Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B390. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component, with the CPU showing surprising strength in this older title. The data indicates a playable experience is achievable, but only at specific configuration points that balance visual fidelity against the Arc B390's limited throughput.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At High settings, the system delivers 60 FPS at 1920x1080, but this falls to 42 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to just 25 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 30% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 40% reduction from 1440p to 4K, resulting in an overall 58% drop from the lowest to the highest resolution tested.

The pattern is similar across other settings, with the scaling factor remaining consistent. At Low settings, the transition from 84 FPS at 1080p to 58 FPS at 1440p and 35 FPS at 4K shows a 31% and 40% drop respectively. This linear scaling behavior is a classic sign of a pixel-bound workload, where the number of fragments to process is the limiting factor. The Arc B390's 24 ROPs and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

The fact that even at Low settings, 4K resolution cannot reach 60 FPS, with an average of 35 FPS, suggests that the GPU's raw pixel processing power is the absolute ceiling. The 3 nm process node and 2500 MHz boost clock are irrelevant when the sheer volume of pixels overwhelms the fixed-function units. This is a configuration where resolution should be considered a luxury, not a default, and the data implies that 2560x1440 is the practical maximum for a fluid experience, and only at lower quality presets. The 4K data points are more of a stress test than a realistic gaming scenario for this hardware combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2595 out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance class, as the Arc B390's percentile ranking is a mere 9th percentile among all GPUs. In contrast, the CPU is far more capable, sitting in the 47th percentile of all CPUs.

This massive discrepancy between the two components' relative standings is the defining characteristic of this pairing. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor, but rather that it is being held back by the GPU. The Arc B390's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, is a mere 1.3% faster in synthetic benchmarks, which gives a clear indication of the performance tier this GPU occupies. It is a legacy-class part being asked to power a modern, albeit older, game.

The combo's rank of 2595 out of 2938 combos is not surprising given the GPU's position. It is a bottom-tier result, but it is important to note that it is not a bottom-tier result for the CPU. The i5-9400 is a mid-range processor from its era, and its performance is being squandered by the graphics solution. This is a case where the data shows a significant system imbalance, and any upgrade path would require a GPU replacement to unlock the CPU's full potential. The combo rank reflects the weakest link in the chain, and here, that link is the Arc B390.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal experience for this combination is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This configuration yields an average of 66 FPS, which is above the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. While High settings also achieve 60 FPS exactly, Medium provides a small buffer of 6 FPS, which can help avoid dips in more demanding scenes. The measured minimum FPS for Medium at 1080p is 56, which is a comfortable margin above the edge of playability.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. Medium settings produce an average of 46 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. High settings drop to 42 FPS, and Low settings are needed to reach 58 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p requires a compromise, and the best balance of visual quality and performance is found at Medium, accepting a frame rate in the mid-40s. Pushing to High at 1440p is not recommended, as the 4 FPS gain from Low to High is minimal, while the visual hit from dropping to Low is substantial.

The 4K resolution is not viable for a good experience. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is only 35, which is far below the playable threshold. Ultra settings are a non-starter, producing an unplayable 16 FPS at 4K. The data strongly indicates that this combination should be used at 1080p, where Medium or High settings provide a solid, enjoyable experience. For users with 1440p monitors, dropping to Medium is the only way to achieve a frame rate that is acceptable for an action RPG, and even then, it will be a compromise. The ultra preset, across all resolutions, should be avoided entirely, as it offers no perceivable benefit over High for a significant performance cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all tested scenarios. At 1920x1080, the resolution yields the most playable results. Low settings produce an average of 84 FPS, Medium produces 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 76, High produces a solid 60 FPS, and Ultra drops to 38 FPS. The step from High to Ultra is a substantial 22 FPS loss, indicating that the Ultra preset introduces a significant load that this GPU cannot handle.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop considerably. Low settings average 58 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS (with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53), High averages 42 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The pattern here shows that even Low settings cannot maintain a constant 60 FPS at 1440p, making 1080p the only resolution where a solid 60 FPS is achievable. The gap between Medium and High at 1440p is only 4 FPS, which is within the margin of error for typical benchmark variation, making the choice between them a matter of personal preference for visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely academic. Low settings average 35 FPS, Medium averages 27 FPS (with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32), High averages 25 FPS, and Ultra averages a mere 16 FPS. These numbers are all below the acceptable playability threshold, and the data confirms that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware. The minimum FPS of 23 at Medium 4K shows that even the more stable presets can have significant dips. The data across all resolutions shows a clear trend: the performance ceiling is defined by the GPU, and the user must trade resolution for settings to find a playable balance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the dominant factor in this system's Greedfall performance. With a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, it sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, firmly in the entry-level category. Its nearest rivals, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, are within 1.5% of its score, highlighting the performance tier it occupies. This is not a GPU designed for high-resolution gaming, and the measured frame rates confirm this.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR4 RAM for its framebuffer. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which is a critical limitation. In Greedfall, which requires frequent data streaming for textures and geometry, this shared memory architecture is likely a significant bottleneck. The lack of dedicated VRAM means the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth, and the i5-9400's dual-channel memory bus, with a peak bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, is not sufficient to feed the GPU at higher resolutions.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock is high, the power delivery and thermal constraints of an integrated graphics package likely prevent sustained operation at that frequency. The 80 W TDP is a clear indication of a power-limited design. The 1536 shading units and 48 TMUs are present, but the ROP count of 24 is the key limitation for pixel throughput, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops at higher resolutions. The 2:1 FP16 ratio of 15.36 TFLOPS is a marketing point for compute workloads but has little bearing on gaming performance. The data shows that the Arc B390 is the clear performance ceiling, and its system-shared memory and low ROP count are the primary reasons for the poor scaling to 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Greedfall at 1080p smoothly?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 60 FPS at High settings and 66 FPS at Medium settings for 1920x1080, indicating a playable experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 60 FPS?

A: The only resolution where a 60 FPS average is consistently achieved is 1920x1080, with both High and Medium settings hitting the target.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2595 out of 2938 combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems for Greedfall.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 47th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile, and frame rates drop steeply with resolution, a classic sign of GPU limitation.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 58 FPS, while Ultra settings produce an average of 27 FPS, a difference of 31 FPS.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 16 FPS, which is not a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400, while not the primary bottleneck, is a competent processor for this title. With 6 cores and 6 threads running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, it provides adequate processing power for an Action RPG. Its architecture, Coffee Lake, is from the 2018 era, but its single-core performance, as indicated by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, is sufficient for gaming workloads. The CPU's 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms its mid-range standing.

In Greedfall, which is not known for being heavily multi-threaded, the CPU's 6 cores are likely sufficient to keep up with the game's logic and physics. The i5-9400's multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 6629, is more than enough to avoid becoming a limiting factor at the frame rates the Arc B390 can produce. The CPU is effectively idle, waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame. This is evidenced by the fact that the frame rate scales almost linearly with resolution, which is a purely GPU-bound behavior.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth is a potential concern, but it is not the primary issue. The Arc B390's "System Shared" memory means the CPU and GPU are competing for this bandwidth, and while this could cause micro-stutters, the average frame rates are predominantly limited by the GPU's pixel throughput. The CPU's 9 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for this workload. The data suggests that the i5-9400 is performing its role without issue, and the system's overall performance is dictated almost entirely by the graphics solution. For a user considering an upgrade, the CPU is not the component that needs attention; it is the GPU.