Greedfall

Greedfall with the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics. The data indicates that this combination delivers exceptional frame rates, but the scaling pattern across resolutions reveals that the CPU becomes the limiting factor at lower settings, while the GPU takes over at higher resolutions. This is a pairing where the component roles shift dramatically depending on the workload, and the measured results provide clear, actionable insights for optimizing the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K demonstrates a classic GPU-bound curve, but with an unusual twist at the lower settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 246.6 FPS, which drops to 171.5 FPS at 1440p and further to 104.4 FPS at 4K. This represents a 57.6% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is being heavily taxed at the higher resolution. However, the absolute numbers suggest the RTX 3080 Ti is not fully saturated at 1080p Low, as the i3-12100F’s four cores and eight threads are likely reaching their limits.

The situation changes dramatically when moving to High settings. At 1080p, the combo achieves 177.7 FPS, which falls to 125.3 FPS at 1440p and 72 FPS at 4K. The scaling here is more uniform, with a 59.5% drop from 1080p to 4K. This suggests that at High settings, the workload is more balanced between CPU and GPU, allowing the RTX 3080 Ti to flex its muscle without being completely held back by the processor. The 4K High result of 72 FPS is particularly telling; it shows the GPU is working hard, but the game remains playable at a high refresh rate.

At Ultra settings, the pattern shifts again. The 1080p result is 111.2 FPS, dropping to 79.5 FPS at 1440p and 49.3 FPS at 4K. The 55.7% drop from 1080p to 4K is the smallest of any preset, which indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck even at 1080p. This is the point where the RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 34.10 TFLOPS of compute power are being fully utilized, and the CPU’s role diminishes. The data shows that resolution scaling is not linear; it is heavily influenced by the preset, with Low and Medium settings showing a larger relative drop from 1080p to 4K due to CPU limitations at the low end.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Benchmark results show a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a multi-thread score of 4023, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. In Greedfall, this CPU’s role is most apparent at 1080p Low, where the frame rate of 246.6 FPS is likely constrained by the processor’s ability to feed the GPU. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and single-core score of 1681 suggest that while the i3-12100F is no slouch, it lacks the core count to sustain extremely high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the i3-12100F shows a deltaPct of 0.4% against the Intel Core i7-1250U and 0.6% against the Intel Core i3-10105. This indicates that its average benchmark score of 13516 is nearly identical to these competitors, meaning the CPU’s performance headroom is similar. In Greedfall, the CPU’s influence wanes as resolution increases, with the 4K Ultra result of 49.3 FPS being almost entirely GPU-limited. The data suggests that for this game, the i3-12100F provides adequate performance for 1440p and 4K gaming, but at 1080p with lower presets, it becomes the limiting factor, preventing the RTX 3080 Ti from reaching its full potential.

The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are sufficient for this title, but the lack of additional cores is evident in the scaling. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate of 197.9 FPS is significantly lower than the Low preset, which suggests that the game is starting to offload more work to the CPU, and the four cores are struggling to keep up. However, the i3-12100F’s boost clock of 4.30 GHz helps mitigate this, as single-threaded performance is strong, evidenced by the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 169.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High provides an excellent balance, with 125.3 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and only slightly below the 1080p High result of 177.7 FPS. At 4K High, the combo still delivers 72 FPS, making it viable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any settings?

A: Yes, at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 246.6 FPS is likely CPU-limited, as the RTX 3080 Ti is capable of much higher output. The 3DMark multi-thread score of 4023 and the 4-core design suggest that the i3-12100F cannot feed the GPU fast enough at this low preset.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti perform in terms of raw compute?

A: The GPU’s benchmark results include a PassMark G3D score of 26896 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 191309, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 10,240 shading units are more than sufficient for this game.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K?

A: The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 49.3, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable on a standard 60 Hz monitor. However, for competitive play, the 1440p Ultra result of 79.5 FPS is a better choice.

Q: What is the impact of the CPU’s thread count on performance?

A: The i3-12100F has 8 threads, and the 3DMark 8-thread score of 4026 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 4023, indicating that the CPU is fully utilized. In Greedfall, this means the processor is working at its limit, particularly at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 440th out of 1705 tested combinations, placing it in the top 25.8% of all systems. This is a strong showing, given that the CPU is a budget-conscious part and the GPU is a high-end offering.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience, the High preset at 1440p is the clear winner. The measured 125.3 FPS provides a smooth, responsive gameplay experience that exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors. Moving to 1080p High yields 177.7 FPS, but the visual fidelity is lower, and the CPU is more likely to be a limiting factor. At 4K, High settings deliver 72 FPS, which is acceptable for single-player action RPGs, but the Ultra preset at 49.3 FPS is only suitable for players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate.

If maximizing frame rate is the goal, the Low preset at 1080p offers 246.6 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual quality, which is not recommended for a game like Greedfall that relies on atmosphere. The Medium preset at 1440p provides 132.9 FPS, which is a good compromise between the Low and High presets, offering improved visuals over Low without the performance hit of High. The data suggests that the Ultra preset is only viable at 1080p, where it achieves 111.2 FPS, but the visual difference between High and Ultra is often marginal in this title.

The recommended path is to start with 1440p High, then adjust based on the display’s refresh rate. For 4K users, High is the sweet spot, as the 72 FPS result is more than double the Ultra preset’s 49.3 FPS. The measured data clearly shows that the Medium preset at 4K (81.6 FPS) is also a strong option, offering a significant boost over High without a major visual sacrifice.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 440th out of 1705 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 26% of all systems, which is a strong result given that the CPU is a lower-tier part. The rank reflects the GPU’s dominance in this pairing, as the RTX 3080 Ti’s benchmark scores are far above the CPU’s. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 41224 is nearly three times the CPU’s 13516, indicating that the graphics card is the primary driver of performance.

In comparison to other combos, the 440th rank suggests that many systems with higher-end CPUs achieve better frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the CPU bottleneck is most pronounced. However, at 4K, the rank would likely be much higher, as the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor. The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for high-resolution gaming, where the i3-12100F’s weaknesses are masked by the RTX 3080 Ti’s raw power. The rank also benefits from the game’s release in 2019, as it is not particularly demanding on CPU resources compared to more modern titles.

The deltaPct values for the GPU’s nearest rivals show that the RTX 3080 Ti is within 0.5% of the RTX 3090’s average score, meaning this combo’s performance is nearly identical to what a 3090 would deliver in the same system. This confirms the 3080 Ti’s efficiency, as it achieves this rank with a lower power draw and smaller die size.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Greedfall is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low averages 246.6 FPS, Medium averages 197.9 FPS, High averages 177.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 111.2 FPS. This represents a 54.9% drop from Low to Ultra, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher presets.

At 2560x1440, the data shows: Low averages 171.5 FPS, Medium averages 132.9 FPS, High averages 125.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 79.5 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 53.6%, which is slightly smaller than at 1080p, suggesting that the CPU is becoming less of a factor. The High preset at 1440p is the standout, with 125.3 FPS being a very playable result.

At 3840x2160, the results are: Low averages 104.4 FPS, Medium averages 81.6 FPS, High averages 72 FPS, and Ultra averages 49.3 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 52.8%, the smallest of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. The 4K Low result of 104.4 FPS is impressive, showing that the RTX 3080 Ti can handle this resolution with ease when settings are reduced.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, and its role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with a 384-bit bus and 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Greedfall’s textures at 4K. The boost clock of 1665 MHz and base clock of 1365 MHz are modest, but the 10,240 shading units and 320 TMUs provide immense parallel processing power.

In terms of benchmarks, the RTX 3080 Ti scores 26896 in PassMark G3D and 191309 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 3090, has a deltaPct of -0.5%, meaning the 3080 Ti is essentially on par with the higher-end card. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 34.10 TFLOPS is the key metric for Greedfall, as the game relies heavily on traditional rasterization rather than ray tracing.

The GPU’s role in the measured results is clear: at 4K Ultra, the 49.3 FPS result is entirely GPU-bound, with the CPU having little impact. The 186.5 GPixel/s pixel rate and 532.8 GTexel/s texture rate ensure that the GPU can handle the game’s visual effects without stuttering. The 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present for future titles, but in Greedfall, the raw shader performance is what drives the frame rates. The data shows that the RTX 3080 Ti is a capable 4K GPU for this game, especially at High settings where it delivers 72 FPS.