Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. In the context of Greedfall, an Action RPG released in 2019, this CPU provides ample computational headroom. The benchmark data shows the processor achieving a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i9-10900K and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, have average benchmark scores within a 0.3% delta of the i5-12600KF’s average score of 27799, indicating that this CPU is operating at a performance tier that is unlikely to bottleneck the GPU in most gaming scenarios.

The data for this specific combo shows that even at the lowest settings and highest resolution tested, the system does not appear to be CPU-limited. For instance, at 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 74 FPS, while at 1920x1080 with Low settings, it jumps to 180 FPS. This scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding frames far beyond what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The processor’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory further reinforce its capability to handle the game's logic and physics without becoming a limiting factor, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate improvements when resolution is lowered, which typically shifts the bottleneck more towards the CPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2460 MHz, and it has a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s. The GPU’s benchmark scores show a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 and a Passmark G3D score of 19545, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. In the nearest rival comparison, the RTX 4060’s average benchmark score of 17639 is within 0.7% of the AMD Radeon Pro 460 and 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro 560, which are significantly older and less capable cards, highlighting the RTX 4060’s position in the market.

In Greedfall, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 34, which is a substantial decrease from the 74 FPS at Low settings at the same resolution. This behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load at high detail and resolution exceeds what the RTX 4060 can handle. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game’s textures at the tested settings, but the raw compute throughput, as indicated by the 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 performance, becomes the limiting factor when pushing the game to its highest visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across the three resolutions provides clear insight into the system’s bottleneck characteristics. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average FPS drops from 128 to 89, a decrease of approximately 30%. When scaling further to 3840x2160 at High settings, the average FPS falls to 53, which is a 59% reduction from the 1080p result and a 40% reduction from the 1440p result. This steep decline with increasing resolution is a classic indicator of a GPU-limited system, as the CPU’s frame generation capability far exceeds what the GPU can render at higher pixel counts.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the FPS ranges from 180 at 1080p to 125 at 1440p and 74 at 4K, while at Ultra settings, it ranges from 82 at 1080p to 57 at 1440p and 34 at 4K. The consistent drop of roughly 30-40% between each resolution step suggests that the RTX 4060’s rendering throughput is the dominant constraint. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, or the gap between 1080p and 4K would be much smaller. The data clearly shows that at 1440p and above, the system is heavily GPU-bound, while at 1080p, the CPU still provides sufficient headroom to allow the GPU to operate closer to its maximum potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 180 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 141 FPS with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS. The High preset averages 128 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS. These results indicate that at 1080p, the combination of the i5-12600KF and RTX 4060 is well-matched for high-refresh-rate gaming, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a playable frame rate above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades as expected. The Low preset averages 125 FPS, the Medium preset averages 98 FPS with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS, and the High preset averages 89 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 57 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered smooth. At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates, especially at higher settings. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, the Medium preset averages 58 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, and the High preset averages 53 FPS. The Ultra preset averages only 34 FPS, making it unsuitable for a smooth experience at this resolution. The data shows a clear trend: the RTX 4060 is capable of delivering high frame rates at 1080p, but its performance drops significantly as resolution increases, particularly when the graphical settings are raised.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall ranking of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 holds the rank of 2006 out of 3703 combos. This places it in the 54th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a mid-range performer. The ranking reflects the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s strong benchmark scores (79th percentile) are somewhat offset by the GPU’s more modest position (61st percentile) in the broader hardware landscape.

The combo’s rank is a product of the GPU’s performance ceiling. While the i5-12600KF is a capable processor that ranks closely with the Intel Core i9-10900K and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D in CPU benchmarks, the RTX 4060’s average score of 17639 is just 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M and 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which are not in the same performance class. This suggests that the combo’s overall rank is dragged down by the GPU, which, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, does not have the raw power to compete with higher-tier graphics cards at 4K. The measured FPS data corroborates this, showing that the system is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, which limits its overall standing in the database.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers an excellent balance, averaging 128 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 82 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 46 FPS drop from High to Ultra suggests diminishing returns for the visual quality increase. For players prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, Ultra at 1080p is viable, but High provides a more comfortable margin.

At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 89 FPS, which is the best choice for a smooth experience. The Medium preset averages 98 FPS, but the jump to High only costs 9 FPS and likely provides a noticeable visual improvement. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 57 FPS, which is borderline, and the data suggests that players should stick to High for a consistent experience above 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 74 FPS, making it the only setting that provides a consistently smooth frame rate. The Medium preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable but may experience occasional dips to 50 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as their averages of 53 FPS and 34 FPS, respectively, fall below the smoothness threshold. The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is best utilized at 1080p with High settings, or at 1440p with High settings, where it delivers a strong balance of performance and visual quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Greedfall with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 with High settings provides the best experience, averaging 128 FPS. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average drops to 89 FPS, which is still smooth, but 3840x2160 at any setting above Low results in average frame rates below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12600KF compare to its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, which is 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-10900K and 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE. It is also 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, indicating very similar overall performance.

Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 a bottleneck at 4K resolution in this game?

A: Yes, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160. The average FPS at 4K with High settings is 53, and with Ultra settings it drops to 34, demonstrating that the RTX 4060 lacks the rendering power to maintain high frame rates at this resolution.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 125 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 57 FPS. This represents a 68 FPS difference, showing a significant performance cost for the highest visual settings.

Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested combinations in Greedfall?

A: This combo ranks 2006 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the 54th percentile. The ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-range performance, despite the CPU’s higher percentile standing.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 120, with an average of 141 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS, indicating a stable and smooth experience.