Greedfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. This is a fixed configuration with no unlocked multiplier, and it relies on a 9 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support. In the context of Greedfall, this CPU configuration is adequate for maintaining a playable frame rate, but its performance ceiling is visible in the data. The processor sits at the 47th percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database, indicating it is a mid-range part. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and the Intel Core i3-10305, with the i5-9400 scoring 668 in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 2784 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. These scores suggest that while the CPU can handle the game's logic and physics, it is not a high-end performer.

The relevance of the CPU in Greedfall becomes clear when examining the frame rate scaling across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 160 FPS, but this drops significantly as resolution increases. The processor's 6 threads and 14 nm process node are not bottlenecks at lower resolutions, but the data indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings. The benchmark results show that the CPU's single-core performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, is sufficient for the game's AI and world simulation tasks. However, the processor's 47th percentile ranking suggests that users should not expect it to drive extreme frame rates in CPU-intensive scenes. The CPU's TDP of 65 W and Socket 1151 compatibility make it a straightforward drop-in upgrade for older systems, but its performance relative to the GPU in this combo is balanced. In this game, the CPU does not hold back the GPU at standard settings, but it does not provide headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming at maximum presets.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Greedfall with this combo reveals a clear hierarchy of settings presets, with the Medium preset offering the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers an average of 126 FPS with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the High preset, which averages 114 FPS, and it provides a much smoother experience than the Ultra preset, which drops to an average of 73 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 160 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss is substantial, and the Medium preset still maintains a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays. The data shows that the jump from Medium to High costs 12 FPS on average, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 41 FPS, indicating a steep performance penalty for the highest settings.

At 1440p, the Medium preset remains the best option, averaging 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for most users, and it is 8 FPS higher than the High preset's 79 FPS average. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 50 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. At 4K, the Medium preset averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS, which is suitable for a cinematic experience but not for competitive play. The High preset at 4K averages 47 FPS, while the Low preset averages 66 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst performer, averaging only 30 FPS, which is unplayable for most users. Based on these numbers, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for this combo across all resolutions, as it provides the best frame rate stability relative to the visual quality. The data shows that the Ultra preset is not viable for this hardware, and the High preset is only acceptable at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates that this combo is GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the CPU still plays a role in the lower resolution results. At 1080p with Medium settings, the average FPS is 126. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 87 FPS, a 31% decrease. At 4K, the average falls to 52 FPS, a 59% decrease from the 1080p result. This scaling pattern indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary limiting component at 1440p and 4K, as the frame rate drops are consistent with the increase in pixel count. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus are sufficient for this game, but the rendering load at 4K is too heavy for the GPU to maintain high frame rates.

However, the data also shows that the CPU is not entirely irrelevant. At 1080p, the difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 87 FPS (160 vs 73), which is a massive gap that suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU at lower settings but is not the bottleneck. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is only 36 FPS (66 vs 30), indicating that the GPU is saturated at this resolution and the CPU's performance becomes less critical. The i5-9400's 6 cores and 6 threads are enough to feed the RTX 5050 at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor. The data indicates that users should target 1080p or 1440p for the best experience, as the 4K results are marginal. The frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings is 35 FPS, which is a significant loss that cannot be offset by the CPU's performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1776 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems, indicating that it is a modest performer for this game. The ranking is influenced by the CPU's 47th percentile standing and the GPU's 66th percentile standing, which suggests that the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing. The RTX 5050's average benchmark score is 21035, placing it above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT by 1.6% and below the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL by 0.6%. This GPU performance is adequate for Greedfall, but the combo's rank of 1776 out of 2938 suggests that many other systems will deliver higher frame rates. The CPU's synthetic benchmark scores, such as 6629 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, are not exceptional, and the processor is only 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 in average score. This indicates that the i5-9400 is a mid-range CPU that does not boost the combo's ranking. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium to High settings, as the frame rates at higher resolutions are not competitive. The rank of 1776 means that there are 1162 worse-performing combos, but it also means that there are 1775 better-performing ones, so users should temper their expectations for high-end performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the dominant component in this combo for Greedfall, as its performance directly dictates the frame rates at all resolutions. The GPU is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a GB207 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, along with 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory running at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Greedfall at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show that the GPU is stretched thin. The RTX 5050's FP32 performance is 13.17 TFLOPS, and it has a pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s. These specifications indicate a capable mid-range GPU that can handle modern games at reasonable settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 17326 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which it beats by 1.6% in average score. In Greedfall, the GPU's role is to render the game's environments and characters, and the data shows that it does so effectively at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo achieves 126 FPS, which is a smooth experience. At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 87 FPS, which is still very playable. However, at 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent, with the Medium preset averaging only 52 FPS. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is not a bottleneck in this game, as the memory usage is not a factor in the measured results. The RTX 5050's TDP of 130 W and PCIe 5.0 x8 interface are appropriate for this class of GPU, and the data shows that it is well-matched with the i5-9400 for 1080p gaming. The GPU's performance is the primary reason the combo ranks where it does, and users should prioritize the GPU when considering upgrades.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Greedfall with this combo reveals a consistent pattern across all resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 160 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. The Medium preset averages 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS. The High preset averages 114 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 73 FPS. These numbers show that the combo can handle 1080p gaming with ease, even at High settings, but the Ultra preset introduces a significant performance penalty. The difference between Medium and High is 12 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is 41 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is not optimized for this hardware. At 1440p, the Low preset averages 111 FPS, the Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, and the High preset averages 79 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 50 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings is a 39 FPS drop, which is significant but expected with the increased pixel count.

At 4K, the frame rates are much lower across the board. The Low preset averages 66 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS, which is marginal. The High preset averages 47 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 30 FPS, making it unplayable. The data shows that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo, as even the Low preset struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS. The frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings is 35 FPS, which is a substantial loss. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium or High settings, with 1440p being a secondary option at Medium settings. The 4K results are only suitable for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, but the Low preset at 4K is the only option that provides a playable experience. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset at all resolutions indicate that there is some frame time variance, but it is within acceptable limits for most users. The maximum FPS values show that the combo can burst above the average, but the sustained performance is what matters for a smooth experience.