Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination delivers the top-tier performance in Greedfall, securing the number one spot out of 2,938 tested combos. This pairing demonstrates overwhelming dominance, with the data showing that the system is capable of maintaining exceptionally high frame rates even at 4K resolution. The benchmark results indicate a configuration that is severely GPU-bound at lower resolutions, while the CPU's robust multi-threaded architecture ensures that the graphics card is consistently fed with data, preventing any bottleneck that would otherwise limit the immense graphical horsepower on offer.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1700 platform. Its configuration includes a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which provides the high-frequency responsiveness that action RPGs like Greedfall benefit from for game logic and physics calculations. The processor's substantial 24 MB of shared L3 cache further aids in keeping frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency in complex scenes. With a TDP of 125 W, it is a high-performance desktop part designed for sustained loads.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role is largely to maintain a stable frame pipeline. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 383 FPS. This extraordinary figure indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution and settings level. The processor's multi-threaded capabilities, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24,491, ensure that background simulation and AI tasks do not interfere with frame delivery. Its single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2,491, is equally critical for the game's main thread, which often handles the primary game loop and input processing.

The i5-14600K's benchmark profile places it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,618. This places it in direct competition with processors like the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD EPYC 4345P (deltaPct 0.3). While these rivals are close in synthetic average score, the gaming performance observed here shows no CPU-related constraint. The processor's ability to push high frame rates at 1080p, where CPU overhead is most pronounced, confirms that its architecture is well-suited for this game. As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the demand on the CPU relative to the GPU decreases, meaning this processor's headroom is more than sufficient for the entire range of tested settings.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant force in this configuration, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It is equipped with a massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This immense memory pool and bandwidth are crucial for Greedfall at 4K, especially with high-resolution textures that can quickly fill a graphics card's frame buffer. The GPU's core clocks, with a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz, allow it to execute the 21,760 shading units at a blistering pace. The sheer computational throughput, rated at 104.8 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, is what drives the high frame rates observed in the data.

The GPU's performance is nothing short of exceptional in this title. At 4K with High settings, it achieves an average of 113 FPS, which reflects its raw power. The 32 GB VRAM capacity ensures that even the Ultra settings, which often demand more memory, do not cause any performance degradation due to memory swapping. The data shows that moving from Medium to High settings at 4K results in a drop from 125 FPS to 113 FPS, indicating that the graphics card has enough headroom to handle the increased shader complexity without significant frame loss. This is a hallmark of a GPU that is not memory-constrained.

The RTX 5090 D's benchmark results place it in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (deltaPct -1.6) and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (deltaPct -2.4), are actually mobile or data-center parts, highlighting the desktop-class performance of this card. In Greedfall, the GPU is clearly the primary determinant of frame rate at higher resolutions. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a significant performance curve, which is typical of a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck. The GPU's capabilities are so extensive that it manages to deliver playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra, a feat that many other cards would struggle to achieve.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of resolution scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 383 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 1440p, the average drops to 266 FPS, a decrease of 117 FPS or roughly 30%. This significant drop at the same settings level indicates that the GPU is starting to work harder to fill the additional pixels. The trend continues when moving to 4K Low, where the average FPS falls to 159, which is a further 40% reduction from the 1440p figure. This scaling behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has enough headroom to maintain frame delivery, but the graphics card's pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor.

This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 273 at 1080p to 190 at 1440p and then to 113 at 4K. The relative performance loss from 1080p to 4K is about 59%, which illustrates the immense workload that 4K rendering places on the GPU. The fact that the CPU is not the bottleneck is further supported by the fact that the frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in pixel count, rather than being limited by any CPU-side constraint. At lower resolutions, where the CPU has more influence, the system still produces incredibly high frame rates, confirming that the i5-14600K is more than capable of keeping up.

The data also shows how the settings preset interacts with resolution. At 4K, the gap between Low (159 FPS) and Medium (125 FPS) is 34 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High (113 FPS) is only 12 FPS. This suggests that the GPU's shading units and texture units are being saturated, and the incremental cost of moving from Medium to High is lower than from Low to Medium. This is a sign that the GPU is well-utilized at 4K and that the game's engine is scaling the graphical features effectively. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU's performance headroom remains largely untapped across all tested configurations.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the top performer in the database for Greedfall, holding the rank of 1 out of 2,938 tested combos. This is a definitive statement of its supremacy in this title. The data shows that no other tested combination of CPU and GPU can match the frame rates achieved by this pairing. This top ranking is driven by the synergistic balance between the high-frequency CPU and the flagship GPU, ensuring that neither component hold the other back.

The rank of 1 out of 2,938 places this combo at the absolute pinnacle of the performance hierarchy for Greedfall. While the individual components have their own nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, the in-game result shows that this specific pairing is uniquely effective. The i5-14600K, despite being a mid-range desktop processor, provides enough single-thread performance and multi-core throughput to feed the RTX 5090 D. This is a crucial point, as many high-end GPUs are often bottlenecked by lower-tier CPUs in CPU-bound scenarios. Here, the data indicates that the processor's performance is sufficient to allow the GPU to operate at its full potential.

The fact that this combo is ranked first out of nearly 3,000 combinations underscores the efficiency of this pairing. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy where the RTX 5090 D, being a top-tier GPU, would likely pair well with many high-end CPUs, but the i5-14600K's specific architecture and clock speeds prove to be an optimal match for Greedfall. This top ranking is not just about raw GPU power; it is about the complete system's ability to deliver the highest possible frame rates, which this combo does with ease. The benchmark results indicate that this is the definitive high-performance setup for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers outstanding frame rates across the board. With Low settings, it reaches an average of 383 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 301 FPS, with a minimum of 256 FPS and a maximum of 346 FPS. High settings yield an average of 273 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still produces an excellent average of 175 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is massively over-powered for this game, providing a highly fluid experience even on the most demanding settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. Low settings average 266 FPS, while Medium settings average 209 FPS, with a minimum of 178 FPS and a maximum of 240 FPS. High settings are still very smooth, averaging 190 FPS. Ultra settings at this resolution drop to an average of 121 FPS. These figures show a linear scaling that is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The system has no trouble maintaining high refresh rates at 1440p, making it an ideal resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors, even with the Ultra preset, which remains playable.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU's workload becomes significantly more intense, but the results are still impressive. Low settings average 159 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. Medium settings average 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings average 113 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold for a console-like experience. The most demanding setting, Ultra, drops to an average of 72 FPS. This is the only configuration where the frame rate dips below the 100 FPS mark, but it remains perfectly playable. The data shows that this combo can handle 4K gaming with ease, with even the lowest preset providing a frame rate that exceeds most high-refresh-rate monitors' capabilities.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p 144Hz monitor, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers an average of 175 FPS. This perfectly saturates a 144Hz display while providing the highest visual fidelity. For those with a 240Hz monitor at 1080p, the High preset, averaging 273 FPS, would be a better fit, as it exceeds the refresh rate while still offering high visual quality. The data shows that even the most demanding preset is not a bottleneck at this resolution.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts based on refresh rate targets. For a 144Hz display, the High preset is the optimal choice, averaging 190 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium. The Ultra preset, at 121 FPS, is also viable for 144Hz displays but comes with a notable visual quality increase. For users with a 165Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the Medium preset, averaging 209 FPS, is a solid choice, offering a good balance between frame rate and visual fidelity. The data shows that the system can easily handle 1440p gaming with high settings.

At 4K, the choice is more nuanced. For a standard 60Hz display, the Ultra preset is the best option, as it averages 72 FPS, which is comfortably above the refresh rate and provides the best possible image quality. If a user has a 120Hz or 144Hz 4K display, the High preset, averaging 113 FPS, is the recommended choice, as it offers a significant improvement in smoothness over Ultra while still maintaining high visual standards. The Medium preset, at 125 FPS, is also a strong contender for high-refresh-rate 4K displays, offering a slight performance boost over High with a minor reduction in visual fidelity. The data indicates that for the best overall experience at 4K, High settings provide the ideal compromise between performance and visual quality, ensuring a fluid and immersive experience without sacrificing the game's graphical detail.