Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a playable but heavily settings-dependent experience in Greedfall. The data shows a clear hierarchy where resolution scaling and preset selection dictate whether this combo lands in smooth territory or falls below acceptable thresholds. At 1080p, the system is capable of high frame rates, but the 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS demonstrates a hard ceiling that requires significant compromises.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all presets, revealing that the Intel Arc B580’s rendering load becomes the dominant factor as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 146.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 101 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 45.8 FPS, and then to 59.2 FPS at 3840x2160, a further drop of 41.8 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that while the CPU can feed frames adequately at lower resolutions, the GPU’s pixel throughput becomes the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The gap between 1440p and 4K is proportionally larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p. For instance, at High settings, moving from 1080p (106.6 FPS) to 1440p (74.1 FPS) loses 32.5 FPS, while moving from 1440p to 4K (42.4 FPS) loses 31.7 FPS despite a smaller pixel count increase. This suggests the Arc B580’s memory bandwidth and shading resources are strained disproportionately at 4K, with the 12 GB GDDR6 buffer and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth unable to maintain efficiency as fill rate demands escalate.

The Ultra preset amplifies this bottleneck. The 4K Ultra average of 26 FPS is a 60.3% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result of 65.1 FPS. This severe drop indicates that combined resolution and setting pressure exceed what the GPU’s 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs can sustain, pushing the experience into unplayable territory. Conversely, the 1080p Low result of 146.8 FPS shows that the combo has ample headroom when the GPU is not the primary constraint, pointing to the CPU’s six cores being sufficient for lower-load scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides a stable foundation with its 6 cores and 6 threads, but its performance ceiling is modest relative to contemporary parts. The benchmark data shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125, placing it at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. This mid-pack positioning means the processor is neither a strong asset nor a liability in Greedfall, which relies more on GPU throughput than CPU multi-threading.

The CPU’s base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz, combined with a 9 MB shared L3 cache, provide adequate responsiveness for the game’s action RPG mechanics. The nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i3-10305 with a deltaPct of 0.2% and the Intel Core i7-8809G at -0.6%, indicating that the i5-9400’s compute performance is tightly clustered with these alternatives. In Greedfall, the CPU’s role is likely to maintain consistent frame pacing rather than push maximum FPS, as evidenced by the fact that lowering resolution from 1440p to 1080p yields substantial gains (e.g., 74.1 to 106.6 FPS at High), which would not occur if the CPU were the primary bottleneck.

At 1080p Low, the 146.8 FPS result suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output, but the single-core score of 1125 in Cinebench R23 indicates that heavily populated scenes or complex AI routines could cause dips. The 6-thread configuration limits parallel processing, but Greedfall’s engine appears to scale adequately with this hardware, as the game does not show signs of CPU-induced stutters in the measured rows. The data overall points to the GPU as the limiting factor, with the CPU providing just enough support to avoid becoming the primary constraint outside of extreme low-resolution scenarios.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Greedfall?*

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the most consistent resolution, with all presets except Ultra exceeding 100 FPS. At 2560x1440, High and Medium remain playable at 74.1 and 79.9 FPS, but 4K drops below 60 FPS on all presets.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: Ultra at 2560x1440 averages 45.4 FPS, while High averages 74.1 FPS. This represents a 28.7 FPS difference, making High the better choice for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for performance at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting component. At 4K Low, the average is 59.2 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 26 FPS. The CPU’s six cores are sufficient to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the strong scaling from 1080p to 4K, which follows GPU load patterns.

Q: Can this combo handle 60 FPS at any resolution?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Low, Medium, or High presets, the average FPS is 146.8, 114.4, and 106.6 respectively. At 2560x1440, Low achieves 101 FPS, but Medium and High fall short of 60 FPS at 79.9 and 74.1.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 23021, with the AMD Radeon 760M at 22999 (deltaPct 0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 at 23181 (deltaPct -0.7%). This indicates the Arc B580 performs within a tight margin of these competitors.

Q: What is the lowest playable setting at 4K?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 59.2 FPS, which is just below a 60 FPS target. Medium drops to 48.4 FPS, making Low the only viable option for near-smooth 4K play.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1328 out of 1705 total combos. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, it does not deliver top-tier performance. The rank reflects the CPU’s mid-pack percentile of 50 and the GPU’s percentile of 66, both below the upper echelon of hardware.

The ranking suggests that most other combos in the database achieve higher average frame rates, likely due to more powerful CPUs or GPUs. However, the measured results show that this combo is not a poor performer; it simply sits in a crowded middle ground where many alternatives offer similar or better results. The 1080p High score of 106.6 FPS is respectable, but the 4K Ultra score of 26 FPS drags the overall standing down, as the rank likely accounts for performance across multiple resolutions and settings.

The deltaPct values for the GPU’s nearest rivals are small, with the RTX 4060 only 0.7% ahead in average score, yet the ranking disparity could be larger in Greedfall specifically. The CPU’s rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-10305 at a 0.2% delta, show that synthetic benchmarks do not translate directly to gaming performance, but the overall ranking of 1328 indicates that this combo underperforms relative to the median tested system in this specific title.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the primary driver of frame rates in Greedfall, and its specifications explain the observed scaling. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, the GPU has a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s, which is ample for the game’s textures at 1080p but becomes strained at 4K. The base and boost clocks are both 2670 MHz, and the 2560 shading units operate at a peak FP32 throughput of 13.67 TFLOPS, which is moderate for a modern GPU.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s performance is heavily influenced by the preset. At 4K, the difference between Low (59.2 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) is 33.2 FPS, a 56% reduction. This indicates that the Ultra preset’s additional effects, likely including higher-resolution shadows and post-processing, tax the GPU’s 160 TMUs and 80 ROPs significantly. The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra, confirming the GPU as the bottleneck.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 66 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021, places it above the median but below high-end parts. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, has a 0.7% higher average score, yet in Greedfall, the Arc B580’s performance at 1080p High (106.6 FPS) suggests it is well-matched to this game’s engine. The 19,600 million transistors on a 5 nm process provide efficiency, but the 190 W TDP indicates it runs hot enough to require robust cooling, which is reflected in its dual-slot design.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results across all presets. The Low preset averages 146.8 FPS, Medium averages 114.4 FPS, High averages 106.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 65.1 FPS. These numbers show a clear linear degradation as settings increase, with Ultra representing a 55.6% drop from Low. This resolution is the sweet spot, as even Ultra remains above 60 FPS, making it the only resolution where all presets are playable.

At 2560x1440, performance remains solid but requires preset selection. Low averages 101 FPS, Medium averages 79.9 FPS, High averages 74.1 FPS, and Ultra drops to 45.4 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is 28.7 FPS, indicating that Ultra’s visual enhancements come at a significant cost. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, Medium or High are the recommended choices, as they stay above 70 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles to maintain playability. Low averages 59.2 FPS, which is just below a 60 FPS target. Medium averages 48.4 FPS, High averages 42.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. The Ultra result is nearly unplayable for an action RPG, and even High falls below 45 FPS. The data shows that 4K is only viable with the Low preset, and even then, it is marginal for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data indicates that 1920x1080 with the High preset is the optimal balance. This yields an average of 106.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (114.4 FPS) without the 41.5 FPS cost of Ultra (65.1 FPS). The High preset at 1080p offers smooth gameplay with room for occasional dips, making it the most reliable configuration.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (79.9 FPS) is the recommended choice for players prioritizing frame rate, while High (74.1 FPS) is suitable for those who want better visuals and can tolerate slightly lower performance. Ultra at 1440p (45.4 FPS) should be avoided, as the frame rate falls below the playable threshold for a fast-paced action RPG. The data suggests that High at 1440p is the highest setting that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

For 4K, the Low preset (59.2 FPS) is the only option that approaches playability, but it is not recommended for a consistent experience. Medium (48.4 FPS) and High (42.4 FPS) are too low for smooth combat, and Ultra (26 FPS) is effectively unplayable. Users with 4K displays should consider downscaling to 1440p with High settings to achieve a better balance, as the visual difference is often less noticeable than the frame rate impact. The measured data strongly favors 1080p High as the default recommendation for this combo.