Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, presents a demanding workload for the combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the AMD Radeon RX 580. The measured data shows a pairing where a very capable modern CPU is mated with an older, mid-range graphics card, resulting in a system whose performance is largely dictated by the GPU at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to determine the optimal settings, the role of each component, and how this specific combo stacks up against the broader database of tested configurations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the High preset at 1920x1080 offers the most balanced experience, delivering an average of 58 FPS. This places the game right at the cusp of smooth playability for most users. While the Low preset at this resolution achieves a higher average of 81 FPS, it does so at a visual fidelity cost that is unnecessary given that the High preset maintains a playable frame rate. The jump from Medium (64 FPS) to High (58 FPS) is a modest 6 FPS, suggesting that the visual gains of High are worth the minor performance trade-off at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the most viable option, yielding an average of 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS. This is the most demanding resolution where the combo can still hold above a 30 FPS minimum, providing a playable, though not perfectly smooth, experience. The High preset at this resolution drops to 40 FPS average, and the data suggests that the Ultra preset's 26 FPS average would be too inconsistent for comfortable play.

For 3840x2160 (4K), the data indicates that this combination is not suited for high-fidelity gaming. Even the Low preset only manages an average of 34 FPS. The Medium preset averages 26 FPS with a minimum of 22 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets fall to 24 and 15 FPS respectively. Consequently, 4K gaming should be avoided unless the user is willing to accept significant compromises in both visual quality and frame rate, and even then, the experience will be suboptimal. The best experience at 4K is with the Low preset, but it is still below the 60 FPS target.

In summary, for the best experience per the measured rows, 1920x1080 with the High preset is the clear recommendation. It provides the best combination of visual fidelity and performance that approaches a 60 FPS average. Users prioritizing frame rate above all else could opt for the Low preset at 1080p for an 81 FPS average, but the High preset's 58 FPS is a superior overall package.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It features a 24 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores are robust; for instance, it scores 24,491 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,064 in single-core, and it sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and the AMD EPYC 4345P, with performance deltas of -0.2% and +0.3% respectively, indicating a performance tier that is highly competitive with server-class parts.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role is largely to feed the GPU with data. The data shows that at 1080p with the Low preset, the average FPS is 81. This is a relatively high frame rate, but it is not indicative of a CPU bottleneck. The more telling observation is the scaling of frame rates across resolutions. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by a significant margin (e.g., from 58 to 40 on High settings). This drop is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario, where the graphics card's rendering capability is the constraint. The CPU, with its high single-threaded performance (as seen in its 2,064 Cinebench R23 single-core score), is able to supply draw calls and game logic without becoming the primary limiting factor, even at the lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do.

Given the GPU's age and performance class, it is highly probable that this processor has significant headroom in Greedfall. The data does not show any scenario where the CPU's capabilities would be a bottleneck; even at the highest frame rate measured (81 FPS at 1080p Low), the i5-14600K's strong performance suggests it is not the limiting factor. The combination of high core count and high clock speeds ensures that the CPU is ready to handle any of the game's processing demands, leaving the performance ceiling firmly in the hands of the RX 580.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is an older, end-of-life graphics card built on the GCN 4.0 architecture with a 14 nm process node. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are 1257 MHz base and 1340 MHz boost, and it offers 2304 shading units. The GPU's overall benchmark percentile is 53, with its nearest rivals being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, with performance deltas of -0.1% and -0.4% respectively. This places it in the mid-range of the database's GPU performance spectrum.

The GPU is unequivocally the limiting factor in this combination for Greedfall. This is evidenced by the dramatic frame rate drops as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 37, which is nearly half of the 58 FPS achieved at High settings. This shows that the card's fill rate and compute power are quickly overwhelmed by the game's Ultra settings. The trend continues at 1440p, where even the High preset can only manage 40 FPS, and at 4K, the card is unable to maintain a playable frame rate on any preset, with the Ultra preset dropping to a mere 15 FPS average.

The 8 GB of VRAM is a factor, but the core performance is the main constraint. The data shows that the card's 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is insufficient for the high-resolution textures and effects at 4K, but even at 1440p, the core clocks and shader throughput are not enough to deliver smooth performance on high settings. The GPU's role is to render the scene, and its capabilities are simply not on par with the CPU's potential. The benchmark results, such as its 8,813 Passmark G3D score, place it in a different class than the processor, confirming that the RX 580 is the clear bottleneck in this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3371 out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 10% of all configurations in the database, which is a predictable outcome given the significant performance disparity between the high-end CPU and the mid-range, older GPU.

This rank is a direct result of the GPU's limitations. While the CPU is a top-tier performer (90th percentile), the GPU is a mid-pack component (53rd percentile). The overall combo rank is dragged down by the GPU, as the game's performance is heavily dependent on the graphics card. The data shows that this is not a balanced pairing; a system with a more modern or higher-tier GPU would achieve a much better rank, as the CPU would not be a limiting factor. The rank of 3371 serves as a clear indicator that while the CPU is ready for more demanding tasks, the GPU is holding back the entire system in this specific title.

The delta between the CPU's high percentile and the combo's low rank highlights the importance of pairing components with similar performance tiers. In this case, the i5-14600K is capable of supporting a far more powerful GPU, but the RX 580's performance ceiling is what defines the system's overall capability in Greedfall. For users looking to improve performance in this game, the data strongly suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield the most significant gains, as the CPU has ample headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales with resolution. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS on High settings drops from 58 to 40, a reduction of 18 FPS or roughly 31%. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average FPS on High settings drops to 24, a further reduction of 16 FPS from the 1440p result. This pattern of significant frame rate drops with each resolution increase is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload.

This scaling is consistent across all presets. For example, on Medium settings, the FPS drops from 64 (1080p) to 44 (1440p) to 26 (4K). On Low settings, the drop is from 81 (1080p) to 56 (1440p) to 34 (4K). The relative consistency of these drops, regardless of the preset, points to the GPU's raw rendering power as the limiting factor. As the pixel count increases, the GPU must work proportionally harder to fill the screen, and its performance degrades accordingly.

The data conclusively shows that the limiting component is the GPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates as the resolution drops, because the CPU would be maxed out at a certain FPS. However, the frame rates continue to climb as the resolution decreases (e.g., from 24 FPS at 4K High to 58 FPS at 1080p High), indicating that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions and is the sole constraint. The i5-14600K is powerful enough to maintain high frame rates, but the RX 580 cannot keep up with the demands of higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for a smooth experience?

A: The data shows that the 1920x1080 High preset is the best option, delivering an average of 58 FPS. This is the only resolution/settings combination that approaches the 60 FPS target while maintaining a high level of visual fidelity.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: No. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only averages 34 FPS. The High and Ultra presets drop to 24 and 15 FPS respectively, which is not playable for a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck?

A: The GPU (RX 580) is the clear limiting factor. The performance drops significantly with resolution and settings increases, which is characteristic of GPU-bound workloads. The CPU has high benchmark scores (90th percentile) and is not the constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other systems?

A: It ranks 3371 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This is a low rank, primarily due to the GPU's mid-range performance (53rd percentile) holding back the high-end CPU.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 58 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 37 FPS. This is a significant drop of 21 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is too demanding for this GPU at this resolution.

Q: Is the 8 GB of VRAM on the GPU a problem?

A: The data does not directly isolate VRAM usage, but the performance drops across all resolutions suggest that the GPU's core compute and memory bandwidth (256.0 GB/s) are insufficient, not just its capacity. The card's overall age and performance class are the main issues.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080

• Low: 81 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average (min 54, max 73)
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

2560x1440

• Low: 56 FPS average
• Medium: 44 FPS average (min 38, max 51)
• High: 40 FPS average
• Ultra: 26 FPS average

3840x2160

• Low: 34 FPS average
• Medium: 26 FPS average (min 22, max 30)
• High: 24 FPS average
• Ultra: 15 FPS average

The data shows a consistent and predictable degradation of performance as resolution and graphical demands increase. The most playable configuration is clearly at 1080p with the High preset, offering the best balance of quality and performance. All other settings at 1440p and 4K fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with 4K being entirely unsuitable for a smooth experience.