Greedfall

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and AMD Radeon RX 580 pairing presents a stark contrast in capability, placing a flagship 2025 processor alongside a 2017-era graphics card. Benchmark results for Greedfall show that the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor, with the CPU’s substantial resources remaining largely untapped at every tested setting and resolution. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data to clarify where the bottleneck lies and what users can expect from this combination.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, operating from a 4.30 GHz base clock up to a 5.70 GHz boost clock. Its 128 MB of L3 cache and DDR5 memory support place it in the top tier of desktop processors, as reflected by its 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259, alongside a Geekbench multi-core score of 26736 and single-core score of 3064.

For Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, this processor is massively overprovisioned. The game’s workload does not scale to 32 threads, nor does it stress a single core to the point where the 9950X3D’s clock speed advantage becomes necessary. The measured frame rates in this dataset are uniformly low, with the highest average being 81 FPS at 1080p Low settings. This ceiling is not a result of CPU limitations; rather, the processor is capable of far higher frame rates in this title, as evidenced by its Passmark single-thread score of 4737 and multi-thread score of 70255.

The data indicates that the CPU is idle-waiting for the GPU in nearly all scenarios. Comparing the 9950X3D to its nearest rivals reinforces its strength: it is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 in average benchmark score. None of these differences would translate to any meaningful FPS change in Greedfall, because the bottleneck is elsewhere. The CPU’s role in this specific combo is to provide a performance ceiling that is never approached, ensuring that any frame rate variation observed is solely attributable to the graphics card.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580, built on the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, is the definitive constraint in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its clocks are modest by modern standards, with a base of 1257 MHz and a boost of 1340 MHz. The GPU’s 2304 shading units and 32 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 6.175 TFLOPS.

In the GPU benchmark hierarchy, the RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% slower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% slower), while the AMD Radeon 740M is 0.5% faster. This places the RX 580 in a performance tier that is fundamentally challenged by Greedfall’s demands at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 15 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra it is only 37 FPS. Even at 1080p Low, the GPU can only muster 81 FPS, a figure that would likely be much higher with a more capable graphics card.

The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the tested settings, but the raw compute throughput is inadequate for smooth gameplay at 1440p or 4K. The RX 580’s performance is the primary reason for the low frame rates across the board. Its DirectX 12 benchmark score of 43 (Passmark) and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1005 illustrate its age and limited headroom. The GPU is the sole component determining the playability of Greedfall in this pairing, and its capabilities cap the experience well below what the CPU could theoretically support.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the most balanced experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, yielding an average of 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73. This is the only configuration that provides a consistently playable frame rate above 60 FPS while maintaining some visual fidelity. Dropping to Low at 1080p increases the average to 81 FPS, which is smoother but sacrifices visual quality for a modest gain.

At 2560x1440, the data shows that no setting achieves a 60 FPS average. High settings produce 40 FPS, Medium produces 44 FPS, and Low produces 56 FPS. The 56 FPS at Low is close to playable but still below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, all settings are effectively unplayable, with the highest average being 34 FPS at Low and the lowest at 15 FPS on Ultra. The best experience, therefore, is unequivocally 1080p Medium. The step from Low to Medium at 1080p costs only 17 FPS (from 81 to 64) but likely provides a significantly better visual presentation. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as the performance penalty is severe: at 1080p, Ultra is 27 FPS slower than Medium (37 vs 64), and at 1440p it is 18 FPS slower (26 vs 44).

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this CPU/GPU pairing in Greedfall?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 with Medium settings provides the best balance, achieving an average of 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS. This is the only combination that consistently stays above 60 FPS on average.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS recorded is 34 at Low settings, and the lowest is 15 at Ultra. All 4K presets fall far below playable frame rates, indicating the GPU is insufficient for this resolution.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p on High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 58 at 1920x1080 to 40 at 2560x1440 on High settings, a reduction of 18 FPS (approximately 31% lower). This significant drop highlights the GPU-bound nature of the system.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D or the RX 580 the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is entirely the limiting factor. The CPU is a top-tier processor with a 95th percentile ranking, while the RX 580 is at the 53rd percentile. The FPS scaling across resolutions and settings is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield an average of 81 FPS, while Ultra yields only 37 FPS. This is a 44 FPS difference, demonstrating the heavy performance cost of Ultra settings on this older GPU.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rival, the GTX 1660 SUPER?

A: The data shows the RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928, which is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER’s score of 12986. This indicates they are nearly identical in overall performance, so similar frame rates would be expected in Greedfall.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation, confirming a severe GPU bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings, the average FPS drops from 58 to 40, a 31% decrease. Scaling further to 3840x2160 on High, the average falls to 24 FPS, a 59% decrease from 1080p. This scaling is steeper than what would be expected from a CPU-limited scenario, where the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases.

At Low settings, the same trend is evident: 81 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Low is 47 FPS, a 58% reduction. This consistent halving of performance as pixel count quadruples is a textbook sign of a GPU that is saturated. The RX 580’s fillrate and shading capabilities are being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel workload, while the 9950X3D’s frame generation capacity remains unused.

The data also shows that the gap between settings narrows at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 44 FPS (81 vs 37). At 1440p, this gap shrinks to 30 FPS (56 vs 26). At 4K, the gap reduces further to 19 FPS (34 vs 15). This convergence indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that even lowering settings cannot compensate for the raw pixel throughput required, and the frame rate becomes more dependent on the resolution itself than the quality preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 81 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield a solid 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73 FPS, making it the most reliable playable option. High settings drop to 58 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 37 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 44 FPS, showing that the GPU has some headroom at this resolution but is taxed by the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, average frame rates fall across the board. Low settings achieve 56 FPS, which is the only preset above 50 FPS at this resolution. Medium settings average 44 FPS (min 38, max 51), High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra drops to 26 FPS. The minimum FPS of 38 at Medium indicates potential stutter, but the averages are consistent. The step from Low to Medium here costs 12 FPS, a smaller absolute penalty than at 1080p, but the relative impact is similar.

At 3840x2160, the RX 580 is clearly out of its depth. Low settings yield an average of 34 FPS, which is the highest recorded at 4K. Medium settings average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 and maximum of 30. High settings drop to 24 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 15 FPS. Every 4K preset fails to reach 35 FPS, making this resolution impractical for any meaningful gameplay. The data shows a consistent pattern: the RX 580 can provide acceptable performance only at 1080p with Medium or Low settings, and struggles to maintain 60 FPS even at the lowest settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3371 out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 9% of all configurations, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s age and performance tier. The CPU is a top-tier component, but the ranking is dragged down entirely by the graphics card, which sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs. The rank of 3371 indicates that the vast majority of other tested systems, even those with older or less powerful CPUs, outperform this combo because they are paired with more capable graphics hardware.

The ranking is a stark illustration of system balance. While the 9950X3D is among the best processors available, its inclusion with an RX 580 creates a severely imbalanced system. The data suggests that the CPU’s potential is wasted in this configuration, as it is never the limiting factor. The combo rank is not a reflection of the CPU’s capability but rather a statement about the GPU’s inability to deliver playable frame rates in Greedfall. For users seeking better performance, the data implies that upgrading the graphics card would yield a dramatic improvement, while the CPU would remain more than sufficient for years to come.