Greedfall

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates across the three tested resolutions reveal a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern for this combination. At 1080p with High settings, the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produce an average of 127.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 89.3 FPS, a reduction of 30.1%. At 4K, the average falls further to 52.7 FPS, which represents a 58.7% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline as resolution increases is a clear indicator that the rendering load is shifting decisively onto the graphics card.

The pattern holds across all quality presets. The Low preset at 1080p delivers 179.9 FPS, which drops to 124.9 FPS at 1440p and 73.5 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 140.3 FPS at 1080p, 97.1 FPS at 1440p, and 61.9 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, starts at 84.5 FPS at 1080p, falls to 58.3 FPS at 1440p, and bottoms out at 33.7 FPS at 4K. The consistent drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 30% across all presets, while the jump from 1440p to 4K incurs an additional 40-45% performance penalty.

This behavior indicates that the RTX 4060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus, becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU's 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is likely strained by the increased pixel throughput required at 4K. The data shows that at 1080p, the combination can push well beyond 120 FPS on High settings, suggesting that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU effectively at this resolution. However, the diminishing returns at 4K, where even Low settings only reach 73.5 FPS, underscore that this pairing is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming rather than high-refresh-rate 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores provide context for its gaming performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 11912 in multi-core and 1681 in single-core. The single-core performance is particularly relevant for gaming, as Greedfall's engine typically relies on fewer, faster cores. The 3DMark scores further illustrate this: 4-thread score is 2859, while the 8-thread and max-thread scores are nearly identical at 4026 and 4023, respectively. This plateau indicates that the processor's performance does not scale significantly beyond 4 threads, which is expected given its physical core count.

Comparing the i3-12100F to its nearest rivals in the aggregate benchmark database, it sits within a tight cluster. Its average benchmark score of 13516 is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (13534) and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1250U (13462). It also leads the Intel Core i3-10105 by 0.6% and the Intel Core i7-7700K by 1.8%. These small deltas suggest that in CPU-bound scenarios, the i3-12100F performs on par with much more expensive processors, though the Threadripper and i7-7700K have different core configurations not reflected in this composite score.

In the context of Greedfall, the measured FPS data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 179.9 FPS average is high enough to suggest that the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls without major issues. However, the 4-core design means that in crowded scenes or during complex AI calculations, the CPU could become a limiting factor. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support help mitigate this, but the lack of additional cores is a structural limitation. The data shows that the CPU's role is to provide sufficient single-thread performance to keep the GPU fed, which it does admirably at 1080p and 1440p, but its 4-core architecture places a ceiling on frame rates in scenarios where the GPU is not fully saturated.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four presets. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 127.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and leaves headroom for higher refresh rates. The Medium preset offers 140.3 FPS, a 9.9% improvement over High, while the Low preset reaches 179.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, drops to 84.5 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 33.8% reduction compared to High. Given that the visual fidelity difference between High and Ultra in Greedfall is often marginal, the High preset appears to be the sweet spot for 1080p, offering a strong balance of image quality and performance.

At 1440p, the High preset produces 89.3 FPS, which is comfortable for most displays. The Medium preset bumps this to 97.1 FPS, a 8.7% gain, while Low reaches 124.9 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 58.3 FPS, which is borderline for 60 Hz displays but could cause noticeable stuttering on higher refresh rate monitors. For 1440p, the Medium preset is recommended as it maintains a solid frame rate above 90 FPS while preserving more visual detail than Low. The data indicates that High is also acceptable if the user prioritizes image quality over a higher frame rate buffer.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. The High preset only achieves 52.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for most users. The Medium preset manages 61.9 FPS, just clearing that bar, while Low reaches 73.5 FPS. The Ultra preset is effectively unplayable at 33.7 FPS. For 4K, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a consistent 60 FPS experience, and users may need to consider the Low preset if they want additional headroom. The data suggests that this combination is not well-suited for 4K Ultra settings, and users should temper their expectations accordingly.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Greedfall, this pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 969th out of 1705 total combinations. This places it in the lower-middle tier of tested systems, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is also far from the bottom. The percentile placement suggests that a significant portion of tested combos outperform it, likely due to more powerful CPUs or GPUs. However, the rank should be interpreted with the resolution scaling data in mind. At 1080p, the combination delivers high frame rates that would be competitive with many higher-ranked systems, but its 4K performance drags down its overall standing.

The GPU's individual benchmark percentile is 66, meaning it outperforms 66% of all GPUs in the database. The CPU's percentile is 72, which is slightly higher. This suggests that the CPU is relatively stronger than the GPU in this pairing, which is an unusual dynamic. The RTX 4060's nearest rivals in the GPU benchmarks include the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which is 0.6% ahead, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti, which is 0.7% ahead. The Intel Arc B580 and AMD Radeon 760M are 0.7% and 0.8% behind, respectively. These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4060 is a mid-pack performer, and its rank in Greedfall reflects this.

The combo's rank of 969 is likely influenced by the fact that many higher-ranked systems pair the RTX 4060 with more powerful CPUs. The i3-12100F, while competent, does not offer the multi-core performance of higher-tier processors, which could limit performance in CPU-intensive scenes. The data shows that this combination is a balanced entry-level to mid-range option, capable of handling Greedfall at 1080p and 1440p with high frame rates, but it will not compete with high-end systems at 4K or with maximum settings.

FAQ

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

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 127.7 FPS. This is a strong result, indicating that the combination is well-suited for 1080p gaming at high quality.

Q: Can this combination handle 4K gaming?

A: At 4K, the combination achieves 52.7 FPS on High settings, 61.9 FPS on Medium, and 73.5 FPS on Low. The Ultra preset only reaches 33.7 FPS. It can handle 4K at Medium settings for a playable experience, but not at higher quality presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516. It is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1250U, 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10105, and 1.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-7700K.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 97.1 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS. The High preset also exceeds the target at 89.3 FPS. The Ultra preset falls below the target at 58.3 FPS, so Medium or High is recommended.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at higher resolutions?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The RTX 4060's frame rates drop significantly from 1080p to 4K, while the CPU's single-thread performance appears sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU and GPU?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has a launch MSRP of $97, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 has a launch MSRP of 299 USD.