Greedfall

# Greedfall Performance Analysis: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080

This combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX mobile processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card delivers strong performance in Greedfall, with the measured data showing a 1080p High average of 174 FPS and a 4K Ultra average of 46 FPS. The combo ranks 760th out of 2,938 tested configurations for this game, placing it in the top 26% of all tested systems. The data reveals a balanced pairing where the CPU's 16-core, 32-thread design with a 5.40 GHz boost clock provides ample headroom for the game's logic, while the GPU's 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth determines the ceiling at higher resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread mobile processor built on the Zen 4 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It operates at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosts up to 5.40 GHz, with 64 MB of L3 cache distributed across the chip. This Dragon Range part carries a 55 W TDP, making it a high-end mobile CPU that sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 76,212 places it nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which scores 76,155 — a delta of just 0.1% — indicating these two processors are effectively tied in overall compute performance.

In Greedfall specifically, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the frame rate scaling across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 244 FPS average, which is a scenario where the CPU must feed the GPU with enough draw calls and game logic updates to maintain such high frame rates. The Ryzen 9 8945HX's 32 threads and 5.40 GHz boost clock are well-suited to this task, as Greedfall is an Action RPG that typically benefits from strong single-core performance for game logic and multi-core capability for background tasks. The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,713 and single-core score of 6,030 indicate robust performance in both threaded and lightly-threaded workloads.

The nearest rival comparison shows the Ryzen 9 8945HX outperforms the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P by 0.4% (76,492 vs 76,212) and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX by 0.4% (76,513 vs 76,212), while trailing the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D by 0.6% (75,779 vs 76,212). These deltas are all within 1%, meaning the CPU is essentially at parity with its closest competitors in synthetic benchmarks. For Greedfall, this translates to consistent frame delivery without CPU-induced bottlenecks, as evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low with 244 FPS, the system maintains playable performance without frame pacing issues.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 76,212 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (76,155) and 0.4% higher than the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (76,492 delta of -0.4%). It sits 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (75,779), but all differences are under 1%, indicating near-identical compute performance.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 244 FPS average. This drops to 192 FPS at Medium, 174 FPS at High, and 111 FPS at Ultra, showing a clear progression as graphics load increases.

Q: Does the RTX 5080's 16 GB VRAM cause any limitations in Greedfall?

A: The measured data shows no VRAM-related stutters or frame drops at any resolution or setting. The 16 GB GDDR7 memory with 960.0 GB/s bandwidth provides sufficient capacity and speed for Greedfall's textures and geometry, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates from 1080p through 4K.

Q: How much performance difference exists between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings deliver 133 FPS average (with a minimum of 113 FPS), while High settings deliver 121 FPS average. This represents a 9% reduction in average FPS when moving from Medium to High, a relatively modest cost for the visual upgrade.

Q: What is the frame rate penalty for enabling Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, Ultra settings produce 46 FPS average, which is 36% lower than High settings at 72 FPS. This represents a significant performance hit that may push the experience below the smooth-playability threshold for some users.

Q: How does the system's combo rank in Greedfall?

A: The combination ranks 760th out of 2,938 tested configurations, placing it in the top 26% of all systems tested for this game. This indicates strong overall performance relative to the broader hardware landscape.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, featuring the GB203 chip with 45,600 million transistors. It operates at a base clock of 2,295 MHz and boosts to 2,617 MHz, with 10,752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs. The GPU's memory subsystem consists of 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus, providing 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and 84 RT cores position it as a high-end graphics solution, though the benchmark data shows it sits in the 87th percentile among all GPUs.

In Greedfall, the GPU's performance directly determines the frame rate at higher resolutions and settings. The measured data shows that at 1080p Low, the system hits 244 FPS, but this drops to 111 FPS at 1080p Ultra — a 55% reduction. The pattern continues at 1440p, where Low delivers 169 FPS but Ultra drops to 77 FPS. At 4K, the gap widens further: Low produces 101 FPS while Ultra falls to 46 FPS. This scaling demonstrates that the RTX 5080 has sufficient headroom for high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K Ultra pushes it to the edge of playability.

The GPU's nearest rival comparison shows the RTX 5080 scores 56,083 on average, which is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon 8060S (55,757) and 0.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698). It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE by 2.2% (57,367). These deltas indicate that the RTX 5080 is competitive with its immediate rivals in synthetic benchmarks, though the real-world Greedfall results depend on how well the game engine utilizes the GPU's specific features. The 16 GB VRAM capacity proves adequate for Greedfall's demands, as no min FPS data points suggest memory-related stutters at any tested configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a predictable pattern where the GPU becomes increasingly the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At High settings, the system delivers 174 FPS at 1080p, 121 FPS at 1440p, and 72 FPS at 4K. This represents a 30% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and another 40% drop from 1440p to 4K. The 4K result is less than half the 1080p figure, indicating that the RTX 5080's compute and memory bandwidth are being heavily taxed at this resolution.

The Low settings data shows a different scaling curve: 244 FPS at 1080p, 169 FPS at 1440p, and 101 FPS at 4K. Here, the drops are 31% and 40% respectively, similar to High settings. This suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU remains the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the CPU's performance headroom is not fully utilized when the GPU is rendering fewer pixels. The Medium settings follow suit: 192 FPS at 1080p, 133 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K, with drops of 31% and 41%.

The Ultra settings show the most extreme scaling: 111 FPS at 1080p, 77 FPS at 1440p, and 46 FPS at 4K. The 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p mirrors the other settings, but the 40% drop from 1440p to 4K is consistent across all quality levels. This uniform scaling pattern indicates that the limiting component is the GPU across all settings, with the CPU providing consistent frame delivery regardless of resolution. The 1080p Low result of 244 FPS suggests the CPU can push well beyond 200 FPS in this game, but the GPU's rendering capacity caps the experience at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, High settings deliver 174 FPS average, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on modern monitors. Ultra settings at 111 FPS are also playable, but the 36% performance drop from High may not justify the visual improvements for most users. Medium settings at 192 FPS offer the highest smoothness for competitive play, though the visual quality reduction is noticeable.

At 1440p, High settings provide 121 FPS average, which is ideal for 120 Hz displays. This represents the best balance between visual fidelity and performance. Medium settings at 133 FPS offer a slight performance boost with minimal visual trade-off, making them a viable alternative for users prioritizing frame rate. Ultra at 77 FPS is playable but drops below the 100 FPS threshold that many gamers prefer for smooth action RPG combat.

At 4K, High settings deliver 72 FPS average, which is acceptable for immersive gameplay on a large screen. Medium settings at 79 FPS provide a small improvement, while Low at 101 FPS offers the smoothest experience but sacrifices significant visual quality. Ultra at 46 FPS is below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay and should be avoided unless visual fidelity takes absolute priority. The data indicates that High settings at 1440p offer the best overall experience, balancing the 121 FPS average with the visual quality that Greedfall's Action RPG environments deserve. For 4K users, Medium settings strike the best compromise at 79 FPS, staying above the 60 FPS playability threshold while maintaining reasonable visual detail.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce 244 FPS average, which is the maximum measured in this configuration. Medium settings achieve 192 FPS average with a minimum of 163 FPS and maximum of 221 FPS, providing a tight frame range that indicates consistent performance. High settings drop to 174 FPS average, while Ultra settings deliver 111 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra is 133 FPS, representing a 55% reduction in performance when enabling the highest quality preset.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down proportionally. Low settings achieve 169 FPS average, Medium delivers 133 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS and maximum of 153 FPS, High produces 121 FPS, and Ultra drops to 77 FPS. The Medium settings at 1440p show a wider frame spread than at 1080p, with a 40 FPS range between minimum and maximum, suggesting more variable scene complexity at this resolution. The High settings at 1440p maintain a 121 FPS average, which is 30% lower than the 1080p High result.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops become more pronounced. Low settings achieve 101 FPS average, Medium delivers 79 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and maximum of 91 FPS, High produces 72 FPS, and Ultra drops to 46 FPS. The 4K Medium settings show a 23 FPS range between minimum and maximum, indicating that some scenes push the GPU harder than others. The Ultra setting at 46 FPS is the only measured configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the least recommended option for sustained gameplay. The overall data shows that the RTX 5080 can handle Greedfall at 1080p and 1440p with high refresh rates, while 4K requires Medium or High settings for a comfortable experience.