Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the Intel Arc B580. The measured frames-per-second data across resolutions and settings reveals a component dynamic that is not immediately obvious from the specifications alone. The benchmark results show a system that is clearly capable of high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p but becomes increasingly constrained as resolution and graphical load increase, pointing to the GPU as the primary limiting factor in this specific configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking trend in the data is how average FPS scales from 1080p to 4K. At the High preset, the system delivers 102.4 FPS at 1920x1080, which drops to 70.8 FPS at 2560x1440, and then plummets to 45.6 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a significant 55% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is not linear; the jump from 1440p to 4K is particularly harsh, suggesting that the Arc B580's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being saturated.

This behavior is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the same amount of draw calls would be processed. Instead, the sharp decline in FPS with each resolution step shows that the rendering workload is overwhelming the graphics card. The 4K Ultra result of 27.5 FPS is particularly telling, as it is less than half of the 4K Low result of 57.8 FPS, demonstrating that the most demanding settings are simply too heavy for this GPU to handle at that pixel count. The data implies that for a smooth 4K experience, a user would need to significantly lower both resolution and settings, or consider a more powerful GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core processor with 20 threads, featuring a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32881 and a single-core score of 4642. It ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint in Greedfall. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 146.6 FPS, a high number that still leaves headroom. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 66.2 FPS result is likely more dependent on the GPU's ability to render the increased visual effects than on the CPU's ability to feed it data.

The CPU's strong performance is supported by its nearest rivals. It scores 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and only 0.4% lower than the Intel Core i5-14600KF, showing it is in the same performance tier as these heavier-hitting processors. This means that in Greedfall, the Core i5-14600K has ample processing power to handle the game's logic and physics. The evidence points to a system where the CPU is waiting on the GPU, not the other way around. The high boost clock is particularly beneficial for a game like this, as it ensures that the primary gaming threads are running at maximum speed.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Core i5-14600K and Arc B580 ranks 1330 out of 1705 combos for Greedfall. This places it in the lower 22% of all tested systems, which is a surprisingly low position given the individual component scores. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking and the GPU's 66th percentile ranking do not translate into a high ranking for the duo in this specific game.

This discrepancy suggests that the Arc B580 is the weak link in this pairing for Greedfall. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU is more mid-range, and its performance in this title drags the overall combo ranking down. The combo rank is a holistic measure of real-world gaming performance, and it clearly shows that the user experience will be dictated by the graphics card. The data indicates that while the CPU is ready for more demanding tasks, the GPU is the limiting factor, and this specific combination is not optimized for achieving the highest possible frame rates in this game compared to other pairings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

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

At 1920x1080, the system is very capable. The Low preset yields an average of 146.6 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset is still very smooth at 115.6 FPS, and High follows closely at 102.4 FPS. Even the Ultra preset manages a playable 66.2 FPS. This is the resolution where the combo is most comfortable, offering a wide range of settings for a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance cost becomes more evident. The Low preset still provides a strong 101.5 FPS, but the High preset drops to 70.8 FPS. The Medium preset is close behind at 79 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 45.3 FPS, which begins to feel less fluid for an action RPG. The data shows that 1440p is the boundary where users will have to start making compromises on visual quality to maintain high frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a somewhat playable 57.8 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 49.9 FPS, and High falls to 45.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is essentially unplayable at 27.5 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is punishing, and the results indicate that this resolution is not viable for demanding settings with this hardware.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is a 5nm GPU with 2560 shading units and a boost clock of 2670 MHz. It comes with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. Its benchmark scores are modest, with a Passmark G3D score of 15748 and a percentile ranking of 66. The data strongly suggests that this GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this system for Greedfall.

The GPU's performance ceiling is clearly hit at 4K, where even the Low preset struggles to maintain 60 FPS. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, scores 0.7% higher on average, while the AMD Radeon 760M scores 0.1% lower. This places the Arc B580 in a competitive mid-range tier, but it is not a high-end card. In Greedfall, the 12 GB of VRAM may be sufficient for most settings, but the raw compute power and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the highest resolutions and settings. The 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth is likely a limiting factor when the game is loading large textures at 4K, contributing to the severe frame rate drops.

Settings Recommendations

Based strictly on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware combo is at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which delivers 102.4 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-quality experience that balances visual fidelity with performance. For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p offers 146.6 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the best experience is with the Low preset, which yields 101.5 FPS. While the High preset at 70.8 FPS is playable, the Low preset ensures a much more consistent and fluid experience. The Medium preset at 79 FPS is a reasonable middle ground, but the data suggests that High is the better balance of quality and speed for those who can tolerate slightly lower frames. It is advisable to avoid the Ultra preset at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset provides a marginally acceptable 57.8 FPS. The data indicates that this resolution is not recommended for this GPU, as the Medium and High presets fall below 50 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable. For a 4K display, users would need to accept the Low preset or potentially lower the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K or Intel Arc B580 the main bottleneck in Greedfall?

A: The benchmark data clearly indicates the Intel Arc B580 is the limiting component. This is evident from the significant FPS drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which is a signature of a GPU-bound scenario, not a CPU-bound one.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS at 1920x1080 is 146.6, achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system handle Greedfall at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with severe limitations. At 3840x2160, the only preset that achieves a playable frame rate is Low, with an average of 57.8 FPS. The Ultra preset is not playable, as it only reaches 27.5 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1330 out of 1705 tested combinations for Greedfall, placing it in the lower quarter of all tested systems.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth 1440p experience?

A: According to the data, the Low preset at 2560x1440 provides the smoothest experience with an average of 101.5 FPS. The High preset is also viable at 70.8 FPS, but Low is the best option for maintaining higher frame rates.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 146.6 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 66.2 FPS. This means the Ultra preset is 54.9% slower than the Low preset, showing the heavy performance cost of the highest visual quality settings.