Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT pairing. The benchmark data indicates this combo secures a rank of 1399 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of systems. This position suggests a capable setup that can handle the game's demands, though it is not at the absolute top echelon of performance. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy depending on the resolution and preset, with the system's strengths and bottlenecks becoming apparent through the measured FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s overall rank of 1399 out of 3703 combos places it in the 62nd percentile of all tested systems for this title. This is a solid, above-average standing, indicating that the pairing is well-balanced for Greedfall’s specific engine and graphical requirements. While not a top-tier contender, it demonstrates that the combination of the 12-core Ryzen 9 5900X and the Radeon RX 7700 XT provides a smooth experience in most scenarios.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU sits in the 87th percentile against all CPUs, showing strong processing power. The GPU, however, ranks in the 67th percentile against all GPUs. This discrepancy hints that the graphics card is the more likely limiting factor in achieving higher frame rates, especially at higher resolutions, rather than the processor holding the system back. The data suggests a system where the CPU has headroom to spare, while the GPU is working closer to its full capacity.

The measured FPS data supports this interpretation. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 209 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently. However, the GPU's 67th percentile ranking means it cannot sustain those high frame rates when graphical load increases. The combination's overall rank is a function of this balance, solidly above the median but not in the field of the most extreme high-end builds that would rank in the top few hundred.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H and Intel Core i7-14650HX, have average scores within 0.5% of the Ryzen 9 5900X. For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is 0.5% ahead, while the RTX 4060 Mobile trails by 0.8%. These tight margins suggest that the overall combo rank is sensitive to the exact pairing, and a slightly different GPU could push the system significantly higher or lower in the rankings.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combo in Greedfall?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1399 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall, placing it in the upper half of all systems tested.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest competitors in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X has an average benchmark score of 41376. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, scores 41263, which is a 0.3% difference. The Intel Core i7-14650HX is 0.5% behind with a score of 41576, showing these processors are closely matched.

Q: What is the best average FPS the combo can achieve at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 209 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. At the High preset, the average drops to 149 FPS.

Q: How much VRAM does the Radeon RX 7700 XT have, and what is its memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 62, whereas at 1080p High, it is 149. This significant drop when increasing resolution points to the GPU being the primary constraint, as the CPU's performance is less dependent on resolution.

Q: Does the combo support modern graphics APIs required for DirectX 12 games?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which are all modern APIs that Greedfall can utilize.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. This high core count and substantial thread count are assets for modern games, which are increasingly able to utilize multiple cores for physics, AI, and asset streaming. In Greedfall, a game with a focus on exploration and real-time combat, this processing headroom helps maintain consistent frame pacing and prevents CPU-bound stutters.

The CPU's performance in standard benchmarks reinforces its strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 16262 in multi-core and 1527 in single-core tests. This data, combined with a PassMark multithread score of 39002, shows it has ample processing power for the game's logic. The benchmark results indicate that at lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The measured FPS of 209 at Low settings demonstrates the CPU's ability to deliver data to the GPU rapidly, allowing for frame rates that far exceed typical monitor refresh rates.

Interestingly, the CPU’s performance is closely matched by its rivals. The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H has a deltaPct of 0.3%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 is also 0.4% behind. This tight grouping suggests that for Greedfall, the specific choice among these high-end CPUs will result in negligible performance differences. The Ryzen 9 5900X's strength lies in its consistent, high-throughput processing, ensuring that at higher resolutions where the GPU is the limit, the CPU will not introduce additional frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably across the board. The Low preset yields an average of 209 FPS, which is near the top of what most displays can show. Moving to Medium drops the average to 164 FPS, with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 189. The High preset brings the average down to 149 FPS, while the Ultra preset, which likely enables more demanding effects, results in 95 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, there is a predictable decline as the pixel count increases. The Low preset still achieves a high average of 145 FPS. The Medium preset averages 114 FPS, with a range between 97 and 131 FPS. High settings reduce the average to 103 FPS. The Ultra preset sees a significant drop to 66 FPS, indicating that the GPU is starting to struggle with the combined load of higher resolution and maximum graphical features.

The most demanding scenario is 3840x2160, or 4K. Here, the system's limits are clearly defined. The Low preset manages an average of 86 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78 FPS. The High preset dips to an average of 62 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, results in a significant performance hit, averaging only 39 FPS. This data shows a clear, linear progression of decreasing performance as both resolution and settings complexity increase, with the Ultra preset at 4K being the only combination that falls below the generally accepted 60 FPS threshold.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and tells a clear story about the system's balance. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 149. This falls to 103 at 1440p High, a 31% decrease. At 4K High, the average FPS is 62, which is a 58% decrease compared to 1080p High. This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound system. The CPU's workload does not increase significantly with resolution, but the GPU's does, as it must render more pixels.

This is further highlighted by looking at the Low preset scaling. From 209 FPS at 1080p to 145 FPS at 1440p, and then to 86 FPS at 4K. The rate of decline is steep, confirming that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across resolutions, as the CPU would be maxed out regardless of pixel count. Instead, the FPS scales almost inversely with the number of pixels, which is the signature of a GPU that is working at its maximum capacity.

The data suggests that for a 60 FPS target, the system can handle 4K with Medium or High settings, but not Ultra. At 1440p, the system has more headroom, providing over 100 FPS on High settings and allowing for a smooth experience on Ultra at 66 FPS. The 1080p resolution is where the system truly shines, offering exceptional frame rates that can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors. The limiting component is unambiguously the GPU, as its performance dictates the frame rates at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display resolution and target frame rate. For 1080p, the High preset is an excellent choice, delivering an average of 149 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience and is likely the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves a solid 95 FPS average, so users with high-refresh monitors who prioritize visual quality could opt for that, but the difference between High and Ultra may not justify the 36% performance hit.

At 1440p, the High preset is highly recommended, as it delivers an average of 103 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard. The Medium preset offers a slightly higher 114 FPS for users who prefer a competitive edge. The Ultra preset, averaging 66 FPS, is borderline. It is playable, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, and the 36% drop from High makes it a less stable choice. For a consistently smooth experience at 1440p, High is the sweet spot.

At 4K, the recommendations become more constrained. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, making it the highest quality setting that provides a playable experience. The Medium preset, with an average of 68 FPS and a minimum of 58 FPS, offers a more stable frame rate with only a slight reduction in visual quality. The Low preset is also an option at 86 FPS, but it will result in a noticeable decrease in graphical detail. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay. Therefore, for 4K, the Medium preset appears to be the most balanced choice, offering a frame rate that is consistently above 60 FPS with a reasonable visual compromise.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is a formidable graphics card built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, featuring the Navi 32 chip. It operates with a boost clock of 2544 MHz and a game clock of 2171 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This memory configuration is crucial for handling high-resolution textures and complex scenes at 1440p and 4K, as Greedfall’s environments are detailed and can consume significant video memory.

The GPU's raw compute power is substantial, with an FP32 performance of 35.17 TFLOPS and a texture fill rate of 549.5 GTexel/s. These specifications translate directly to the measured FPS. The 67th percentile ranking against all GPUs places it in the upper-mid range, and its performance is closely contested by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, which is a mere 0.5% ahead in average benchmark score. The RX 7700 XT is clearly positioned to handle 1440p gaming with ease and to make 4K gaming a viable option.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions. The 62 FPS average at 4K High is a direct result of the GPU's pixel-pushing capabilities. While the CPU provides the necessary instructions, the GPU's ability to rasterize and shade the scene is what ultimately limits the frame rate. The 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this game, even at 4K, but the card's overall processing power is the bottleneck. For users looking to improve performance further, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield a greater benefit than upgrading the CPU, as the Ryzen 9 5900X has demonstrable headroom in these workloads.