Greedfall

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a broad spread of frame rates in Greedfall, ranging from a highly playable 51.5 FPS at 4K Ultra to a fluid 265.1 FPS at 1080p Low. The data indicates that this combination is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the processor's 4-core/8-thread configuration begins to assert itself more noticeably as resolution drops. This analysis breaks down the scaling behavior, the combo's standing against other tested configurations, and the specific role each component plays in this 2019 Action RPG.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern: as resolution decreases, frame rates increase substantially, but the rate of that increase is not uniform across all settings. At Ultra settings, moving from 4K to 1440p yields a 69% performance uplift (from 51.5 to 87.1 FPS), and moving from 1440p to 1080p yields a further 37% uplift (from 87.1 to 119.7 FPS). This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at 4K, where the RX 7900 XT is working at its limits. The 4K Ultra result of 51.5 FPS is the only measured configuration below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this setting is the most demanding on the graphics hardware.

At Low settings, the scaling pattern shifts dramatically. The jump from 4K to 1440p is 65% (from 111.8 to 184.2 FPS), but the jump from 1440p to 1080p is only 44% (from 184.2 to 265.1 FPS). This diminishing return at 1080p Low suggests that the system is no longer purely GPU-limited. With the graphics load lightened, the CPU's 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz, become a more significant factor. The 1080p Low result of 265.1 FPS is the highest in the entire dataset, but the fact that it doesn't scale proportionally from the 1440p result points to a growing CPU bottleneck.

The Medium and High settings sit between these extremes. At 4K, High (76.3 FPS) and Medium (87.1 FPS) both remain comfortably above 60 FPS, showing that the RX 7900 XT has ample headroom for most quality presets at this resolution. However, the gap between 4K High and 4K Ultra is substantial (48% faster for High), which is a much larger relative difference than the gap between 1440p High (133.5 FPS) and 1440p Ultra (87.1 FPS). This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces a significant rendering cost that disproportionately impacts the GPU at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database ranks this specific CPU-GPU combination at position 382 out of 1705 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 22.4% of all configurations tested for this title. The ranking reflects a pairing of a mid-range, 4-core processor with a high-end, 5 nm graphics card, resulting in a system that performs exceptionally well in most scenarios but is held back from the top tiers by the CPU's limited parallel processing capability.

Examining the individual component benchmarks provides context for this ranking. The CPU holds a 72nd percentile ranking against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 13516. Its performance in multi-threaded tests is modest, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a 3DMark max-threads score of 4023. In contrast, the GPU ranks in the 82nd percentile against all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 29009 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623. This disparity—a 72nd percentile CPU paired with an 82nd percentile GPU—explains why the combination ranks slightly below the sum of its parts; the CPU is the limiting factor in CPU-bound scenarios.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which scores 0.1% higher on average, and the Intel Core i7-7700K, which scores 1.8% higher. This indicates that the i3-12100F's overall benchmark performance is closely matched with much older and more expensive processors, but its 4-core/8-thread design limits its ability to scale in heavily threaded workloads. For Greedfall, the game's engine appears to favor the strong single-thread performance of the i3-12100F (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681) over raw core count, which helps the combo achieve its solid ranking.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and setting combination for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: All tested configurations except 4K Ultra (51.5 FPS) achieve an average FPS above 60. The most demanding setting that remains playable is 4K High at 76.3 FPS, while 1440p Ultra also delivers a comfortable 87.1 FPS.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 1080p?

A: The average frame rate increases by 145.4 FPS, from 119.7 FPS at Ultra to 265.1 FPS at Low. This represents a 121% performance increase, indicating a highly scalable graphics engine.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. The scaling from 4K to 1440p is consistent across all settings, and the 4K Ultra result of 51.5 FPS shows the RX 7900 XT is being pushed to its limits.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-12100F limit performance in this game?

A: Yes, but primarily at lower resolutions. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings (from 184.2 to 265.1 FPS) is less than proportional compared to the scaling at higher settings, suggesting the CPU's 4 cores and 8 threads begin to limit maximum frame rates.

Q: How does this combo compare to the top-ranked configurations?

A: This combo ranks 382nd out of 1705 tested combinations. While the GPU is in the 82nd percentile for all GPUs, the CPU is in the 72nd percentile, which prevents the pairing from reaching the top echelons of the ranking.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1440p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 133.5 at 1440p to 76.3 at 4K. This is a 42.9% reduction in frame rate, which aligns with the increased pixel count of 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides twelve distinct measured configurations, spanning three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 265.1 FPS (Low), 212.1 FPS (Medium), 188.9 FPS (High), and 119.7 FPS (Ultra). The spread from Low to Ultra is 145.4 FPS, with the biggest single drop occurring between High and Ultra, a 36.6% decrease.

At 2560x1440, the results are 184.2 FPS (Low), 148.1 FPS (Medium), 133.5 FPS (High), and 87.1 FPS (Ultra). The relative drop from Low to Ultra is 52.7%, which is slightly less than the 54.9% drop seen at 1080p. This suggests that the GPU remains the dominant factor, but the CPU's influence on the Low preset is becoming apparent.

At 3840x2160, the results are 111.8 FPS (Low), 87.1 FPS (Medium), 76.3 FPS (High), and 51.5 FPS (Ultra). The drop from Low to Ultra is 53.9%. Notably, the 1440p Ultra and 4K Medium results are identical at 87.1 FPS, indicating that the resolution and settings trade-off is perfectly balanced for this hardware in those specific scenarios.

The data shows a consistent pattern: Ultra settings impose a significant performance penalty across all resolutions. The gap between High and Ultra is consistently larger than the gap between Medium and High, with the 4K resolution showing the largest absolute difference (24.8 FPS between High and Ultra). This suggests that Ultra presets enable features that are disproportionately expensive on the GPU's 192 ROPs and 5376 shading units.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 12 MB shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores reveal a processor that excels in lightly threaded tasks, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681, but lags in heavily threaded workloads, as evidenced by its Passmark multi-thread score of 14015 and 3DMark 16-thread score of 4051.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The measured FPS data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at 4K, where the GPU is heavily loaded. However, at 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 265.1 FPS, which is likely approaching the CPU's practical limit for this game engine. The fact that the 1440p Low result (184.2 FPS) scales to 1080p Low (265.1 FPS) with a 44% increase, rather than a 78% increase (which would be proportional to the pixel count difference of 2.25x), strongly suggests that the CPU is becoming saturated.

The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking against all CPUs, combined with its close benchmark scores to rivals like the Intel Core i7-7700K (1.8% higher average score), indicates that it provides a solid foundation for gaming. The 4.30 GHz boost clock is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in a game like Greedfall, which benefits from strong single-thread performance. The data shows that while the RX 7900 XT is the star of the show, the i3-12100F's ability to sustain high clock speeds on its 4 cores prevents it from being a severe bottleneck in most scenarios, allowing the combo to achieve its 382nd place ranking out of 1705 tested combinations.