Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, is a demanding title that stresses both CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings. This analysis examines the performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600, using measured frame rate data to characterize the experience across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions. The data shows a combination that delivers playable performance at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K Ultra, revealing a clear GPU bottleneck in the most demanding scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7600 combination holds a rank of 2034 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the lower-mid tier of all possible pairings, indicating that while the system can run the game, it does not deliver top-tier performance relative to the broader hardware landscape. The percentile positioning suggests that many other CPU-GPU pairings achieve higher frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Benchmark results indicate the CPU is a strong performer in synthetic tests, with the Ryzen 9 9900X3D scoring in the 91st percentile versus all CPUs. However, the GPU sits in the 57th percentile versus all GPUs, creating a significant performance imbalance. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s average benchmark score of 54762 is nearly four times higher than the RX 7600’s average score of 15171, highlighting a substantial disparity in raw compute capability. In Greedfall, this means the RX 7600 will frequently be the component holding back the overall frame rate, especially when graphical settings are increased.

The combo’s rank of 2034 reflects this bottleneck. In CPU-light scenarios, such as low settings at 1080p, the system can achieve high frame rates, but as resolution and graphical fidelity increase, the GPU’s limits become more apparent. The data shows a steep decline in performance from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound system. When compared to other combinations, this pairing is not positioned for high-refresh-rate gaming at 4K, but it remains viable for 1080p and 1440p gaming with adjusted settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It features 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1720 MHz, with a game clock of 2250 MHz and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 2250 MHz, or 18 Gbps effective.

In Greedfall, the 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor. At 4K resolution with Ultra settings, the game’s memory demands can exceed the available VRAM, leading to the measured average of 29 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gameplay, but at 4K, the combination of higher texture detail and larger frame buffer requirements puts additional strain on the memory subsystem. The GPU’s pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s provide the raw throughput needed for moderate resolutions, but the 4K Ultra results demonstrate that the card is overwhelmed by the highest fidelity settings.

The RX 7600’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, which has an average score of 15199 (0.2% ahead), and the AMD Radeon 680M, which scores 15270 (0.7% ahead). The RX 7600’s own average benchmark score of 15171 places it slightly below these competitors. This indicates that in Greedfall, the GPU’s performance is typical for its class, and the measured frame rates reflect the card’s mid-range positioning. The 4K results, particularly the 29 FPS average at Ultra, show that this GPU is not designed for high-fidelity 4K gaming in demanding titles like Greedfall.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X3D affect Greedfall’s performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 152 FPS. At High settings, the average drops to 109 FPS. The CPU’s strong single-thread and multi-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 scores of 6739 single-core and 47737 multi-core, ensures that it does not bottleneck the GPU at this resolution.

Q: Is the RX 7600 capable of running Greedfall at 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K performance is limited. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 63, which is playable. However, at 4K High, the average drops to 45 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 29 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the highest settings at this resolution.

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 offers the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 120, with a minimum of 102 and maximum of 138. At 1080p High, the average is 109 FPS. 2560x1440 is also viable, with High settings averaging 75 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 7600 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7600 has an average benchmark score of 15171. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, scores 15199, a delta of -0.2%. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, a delta of -0.7%. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082, which is 0.6% lower. These small deltas indicate similar performance levels among these GPUs.

Q: Does the CPU’s 128 MB of L3 cache impact Greedfall performance?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D features 128 MB of L3 cache, which benefits gaming workloads by reducing memory latency. However, in Greedfall, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU’s cache helps achieve 152 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 29 FPS due to GPU limitations, not CPU performance.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the measured settings?

A: Minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum FPS is 42. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 71 FPS. At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 102 FPS. Other settings do not have recorded minimum FPS values in the data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data provides a comprehensive view of how the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and RX 7600 perform across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 152, making for a very smooth experience. Medium settings yield an average of 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 and maximum of 138, indicating consistent frame pacing. High settings produce an average of 109 FPS. Ultra settings see a significant drop to 69 FPS, showing that the GPU struggles with the highest fidelity at 1080p despite the resolution being relatively modest.

At 2560x1440, performance remains playable but shows the GPU’s limitations more clearly. Low settings average 106 FPS, which is still high. Medium settings average 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 and maximum of 95, providing a stable experience. High settings average 75 FPS, which is acceptable for most gamers. Ultra settings drop to 48 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay. The trend from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent drop of roughly 30% across most settings, indicating that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the RX 7600 is clearly out of its depth. Low settings average 63 FPS, which is just playable. Medium settings average 50 FPS, with a minimum of 42 and maximum of 57, showing noticeable frame dips. High settings average 45 FPS, which is borderline for action RPGs. Ultra settings average 29 FPS, making the game nearly unplayable at this fidelity. The data reveals a stark contrast between 1080p and 4K performance, with the 4K Ultra result being 81% lower than the 1080p Low result. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K Ultra, and even 4K High pushes the card to its limits.

The progression across settings at each resolution follows an expected pattern, but the magnitude of the drops varies. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium costs 32 FPS, from Medium to High costs 11 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 40 FPS. At 1440p, the drops are 23 FPS, 8 FPS, and 27 FPS respectively. At 4K, the drops are 13 FPS, 5 FPS, and 16 FPS. The largest relative drop occurs at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls to 29, representing a 53% reduction from 4K High. This indicates that Ultra settings introduce rendering demands that the RX 7600 cannot handle at high resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 120 watts. The processor features 128 MB of L3 cache, which is substantial for gaming workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and single-core score of 6739 demonstrate strong computational capability. The CPU’s 3DMark scores also show robust performance, with a max threads score of 13795 and a single thread score of 1269.

In Greedfall, the CPU’s role is most pronounced at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully saturated. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 152 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited given the RX 7600’s mid-range positioning. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s high single-thread performance, as indicated by its Geekbench single-core score of 3041, helps maintain high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios. At 1080p Ultra, the FPS drops to 69, showing that the GPU becomes the constraint as settings increase. The CPU’s 24 threads are more than sufficient for Greedfall, which is not a heavily multi-threaded title.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks show it is competitive. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF has an average score of 55093, which is 0.6% higher than the Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s 54762. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 54053, putting it 1.3% lower. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701, 2.0% lower, and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620, 2.1% lower. These small deltas indicate that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a top-tier CPU, and its performance in Greedfall is more than adequate. The bottleneck in this system is the GPU, particularly at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 dual-channel with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s ensures that data can be fed to the GPU efficiently. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 24 lanes provides ample bandwidth for the GPU, although the RX 7600 uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 connection. In Greedfall, the CPU is never the limiting factor, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates at 1080p Low and Medium settings. The 128 MB L3 cache helps with game asset loading and reduces memory access latency, which is beneficial for open-world sections of the game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and performance targets. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 109 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience. The Medium preset, at 120 FPS average, is also an excellent choice for gamers prioritizing higher refresh rates, with a minimum of 102 FPS ensuring minimal stutter. The Ultra preset at 69 FPS is playable but represents a significant performance cost for marginal visual gains. The Low preset at 152 FPS is unnecessary for most users unless targeting very high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS. This provides a stable experience above 60 FPS. The High preset, at 75 FPS, is also viable for gamers who prefer higher graphical fidelity. The Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended, as the frame rate dips below the smoothness threshold. The Low preset at 106 FPS is available for competitive play, but the visual downgrade is significant for an action RPG like Greedfall.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only setting that delivers a consistently playable experience, with an average of 63 FPS. The Medium preset at 50 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 42 FPS that may cause noticeable hitches. The High preset at 45 FPS is not recommended, and the Ultra preset at 29 FPS should be avoided. For 4K gaming, users should consider lowering the resolution or reducing settings to Low to maintain playability. The data clearly shows that the RX 7600 is not suited for high-fidelity 4K gaming in Greedfall.

For the best overall experience, 1080p High or Medium settings are recommended. The High preset offers a 109 FPS average, which is smooth and visually appealing. The Medium preset, with its 120 FPS average and 102 FPS minimum, provides a more consistent frame rate for those sensitive to dips. At 1440p, Medium is the sweet spot, balancing the 83 FPS average with the 71 FPS minimum. Users with 1440p monitors should prioritize Medium settings to avoid the performance drop seen at High and Ultra. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for most players.