Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combination sits near the bottom of the performance hierarchy for Greedfall, ranking 3167th out of 3703 tested combos. This places the pairing in the 15th percentile of all system configurations measured, indicating that while it can run the game, it does so with notably less headroom than the majority of setups in the database. The data shows a system built for 1080p play, with performance dropping sharply at higher resolutions and with the most demanding graphical presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 3167 out of 3703 tested platforms places it in the lower 15% of all systems benchmarked for Greedfall. This is a decisive indicator that the i5-9400 and GTX 1660 SUPER are not positioned to deliver high-refresh or high-resolution experiences in this Action RPG. Instead, the pair sits in a bracket where playable frame rates are achievable but only by carefully managing settings and resolution.

Looking at the individual components, the GTX 1660 SUPER sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms just over half of the graphics cards in the database. Its average benchmark score of 12986 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940, +0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 580 (12928, +0.4%), the NVIDIA Tesla M2090 (13075, -0.7%), and the AMD Radeon 740M (12870, +0.9%). This cluster of results indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the definition of a mid-range card, trading blows with several other well-known options from both NVIDIA and AMD.

The Intel Core i5-9400, in contrast, is at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, +0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246, +0.4%), and the Intel Core i3-10305 (2264, -0.4%). The percent changes are all under a single point, implying that the i5-9400's compute performance is effectively tied with these other chips. In Greedfall, this translates to a CPU that can handle the game's logic and AI demands, but it is not a processor that will push frame rates upward in CPU-bound scenarios.

Given the combo's low rank, the system's performance in Greedfall is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU's modest standing means it is not a weak link but also not a strength. For a user targeting 1080p with a 60 Hz refresh rate, this combo has the potential to deliver, but it will require tuning the settings down from Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration. It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The card's base clock is 1530 MHz, boosting to 1785 MHz, and it has 1408 shading units. The GPU's pixel rate is 85.68 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 157.1 GTexel/s. In terms of raw compute, it can deliver 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

These specifications are directly reflected in the measured frame rates. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 83 FPS, which drops to 58 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 35 FPS at 3840x2160. This trend shows that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB buffer and 336 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and even 1440p, but at 4K the card's compute power is overwhelmed, leading to a significant drop in performance.

The GPU's 53rd percentile standing among all GPUs means it sits right in the middle of the pack. When compared to its nearest rivals, it is nearly a dead heat with the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, the RX 580, the Tesla M2090, and the Radeon 740M, all within a single percentage point of each other. This suggests that for Greedfall, the GTX 1660 SUPER is a well-balanced card, but it does not have the raw capability to transcend the resolution and settings demands of the game.

The memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) is a standard figure for the GDDR6 era, and it pairs with the 192-bit bus to create a total of 336 GB/s. This memory system is what allows the card to keep pace at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the higher resolution demands more texture and geometry data to be in flight, and the 6 GB capacity becomes a limiting factor, as seen in the Ultra settings at 4K which produces a 22 FPS average.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor with no Hyper-Threading. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, and its 9 MB of shared L3 cache is typical for the Coffee Lake architecture. It memory bandwidth is rated at 42.7 GB/s, and it supports dual-channel DDR4 memory. The CPU's TDP is 65 W, which is standard for a desktop chip of its era.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is to handle the game logic, physics, and AI, which are not excessively demanding for a six-core processor. The benchmark scores reflect this: the i5-9400 posts 668 points in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 94 in single-core, and 2784 in R20 multi-core with 392 single-core, and 6629 in R23 multi-core and 935 single-core. Geekbench shows 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core. These scores place the CPU at the 47th percentile, meaning it outperforms about 47% of all CPUs in the database, but it is not a top-tier performer.

The performance delta between the i5-9400 and its nearest rivals is minimal, with all four competitor CPUs within a single percentage point or less. This means that in Greedfall, the CPU will not be a differentiator between systems; it will feed the GPU data at a similar rate to the i7-1068NG7, i7-10710U, Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, or i3-10305. The lack of a large performance gap indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo, but it also means there is little headroom for overclocking or future-proofing.

With six cores, the i5-9400 is sufficient for the game's multi-threaded demands, which are likely modest. Greedfall is a 2019 title, and its engine is not known to be heavily reliant on more than six cores, so the i5-9400's 6 threads are adequate. The 4.10 GHz boost clock is also beneficial, as single-core performance is often more important than raw core count for this type of action RPG. The data shows that the CPU is a stable foundation, but it will not push frame rates higher on its own.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates are provided for three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). The data shows a consistent pattern: performance scales inversely with resolution and settings, with the largest drops occurring at the highest settings.

1080p:

• Low: 117 FPS average
• Medium: 92 FPS average, with a minimum of 78 and a maximum of 106
• High: 83 FPS average
• Ultra: 53 FPS average

The transition from Medium to High at 1080p costs 9 FPS (92 to 83), while the move from High to Ultra costs 30 FPS (83 to 53). This indicates that the Ultra preset is especially demanding, and the 53 FPS average is close to the edge of smooth gameplay.

1440p:

• Low: 81 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

At 1440p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 44 FPS (81 to 37). The Medium preset at 1440p produces an average of 64 FPS, which is still playable, but the High preset's 58 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra's 37 FPS is not ideal for fast-paced action.

4K:

• Low: 48 FPS average
• Medium: 38 FPS average, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 44
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 22 FPS average

At 3840x2160, the card is clearly out of its depth. Even the Low preset only averages 48 FPS, and the Ultra preset yields a 22 FPS average, which is below the threshold for a playable experience. The Medium preset's minimum of 32 FPS suggests occasional frame dips that would be noticeable.

The data clearly shows that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with all presets other than Ultra delivering 60+ FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset reaches 60 FPS, and at 4K, none do.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo can achieve 60 FPS or more across all presets. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset reaches above 60 FPS, and at 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS.

Q: Can this combo run Greedfall at 4K?

A: Yes, but only with significant compromises. At 4K with Low settings, the average frame rate is 48 FPS, and at Medium it is 38 FPS. Ultra at 4K drops to 22 FPS, so the experience is not smooth.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth using?

A: The data suggests that Ultra is not recommended for this combo. At 1080p, Ultra yields 53 FPS, which is below 60, while at 1440p and 4K, it drops to 37 and 22 FPS respectively. The cost in performance is high, and the visual gain may not be worth it.

Q: Which setting preset offers the best balance of visuals and performance?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset yields 92 FPS average, with a minimum of 78 FPS, which provides a smooth experience. At 1440p, the Medium preset's 64 FPS average is a reasonable trade-off. The High preset at 1080p is also good, with an 83 FPS average, but Medium offers a higher frame rate with a small visual reduction.

Q: How does this combo compare to other GPUs?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER rivals are within a single percentage point of its average benchmark score, including the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, RX 580, Tesla M2090, and Radeon 740M. This means in Greedfall, the card is likely to perform similarly to these other options.

Q: What is the CPU's role in frame rate?

A: The i5-9400 has a 47th percentile standing, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its score. It provides a stable foundation but is not a bottleneck. The GPU is the primary limiting factor in the game, as seen by the large frame drops at higher resolutions and settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the best experience is achieved by using the Medium preset at 1920x1080. This yields an average of 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 FPS, ensuring that frame times are consistent and well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 1080p is also viable, with an 83 FPS average, but the Medium preset offers a higher frame rate and a minimum that is 22 FPS higher (78 vs 56), making it a safer choice for ensuring a stable experience.

For users who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, the High preset at 1080p is a solid middle ground, providing a 83 FPS average. The Ultra preset at 1080p should be avoided, as it drops to 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may result in noticeable stutter.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only recommended option, with an average of 64 FPS and a minimum of 54 FPS. The High preset at 1440p yields 58 FPS, which is close to 60 but may dip below, and Ultra at 37 FPS is not playable. For 4K, the Low preset is the only one that comes close to acceptable, with 48 FPS, but the overall experience is below the ideal threshold.

In summary, the combo is best suited for a 1080p gaming experience. The Medium preset at 1080p gives the best frame rate without significant visual compromise, and it is the recommended choice based on the measured data.