Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents a compelling case study in hardware scaling when paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a configuration that is heavily influenced by the graphics card's capabilities and memory configuration, while the processor provides a substantial foundation that prevents CPU-bound bottlenecks. This analysis breaks down the measured data to show exactly where the performance limits lie and how this specific combination ranks against the broader database of tested systems.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is the clearest indicator of where the bottleneck resides in this system. At 1080p with Low settings, the RTX 5060 and Ryzen 9 9900X3D combination produces an average of 192 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings reduces that figure to 133 FPS, a 31% decrease. Scaling further to 2160p at Low settings yields 79 FPS, which is another 41% drop from the 1440p result. This steep decline as resolution increases is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario; the processor is not the limiting factor here, as the workload shifts entirely to the graphics card's rendering pipeline.

The scaling pattern holds across other settings presets. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 137 FPS at 1080p to 95 FPS at 1440p (a 31% drop) and then to 57 FPS at 4K (a 40% drop from 1440p). The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 151 FPS at 1080p, 105 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops—roughly 30% between 1080p and 1440p, and another 40% between 1440p and 4K—indicates that the rendering resolution is the dominant variable affecting performance. The CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads are not being taxed by the increased pixel count in a way that would alter the scaling curve.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic resolution sensitivity. It starts at 87 FPS at 1080p, drops to 61 FPS at 1440p, and then plummets to 36 FPS at 4K. The 41% reduction from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is slightly steeper than the other presets, suggesting that the additional graphical effects and higher texture quality at this level are particularly demanding on the GPU's memory bandwidth and shading units. The data shows that the RTX 5060 is the primary determinant of frame rate in every resolution tested, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D's role diminishes as the resolution increases, a typical characteristic of a balanced but GPU-limited pairing in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is the engine driving these frame rates, and its specifications directly explain the measured results. The GPU is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The 8 GB capacity is likely a contributing factor to the performance cliff observed at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls to 36. At higher resolutions and settings, the memory footprint of textures and geometry can exceed the available VRAM, forcing the system to rely on slower memory swaps, which directly impacts the minimum frame rates and overall average.

Clock speeds play a crucial role in the performance deltas between settings. The GPU's base clock is 2280 MHz, with a boost clock of 2497 MHz. The measured average FPS at 1080p Low is 192, which is a strong indicator that the GPU is operating near its boost clock under light load. As the settings increase, the boost clock may be sustained, but the workload becomes more complex. The 36 FPS result at 4K Ultra is not a clock speed issue but rather a raw compute and memory capacity limitation. The GPU has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, which process the pixels, but the 8 GB memory frame buffer is the bottleneck at the highest resolution and detail level.

The RTX 5060's performance percentile of 72 versus all GPUs places it in the upper-midrange tier, and its nearest rivals—the AMD Radeon 860M (deltaPct -0.3) and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (deltaPct -0.3)—are within a fraction of a percent in average benchmark score, indicating a tightly contested performance class. In Greedfall, the GPU's 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is sufficient for smooth 60+ FPS gameplay at 1440p High and Medium settings, as evidenced by the 95 and 105 FPS averages, respectively. The 4K results, however, show that the GPU is not intended for maximum settings at this resolution, with the data suggesting that a reduction in settings is necessary to achieve playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D serves as the central processor, and its characteristics ensure that it is not the limiting factor in these benchmark runs. With 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), the CPU provides substantial multi-threaded capacity. Its base clock of 4.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz are high enough to handle the game's single-threaded logic and AI computations without causing frame rate drops. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and single-core score of 6739, are extremely high, confirming its capability to feed the GPU with data.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed. At 1080p Low, the 192 FPS average is likely approaching the game engine's frame rate limit or the point where the CPU's per-core performance becomes relevant. However, the data shows that the CPU does not bottleneck the system, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes. The 128 MB of L3 cache is a significant asset for gaming, as it can hold more of the game's active data set, reducing memory latency and improving frame pacing.

The Ryzen 9 9900X3D's percentile rank of 91 versus all CPUs places it in the top tier of processors, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, is only 0.6% behind in average benchmark score, while the Intel Xeon 6505P is 2% ahead. In this game, the CPU's influence on the average FPS is minimal across all measured settings, as the performance gaps between resolutions are consistent and directly attributable to the GPU. The CPU's high memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s (DDR5) and PCIe Gen 5 support ensure that data transfer to the GPU is not a bottleneck. The measured results at 4K Ultra (36 FPS) and 4K High (57 FPS) are purely GPU-driven, demonstrating that the processor has ample headroom to support even the most demanding graphical configurations without compromising performance.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, the pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 achieves a specific rank that contextualizes its overall performance. The combo rank is 1258 out of 2938 total tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all systems. This rank reflects the balance of the components; while the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU's midrange positioning pulls the combined score down relative to systems equipped with higher-end graphics cards.

The rank of 1258 indicates that this combination is not for enthusiasts seeking maximum frame rates at 4K Ultra, but it is well above the median, offering a strong experience at 1080p and 1440p. The data shows that the system outperforms a significant portion of the database—over 56% of combos—which is a solid result considering the GPU's market position. When compared to the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 5060 is statistically tied with the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 in average benchmark scores, but in Greedfall, the measured FPS results show that the combination is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, which is a key strength.

The CPU's high rank (91st percentile) does not fully compensate for the GPU's lower rank (72nd percentile) in the overall combo ranking, but it ensures that the system will not exhibit CPU-related stuttering or frame drops in CPU-intensive scenes. The combo's rank suggests that for a user prioritizing high refresh rates at 1080p or smooth 60 FPS gameplay at 1440p, this is a highly capable setup. However, for those targeting 4K gaming with maximum visual fidelity, the rank indicates that the GPU is the component that would need an upgrade to move the system significantly higher in the rankings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 137 FPS.

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

A: The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K results in significant FPS drops (e.g., from 137 FPS to 57 FPS on High settings), which is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload, while the CPU's high performance ensures it is not the constraint.

Q: Can this system play Greedfall at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 62, which is playable. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 36 FPS, which is below the smooth 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 5060's average benchmark score is 26331. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 860M, has a deltaPct of -0.3, meaning the RTX 5060 is 0.3% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 is also 0.3% slower.

Q: What is the boost clock of the RTX 5060?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 has a boost clock of 2497 MHz.

Q: What is the combo's rank in Greedfall?

A: The combo rank for this system in Greedfall is 1258 out of 2938 tested combinations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the highest preset, Ultra, delivers an average of 87 FPS, which is smooth and allows for the best visual quality without sacrificing playability. For users with high refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at 1080p provides an average of 151 FPS, which is ideal for competitive or fast-paced gameplay, while Low settings hit 192 FPS.

For 1440p, the High preset provides an average of 95 FPS, which is an excellent balance between visual fidelity and performance, and is the recommended setting for most users. The Medium preset at 1440p yields 105 FPS, offering a slightly higher frame rate with a minor reduction in graphical effects. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 61 FPS, which is still playable but borders on the edge of smoothness. At 4K, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it achieves an average of 62 FPS, providing a playable experience. The High preset at 4K averages 57 FPS, which is also acceptable, but the Ultra preset at 36 FPS is not recommended due to the significant frame rate drop. The data indicates that the RTX 5060 is best utilized at 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates with high settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete measured FPS data for Greedfall with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, organized by resolution and settings.

1920x1080

• Low: Average 192 FPS (no min/max data)
• Medium: Average 151 FPS, Minimum 128 FPS, Maximum 173 FPS
• High: Average 137 FPS (no min/max data)
• Ultra: Average 87 FPS (no min/max data)

2560x1440

• Low: Average 133 FPS (no min/max data)
• Medium: Average 105 FPS, Minimum 89 FPS, Maximum 120 FPS
• High: Average 95 FPS (no min/max data)
• Ultra: Average 61 FPS (no min/max data)

3840x2160

• Low: Average 79 FPS (no min/max data)
• Medium: Average 62 FPS, Minimum 53 FPS, Maximum 72 FPS
• High: Average 57 FPS (no min/max data)
• Ultra: Average 36 FPS (no min/max data)

The data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the frame rate decreasing as resolution and settings increase. The Medium preset at each resolution provides the only instances where min/max FPS data was recorded, offering a range of frame rates that indicate consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding config, with the lowest average FPS of 36. The system demonstrates strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, with all settings except 4K Ultra providing average FPS above 57, ensuring a smooth gaming experience in most scenarios.