Greedfall

The pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D in Greedfall presents a clear study in component bottlenecking. The benchmark data shows a CPU from 2018 paired with a flagship GPU from 2025, and the measured frame rates reveal exactly where the performance ceiling lies. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, component roles, and settings recommendations based solely on the provided measured data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of CPU limitation at lower resolutions, with the GPU gradually taking over as the primary performance driver at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high but show relatively small differences between settings presets, indicating that the processor is the limiting factor. Specifically, at 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 269 on Low settings to 175 on Ultra, a spread of 94 FPS. This tight clustering at the top end suggests that the Intel Core i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is reaching its limit before the RTX 5090 D can be fully utilized.

Moving to 1440p, the scaling pattern shifts noticeably. The average FPS at 2560x1440 drops to 238 on Low, 209 on Medium, 190 on High, and 121 on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra widens to 117 FPS, indicating that the GPU is beginning to exert more influence on performance. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a moderate FPS decrease across all settings, but the more significant drop occurs between 1440p and 4K.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The average FPS falls to 159 on Low, 125 on Medium, 113 on High, and 72 on Ultra. The spread between Low and Ultra expands to 87 FPS, and the overall performance drops are substantial. For instance, the High preset at 4K (113 FPS) is roughly 40% slower than at 1440p (190 FPS), clearly demonstrating that the RTX 5090 D's rendering load is now the primary constraint. The data indicates that this combo is severely CPU-bound at 1080p, moderately balanced at 1440p, and GPU-bound at 4K, with the Ultra preset at 4K being the only configuration that drops below the 100 FPS threshold.

FAQ

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

A: The 2560x1440 resolution with High settings appears optimal, delivering 190 FPS average. This balances the load between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the RTX 5090 D, avoiding the severe CPU bottleneck seen at 1080p while maintaining high frame rates.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D provide a meaningful performance boost over lower-tier GPUs at 1080p?

A: Benchmark results indicate no. At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 269 on Low and 238 on High, suggesting the CPU limits performance. The GPU's potential is not fully realized until 4K, where it becomes the limiting component.

Q: How does the combo rank among other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 147th out of 2938 tested combinations in Greedfall, placing it in the top 5% of all tested setups. This rank reflects a strong overall performance, despite the CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K with this setup?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 72. This is playable for most users, but it is a significant drop from the 113 FPS seen at High settings, indicating that the Ultra preset demands a substantial GPU workload.

Q: What is the most significant performance difference between settings at 1080p?

A: The largest gap at 1920x1080 is between Ultra (175 FPS) and Low (269 FPS), a difference of 94 FPS. This indicates that while the CPU limits absolute frame rates, the GPU still handles the increased visual load of higher presets.

Q: Does the Core i5-9400 bottleneck the RTX 5090 D in any scenario?

A: Yes, particularly at 1080p. The high FPS values across all settings at 1920x1080, combined with the relatively small performance deltas, suggest that the CPU's six threads are the limiting factor, preventing the GPU from achieving its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank in Greedfall is 147 out of 2938 tested combinations, placing it in the top 5% of all configurations. This rank is notable given the age of the Intel Core i5-9400, which has a percentile rank of 47 among all CPUs. The CPU's average benchmark score is 2254, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (deltaPct -0.2) and the Intel Core i7-10710U (deltaPct 0.3), indicating that the i5-9400 is performance-neutral compared to its immediate peers.

The RTX 5090 D, by contrast, has a percentile rank of 92 among all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 77712. This GPU is significantly more powerful than its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (deltaPct 1.1) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (deltaPct -1.6). The massive difference in relative performance between the CPU (47th percentile) and GPU (92nd percentile) explains why the combo ranks 147th overall rather than higher. The measured FPS data shows that the CPU's limitations cap performance at 1080p and 1440p, preventing the combo from achieving the top-tier rank that the GPU alone might suggest.

In the context of the 2938 tested combos, this rank indicates that the i5-9400 + RTX 5090 D pairing is capable of delivering high frame rates in Greedfall, but it is not an optimal pairing. The data suggests that a more balanced CPU would likely push this combo into the top 50, as the GPU's headroom is clearly underutilized at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS is 269 on Low, 246 on Medium, 238 on High, and 175 on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 209 and a maximum of 283, while the other presets lack min/max data. The performance delta from Low to Ultra is 94 FPS, with the largest single drop occurring between High (238) and Ultra (175), a 63 FPS decrease. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces a significant rendering load that the CPU cannot fully feed, despite the GPU's capacity.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 238 on Low, 209 on Medium, 190 on High, and 121 on Ultra. The Medium preset again provides min/max data (178 to 240). The drop from High to Ultra is 69 FPS, larger than the 1080p drop, indicating that the GPU is becoming more involved in the performance equation. The overall scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 117 FPS difference, reflecting a more balanced utilization of both components.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 159 on Low, 125 on Medium, 113 on High, and 72 on Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 143. The High to Ultra drop is 41 FPS, while the Low to Ultra difference is 87 FPS. This resolution shows the most pronounced GPU dependency, as the frame rates scale more directly with the settings preset, and the CPU bottleneck is largely alleviated.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a flagship GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its memory clocks are 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), and the GPU has 21760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs. The GPU's boost clock is 2407 MHz, and it operates on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 750 mm² and 92,200 million transistors. These specifications place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77712.

In Greedfall, the GPU's role becomes evident at 4K resolution. At 3840x2160, the average FPS scales from 159 on Low to 72 on Ultra, demonstrating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution. The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K Ultra, as the measured data shows no signs of memory-related stuttering or frame drops. The GPU's raw compute power, reflected in its 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance, allows it to handle the High preset at 4K (113 FPS) with ease, but the Ultra preset (72 FPS) shows that even a 92nd-percentile GPU can be challenged by the game's maximum settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores, such as 44065 in Passmark G3D and 28396 in Passmark GPU Compute, indicate strong overall performance. However, the measured FPS in Greedfall suggests that the GPU's full potential is only reached at 4K, as lower resolutions are constrained by the CPU. The GPU's 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth is likely a key factor in maintaining high frame rates at 4K High, where the average FPS remains above 100.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Its benchmark scores include a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 2254.

In Greedfall, the CPU's limitations are clearly visible at 1080p. The average FPS at 1920x1080 Low is 269, which is a high number, but the difference between Low and High (238 FPS) is only 31 FPS, suggesting that the CPU's six threads are saturating. The Ultra preset at 1080p (175 FPS) shows a significant drop, indicating that the CPU cannot keep up with the increased draw calls and physics calculations required by the highest settings.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (deltaPct 0.4), have similar average scores, confirming that the i5-9400 is a mid-range processor. At 1440p, the CPU's role diminishes slightly, as evidenced by the wider FPS spread between settings (Low 238 to Ultra 121). At 4K, the CPU is no longer the primary bottleneck, as the GPU's workload dominates. The CPU's 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth and 6 threads are sufficient for Greedfall at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the processor's performance ceiling is reached, capping the FPS below what the RTX 5090 D could theoretically deliver.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset (238 FPS) is the best choice for competitive play, as it offers a substantial visual improvement over Low (269 FPS) with only a 31 FPS penalty. The Ultra preset (175 FPS) is not recommended at 1080p, as the CPU bottleneck makes the 63 FPS drop from High difficult to justify for the marginal visual gains.

At 2560x1440, the High preset (190 FPS) provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset (209 FPS) is also viable for users seeking higher frame rates, offering a 19 FPS improvement over High with a modest reduction in visual fidelity. The Ultra preset (121 FPS) is playable but represents a significant 69 FPS drop from High, making it less desirable for users with high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the High preset (113 FPS) is the clear recommendation, as it delivers smooth gameplay while maintaining high visual quality. The Medium preset (125 FPS) is a good alternative for users prioritizing frame rate, while the Ultra preset (72 FPS) is only suitable for users who demand maximum visual fidelity and are comfortable with sub-100 FPS performance. The Low preset (159 FPS) is not recommended at 4K, as the visual degradation is substantial and the frame rate gains over Medium (125 FPS) are minimal.

Overall, the data suggests that the High preset at 1440p or 4K offers the best experience for most users, as it avoids the CPU bottleneck at 1080p and the GPU strain at 4K Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K (125 FPS) is a strong alternative for users with 120Hz displays, providing a good balance of visual quality and performance.