Greedfall

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 is a profoundly unbalanced combination for Greedfall, ranking near the bottom of all tested combos. With a combo rank of 2672 out of 2938, this system sits in the 9th percentile of tested pairings, and the benchmark data makes it clear that the RX 580 is the overwhelming performance bottleneck. The CPU is a top-tier desktop processor, while the GPU is an end-of-life graphics card from 2017, and the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings reflect this mismatch. For a 2019 Action RPG like Greedfall, this combo delivers playable performance only at 1080p with lower settings, and it falls below 30 FPS at 4K on every setting tested. The following analysis breaks down exactly where this pairing succeeds, where it fails, and what the data indicates about the role of each component.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2672 out of 2938 tested combinations places this system firmly in the lower tier of results for Greedfall. Only 266 other combos perform worse, meaning roughly 91% of all tested pairings deliver higher frame rates in this game. This is a strikingly poor result for a system built around the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, which is one of the most capable CPUs on the market. The data indicates that the RX 580 is entirely responsible for dragging this pairing down to the bottom decile, as the CPU’s benchmark scores suggest it is more than capable of feeding any modern GPU in a game like Greedfall.

The ranking becomes more understandable when considering the GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs, which sits at 53. This means the RX 580 is essentially mid-pack among all graphics cards, but that percentile is computed across all games and workloads, not specifically for Greedfall. In this particular title, the RX 580’s performance is further constrained by its age and architecture, leading to the low combo rank. The CPU, meanwhile, sits in the 91st percentile versus all CPUs, which highlights the massive capability gap between the two components. When a CPU at the 91st percentile is paired with a GPU at the 53rd percentile, the result is a system that cannot utilize the CPU’s potential in gaming workloads, and the measured FPS numbers confirm this.

The deltaPct values for the CPU’s nearest rivals show how close the 9900X3D is to other high-end processors, with a 0.6% advantage over the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF and a 2.1% advantage over the Intel Core i7-14700F. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming, but they do confirm that the CPU is not the limiting factor here. For the GPU, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% faster), which are all in the same performance class as the RX 580. The data shows that even a mobile GPU like the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile edges out the RX 580, reinforcing that this graphics card is the primary reason for the low combo rank in Greedfall.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, with memory running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. These specifications, while respectable for 2017, are severely outdated for a 2019 title like Greedfall, especially when paired with a modern high-end CPU.

The GPU’s pixel rate is 42.88 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 193.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS. These numbers place the RX 580 in the lower-mid range of graphics cards available today. The 53rd percentile versus all GPUs reflects its average standing, but in Greedfall specifically, the measured FPS data shows it struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The GPU supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, which are sufficient for Greedfall’s requirements, but the raw compute power is insufficient for demanding settings at 1440p or 4K.

The RX 580’s 8 GB of VRAM is adequate for Greedfall at 1080p and 1440p, as the game does not appear to exceed this capacity based on the measured FPS data. However, the GPU’s bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s becomes a limiting factor at 4K, where the data shows average FPS dropping to 24 at High settings and 15 at Ultra settings. The boost clock of 1340 MHz is modest by modern standards, and this directly impacts the frame rates in Greedfall, which is a GPU-bound title at higher resolutions. The GPU’s TDP of 185 W and suggested PSU of 450 W are not relevant to performance analysis but indicate that this is a power-hungry card by modern efficiency standards.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo playable for Greedfall at 1080p?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 is 81 on Low, 64 on Medium, 58 on High, and 37 on Ultra. The Medium preset provides a smooth 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS, which is playable, while Ultra drops to 37 FPS, which is borderline.

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

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where this combo achieves consistently playable frame rates. At 2560x1440, average FPS ranges from 26 on Ultra to 56 on Low, with High and Medium at 40 and 44 respectively. At 3840x2160, all settings produce average FPS below 34, with Ultra at just 15 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, scores 12940, which is 0.1% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12986, which is 0.4% faster. These differences are minimal, indicating the RX 580 is competitive with its direct peers.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 9900X3D bottleneck the RX 580?

A: No. The CPU is far more powerful than the GPU, with an average benchmark score of 54762 and a 91st percentile ranking. The GPU is the limiting factor in Greedfall, as evidenced by the low frame rates at 4K and the relatively high performance at 1080p, which is typical of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What settings should be used for the best experience at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields 56 FPS average, which is the only setting above 50 FPS. Medium produces 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. High drops to 40 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS, making Low the recommended choice for this resolution.

Q: Why does the combo rank so low if the CPU is so powerful?

A: The combo rank of 2672 out of 2938 is determined by measured FPS in Greedfall, which is heavily GPU-dependent. The RX 580’s 53rd percentile GPU ranking and its 2017-era architecture limit frame rates, and the CPU’s strength cannot compensate for the GPU’s weaknesses in this specific game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Greedfall spans three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive picture of its performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the most common gaming resolution, the combo achieves its best results. The Low preset delivers an average of 81 FPS, which is excellent for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS, indicating consistent performance without significant frame drops. The High preset averages 58 FPS, which is still playable but shows a notable drop from Medium. The Ultra preset averages 37 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target but could be acceptable for players who prioritize visual quality over smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades significantly. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is playable but noticeably lower than the 1080p result. The Medium preset averages 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS, which means the frame rate can dip below 40 FPS during demanding scenes. The High preset averages 40 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 26 FPS, which is not smooth enough for an action RPG where combat timing matters. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1440p, only the Low preset maintains an average above 50 FPS, and even that is borderline for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates at any setting. The Low preset averages 34 FPS, which is the highest at this resolution but still below the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset averages 26 FPS with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS, indicating significant frame time inconsistency. The High preset averages 24 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 15 FPS, which is essentially unplayable for a game that requires responsive controls. The 4K data reveals that the RX 580 is severely overmatched at this resolution, regardless of the CPU’s capabilities.

The differences between settings at each resolution follow a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 44 FPS (81 vs 37), which is substantial. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 30 FPS (56 vs 26), and at 4K, the gap is 19 FPS (34 vs 15). This suggests that the GPU becomes increasingly bandwidth-limited at higher resolutions, reducing the impact of settings changes. The Medium preset consistently provides the best balance of performance and quality at 1080p and 1440p, while at 4K, even Low is barely playable.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor from the 9000 series, based on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with a transistor count of 16,630 million across a dual-die design of 2x 70.6 mm². The base clock is 4.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and it has a TDP of 120 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a massive 128 MB of L3 cache, which is characteristic of the X3D line and beneficial for gaming workloads.

The CPU’s benchmark results are impressive across the board. In Cinebench R23, it scores 47737 in multicore and 6739 in single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 22884 in multicore and 3041 in single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 56154, with a single-thread score of 4646. The 3DMark results show strong scaling from 2512 in the 2-thread test to 13795 in the max-thread test, indicating excellent multithreading efficiency. The CPU also performs well in specialized tasks, with a PassMark data compression score of 685074 and a floating-point math score of 119622.

In Greedfall, however, the CPU’s role is largely passive due to the GPU bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows that performance scales primarily with resolution and settings, which are GPU-dependent variables. The CPU’s 91st percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 54762 are far above what Greedfall requires, as the game is an Action RPG from 2019 that does not demand extreme CPU performance. The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (55093 average score, 0.6% slower) and the Intel Core i7-14700F (53620 average score, 2.1% slower), are all in the same performance class, but none of them would meaningfully change the FPS results in Greedfall when paired with an RX 580.

The CPU’s memory support includes DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, along with ECC memory support. It also features PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, which provides ample bandwidth for modern GPUs. However, the RX 580 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, which is a generation behind the CPU’s capabilities. This does not appear to be a limiting factor based on the measured FPS data, as the GPU’s internal architecture and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The CPU’s integrated Radeon Graphics are present but irrelevant for gaming performance when a discrete GPU is installed.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and the player’s tolerance for frame rate fluctuations. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. It provides an average of 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS, which maintains smooth gameplay throughout. The High preset at 58 FPS is also viable, but the 6 FPS average difference between Medium and High does not justify the potential for frame drops in combat-heavy scenes. The Low preset at 81 FPS is the best for competitive play or if the player prefers maximum responsiveness, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 37 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 40 FPS threshold where action RPG combat becomes noticeably sluggish.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only setting that delivers an average above 50 FPS, at 56 FPS. This should be the default choice for players using this resolution. The Medium preset at 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS is playable but risky, as frame rates can dip below 40 FPS during intense scenes with multiple enemies or particle effects. The High preset at 40 FPS is marginal, and the Ultra preset at 26 FPS is not recommended for any gameplay scenario. Players who prioritize visual quality over performance might choose Medium, but the data suggests that Low provides the most consistent experience at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, none of the settings deliver a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 34 FPS is the highest average, but it is still below the 40 FPS threshold for acceptable action gameplay. The Medium preset at 26 FPS with a minimum of 22 FPS is too inconsistent for reliable combat, and the High and Ultra presets at 24 and 15 FPS respectively are effectively unplayable. The recommendation for 4K is to avoid this resolution entirely with this combo, or to accept that the game will run at slideshow-like frame rates regardless of settings. The data indicates that the RX 580’s 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is insufficient for Greedfall at 4K, and no settings adjustment can overcome this hardware limitation.

For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the sweet spot. It balances visual quality with performance, maintaining an average of 64 FPS and a minimum of 54 FPS. This allows players to enjoy Greedfall’s environments and character details without sacrificing combat responsiveness. Players with high-refresh-rate monitors might prefer the Low preset at 81 FPS, but the visual downgrade is significant. Those who insist on High settings should stick to 1080p, where 58 FPS is acceptable, and avoid 1440p and 4K entirely. Ultimately, this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming in Greedfall, with Medium settings providing the most reliable experience across the measured data.