Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT pairing. The benchmark data shows this combination achieves a combo rank of 751 out of 1705 tested configurations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of performance. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings to understand where this combo excels and where its limitations lie.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates 1440p is the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo achieves 105.5 FPS, which is a significant jump from the 60.9 FPS at 4K. It offers a high refresh rate experience without the massive performance hit seen at 4K.

Q: How does the game perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Performance drops considerably at 4K Ultra, with the average FPS falling to 36.6. This is the most demanding preset tested and suggests that this resolution and setting combination is not viable for smooth gameplay, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The FPS scales very well from 1080p to 1440p and then drops sharply at 4K. For example, at High settings, the FPS goes from 149.0 at 1080p to 105.5 at 1440p and then to 60.9 at 4K, a pattern typical of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the average FPS is 209.1 on Low and 92.4 on Ultra. This represents a massive 116.7 FPS gap, showing that the Ultra preset is much more demanding on the system.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combos?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination ranks 751st out of 1705 tested combos. This places it in the 44th percentile, indicating it performs better than a majority of systems tested in this database for this specific game.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM of the RX 7700 XT seem sufficient for Greedfall?

A: While the FACT PACK does not include VRAM usage data, the 12 GB of VRAM is paired with a 192-bit memory bus providing 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The significant performance drop at 4K Ultra (36.6 FPS) compared to 4K High (60.9 FPS) suggests that the combination of high resolution and ultra textures may be overwhelming the GPU's memory subsystem or compute capabilities.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a flagship 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. With a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, it provides substantial single-threaded and multi-threaded horsepower. Its 128 MB of shared L3 cache is a key feature for gaming, as it can significantly improve performance in titles that are sensitive to cache latency and bandwidth.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role appears to be providing a stable foundation that does not bottleneck the GPU, especially at lower resolutions. The benchmark results show excellent scaling from Low to High settings at 1080p, with FPS figures well above 140. The CPU's strength is also reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 59712 and a single-core score of 8430, which are top-tier results. This processing power ensures that at 1080p and 1440p, the frame rate is largely dictated by the GPU's capabilities. The data implies that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D has ample headroom for this title, allowing the RX 7700 XT to operate at its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the RX 7700 XT achieves a rank of 751 out of 1705 combos in the database for this game. This places it in the 56th percentile, meaning it outperforms 56% of all other tested systems. While this is a solid result, it is not a top-tier ranking, which is expected given that the RX 7700 XT is a mid-range GPU when paired with a flagship CPU.

This ranking suggests that the system is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where it delivers strong performance. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as its 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs, are not fully utilized in this game at 4K, where the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The combo's overall rank reflects the GPU's capabilities, which sits in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, but it also highlights that for a top-100 ranking, a more powerful GPU would be necessary to complement the CPU's processing power at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent frame rates. On Low settings, it achieves 209.1 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Medium settings reduce this to 162.2 FPS, while High settings yield 149.0 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, bringing the average down to 92.4 FPS. This shows that even at the highest settings, the system can maintain a frame rate well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset produces 141.8 FPS, Medium produces 113.8 FPS, and High produces 105.5 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 68.9 FPS. This resolution is the ideal balance for this combo, offering high refresh rates on High settings and still being playable on Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. Low settings are the only preset to remain above the 60 FPS threshold, hitting 85.2 FPS. Medium settings fall to 66.9 FPS, and High settings are just barely at 60.9 FPS. The Ultra preset is not viable for smooth play, as it plunges to 36.6 FPS.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the clear performance driver in this pairing for Greedfall, especially at higher resolutions. Built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, it features 3456 shading units and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s.

The GPU's role is evident in the FPS scaling. From 1080p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS drops from 149.0 to 60.9, a 59% decrease. This steep decline is characteristic of a system where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated. The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 22547 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 3316, place it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a capable mid-range performer. The data suggests that to achieve higher frame rates at 4K, the settings must be lowered, as the GPU simply does not have the raw power to handle the Ultra preset at that resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution.

For 1080p, the High preset is recommended. It provides an outstanding 149.0 FPS, which is a great balance of visual fidelity and performance. While the Ultra preset is playable at 92.4 FPS, the visual difference may not justify the significant performance cost.

For 1440p, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an excellent 105.5 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience. The Ultra preset is also viable at 68.9 FPS, but players who prefer higher frame rates will find the High preset to be the better option.

For 4K, the Medium preset is recommended. It is the highest setting that maintains a playable frame rate, hitting 66.9 FPS. While the High preset is just at the 60 FPS threshold (60.9 FPS), the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin for performance. The Ultra preset should be avoided due to its low 36.6 FPS average.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is 43.5 FPS (from 149.0 to 105.5), a 29% decrease. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe, at 44.6 FPS (from 105.5 to 60.9), a 42% decrease. This escalating decline in performance as resolution increases is a classic sign of the GPU hitting its limits.

The data indicates that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is not the limiting component in this game. The FPS is not scaling linearly with resolution, which would be expected if the CPU were the bottleneck. Instead, the sharp drop at 4K, particularly on the Ultra preset (to 36.6 FPS), points directly to the RX 7700 XT's 12 GB of VRAM and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth being insufficient for the demands of the game at that resolution and settings level. The system is well-matched for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the GPU's mid-range nature becomes apparent at 4K, where users must compromise on visual settings to maintain playable frame rates.