Greedfall

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D pairing in Greedfall is a top-tier combination that delivers exceptional frame rates across all settings and resolutions. The data shows this combo ranks first out of 2,938 tested combinations, making it the definitive benchmark for this Action RPG. This analysis breaks down the CPU's role, optimal settings, resolution scaling behavior, and exact performance figures.

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 boosts up to 5.40 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance critical for game logic and physics. The processor includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 30 MB L3 cache, all of which help keep frequently accessed data close to the cores. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus, and it connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30,745 and a single-core score of 2,116. Its PassMark multithread score reaches 45,887, while the single-thread score is 4,333. The 3DMark tests show scaling from 1,136 in single-thread to 12,412 in max-threads, indicating the processor can effectively use its 16 cores when the workload demands it. The CPU's average benchmark score is 46,881, placing it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs tested.

When comparing to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K sits extremely close to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900. The Ryzen 9 5900 has an average score of 46,971, which is just 0.2% higher than the i7-13700K's 46,881. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47,022, a 0.3% advantage, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46,654, putting them 0.5% behind. This clustering shows the i7-13700K is competitively positioned among high-end processors, though the margin is negligible in real-world gaming.

For Greedfall specifically, the CPU's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded game tasks like AI decision-making and quest scripting run smoothly. The 24 threads also provide headroom for background processes and streaming. The measured FPS data shows no CPU bottleneck even at 1080p with Low settings, where the combo achieves 383 FPS average — this indicates the processor is not limiting the RTX 5090 D at any resolution or setting level in this game.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset delivers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 4K resolution, the High preset averages 113 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset drops to 72 FPS, still playable but with a significant 36% performance hit compared to High. The Medium preset at 125 FPS offers a modest improvement over High, but the visual difference between Medium and High is typically more noticeable than the 12 FPS gain suggests.

At 1440p, the High preset averages 190 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 121 FPS still provides a smooth experience, but the jump from High to Ultra costs 69 FPS, or about 36% of the High performance. The Medium preset at 209 FPS is marginally faster than High but may show reduced texture quality and lighting effects.

At 1080p, all presets exceed 175 FPS, with High averaging 273 FPS and Ultra at 175 FPS. The Low preset reaches 383 FPS, which is far beyond what any display can show, making it unnecessary unless targeting extreme refresh rates or competitive play.

The data strongly suggests the High preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions. It delivers 113 FPS at 4K, 190 FPS at 1440p, and 273 FPS at 1080p, all while maintaining the visual fidelity that Greedfall's Action RPG environments benefit from. The Ultra preset offers diminishing returns: at 4K it drops to 72 FPS, which is close to the edge of what some players might find acceptable, while at 1440p and 1080p the frame rates remain high enough that the extra visual detail could justify the performance cost for some users. However, given that High is only one step below Ultra and provides a 57% performance increase at 4K, it is the recommended choice for consistent high frame rates.

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

The measured FPS data reveals how performance scales across resolutions for this combo. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 273 at 1080p to 190 at 1440p to 113 at 4K. This represents a 30% drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41% drop when moving from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative drop from 1080p to 4K is 59%, meaning the 4K frame rate is only about 41% of the 1080p frame rate.

At Low settings, the scaling is steeper: 383 FPS at 1080p drops to 266 at 1440p (a 31% decrease) and then to 159 at 4K (a 40% decrease from 1440p). The overall drop from 1080p to 4K is 58%. At Medium settings, the pattern is similar: 301 FPS at 1080p, 209 at 1440p (31% drop), and 125 at 4K (40% drop from 1440p). The Ultra preset shows 175 FPS at 1080p, 121 at 1440p (31% drop), and 72 at 4K (40% drop from 1440p).

The consistent percentage drops across all settings indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The RTX 5090 D's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are being taxed more as pixel count increases, which is expected behavior. The fact that the CPU maintains roughly the same frame rate deltas across settings suggests it is not the bottleneck — if the CPU were limiting, we would see the frame rate plateau at higher resolutions rather than continue dropping.

The GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 176 ROPs handle the increased pixel workload at 4K, but the 59% performance drop from 1080p to 4K is typical for a graphics-heavy game like Greedfall. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the combo is likely CPU-bound at lower settings, as evidenced by the 383 FPS at 1080p Low, which is far beyond what most displays can show. At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor, with frame rates dropping to 72 FPS at Ultra, which still qualifies as playable but shows the GPU is working near its limits for this title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves the number 1 rank out of 2,938 tested combos in Greedfall. This top ranking means no other CPU and GPU pairing in the database produces higher measured frame rates in this game. The data is marked as measured, indicating these are actual benchmark results rather than estimates.

The GPU alone sits in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals in the overall GPU rankings include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT at 76,904 (1.1% lower), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940 (1.6% higher), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB at 79,396 (2.1% higher). Interestingly, the Tesla P100 cards score higher in synthetic benchmarks, but the RTX 5090 D's gaming-specific features and driver optimizations give it the edge in Greedfall.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking is slightly lower than the GPU's 92nd percentile, but the combination still dominates. This suggests that for Greedfall, the GPU is the more critical component for achieving top frame rates, while the CPU provides sufficient support without becoming a bottleneck. The top combo ranking of 1 out of 2,938 is a strong indicator that this pairing is the best available for maximizing performance in this game, regardless of resolution or settings.

The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals show that the i7-13700K is within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535, and within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375. These differences are negligible in synthetic benchmarks and would not meaningfully affect gaming performance, meaning the GPU choice has a much larger impact on the final frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: The High preset at 4K averages 113 FPS, which is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset drops to 72 FPS, a 36% reduction, while Medium only improves to 125 FPS. High provides a smooth experience without sacrificing significant visual fidelity.

Q: Can this combo handle 1080p at maximum refresh rates?

A: Yes, at 1080p the High preset averages 273 FPS and the Low preset reaches 383 FPS. Even the Ultra preset at 175 FPS exceeds the refresh rate of most gaming monitors. This combo is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate displays at 1080p.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rate drops consistently from 1080p to 1440p to 4K across all settings, with a 59% total drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings. This scaling pattern is characteristic of GPU-bound workloads, as the RTX 5090 D handles the increased pixel count.

Q: How does the i7-13700K compare to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46,971 on average, which is just 0.2% higher than the i7-13700K's 46,881. This difference is negligible in practical gaming scenarios. The i7-13700K's 89th percentile ranking places it among the top processors, and its performance is effectively tied with the Ryzen 9 5900.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 209 FPS while High averages 190 FPS. The difference is 19 FPS, or about 9% higher on Medium. However, the visual quality improvement from Medium to High typically justifies the small performance cost.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB of memory necessary for Greedfall?

A: The GPU's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory exceeds what Greedfall requires, as the game is from 2019 and does not demand high memory capacity. The extra memory provides headroom for future titles or high-resolution textures, but it is not a limiting factor in this game's performance.

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

The measured FPS data for this combo in Greedfall is as follows, organized by resolution and settings preset:

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 383 FPS average
• Medium: 301 FPS average, with a minimum of 256 FPS and maximum of 346 FPS
• High: 273 FPS average
• Ultra: 175 FPS average

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 266 FPS average
• Medium: 209 FPS average, with a minimum of 178 FPS and maximum of 240 FPS
• High: 190 FPS average
• Ultra: 121 FPS average

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 159 FPS average
• Medium: 125 FPS average, with a minimum of 106 FPS and maximum of 143 FPS
• High: 113 FPS average
• Ultra: 72 FPS average

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, providing a range for each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate varies between 256 and 346 FPS, a 90 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 178 to 240 FPS, a 62 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 106 to 143 FPS, a 37 FPS spread. This decreasing variability at higher resolutions further confirms the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as frame time consistency improves when the GPU is fully utilized.

The data shows this combo achieves a minimum FPS above 100 in every scenario except 4K Ultra, where the average is 72 FPS. Even the lowest recorded minimum, 106 FPS at 4K Medium, is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This makes the combo suitable for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and for standard 60 Hz displays at 4K with High settings or lower.