Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents an interesting scalability challenge for the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combo. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial resources become more relevant as resolution drops. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across the board, interpreting what the numbers mean for this specific pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 165 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 114 FPS, a 31% reduction in frame rate. The jump to 4K further reduces performance to 68 FPS, which is another 40% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as pixel count increases indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions; the Intel Core i7-14700K is not the bottleneck here.

The scaling pattern holds across all settings presets. With Low settings, the frame rate falls from 231 FPS at 1080p to 160 FPS at 1440p and then to 96 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are consistent, suggesting a uniform load increase on the GPU rather than any sudden shift in CPU dependency. Even at Ultra settings, where the absolute numbers are lower, the relative scaling remains similar: 105 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K.

What this data reveals is that the 4K Ultra experience is the most demanding configuration, with the system delivering 43 FPS. This is the only tested scenario that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution/settings combination is the breaking point for smooth gameplay. The gap between 1440p and 4K is consistently larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, which is expected given the 2.25x pixel count increase from 1440p to 4K versus the 1.78x increase from 1080p to 1440p. The frame rate drops reflect this geometric progression in rendering workload.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1700 platform. Its specification includes a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. In Greedfall, this processor's role appears to be largely supportive, providing ample headroom for the GPU to operate without constraint. The benchmark data shows no scenario where CPU limitations manifest as frame rate plateaus; instead, performance scales consistently with GPU load.

The processor's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 provide a robust foundation for game logic and asset streaming. However, the measured FPS numbers in Greedfall do not show any sudden dips or stutters that would indicate CPU bottlenecks, even at 1080p where the CPU load is proportionally higher. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 231 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently without becoming a limiting factor.

The Core i7-14700K's single-thread performance is relevant here, as Greedfall's engine likely relies on a few primary threads for game logic. The benchmark results for the CPU show a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and a multi-core score of 33440.5, placing it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. This strong single-thread capability ensures that even at high frame rates, the CPU can keep up with the GPU's demands. The processor's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, has an average benchmark score that is 0.2% lower, confirming that the Core i7-14700K is at the top of its class for this workload.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 1177 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This places the pairing in the top third of all configurations, which is a solid result given the GPU's age and the game's release date. The rank reflects the measured FPS across all tested resolutions and settings, providing a holistic view of the combo's capability.

The ranking is particularly notable when considering the GPU's position in the broader market. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48477. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, has a 1.5% higher score, while the Intel Arc A550M trails by 2.5%. This indicates that the RX 6800 XT is a high-performing GPU, but the combo's rank of 1177 out of 3703 suggests that other pairings with newer or more powerful GPUs achieve higher frame rates in Greedfall.

The rank also implies that while this combo is capable, it is not at the extreme high end for this specific game. The data shows that the system can deliver playable frame rates at most settings, but the 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS pulls the overall ranking down. For gamers targeting high refresh rate 1080p or solid 1440p gameplay, this combo performs admirably, but those seeking 4K Ultra experiences would need to look at higher-ranked combinations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 231 FPS on Low, 181 FPS on Medium, 165 FPS on High, and 105 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset includes a minimum frame rate of 154 FPS and a maximum of 209 FPS, indicating some variability but overall smooth performance. These numbers suggest that at 1080p, the system is well above the threshold for high refresh rate displays, even at the most demanding settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings produce 160 FPS, Medium delivers 126 FPS with a range of 107 to 145 FPS, High achieves 114 FPS, and Ultra drops to 73 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that this resolution is the sweet spot for the combo, providing a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. Even at Ultra, the 73 FPS average is playable, though it falls short of 1440p high refresh rate targets.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more constrained. High settings yield 68 FPS, Medium delivers 75 FPS with a range of 64 to 86 FPS, Low produces 96 FPS, and Ultra drops to 43 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K is interesting because it outperforms High, likely due to specific rendering techniques that scale differently with pixel count. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, making it the least desirable option for this resolution. The 4K Low setting at 96 FPS shows that the GPU can handle the resolution if graphical effects are minimized.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the defining component in this combo's Greedfall performance. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU has a memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s. This is crucial for 4K gaming, where texture data and frame buffers demand substantial memory throughput. The GPU's 4608 shading units and 72 ray accelerators, based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, provide the raw compute power necessary for the game's rendering workload.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor. With a base clock of 1825 MHz and a boost clock of 2250 MHz, the RX 6800 XT can dynamically adjust its performance based on thermal and power headroom. The game clock of 2015 MHz represents the sustained clock speed under typical gaming loads. These clocks, combined with the 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, explain why the GPU can handle 1440p High at 114 FPS but struggles with 4K Ultra at 43 FPS.

The GPU's nearest rivals provide context for its performance. The NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile has an average benchmark score that is 1.5% higher, while the Intel Arc A550M is 2.5% lower. This puts the RX 6800 XT in a competitive position, though its end-of-life production status suggests newer GPUs have surpassed it. The 85th percentile ranking confirms that it remains a capable graphics card, particularly for 1440p gaming, which aligns with the measured FPS data showing strong performance at that resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 105 FPS provides the best visual experience while maintaining a high frame rate that suits most displays. The High preset at 165 FPS is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, offering a significant FPS boost with a modest visual compromise.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 114 FPS is the recommended choice. It delivers a balanced experience with solid visual fidelity and a frame rate that exceeds 60 FPS for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 73 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but the 41 FPS difference between High and Ultra makes High the better value for most users. The Medium preset at 126 FPS is a strong alternative for those seeking higher refresh rates.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 75 FPS is the best option. It provides a playable frame rate with acceptable visual quality, and the measured range of 64 to 86 FPS indicates consistent performance. The High preset at 68 FPS is also playable, but the Medium preset offers a 7 FPS advantage with what is likely a minor visual difference. The Low preset at 96 FPS is viable for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromise is substantial. The Ultra preset at 43 FPS should be avoided, as it falls below the threshold for smooth gameplay and represents the worst performance-to-quality trade-off in the measured data.