Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT pairing. The measured data places this specific combination at rank 912 out of 3703 tested combos, putting it in the top quartile of systems evaluated for this title. This position reflects a configuration that is clearly capable of delivering a smooth experience, yet the data also reveals specific bottlenecks and scaling characteristics that define its performance envelope.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 912 out of 3703 tested configurations indicates a strong, but not top-tier, standing for Greedfall. Being in the 75th percentile of all tested combos suggests that the majority of systems outperform this pairing, but it also means this setup is significantly ahead of a large portion of the field. The data shows that this rank is not a measure of inadequacy, but rather a reflection of the specific balance between the CPU and GPU in this title.

Benchmark results indicate that the system's overall standing is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance metrics. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds a percentile ranking of 55 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13543. Its nearest rivals in the database, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, have nearly identical average scores, with delta percentages of 0.1 and 0.2 respectively. This clustering suggests that while the RX 9070 XT is a modern card, its average benchmark score places it in a crowded field, which likely contributes to the combo's mid-pack ranking in Greedfall.

Conversely, the Intel Core i7-13700K performs exceptionally well in synthetic benchmarks, holding an 89th percentile ranking against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 46881 is closely matched by rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, with negligible delta percentages. This disparity between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's moderate percentile suggests that in many scenarios, the GPU is the limiting factor, preventing the combo from achieving a higher rank in Greedfall's specific workload.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This high core count and boost capability are well-suited for modern games, but Greedfall's engine may not fully utilize all available threads. The CPU's benchmark scores show a clear scaling pattern: a single-thread score of 1136 in 3dmark, which jumps to 2262 with 2 threads, and scales up to 12412 at max threads. This indicates that the processor's performance is heavily dependent on multi-threaded workloads.

In the context of Greedfall, the data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 248 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that indicates the CPU can feed frames efficiently. Even at 4K with Low settings, the system maintains 103 FPS, showing that the CPU's processing power is sufficient to handle the game's logic at higher resolutions. The robust multi-threading capabilities, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745, ensure that background tasks and game engine threads do not cause frame drops.

The CPU's performance relative to its peers reinforces its capability. Its 3dmark 16-thread score of 10717 and 8-thread score of 8193 highlight strong scaling, which is beneficial for games that can leverage multiple cores. However, the game's performance at Ultra settings, where the 4K average FPS drops to 47, suggests that the CPU's role is to maintain a high baseline, while the GPU's rendering load becomes the dominant factor at higher graphical presets.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the primary driver of visual performance in this combo. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1660 MHz and a boost clock of 2970 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz. This substantial memory capacity and bandwidth are critical for high-resolution textures and complex scenes, which Greedfall presents in its various environments.

The GPU's raw compute power is considerable, with an FP32 performance of 48.66 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s indicate a strong ability to fill the screen with detailed imagery. However, the measured FPS data shows that this power is not consistently translated into high frame rates at all settings. For instance, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 47, while at 1080p Ultra, it rises to 113. This scaling pattern points to the GPU being the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores present a mixed picture. Its Passmark G3D score of 26795 is robust, but its percentile ranking of 55 places it in the middle of the pack. The nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon Pro 555, have a deltaPct of 1.0, indicating the RX 9070 XT is only slightly ahead in average score. This suggests that while the GPU is modern and capable, its performance in Greedfall is not exceptional relative to a broad range of other graphics cards, which aligns with the combo's overall rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across all presets. Low settings yield an average of 248 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth. Medium settings produce 195 FPS, with a minimum of 166 and a maximum of 224 FPS, showing good consistency. High settings average 177 FPS, while Ultra settings still maintain a very playable 113 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings average 172 FPS, which remains excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings drop to an average of 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 and a maximum of 155 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High settings average 123 FPS, which is still smooth, while Ultra settings fall to an average of 78 FPS, which is acceptable but less ideal for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly. Low settings produce an average of 103 FPS, which is good for 4K gaming. Medium settings average 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93 FPS, showing some fluctuation. High settings drop to an average of 73 FPS, which is still playable, but the Ultra preset reveals the GPU's limits, with an average of only 47 FPS. This data shows that the RX 9070 XT can handle 4K at lower presets but struggles to maintain high frame rates at the highest graphical fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 248 at 1080p to 172 at 1440p, a reduction of approximately 30%, and then to 103 at 4K, another 40% reduction. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is heavily taxed by the increasing resolution, while the CPU maintains its ability to process frames.

At High settings, the scaling is less dramatic in percentage terms but still significant. The average FPS goes from 177 at 1080p to 123 at 1440p (a 30% drop) and then to 73 at 4K (a further 40% drop). This pattern suggests that the GPU's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint, as the frame rate does not scale linearly with the pixel count increase. The CPU's performance headroom is evident, as it can deliver 248 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU cannot maintain that level at higher resolutions.

The Ultra preset shows the most pronounced scaling, with FPS dropping from 113 at 1080p to 78 at 1440p and then to 47 at 4K. This data confirms that the GPU is the limiting component in this configuration. The RX 9070 XT, despite its 16 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth, reaches its compute limits when tasked with rendering Greedfall at Ultra settings on a 4K display. The CPU's role is to ensure that these frame rates are stable, which it does effectively, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's workload.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080 users, the Ultra preset is viable, as it delivers an average of 113 FPS, which is smooth for most gaming scenarios. Those seeking maximum frame rates for competitive play can opt for High settings at 177 FPS, or even Low settings at 248 FPS for the highest possible refresh rate.

For 2560x1440, the High preset offers a balanced experience with an average of 123 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset provides a slightly higher average of 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 FPS, ensuring no significant dips. The Ultra preset, at 78 FPS, is still playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced combat, making High or Medium the more sensible choices for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests that Medium settings provide the best balance, with an average of 81 FPS and a minimum of 69 FPS. This ensures a stable frame rate above 60 FPS, which is the target for most 4K displays. The High preset, at 73 FPS, is also viable, but the Medium preset offers a more consistent minimum frame rate. The Low preset, at 103 FPS, is an option for those prioritizing performance over visual fidelity, but the Ultra preset, at 47 FPS, is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combo in Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 912 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the top 25% of all systems tested for this game.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971) and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022), with delta percentages of -0.2 and -0.3 respectively.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and how does it affect the combo?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds a 55th percentile ranking against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 13543 is closely matched by the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (13536) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13515), which suggests its performance is a limiting factor for the combo's overall rank.

Q: What are the average FPS results at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 113 FPS, which is smooth and playable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 47, while the CPU is capable of delivering 248 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating it is not the limiting factor.

Q: What settings are recommended for a stable 4K experience?

A: For 4K, the Medium preset is recommended, as it provides an average of 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. The High preset averages 73 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a more consistent minimum frame rate.