Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting study in system scaling when paired with an Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. The benchmark data shows this combination is capable of very high frame rates, but the relationship between the CPU and GPU shifts dramatically depending on resolution and settings. The most significant finding is that while the RTX 5070 Ti is a top-tier GPU, its performance in this specific title is heavily constrained by the older six-core processor, particularly at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125, placing it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 2305 puts it in a tight cluster with rivals like the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, both of which are within 0.2% of its score, and the Intel Xeon E-2134, which is 0.4% ahead.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p resolution. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves an average of 268.3 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is able to feed the GPU adequately at this level, but the scaling pattern indicates a bottleneck. When moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops to 209.6, a significant 58.7 FPS reduction. This drop is primarily due to the increased pixel load on the GPU, but the fact that 1080p frame rates exceed 260 FPS highlights that the i5-9400 has a ceiling that, while high, is being reached. The CPU's 6 threads and 9 MB of shared L3 cache are sufficient to maintain high frame rates, but they are not so powerful as to eliminate the GPU's influence on performance at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 177th out of 1705 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 10.4% of all tested configurations, a strong result that reflects the raw power of the GPU. However, the ranking is not higher due to the CPU's limitations. The RTX 5070 Ti's average benchmark score of 52086 is virtually identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, with a deltaPct of 0%. This means the GPU is performing at a level equivalent to a previous-generation flagship, but the i5-9400, being at the 50th percentile for CPUs, holds the combo back from reaching the top echelons of the rankings. The data indicates that while the combo is well above average, the processor is the limiting factor preventing a higher rank, as a more powerful CPU would likely allow the GPU to stretch its legs further.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that underscores the CPU bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 217.8 FPS at 1080p to 150.9 FPS at 1440p, a 30.7% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the frame rate drops further to 91.6 FPS, a 39.3% reduction. This scaling is typical for a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, but the magnitude of the drop from 1080p to 1440p suggests that the CPU is still a factor at 1080p. Specifically, the 1080p High result of 217.8 FPS is likely close to the CPU's maximum throughput in this game. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, and the frame rates scale more predictably with pixel count. At 4K Ultra, the system still delivers 55.2 FPS, showing that the GPU is powerful enough to handle the game at playable frame rates even at the highest settings and resolution, but the overall performance curve is defined by the initial CPU constraint at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across all resolutions and settings. At 4K, the system delivers 91.6 FPS on High settings, which drops to 55.2 FPS on Ultra. The Low and Medium presets at 4K yield 127.3 FPS and 101.5 FPS, respectively. At 1440p, the frame rates are substantially higher: 150.9 FPS on High, 96.7 FPS on Ultra, 209.6 FPS on Low, and 165.7 FPS on Medium. At 1080p, the system achieves its highest numbers: 217.8 FPS on High, 138.6 FPS on Ultra, 268.3 FPS on Low, and 241.9 FPS on Medium.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the performance gap between Low and High settings is relatively small compared to the gap between High and Ultra. For example, at 1080p, the difference between Low and High is 50.5 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is 79.2 FPS. This indicates that the Ultra preset imposes a significant performance penalty, likely due to advanced effects that stress the GPU. The system's performance at 1440p High (150.9 FPS) is particularly notable, as it exceeds the 4K High result by 59.3 FPS, demonstrating that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, offering high frame rates without the extreme drop seen at 4K Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is a powerhouse, featuring 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2452 MHz, and it has 8960 shading units. The GPU's 87th percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in its benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6604 and a Passmark G3D score of 32974. In Greedfall, the GPU's role is most evident at 4K resolution, where its raw compute power is necessary to achieve playable frame rates. At 4K High, the system hits 91.6 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra, it manages 55.2 FPS. These numbers show that the RTX 5070 Ti is more than capable of handling the game's graphical demands at the highest resolution.

However, the GPU's performance is not fully utilized at lower resolutions due to the CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system hits 268.3 FPS, but this is likely limited by the i5-9400's processing power rather than the GPU's capabilities. The GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are more than sufficient for Greedfall, even at 4K Ultra, where the 16 GB VRAM ensures no memory-related stuttering. The data indicates that the GPU is the dominant component at higher resolutions, but its potential is capped by the CPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the relatively small frame rate increase from 1440p High to 1080p High (150.9 to 217.8 FPS) compared to the GPU's raw power.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 268.3 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 177th out of 1705 total combos, placing it in the top 10.4% of all tested systems.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as frame rates are very high (over 217 FPS on High) and scale significantly when resolution increases, indicating the GPU has headroom.

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

A: At 3840x2160, High settings deliver 91.6 FPS, while Ultra settings deliver 55.2 FPS, a drop of 36.4 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU's performance match any other specific models?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti's average benchmark score of 52086 is identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, with a deltaPct of 0%.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming with this combo?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the system achieves 150.9 FPS, which is well above 144 Hz, making it a strong candidate for high refresh rate monitors.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For a 60 FPS experience, the Ultra preset is viable at 4K, delivering 55.2 FPS, though it is slightly below 60 FPS. The High preset at 4K is the best choice for 4K gaming, providing 91.6 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS and offers a substantial improvement over Ultra. For 1440p, the High preset is the clear winner, delivering 150.9 FPS, which is ideal for 144 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 96.7 FPS, which is also excellent, but the performance drop from High is significant (54.2 FPS) for what is likely a marginal visual upgrade. At 1080p, the High preset offers 217.8 FPS, which is excessive for most displays, but it demonstrates the system's capability. The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers 138.6 FPS, which is still excellent and may be preferable for users who want the highest visual fidelity.

The data indicates that High settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. The Ultra preset incurs a heavy performance penalty, likely due to demanding effects, while Low and Medium settings offer diminishing returns in frame rate for a significant visual downgrade. Therefore, the High preset is recommended for the best overall experience, with the Ultra preset reserved for users who prioritize visuals over frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the performance hit is less impactful (79.2 FPS drop from High to Ultra).