Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG released on September 9, 2019, presents a demanding workload for the tested configuration pairing the Intel Core i7-12700KF with the Intel Arc B370. The measured data shows this combination producing a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings, with a significant performance cliff emerging as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to explain the roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping these outcomes.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 54 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High preset reduces the average to 38 FPS, a decrease of 16 frames. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 22 FPS, representing a 32-frame drop from the 1080p baseline. This pattern indicates that the rendering pipeline becomes increasingly strained at higher resolutions.

The scaling behavior suggests the graphics processor is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At 1920x1080 Low settings, the average is 76 FPS, which is the highest score recorded across all test scenarios. At 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 53 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 31 FPS. The proportional decline from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 30%, and from 1080p to 4K is roughly 59%. These large percentage losses at lower settings are characteristic of a GPU that is saturated with pixel and shader work, rather than a CPU bottleneck that would show diminishing frame rate differences at higher resolutions.

Comparing Low to Ultra settings at the same resolution further highlights the GPU constraint. At 1920x1080, Low yields 76 FPS while Ultra yields 35 FPS. At 2560x1440, the gap narrows slightly (53 FPS vs 24 FPS), and at 3840x2160, both settings produce very low results (31 FPS vs 14 FPS). The fact that even Low settings at 4K cannot break 31 FPS indicates the GPU's raw throughput is insufficient for the pixel count, regardless of the quality presets. The data points to a graphics-bound scenario where the Arc B370's computational resources, including its 1280 shading units and 20 ROPs, are overwhelmed by the resolution demands.

The delta between Medium and High settings is relatively small across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium averages 60 FPS and High averages 54 FPS, a 6-frame difference. At 2560x1440, the difference is 3 frames (41 vs 38). At 3840x2160, it is also 3 frames (25 vs 22). This suggests that the incremental load added by High settings over Medium is not the primary performance barrier; the core bottleneck lies in the base resolution overhead itself.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, running on a 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This CPU is clearly not the limiting factor in these benchmark results. Looking at its synthetic performance, the processor achieves a 3DMark max threads score of 9983 and a single-thread score of 1043. In Cinebench R23, it scores 28838 multicore and 4071 singlecore. These numbers place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall processing capability.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-13700T with a delta of -0.1% and the Intel Core i5-13600T with a delta of 0.2%. This closeness in scores means the i7-12700KF is performing exactly as expected for its class. When analyzing the game's frame rates, there is no evidence of a CPU-side stall. For instance, at 1920x1080 Low, the CPU is able to feed the GPU enough data to reach 76 FPS. If the CPU were weak, this score would be much lower.

The game's performance degradation at higher resolutions is not correlated with CPU workload. Greedfall's engine appears to be heavily graphics-limited in this configuration. The CPU's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide ample bandwidth for game logic and draw calls. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 indicates that even heavily threaded scenarios are handled efficiently. Given that the GPU is an integrated part (IGP) with a 25 W TDP, it is far more likely that the Arc B370's rendering capability is the ceiling. The CPU is effectively waiting on the GPU to finish each frame, a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The data shows no resolution scaling behavior that would implicate the CPU, as frame rates drop proportionally with pixel count, which is a GPU characteristic.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. Its memory is system shared, making bandwidth dependent on the system's DDR4 or DDR5 configuration. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS.

This GPU is positioned in the 5th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 1184, which comes from a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a delta of -0.2% and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with a delta of -0.5%. This context is crucial: the Arc B370 is competing with very old, low-end discrete graphics solutions. Its performance in Greedfall reflects this low standing.

The measured FPS data confirms severe GPU limitations. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average frame rate is 14 FPS, which is unplayable. Even at 1920x1080 Ultra, the average is only 35 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold for most action games. The GPU's 20 ROPs are likely the bottleneck for pixel fill rate, especially at higher resolutions. The 1280 shading units struggle with the shader complexity of Greedfall's environments and character models.

The boost clock of 2400 MHz is respectable, but the low base clock of 300 MHz and the shared memory architecture limit sustained performance. The system-dependent memory bandwidth means that in a best-case scenario with fast DDR5, the GPU might perform slightly better, but the benchmark results show it cannot handle 1440p or 4K with playable frame rates. The data indicates that this GPU is suited for 1080p gaming at lower settings, where it achieves 76 FPS on Low and 60 FPS on Medium. Beyond that, the performance collapses, confirming that the GPU is the sole determinant of the frame rate in this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved by this combo in Greedfall?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 76 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365. The Intel Core i7-13700T has a score of 35403 with a delta of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i5-13600T has a score of 35305 with a delta of 0.2%, showing the i7-12700KF is nearly identical in performance to these processors.

Q: Is this configuration capable of running Greedfall at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: The data shows an average frame rate of 38 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is technically playable but may not feel smooth in fast-paced combat scenarios.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B370 is in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1184 based on a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve a 60 FPS average?

A: The only configuration that hits a 60 FPS average is 1920x1080 with Medium settings, where the average is 60 FPS. The Low setting at the same resolution yields 76 FPS.

Q: How much does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average is 54 FPS. At 3840x2160 High, the average drops to 22 FPS, representing a 32 FPS decrease.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 76 FPS, Medium produces 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 and maximum of 69, High produces 54 FPS, and Ultra produces 35 FPS. This resolution offers the most flexibility, with Low and Medium being fully playable.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 53 FPS, Medium averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 48, High averages 38 FPS, and Ultra averages 24 FPS. The step from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 20-30 FPS across all settings, making only Low and Medium viable for consistent play.

At 3840x2160, the configuration struggles significantly. Low settings average 31 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 and maximum of 28, High averages 22 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS. None of these settings achieve a 30 FPS average, and the minimum frame rates suggest noticeable stuttering during intense scenes. The data shows a clear pattern: the combo is only suitable for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a stretch and 4K being outside the playable range.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience for this configuration is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average frame rate of 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, providing a stable and smooth experience for an action RPG. The jump to High settings at the same resolution reduces the average to 54 FPS, which is still playable but introduces more variance and a higher risk of drops below 50 FPS during combat.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, High settings at 1920x1080 is the best compromise, as it maintains an average above 50 FPS. However, the data suggests that Ultra settings at 1080p are not recommended, as the average drops to 35 FPS, which is likely to feel sluggish. At 2560x1440, the only playable options are Low (53 FPS) and Medium (41 FPS). Medium is the better choice here, as it offers a balance between quality and performance, although the minimum of 35 FPS indicates potential dips.

The 3840x2160 resolution should be avoided entirely. Even at Low settings, the average is only 31 FPS, which falls below the threshold for acceptable action gameplay. The Ultra preset at 4K yields an unplayable 14 FPS. The recommendation is to stick with 1080p Medium for the best experience, or 1080p High if the user accepts a slightly lower frame rate for better visuals. Lowering to 1440p Low is an option for users with larger monitors, but the performance benefit is marginal compared to 1080p Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2699 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations tested for this game. The ranking reflects the severe GPU bottleneck, as the CPU is a high-end desktop part while the GPU is an integrated solution designed for low-power mobile or entry-level desktop use.

The ranking is more indicative of the GPU's limitations than the CPU's capabilities. The i7-12700KF is a strong processor, evidenced by its 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its competitive scores against rivals like the i7-13700T. However, the Arc B370's 5th percentile GPU ranking drags the overall combo down. The data shows that even with a capable CPU, the integrated GPU cannot provide the rendering power needed for a demanding game like Greedfall at higher resolutions.

In practical terms, this combo ranks below the vast majority of systems with discrete graphics cards. The measured FPS data confirms that it only achieves playable frame rates at 1080p with lower settings, which is a typical result for integrated graphics. Users with this configuration should expect performance similar to very old discrete GPUs like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which is a direct rival to the Arc B370 in synthetic benchmarks. The combo's low rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to scale with resolution, making it a poor choice for high-fidelity gaming despite having a top-tier CPU.