Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG released in 2019, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates CPU and GPU responsibilities. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, using measured frame rate data across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data reveals a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck at higher settings, while the processor provides ample headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming at lower resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, featuring a 25 MB shared L3 cache. This configuration places the CPU in the 85th percentile of all processors, with a strong average benchmark score of 35365. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores a nearly identical 35403 (0.1% higher), and the Intel Core i5-13600T at 35305 (0.2% lower), indicating this chip sits at the top of its performance tier.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role becomes evident when observing the frame rate scaling with resolution. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 148 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in this dataset. This high ceiling suggests that the i7-12700KF is not a limiting factor at this resolution; the processor has sufficient single-thread and multi-thread performance to feed the GPU effectively. The 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and 3dmark_16_threads score of 9282 support this, showing robust performance in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded scenarios.

As the resolution increases, the frame rate drops, indicating that the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU's rendering burden grows. The processor's 20 threads are more than adequate for Greedfall's engine, which is not known for extreme multi-threading requirements. The data shows that at 2560x1440 with Low settings, the system still delivers 103 FPS, and at 3840x2160 with Low settings, it manages 61 FPS. The consistent performance across resolutions at Low settings suggests that the CPU can maintain a high frame rate ceiling, but the GPU's pixel-pushing capabilities become the deciding factor as resolution climbs.

The benchmark results show the i7-12700KF outperforms its direct rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, by 0.1% in average score, but this margin is negligible in real-world gaming. The more relevant comparison is its 0.2% lead over the Intel Core i7-12700K, which shares the same core architecture. This data indicates that the CPU is a high-end, modern part capable of handling any game released around Greedfall's launch window without becoming a bottleneck, especially when paired with a mid-range GPU like the RX 5700 XT.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture using TSMC's 7 nm process, featuring the Navi 10 chip with 10,300 million transistors. It comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1605 MHz, with a boost clock of 1905 MHz and a game clock of 1755 MHz. This configuration places the GPU in the 59th percentile of all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 16361.

The GPU's performance in Greedfall is the primary determinant of frame rates at higher settings. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system achieves 68 FPS, which drops to 47 FPS at 2560x1440 and 28 FPS at 3840x2160. This steep decline highlights the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, particularly with the demanding Ultra preset. The RX 5700 XT's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Greedfall, as the game is from 2019 and does not require excessive memory capacity, but the raw compute power of 9.754 TFLOPS FP32 is the limiting factor.

When comparing to its nearest rivals, the RX 5700 XT scores 16361, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (16351) and 0.3% lower than both the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (16408) and AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (16415). These differences are minimal, indicating that the RX 5700 XT performs at a level consistent with its peers in synthetic benchmarks. However, in real-world gaming at 1080p, it shows capable performance, delivering 106 FPS on High settings and 117 FPS on Medium settings.

The GPU's 64 ROPs and 160 TMUs at a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s contribute to its ability to handle Greedfall's visual effects. The pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s is adequate for 1080p but struggles at 4K, as evidenced by the 44 FPS average on High settings at 3840x2160. The data suggests that the RX 5700 XT is a solid 1080p and 1440p performer, but it cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher quality presets, making it the clear bottleneck in this system configuration.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which points directly to the GPU as the limiting component. Starting at 1920x1080 with High settings, the system achieves 106 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops to 73 FPS, a reduction of 33 FPS or approximately 31%. At 3840x2160, the frame rate falls further to 44 FPS, representing a 62 FPS drop from 1080p, or about 58% lower performance. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

The Low settings preset shows a similar trend but with higher absolute frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system hits 148 FPS, which drops to 103 FPS at 1440p and 61 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 30% and 59% respectively, mirroring the High settings pattern. This consistency across presets indicates that the resolution increase places a proportional burden on the GPU's rendering pipeline, regardless of quality level.

The Medium settings preset provides additional insight with min and max FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 117 FPS with a range of 99 to 134 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS. Finally, at 4K Medium, the average falls to 48 FPS with a range of 41 to 55 FPS. The frame time consistency appears to hold, but the overall performance scales down predictably with pixel count.

This behavior confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU's workload is largely independent of resolution. Instead, the significant frame rate drops at higher resolutions indicate that the RX 5700 XT is operating at its maximum capacity, and the increasing pixel count overwhelms its 9.754 TFLOPS compute capability. The i7-12700KF, with its high single-thread score of 1043 and multi-thread score of 9983, has ample headroom to process game logic and draw calls without becoming a constraint.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 106 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and provides a solid balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset offers 117 FPS, which is 11 FPS higher, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the modest gain for most users. The Ultra preset at 68 FPS is still playable but approaches the lower boundary of what is considered smooth for action RPGs.

At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 73 FPS, which is excellent for this resolution and provides a great gaming experience. The Medium preset at 81 FPS offers a slight improvement but at the cost of reduced visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 47 FPS is borderline playable but may result in noticeable stuttering during intense combat scenes. For most users at 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it balances the game's visual detail with a frame rate that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset achieves 61 FPS, which is technically playable but requires significant visual compromises. The High preset at 44 FPS and Medium at 48 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel sluggish. The Ultra preset at 28 FPS is not recommended for any gameplay scenario. The data indicates that 4K gaming with this hardware requires dropping to Low settings to achieve a playable frame rate, suggesting that users should either stick to 1440p or be willing to accept lower visual quality.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is achieved at 2560x1440 with High settings, delivering 73 FPS. This provides a good balance of resolution, visual quality, and performance that is well-suited for the RX 5700 XT's capabilities. For users with 1080p monitors, the High preset at 106 FPS is the recommended choice, offering smooth performance without compromising visual fidelity. Users seeking higher frame rates can opt for Medium at 117 FPS, but the improvement is marginal.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable at 1080p with this hardware?

A: The highest recorded average FPS at 1920x1080 is 148 FPS, achieved with the Low settings preset. The High preset delivers 106 FPS, Medium delivers 117 FPS, and Ultra delivers 68 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT in Greedfall?

A: No. The data shows that frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases (from 148 FPS at 1080p Low to 61 FPS at 4K Low), which indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's high benchmark scores, including a 3dmark_max_threads score of 9983, suggest it has sufficient headroom.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M's score of 16351. This difference is negligible in real-world gaming performance.

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution in Greedfall?

A: Only with the Low settings preset, which achieves an average of 61 FPS at 3840x2160. The Medium preset delivers 48 FPS, High delivers 44 FPS, and Ultra delivers 28 FPS, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the frame rate range for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. This provides a stable experience above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i7-12700KF scores 35365 on average, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i7-13700T (35403) and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305). It also scores 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-12700K (35287).

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The complete measured frame rate data for the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination in Greedfall is presented below. All values are average FPS unless otherwise noted, with min and max FPS provided for the Medium preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: 148 FPS average
• Medium: 117 FPS average, with a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 134 FPS
• High: 106 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 103 FPS average
• Medium: 81 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS
• High: 73 FPS average
• Ultra: 47 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 61 FPS average
• Medium: 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS
• High: 44 FPS average
• Ultra: 28 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: for each resolution, the Low preset provides the highest frame rate, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the most demanding. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, ranging from 80 FPS at 1080p (148 vs 68) to 33 FPS at 4K (61 vs 28). The Medium preset's min and max values indicate that frame pacing remains stable, with no extreme dips that would cause noticeable stuttering)Skip to content