Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a profoundly unbalanced gaming experience in Greedfall, where a high-end 14-core processor is throttled by an entry-level integrated GPU. The benchmark data reveals that this combination ranks in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations, with performance that is consistently playable only at 1080p with reduced settings.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, drawing a 125 W TDP. The chip features a 24 MB shared L3 cache, with 2 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

In synthetic benchmarks, this processor demonstrates strong compute capabilities, scoring 32,544 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,594 in single-core. Its Geekbench scores are 17,085 multi-core and 2,445 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 38,697, with single-thread performance at 4,273. The processor's average benchmark score is 49,394, which places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested.

The nearest rivals in the database show this is a top-tier part. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 scores 49,228, a mere 0.3% behind the i5-14600KF. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G is 0.4% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 trails by 0.8%. The only competitor that beats it is the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388, which leads by 0.8%. This is a desktop CPU with exceptional headroom for gaming workloads.

However, in Greedfall, the CPU's contribution is largely irrelevant because the bottleneck sits elsewhere. The measured FPS at 1080p Low is 84, which is the highest recorded in any configuration, but the drop to 60 FPS at High and 38 FPS at Ultra shows that even at the lowest resolution, the graphics pipeline is limiting performance. The CPU has ample headroom to feed a much faster GPU, as evidenced by its 90th percentile ranking. The data indicates that the processor is never the limiting factor in this game; it is the integrated graphics that cap frame rates.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, specifically the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It is manufactured on a 3 nm process and operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU features 1,536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its peak pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute rated at 7.680 TFLOPS.

Critically, the memory configuration is "System Shared" for both size and type. This means the GPU uses a portion of the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bus width is also listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," which introduces variable performance based on the platform's memory speed. The GPU's TDP is 80 W, and it is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with no power connectors, fitting into the slot width category of "IGP."

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark yields a score of 1,482, which places the Arc B390 in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a remarkably low ranking. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX scores 1,463 (1.3% slower), the GeForce 800M scores 1,460 (1.5% slower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1,446 (2.5% slower), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1,443 (2.7% slower). The Arc B390 is only slightly faster than a GT 710, which is a passive-cooled entry-level card from a decade ago.

In Greedfall, this GPU's limitations are stark. At 1080p Low, the game runs at 84 FPS, but this drops to 66 FPS at Medium, 60 FPS at High, and just 38 FPS at Ultra. The frame rate collapse at higher settings is a direct consequence of the system-shared memory and low compute throughput. The GPU is not capable of handling the texture and shading demands of the higher presets, and the absence of dedicated VRAM compounds the issue.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2,595 out of 2,938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 11.7% of all configurations, which is a poor result for a CPU that is in the 90th percentile. The data shows a severe mismatch: a high-end processor paired with a GPU that ranks in the 9th percentile.

The ranking reflects the game's actual performance, which is dominated by the GPU. Even the best-case scenario, 1080p Low at 84 FPS, is only achievable because the low settings reduce the GPU load enough to let the CPU stretch its legs. At 1440p, the highest average FPS is 58 at Low settings, and at 4K, it falls to 35 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K produces just 16 FPS, which is unplayable.

Comparatively, the combo sits far behind any configuration with a discrete GPU. The 2,595th rank out of 2,938 means there are 343 combos that perform worse, but these are likely older or lower-end integrated solutions. For a system with a 14-core, 20-thread CPU, the results are disappointing. The benchmark data indicates that this pairing is only suitable for low-resolution, low-settings gaming, and even then, it barely scrapes by.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 84, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that approaches high-refresh-rate territory.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. It is 1.3% faster than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 90th percentile of all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The FPS drops significantly when raising settings or resolution, indicating the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's output.

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

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 60. At 4K High, it drops to 25 FPS, a 58% reduction. This steep decline points to the GPU's inability to render at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2,595 out of 2,938 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested in Greedfall.

Q: Does the Arc B390 have dedicated VRAM?

A: No. The memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth is "System Dependent." This means it relies on the system's main memory, which contributes to its low performance.

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

The resolution scaling behavior in Greedfall clearly identifies the GPU as the bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS moves from 84 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p and 35 at 4K. This is a drop of 31% from 1080p to 1440p, and 40% from 1440p to 4K, or 58% from 1080p to 4K. The frame rate does not scale proportionally with the pixel count, which suggests the GPU is running out of compute and memory bandwidth long before the CPU becomes a constraint.

At Medium settings, the numbers are 66 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS at 1080p Medium is 56, and the maximum is 76, showing reasonable frame pacing. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 39 and the maximum is 53. The 4K Medium row does not have min/max values, but the average of 27 FPS is barely playable.

High settings show a similar pattern: 60 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. This represents a 30% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 40% drop from 1440p to 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding 38 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and just 16 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that the drop from 1080p to 1440p is more severe than the drop from 1440p to 4K in percentage terms, which is typical for a GPU with limited memory bandwidth. The system-shared memory architecture means that as resolution increases, the GPU competes with the CPU for system memory access, further degrading performance. The results indicate that 1080p is the only viable resolution for this combo, and even then, only at Low or Medium settings.

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

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of which settings are playable. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 84 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The Medium preset drops to 66 FPS, still playable, but the minimum FPS of 56 suggests occasional stutters. The High preset at 60 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not recommended for action RPG gameplay.

At 1440p, the Low preset delivers 58 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced games but may feel slightly sluggish in combat. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is marginal, and High at 42 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 27 FPS is unplayable. At 4K, even the Low preset only manages 35 FPS, and all other presets are below 30 FPS, making 4K unsuitable.

The best experience per the data is 1080p with Medium settings. This preset provides a 66 FPS average with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS, which balances visual quality and frame rate. The jump from Low to Medium is modest in terms of FPS loss (from 84 to 66, an 18 FPS drop), but it likely offers noticeably better textures and effects. The High preset at 60 FPS is a viable alternative if the user prefers visuals over a safety margin, but the Medium preset's higher minimum FPS makes it the safer choice.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset at 58 FPS is the only option that stays above 50 FPS. The Medium preset's 46 FPS average and 39 FPS minimum will result in noticeable frame drops during action sequences. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as the best case is 35 FPS at Low settings, which is below the standard for playability. The data strongly suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with Medium or Low settings, and any higher resolution or preset will result in a degraded experience.