part. The combination's overall rank is likely dragged down by the GPU's relative position, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a faster graphics card. The benchmark results indicate that the system will deliver high frame rates at 1080p and solid performance at 1440p, but it will not compete with high-end systems at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 32 chip. Its specifications include a base clock of 1900 MHz, a boost clock of 2459 MHz, and a game clock of 2041 MHz. The memory is configured as 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. These specs are essential to interpreting the game's performance.

The 16 GB VRAM is a significant feature. In Greedfall, a game known for its detailed environments, the data shows that the GPU is not bottlenecked by memory capacity at any of the tested settings. The frame rates at 4K Ultra (36 FPS) are low, but this is due to the GPU's compute throughput, not a lack of memory. The medium preset at 4K yields 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS, which is playable. The GPU's 40 RT cores are present, but Greedfall does not heavily utilize ray tracing, so their impact on this game's results is minimal.

The performance scaling with settings is a direct reflection of the GPU's workload. The jump from Low to Medium at 1440p is a 27% reduction in FPS (from 132 to 104), while the jump from Medium to High is a 10% reduction (from 104 to 94). The most significant drop is from High to Ultra, which sees an average FPS decline of 36% (from 94 to 60). This indicates that the Ultra preset is disproportionately demanding, likely enabling effects that heavily tax the GPU. The data shows a GPU that is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but which requires careful settings management for 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance envelope across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally strong. The Low preset achieves an average of 191 FPS, ensuring the highest refresh rate monitors are easily utilized. Medium preset yields 150 FPS, with a minimum of 127 and a maximum of 172, indicating consistent frame times. High preset still delivers a very smooth 136 FPS. Even the demanding Ultra preset manages an average of 87 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1080p, the combo never drops below 87 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate esports-style play or for maximizing visual fidelity with a high refresh rate.

At 2560x1440, the performance is still very good, but the GPU begins to feel the load. Low preset averages 132 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium averages 104 FPS, with a minimum of 88, ensuring a stable experience. High preset drops to an average of 94 FPS, which is still comfortably above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls to an average of 60 FPS. This is the first point where the system becomes marginal for a 144Hz display, as the average frame rate is right at the edge of what would be considered ideal for such a monitor.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset produces an average of 79 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high refresh rates. Medium preset averages 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 71, which is a playable experience but with some potential for noticeable dips. High preset averages 56 FPS, which is slightly below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages just 36 FPS, which is not a smooth experience and would be considered unplayable for many users. The data clearly shows that 4K is only viable with lower settings for this GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a consistent 60+ FPS?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 with the High preset, the average FPS is 94, and even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the High preset only manages 56 FPS, so 1440p is the highest resolution where the High preset consistently exceeds 60 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance hit do you take going from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The impact varies by settings. At Low, the average FPS drops from 191 to 132, a 31% reduction. At High, it goes from 136 to 94, a 31% reduction. At Ultra, it drops from 87 to 60, a 31% reduction. The relative penalty is consistent across settings.

Q: Is the 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for Greedfall?

A: Yes. The benchmark results do not show any indication of a memory bottleneck. The frame rates scale logically with resolution and settings, suggesting performance is limited by the GPU's compute power, not its 16 GB of VRAM.

Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested systems for this game?

A: This specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1307 out of 2938 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all systems tested for Greedfall.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The High preset averages 94 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 60 FPS. This is a 36% reduction in average frame rate, indicating a significant performance cost for the Ultra settings.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more likely to be the bottleneck in this system?

A: At 1080p, the very high frame rates (191 FPS on Low) suggest the system is well-balanced. However, the sharp FPS drops when moving to 4K (e.g., from 132 FPS at 1440p Low to 79 FPS at 4K Low) indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a high-end desktop processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 96 MB of shared L3 cache, a defining feature of the X3D series. The CPU's own benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22807 and a single-core score of 2228. It sits in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is to manage game logic, AI, and draw calls. The benchmark data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this system. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 191 FPS, a high number that indicates the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to saturate it at lower resolutions. The CPU's high single-thread performance (343 in Cinebench R15 single-core) is beneficial for a game like Greedfall, which likely relies heavily on a few main threads. The massive L3 cache is also beneficial for maintaining high frame rates by reducing memory latency.

The fact that the FPS scales down when the resolution increases is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the limiting factor, rather than the CPU. The 9850X3D has significant headroom, as evidenced by its 92nd percentile ranking. The data implies that if paired with a more powerful GPU, this CPU could push frame rates much higher, particularly at 1080p. In this specific combo, the CPU is doing its job without becoming a constraint, allowing the RX 7700 to operate at its full potential.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear set of recommendations for different gaming priorities. The primary goal is to achieve a stable frame rate that matches the user's display refresh rate. For a 60 Hz display, the system has many viable options.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the optimal choice for a 60 Hz or higher display, delivering an average of 94 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with high visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 1440p is also viable for a 60 Hz display, as it averages exactly 60 FPS, but the High preset provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. For users with a 144 Hz monitor at 1440p, the Medium preset, with an average of 104 FPS, is a better choice than High, as it offers a higher frame rate, though it will still not fully saturate a 144 Hz panel.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is more nuanced. The Medium preset, which averages 62 FPS, is the best option for a 60 Hz display, as it is the only preset above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 4K averages 56 FPS, which is slightly below 60 and may result in noticeable frame drops. The Low preset at 4K, averaging 79 FPS, is also a viable option for those who prioritize frame rate over visual quality. For a 4K experience, the data suggests that Medium or Low settings are necessary to maintain smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, the user has complete freedom. The Ultra preset at 87 FPS is the best choice for maximum visual quality while still maintaining a high frame rate. For those chasing the highest possible FPS, the Low preset at 191 FPS is available. The Medium preset at 150 FPS offers a great balance between visual quality and performance. Overall, the data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates with high settings, while 4K gaming requires a significant compromise in settings to achieve playable frame rates.