Greedfall

The Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing in Greedfall presents a classic study in component balance, where a high-end CPU is paired with a mid-range GPU to produce a predictable, GPU-bound experience. The benchmark data reveals a system that is consistently capable of playable framerates at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to strain under the demands of 4K and maximum settings presets.

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

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and can boost up to 5.40 GHz, figures that place it firmly in the enthusiast segment. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 30 MB L3 cache, a configuration designed to feed data to the cores efficiently. This CPU is clearly not a bottleneck in Greedfall, as evidenced by the fact that framerates scale almost linearly with resolution changes, a behavior that points to the GPU as the limiting factor.

The CPU's synthetic benchmark scores reinforce its high-end standing. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116, along with a Geekbench multi-core score of 19429. Its Passmark multithread score of 45887 and single-thread score of 4333 further illustrate its capability. The data shows that the i7-13700K sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 46881. Its nearest rivals in these aggregate benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46971 (a -0.2% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, which scores 47022 (a -0.3% delta). These tiny percentage differences indicate that the i7-13700K is essentially performance-equivalent to these top-tier rivals in general compute tasks.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role is to prepare frames for the GPU as fast as possible. Given that the i7-13700K outperforms its rivals in the aggregate scores, it is unlikely that the game's engine, which is not known for extreme multi-threaded demands, is being stressed. The 3DMark multi-thread score of 12412 and the 16-thread score of 10717 suggest ample headroom for the game's logic and physics. The data implies that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is likely delivering frames far faster than the GPU can render them, making the system decidedly GPU-bound. The only scenario where the CPU might become more relevant would be at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU's load is reduced, but even then, the i7-13700K's high single-core performance (Passmark single-thread score of 4333) should keep it ahead of the demand.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the more constrained component in this pairing. It is based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, specifically the Navi 44 chip, and is built on TSMC's 4 nm process. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. Its memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. With 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, the RX 9060 is positioned as a mainstream performer, which is reflected in its 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark performance aligns with its mid-range market position. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 17631 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 88183. In the aggregate, its average benchmark score is 16014, placing it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129 (a -0.7% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, which scores 15852 (a 1% delta). The RX 9060 also sits near the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, 1% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, 2.1% delta). This proximity in scores indicates that the RX 9060 is a solid performer in its class, but it is not in the same league as the CPU in terms of relative performance headroom.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a significant factor for Greedfall, a 2019 title that can be demanding on memory at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of framerate. For instance, at 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 119, but this drops to 76 at Ultra settings. This 43 FPS difference is a direct consequence of the GPU's processing power and memory bandwidth. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the combination of higher pixel count and potentially higher texture memory usage likely causes the GPU to struggle, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra average of only 31 FPS.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales across resolutions. Looking at the High settings preset, the average FPS goes from 119 at 1080p, to 83 at 1440p, and finally to 49 at 4K. This represents a drop of 30% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further drop of 41% from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 59%. This steep decline is the hallmark of a GPU-bound system.

If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect to see framerates that remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU's workload (draw calls, physics) is less dependent on resolution. Instead, the data shows that performance is highly sensitive to resolution changes, which directly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. The same pattern is evident in the Low settings preset, where the average FPS falls from 167 at 1080p to 116 at 1440p and 69 at 4K. The 1080p Low score of 167 FPS is likely near the CPU's maximum output for the game, but the RX 9060 still cannot maintain that at higher resolutions.

The Medium preset, which includes min and max FPS data, offers additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 131 FPS with a min of 112 and a max of 151. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 91 FPS (min 77, max 105), and at 4K Medium, the average is 54 FPS (min 46, max 62). The consistent scaling of the average FPS across all three presets confirms that the GPU's rendering throughput is the deciding factor. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with framerates of 76 at 1080p, 53 at 1440p, and 31 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only sub-30 FPS average in the dataset, highlighting that this combination is not suitable for maximum settings at that resolution.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p and 1440p provide the most comfortable experience. At 1440p High, the system averages 83 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. 4K High at 49 FPS is marginally playable, but the 4K Ultra result of 31 FPS is not recommended.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-13700K compare to its closest rivals in aggregate performance?

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022, -0.3% delta). It also edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46654, 0.5% delta) and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 (46653, 0.5% delta).

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 a bottleneck for this system?

A: Yes, the benchmark data strongly suggests the RX 9060 is the limiting component. The framerate drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high performance and percentile ranking (89th) relative to the GPU (59th) confirm this disparity.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The average FPS drops from 83 at High settings to 53 at Ultra settings at 2560x1440. This is a 36% performance reduction for the higher visual fidelity, which may not be worth the cost in smoothness.

Q: How does the RX 9060's performance compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The two GPUs are very close in aggregate benchmarks. The RTX 3060 Ti has an average score of 16129, while the RX 9060 has an average score of 16014, a delta of -0.7%. This indicates that the RX 9060 is essentially a performance peer to the RTX 3060 Ti.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?*

A: It can, but with caveats. The average FPS is 49 at 4K High and 69 at 4K Low. While these are playable, the 4K Ultra preset at 31 FPS is not a smooth experience. The 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus of the RX 9060 appear to be insufficient for the highest demands at this resolution.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all tested configurations.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset yields an average FPS of 167, indicating a very high level of performance. The Medium preset averages 131 FPS, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 151. The High preset averages 119 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 76 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 91 FPS, showing a significant impact from the graphics settings.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 116 FPS, dropping to 91 FPS on Medium (min 77, max 105). The High preset averages 83 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with a roughly 30% reduction in FPS for each preset.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more demanding. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS (min 46, max 62), and the High preset averages 49 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 31 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for a smooth experience. The data shows that the GPU is unable to maintain high framerates at this resolution, particularly with higher quality settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and desired framerate stability.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset offers an excellent balance, with an average of 119 FPS. This provides high visual quality while maintaining a very smooth framerate. The Ultra preset, at 76 FPS, is also viable for users who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum smoothness, but the 43 FPS drop suggests that the GPU is being heavily taxed. The Medium preset at 131 FPS is a solid choice for those who want a higher safety margin for framerate dips.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset is the recommended choice. The 83 FPS average is smooth, and the visual quality is good. The Medium preset at 91 FPS offers a slightly higher framerate, but the High preset's visual improvements are likely worth the small performance cost. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive, and the data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor here.

For 4K gaming, the data shows that the system is not well-suited for high or ultra settings. The High preset at 49 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 31 FPS is not recommended. The Low preset at 69 FPS is the most playable option, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. Users with 4K displays may need to consider lowering the resolution or accepting lower settings to achieve a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU and GPU combinations for Greedfall, the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing holds a rank of 1672 out of 2938 total combos. This places it in the 57th percentile of all tested systems, which is a middle-of-the-pack result. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the high-end nature of the CPU, but it is a direct consequence of the GPU's more modest performance.

The high rank of the CPU (89th percentile) does not translate into a high rank for the combo, because the game's performance is heavily weighted toward the GPU. The data indicates that while the CPU is capable of supporting much higher framerates, the RX 9060 is holding the system back. If the CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combination would likely rank much higher. The combo's rank is a reflection of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's. The fact that the system achieves 119 FPS at 1080p High suggests that a stronger GPU could push this number much higher, potentially exceeding 200 FPS. The current rank of 1672 out of 2938 is a clear indicator that the system is balanced around the GPU's capabilities, making it a solid mainstream choice but not a top-tier performer for Greedfall.