Greedfall

The pairing of an Intel Core i3-12100F with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a study in extremes, placing a 4-core/8-thread Alder Lake processor in front of the flagship Ada Lovelace GPU. This combination produces a fascinating dataset in Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, where the results are dictated less by raw GPU might and more by the intricate balance between a high-end graphics card and a modestly configured CPU. The benchmark data reveals a system that is capable of excellent frame rates, but whose performance scaling is heavily influenced by the processor's capabilities at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is built on the Alder Lake architecture and operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. With 4 cores and 8 threads, it represents the entry point of the 12th Gen desktop lineup, a configuration that relies on high clock speeds rather than core count for performance. Its benchmark scores paint a picture of a processor with strong single-thread capabilities, achieving a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2224, which are competitive figures for its class. The multi-threaded results, however, show its limitations, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of this Greedfall test, the CPU's role is pivotal. The data shows that the i3-12100F can become a limiting factor, especially when the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 354.3, a figure so high that it suggests the CPU is nearing its ceiling for frame generation. This is further supported by the fact that moving from 1080p Low to 1080p High only reduces the frame rate by about 28% (from 354.3 to 251.4 FPS), a smaller drop than what would be expected if the GPU were the primary bottleneck at both settings. The processor's 3dmark scores, particularly the 8-thread score of 4026 which is nearly identical to its max-thread score of 4023, indicate that its performance scales almost linearly up to its 8 threads and then plateaus, confirming that it is a dual-core heavy design with limited headroom for heavily threaded workloads. This means that in Greedfall, the CPU is likely the component that prevents the system from achieving even higher frame rates in the most demanding, low-resolution scenarios.

GPU Role

On the other side of this pairing sits the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, a GPU that is in a completely different performance tier. Based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, it comes with a massive 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. Its clock speeds are high, with a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz, and its raw compute power is immense, with an FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS. It is not an exaggeration to say this is a component designed to dominate at high resolutions and with maximum graphical settings.

Given the RTX 4090's specifications, the measured FPS in Greedfall are surprisingly moderate, particularly at 4K. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 65.6. This is a playable frame rate, but it is far from the extreme performance the GPU is capable of in other titles. This points to the game's engine being a limiting factor, as the RTX 4090's massive compute resources are not fully utilized. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 38194 and its 91st percentile ranking confirm its high standing, but the results here show that Greedfall does not scale perfectly with such hardware. The GPU is not the bottleneck at 4K Ultra; instead, the game itself is. The data suggests that the RTX 4090 is being held back by the game's rendering pipeline, which cannot leverage the card's full potential, resulting in performance that is more typical of a mid-range card than a flagship.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data is the most revealing aspect of this test, showing a clear shift in the bottleneck as resolution changes. At 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-limited. The average FPS ranges from a high of 354.3 on Low settings to 159.9 on Ultra. The difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p is 79 FPS (from 354.3 to 275.4), and between Medium and High it is another 24 FPS (from 275.4 to 251.4). These are significant drops, indicating that the CPU is struggling to keep up with the GPU's frame generation requests.

Moving to 1440p, the load shifts more towards the GPU, but the CPU still plays a significant role. The average FPS at 2560x1440 on Low settings is 242.9, which is a substantial drop from the 354.3 FPS at 1080p Low. This 111 FPS decrease suggests that while the GPU is now doing more work, the CPU is still a limiting factor, preventing the system from maintaining the high frame rates seen at the lower resolution. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The average FPS at 3840x2160 on Low settings is 145.3, a drop of 97.6 FPS from the 1440p Low result. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a more typical GPU-bound pattern, where the increase in pixel count directly impacts the GPU's workload. The data clearly shows that the i3-12100F holds back the RTX 4090 at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the GPU's workload becomes so heavy that the CPU's limitations are no longer the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 45th out of 1705 combinations in Greedfall. This is a strong ranking, placing it in the top 3% of all tested systems. This is a remarkable result for a CPU that, on its own, is in the 72nd percentile. The high ranking is almost entirely attributable to the RTX 4090's dominance. The GPU is so powerful that even with a budget CPU, the system is able to outperform the vast majority of other configurations.

The ranking is impressive, but it also highlights the imbalance. Compared to other combos that might feature a more balanced CPU and GPU, this system's performance is likely held back by the CPU. The fact that it ranks 45th overall, despite having the top-tier GPU, suggests that if the CPU were more capable, this combo could potentially rank even higher. The data implies that this is a combo that will provide excellent performance, but it is also one where the CPU is a clear weak link, preventing the system from achieving its absolute maximum potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all resolutions and settings.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are as follows:

• Ultra: The average FPS is 65.6.
• High: The average FPS is 106.6.
• Medium: The average FPS is 115.2.
• Low: The average FPS is 145.3.

At 2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: The average FPS is 112.
• High: The average FPS is 171.8.
• Medium: The average FPS is 194.3.
• Low: The average FPS is 242.9.

At 1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: The average FPS is 159.9.
• High: The average FPS is 251.4.
• Medium: The average FPS is 275.4.
• Low: The average FPS is 354.3.

The data shows a clear pattern. The largest performance drop occurs when moving from High to Ultra settings at all resolutions, indicating that the Ultra preset is exceptionally demanding. For instance, at 1080p, the drop from High to Ultra is 91.5 FPS (from 251.4 to 159.9), which is more than a 36% reduction. Similarly, at 4K, the drop from High to Ultra is 41 FPS (from 106.6 to 65.6). This suggests that the Ultra settings in Greedfall introduce a significant performance penalty that is likely tied to advanced graphical effects that heavily tax the GPU. The frame rates at 1080p, exceeding 350 FPS on Low, confirm the CPU is the limiting factor there, while the 4K Ultra result of 65.6 FPS shows a more balanced, GPU-limited scenario.