Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution. Benchmark results for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination show a clear progression from excellent 1080p performance to a challenging 4K experience, with the GPU acting as the primary performance limiter at higher resolutions. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates at high settings, while 4K Ultra settings push it below playable thresholds.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 111 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High, the average drops to 77 FPS, a reduction of roughly 30%. At 3840x2160 High, the average falls further to 46 FPS, which is about 41% lower than the 1440p result and only 41% of the 1080p performance. This pattern indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is typical for a game like Greedfall that relies on detailed environments and effects.

The scaling behavior points directly to the GPU as the limiting component at higher resolutions. The RTX 5060, with its 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 128-bit bus, has a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. While this is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, the demands of 4K resolution on the memory subsystem and the GPU's compute units cause a significant performance penalty. This is evident in the 4K Ultra preset, which yields a 29 FPS average. This is a 37% drop from the 4K High preset's 46 FPS, showing that the GPU is struggling to handle the combined load of higher resolution and more demanding graphical effects.

The data suggests that the Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the bottleneck in this scenario. At 1080p, where the CPU typically has more influence on frame rates, the combo still achieves high numbers, such as 156 FPS on Low settings. This implies the processor has ample headroom. The performance degradation from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K is consistent with a GPU-bound workload. For instance, the difference between 1080p High (111 FPS) and 1440p High (77 FPS) is a 34 FPS loss, while the difference between 1440p High and 4K High is a 31 FPS loss. This nearly linear decline is a hallmark of a system limited by the graphics card's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with a smooth frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset at 111 FPS is an excellent choice for most users, providing a fluid experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 71 FPS is still playable, but the 40 FPS drop from High suggests that the additional visual enhancements come at a high performance cost. The Medium preset at 122 FPS offers a slightly higher frame rate but with a noticeable reduction in visual quality compared to High. The Low preset at 156 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rate is paramount, as the visual downgrade is significant.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 77 FPS is the recommended starting point. It provides a good balance for immersive gameplay, though it may require some adjustment for gamers who prefer a locked 60 FPS experience. The Medium preset at 85 FPS is a viable alternative if a higher frame rate is desired, offering a 10% performance boost over High. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold. Similarly, the Low preset at 108 FPS is an option, but the visual compromise is substantial at this resolution.

For 3840x2160, the data shows that the combo is not suited for demanding presets. The High preset at 46 FPS is playable but not ideal, and the Medium preset at 51 FPS is the highest average achievable. The Low preset at 64 FPS is the only way to get a frame rate close to 60 FPS at 4K, but it sacrifices most of the graphical detail that makes Greedfall immersive. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is effectively unplayable. Therefore, the best experience at 4K is to use Low settings, accepting a significant visual downgrade for a playable frame rate. In summary, the data suggests using High at 1080p, High or Medium at 1440p, and Low at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the best balance of performance and visual quality, with an average of 111 FPS on High settings. 2560x1440 is also viable, with 77 FPS on High, but 3840x2160 requires Low settings to achieve acceptable frame rates.

Q: Can the RTX 5060 handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: The benchmark results indicate that 4K gaming is a challenge. While Low settings yield an average of 64 FPS, the Medium preset drops to 51 FPS, and High falls to 46 FPS. Ultra settings are not playable at 29 FPS. Users should expect to make significant compromises at this resolution.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 49 FPS, which is a 28 FPS reduction compared to the High preset's 77 FPS. This represents a 36% performance drop for the additional visual fidelity, making High the more practical choice for a smoother experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is significant, with FPS dropping from 111 to 46 on High settings. This is a characteristic of a GPU-bound workload, as the Ryzen 9 8945HX has ample compute resources.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 156 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 71 FPS. This is a difference of 85 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset is over twice as demanding as Low, with a significant impact on the frame rate.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded in the measured data is 43 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. This indicates that frame pacing can be an issue at high resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1922 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the lower 35th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that this is not a top-tier configuration for this specific title. The ranking suggests that while the combo is capable of playing the game, many other hardware pairings deliver higher average frame rates.

This ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's performance ceiling. The RTX 5060, while a modern part, is positioned in the mid-range segment. The benchmark data for the GPU shows it has a percentile rank of 72 against all other GPUs, but its average benchmark score of 26331 is closely matched by rivals. For instance, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT has a deltaPct of 1.2% compared to the RTX 5060, meaning it scores slightly higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% lower. These small differences in raw GPU compute power translate directly to the FPS results seen in Greedfall.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a high-end part. The Ryzen 9 8945HX has a percentile rank of 95 against all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 76212 places it in the top tier. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which is only 0.1% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which is 0.6% slower. This indicates that the processor is not holding back the system in Greedfall. The combo's overall rank is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-range standing, suggesting that a more powerful graphics card would be needed to significantly improve the system's position.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 plays a central role in determining the gaming experience. Its 8 GB of GDDR7 memory is a critical specification. In Greedfall, the impact of this memory size is evident at 4K resolution. The game at 3840x2160 with High settings averages 46 FPS, while dropping to Low settings increases this to 64 FPS. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the game is likely consuming a significant portion of the available VRAM, and the reduction in texture quality and effects at Low settings helps alleviate the pressure on the memory subsystem.

The GPU's clock speeds are 2280 MHz base and 2497 MHz boost. These clocks, combined with the 128-bit memory bus, create a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The benchmark results show that this bandwidth is not sufficient for high-fidelity 4K rendering, as the Ultra preset at that resolution produces a 29 FPS average. The data indicates a clear correlation between the GPU's memory bandwidth and the FPS drops seen when increasing resolution. For example, the jump from 1080p High (111 FPS) to 4K High (46 FPS) is a 65 FPS loss, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's limited fill rate and bandwidth.

The GPU's compute performance, as measured by its 19.18 TFLOPS FP32 rating, also factors into the results. The 4K Ultra preset's 29 FPS average suggests that the GPU's shading units are saturated by the combination of high resolution and complex pixel shaders. The RTX 5060's specification, including its 3840 shading units and 48 ROPs, defines its raw ability to process pixels. The measured data shows that this ability is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but falls short at 4K with high settings. The GPU is the clear bottleneck in this combo for Greedfall, as upgrading the CPU would not yield significant FPS gains in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong results. The Low preset averages 156 FPS, Medium averages 122 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS and a maximum of 141 FPS, High averages 111 FPS, and Ultra averages 71 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a performance cost of 85 FPS, demonstrating the significant impact of graphical settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance is reduced but still respectable. The Low preset averages 108 FPS, Medium averages 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS, High averages 77 FPS, and Ultra averages 49 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 59 FPS, which is slightly less than at 1080p but still substantial. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 72 indicates that frame dips can occur, but they are not severe.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 64 FPS, Medium averages 51 FPS with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS, High averages 46 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration below 30 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset's minimum of 43 FPS shows that even at moderate settings, the system can experience noticeable frame drops. This breakdown confirms that the RTX 5060 is not designed for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming, but it can handle 1080p and 1440p with ease.