Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B570 combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with a clear performance ceiling that shifts depending on the workload. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to understand where the bottlenecks lie and what the data implies for playability across different configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and consistent drop in performance as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 92 FPS at 1920x1080 to 64 FPS at 2560x1440, and then further down to 38 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a substantial reduction of roughly 30% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 40% drop when stepping up to 4K. This scaling pattern is a strong indicator that the Intel Arc B570 is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated by the increased rendering load.

The trend is even more pronounced when examining the Low settings preset. At 1920x1080, the system produces an average of 130 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. However, this number plummets to 90 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 54 FPS at 3840x2160. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is a massive 40%, suggesting that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the GPU is struggling to keep up with the pixel count at 4K. The data implies that while the CPU can push high frame rates at lower resolutions, the Arc B570 becomes a hard barrier as the resolution increases.

The scaling from Medium to High settings at each resolution also shows a consistent hit. At 1080p, the difference between Medium (102 FPS) and High (92 FPS) is about 10%. At 1440p, the gap narrows slightly, with Medium at 71 FPS and High at 64 FPS. This indicates that the performance cost of moving from Medium to High is relatively stable across resolutions, but the absolute frame rate loss is more impactful at higher resolutions where the starting point is already lower. The data strongly suggests that for a smooth experience at 4K, users will need to make significant compromises in settings, while 1080p offers a much more comfortable performance headroom.

The most telling data point for the limiting component is the Ultra preset. At 1080p, Ultra yields 59 FPS, which is barely playable. At 1440p, it drops to 41 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to a nearly unplayable 24 FPS. The massive performance cost of the Ultra preset, which likely enables the most demanding effects, combined with the steep resolution scaling, confirms that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration for all but the lowest resolution and settings. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, appears to have enough headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU's capabilities are exhausted as the resolution climbs.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a standard 60 FPS experience at 1920x1080, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 92 FPS. This provides ample headroom above the 60 FPS target, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience. The Medium preset is also a strong contender at 1080p, with 102 FPS average, and would be a better choice for users with high refresh rate monitors, as it offers a significant boost over High with likely minimal visual impact.

For 2560x1440, the data suggests that the High preset, at 64 FPS average, is the recommended choice for a near-60 FPS experience. It is right on the edge of the target, but the 71 FPS average of the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin and is a safer bet for maintaining a stable frame rate. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with its 41 FPS average, is not recommended for serious play, as the frame rate dips below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. The High preset yields only 38 FPS, and even the Medium preset struggles at 42 FPS. The Low preset, with an average of 54 FPS, is the only setting that approaches a playable frame rate at 4K. However, this will require a significant reduction in visual quality. For users with 4K displays, the data implies that settling for the Low preset is necessary to maintain a reasonable frame rate, or alternatively, they should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p and using the High preset for a much better visual and performance balance. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions, as it incurs a massive performance penalty for what is likely a marginal visual improvement in this title.

The data also shows a clear pattern in the minimum FPS for the Medium preset, which is the only setting with recorded minimums. At 1080p, the minimum is 87 FPS, at 1440p it is 60 FPS, and at 4K it is 36 FPS. These minimums are close to the averages, indicating that the frame pacing is relatively consistent and there are no severe stutters. This suggests that the Medium preset provides a stable experience across all resolutions, even if the average frame rate is not always ideal.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451, place it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates a solid mid-range processor that is more than capable for gaming. The data suggests that in this specific configuration, the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the GPU's performance limits are hit first.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 130 FPS. This is a high frame rate that requires a capable CPU to feed the GPU. However, the fact that the frame rate scales down so drastically with resolution increases suggests that the CPU is not being fully utilized at 4K. The GPU is simply unable to render frames fast enough to keep the CPU busy. The 3DMark scores for the CPU, such as 4748 for 16 threads and 688 for single-thread, reinforce its position as a balanced performer that should not hold back a mid-range GPU at 1080p.

The benchmark results indicate that the i5-10400F has enough processing power to handle the game's logic and draw calls. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient for a title like Greedfall. The CPU's performance in the Passmark multi-thread test (12115) and single-thread test (2541) shows that it can handle both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads effectively. The data implies that the CPU is a stable foundation for this system, and its performance is only a limiting factor if the GPU were significantly more powerful.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B570 ranks at 2979 out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 20% of all tested configurations, which is a surprisingly low ranking given the individual component scores. The GPU's percentile rank is 65, and the CPU's is 68, both of which are above average. This suggests that the low combo rank is not due to weak individual parts, but rather a suboptimal pairing or specific game optimization issues.

The data implies that while each component is capable on its own, their combination does not translate into a top-tier gaming experience in Greedfall. The low rank indicates that many other CPU and GPU pairings, even those with seemingly less powerful individual components, are able to achieve higher frame rates in this specific game. This could be due to driver inefficiencies, architectural quirks, or a lack of optimization for this particular title on the Arc B570.

The combo rank serves as a stark reminder that synthetic benchmarks do not always tell the full story for real-world gaming performance. The Intel Arc B570's average benchmark score of 20556 is very close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, but in Greedfall, the combo's performance is far from the top tier. The data suggests that prospective buyers should look at game-specific benchmarks rather than relying solely on overall component scores, as the actual performance in a given title can vary significantly.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the clear focal point of this analysis, as it is the component that dictates the performance ceiling for this combo. With a 10 GB GDDR6 memory pool on a 160-bit bus, it offers a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. Its base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz, and it features 2304 shading units. The GPU's Passmark G3D score is 14195, and it holds a 65th percentile rank among all GPUsics, indicating a solid mid-range performer.

The GPU's role in Greedfall is defined by its scaling with resolution. The data shows that the Arc B570 is sufficient for high frame rates at 1080p, but it is quickly overwhelmed as the resolution increases. The 4K Ultra preset, with an average of 24 FPS, is the clearest example of the GPU being out of its depth. The memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s and the 10 GB of VRAM are likely contributing factors, as 4K textures and effects can demand a lot of memory throughput. The GPU's performance in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, with a score of 2649, provides a synthetic baseline that aligns with its mid-range positioning.

The GPU's architecture, Xe2-HPG on a 5 nm process, is designed for modern APIs, as evidenced by its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4. However, the data suggests that in this game, the GPU is not able to leverage its features to overcome its raw throughput limitations at higher resolutions. The high power draw of 150 W and the requirement of a 450 W PSU are consistent with its performance class. The data clearly indicates that the GPU is the dominant factor in the FPS drops observed, and its capabilities define what settings and resolutions are viable for a good experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Greedfall?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 130 at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this combo capable of a smooth 60 FPS experience at 2560x1440?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 2560x1440, the High settings preset achieves an average of 64 FPS, and the Medium preset achieves 71 FPS, both of which are above the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 92 FPS at 1920x1080 to 38 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 54 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570's performance compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is essentially identical to the Intel Arc A750's score of 20582, with a negligible deltaPct of -0.1.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium settings preset at 1440p?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is 60 FPS.

Q: Where does this CPU+GPU combo rank among all tested configurations in Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 2979 out of 3703 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of all tested systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measured for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Minimum FPS | Maximum FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 38 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 54 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 42 | 36 | 48 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 24 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 64 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 90 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 71 | 60 | 81 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 41 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 92 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 130 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 102 | 87 | 117 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 59 | - | - |

This data confirms that the performance envelope for this combo is firmly in the 1080p and 1440p space. The 4K experience is only viable at the Low preset, and even then, the average frame rate of 54 FPS is not ideal. The Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer, and it should be avoided unless the user is willing to accept a significant drop in frame rate. The data provides a clear roadmap for users to configure the game based on their display and performance priorities.