Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG released in 2019, presents a specific workload for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination. This pairing of a 16-core, 32-thread Zen 3 processor with a 16 GB RDNA 3 graphics card produces a data set that clearly separates CPU-bound and GPU-bound scenarios. The benchmark results show a system that delivers high frame rates at mainstream resolutions but struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a 5000 series processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, using a 7 nm process from TSMC. This CPU contains 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It features a substantial 64 MB of L3 cache, alongside 512 KB of L2 per core and 64 KB of L1 per core. The processor supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. These specifications place the CPU in the 91st percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 51947.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is most evident when examining the performance scaling from lower to higher resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 159 FPS, which is drastically higher than the 4K Low figure of 66 FPS. This large delta indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames than the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The processor's single-thread performance, as measured by benchmarks like Cinebench R23 with a score of 1614, and 3DMark 16-thread tests with a score of 10810, suggests it has ample headroom for this title's logic and AI. The data shows that the 5950X is not the limiting factor in this combination for Greedfall; the performance ceiling is defined by the GPU at higher resolutions and settings.

The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 9 5950X provide context for its processing power. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has an average score of 52073, which is a 0.2% difference, making them essentially equivalent. Similarly, the AMD EPYC 8124P scores 52121, a 0.3% difference. The Intel Core i9-13900F is 0.4% behind with a score of 51730, and the Intel Core i7-14700 is 0.7% behind with a score of 52301. These comparisons show that the 5950X's raw processing capability is in the same tier as modern high-end desktop and mobile chips, reinforcing that its compute power is sufficient for the demands of Greedfall.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Ryzen 9 5950X and the Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 2342 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This places the pairing in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is a significant indicator of its overall performance profile. The ranking suggests that while the system is playable, it does not deliver the top-tier frame rates achieved by other combinations using higher-end graphics cards. The percentile ranking for the GPU is 60, which is relatively modest, and this drags down the overall combo rank despite the CPU's high 91st percentile standing.

The combo's rank of 2342 implies that a large portion of tested systems outperform it in this specific game. This is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, as it is a top-tier processor, but rather a direct consequence of the GPU's performance ceiling. The data indicates that the RX 7600 XT is the bottleneck in this pairing. The benchmark results support this conclusion; the framerates at 1080p and 1440p are high, but they do not reach the extreme levels that would be expected if a more powerful GPU were paired with the 5950X. The system is balanced in the sense that the CPU is never holding back the GPU, but the GPU's limits are reached well before the CPU's potential is fully utilized.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average FPS drops from 114 to 79, a 30.7% decrease. Scaling further to 3840x2160 at High settings, the average FPS falls to 47, which is a 58.8% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep drop-off indicates that the rendering workload is heavily dependent on the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 159 at 1080p to 111 at 1440p (a 30.2% drop), and then to 66 at 4K (a 58.5% drop from 1080p). This proportional decrease in performance across resolutions, regardless of the quality preset, confirms that the RX 7600 XT is the limiting component. The CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 1080p, but as the pixel count increases, the GPU's workload becomes the dominant factor, causing the average FPS to scale down in a predictable manner. The data shows that the 5950X has no trouble keeping up with the GPU at any resolution, as the frame rate is consistently tied to the GPU's rendering capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 159. Medium settings yield an average of 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 144 FPS, showing a stable frame time. High settings produce an average of 114 FPS. Ultra settings result in a significant drop to an average of 73 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on the GPU.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable. Low settings average 111 FPS. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 100 FPS. High settings average 79 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 50 FPS, which is a playable frame rate but below the smoothness of the lower presets.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations are fully exposed. Low settings average 66 FPS. Medium settings average 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60 FPS, indicating some frame pacing issues at this resolution. High settings average 47 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of only 30 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a fast-paced Action RPG. The data shows a clear hierarchy, with 1080p providing the best experience, 1440p being a solid middle ground, and 4K only being viable at lower quality settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is a Radeon RX 7000 series graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, with the Navi 33 chip. It has a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2755 MHz, with a game clock of 2470 MHz. The card is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU features 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 32 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities are rated at 22.57 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 17083.

In Greedfall, the GPU is the clear performance bottleneck. The benchmark results show that the frame rate is directly tied to the resolution and settings, which are primarily GPU-dependent variables. The RX 7600 XT's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 with an average score of 17037 (a 0.3% difference), the AMD Radeon HD 7970M with 17019 (a 0.4% difference), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 17208 (a -0.7% difference). These scores indicate that the RX 7600 XT's performance is comparable to older flagship cards, but it lacks the raw power of more modern high-end GPUs. The 16 GB of VRAM is a notable feature, but the data shows that the core rendering performance, not the memory capacity, is what limits the frame rates in this game. The card's 128-bit memory bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth appear to be the constraining factors at higher resolutions, leading to the significant FPS drops observed in the 4K data.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Greedfall?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rates across all settings, with a peak of 159 FPS at Low settings. This resolution is the most suitable for achieving high refresh rates.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X holding back the Radeon RX 7600 XT in this game?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The average FPS scales down consistently with resolution and settings, which is a pattern characteristic of a GPU-bound workload.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K with Low settings, it averages 66 FPS. However, at Ultra settings, the average drops to 30 FPS, which is not a smooth experience.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to the RTX 3070 in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 has an average score of 17208. This represents a 0.7% difference, indicating very similar overall performance.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 114. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 79. This is a decrease of 30.7%.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1440p?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Ultra is 50. While this is technically playable, it is significantly lower than the 87 FPS average at Medium settings, making the Medium preset a more fluid option.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers an average of 125 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 87 FPS, which is well-suited for most displays and ensures a consistent frame rate. The data for the Medium preset includes minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a stable frame time. At 1080p, the minimum FPS is 106 and the maximum is 144, and at 1440p, the minimum is 74 and the maximum is 100, indicating that the frame pacing is consistent without significant stutters.

The High preset is a viable alternative for users who prioritize visual fidelity. At 1080p, it averages 114 FPS, which is still excellent. At 1440p, the High preset averages 79 FPS, which is acceptable for most players. However, the Ultra preset should be avoided at resolutions above 1080p. At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS drops to 50, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 30, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. For 4K gaming, the Low preset, with an average of 66 FPS, is the only option that provides a playable frame rate. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best combination of visual quality and performance, while 1080p Medium or High is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.