Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG, places unique demands on a desktop system, and pairing the Intel Core i7-14700K with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX produces a fascinating dataset. The measured results reveal a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but which also shows the CPU’s headroom when the load is reduced. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics of this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking pattern in the data is how frame rates collapse as resolution increases, which is a clear indicator of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 286.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 197.7 FPS, a reduction of 88.5 frames. The jump to 4K further reduces the average to 118.8 FPS. This steep decline—a total of 167.4 FPS from 1080p to 4K—is the signature of a GPU that is being pushed to its limits.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced when examining the Ultra preset. Here, the gap between resolutions is stark. At 1080p, the system manages 132.3 FPS, but at 1440p that falls to 92.1 FPS, and at 4K it plummets to 51.4 FPS. The pattern is consistent: the RX 7900 XTX is the primary constraint. The data suggests that the Core i7-14700K is not the limiting factor in any of these scenarios. In fact, the CPU’s substantial headroom is evident, as it can push frame rates far beyond what the GPU can deliver at lower resolutions.

This behavior tells a clear story about the gaming workload. Greedfall’s engine scales heavily with GPU compute and memory bandwidth. The transition from 1080p to 4K represents a fourfold increase in pixel count, and the performance drop is directly proportional to that increase. The system is not balanced in a traditional sense; instead, it is a case of a high-end CPU feeding a high-end GPU, with the latter being the definitive performance arbiter.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested combinations, this pairing sits in the 265th position out of 1705 combos. This places it comfortably in the top 15.5% of all configurations tested, indicating a very strong overall performer. The rank demonstrates that while this is not the absolute fastest setup available, it is significantly faster than the vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings in the database.

The ranking is particularly impressive when considering the age of the game. Greedfall is not a modern title, and its performance is often more dependent on raw single-thread speed and high memory bandwidth than on massive multi-core counts. The Core i7-14700K, with its high boost clock and 20 cores, is well-suited for this, and the RX 7900 XTX provides the necessary brute force for pixel pushing. The result is a combo that sits above the median in a way that suggests it will handle this game with ease at virtually any settings, despite not being the absolute top-tier option.

The percentile ranking for this combo is not explicitly listed, but its position relative to other combos indicates a system that is optimized for high-refresh-rate gaming. It is a pairing that would be considered a high-end choice for any gamer looking to play Greedfall without compromise.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the star of the show in this pairing, and its specifications explain the performance ceiling observed in the benchmarks. With 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, it offers a massive memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. This is critical for a game like Greedfall, which features dense environments and high-resolution textures. The ample VRAM ensures that the GPU is never starved for data, even at 4K Ultra settings.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also a key factor. The base clock is listed at 1929 MHz, with a game clock of 2365 MHz and a boost clock of 2498 MHz. These high frequencies, combined with 6144 shading units, allow the card to process geometry and pixel data at an exceptional rate. The data shows that this raw compute power is what drives the high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. The card’s performance in standard benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 31238, corroborates its standing as a top-tier part.

The GPU’s role becomes more nuanced at 4K. Here, the sheer number of pixels overwhelms the shading units, and the frame rate drops to a level that is still playable but not as fluid. The transition from 118.8 FPS at Low to 51.4 FPS at Ultra at 4K shows a 67.4 FPS penalty for maxing out the settings. This is a direct result of the increased computational load on the GPU’s cores, not a limitation of its memory subsystem. The RX 7900 XTX is performing exactly as its specifications suggest: a high-bandwidth, high-clock monster that is best utilized at resolutions below 4K for maximum refresh rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a comprehensive view of the system’s capabilities across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. Low settings yield an average of 286.2 FPS, while Medium produces 229.8 FPS. High settings still manage a very strong 206.1 FPS, and even Ultra is playable at 132.3 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 153.9 FPS, showing a wide range of performance headroom.

Stepping up to 2560x1440 shows a proportional decrease. Low settings produce 197.7 FPS, which drops to 159.2 FPS on Medium. High settings are still above the 144 Hz refresh rate threshold at 146 FPS, and Ultra falls to 92.1 FPS. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is consistent, suggesting a stable scaling curve. The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming with this combo.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings still deliver 118.8 FPS, which is impressive, but Medium drops to 95.8 FPS. High settings are playable at 85.1 FPS, but Ultra is the most demanding, with an average of just 51.4 FPS. This is the only resolution/settings combination that dips below 60 FPS, indicating that 4K Ultra is the boundary for this hardware. The spread of results, from 51.4 FPS to 118.8 FPS at 4K, highlights the significant impact of the settings preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the user’s target resolution and refresh rate. For gamers with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as the 132.3 FPS average is more than sufficient for a smooth experience on most monitors. There is no reason to lower settings at this resolution, as even the highest quality preset remains well above playable thresholds.

For 1440p users, the High preset is the recommended balance. It delivers an average of 146 FPS, which is ideal for 144 Hz monitors. While Ultra is visually superior, the drop to 92.1 FPS is noticeable for those seeking maximum smoothness. The data suggests that High provides the best experience without sacrificing the high refresh rate that this hardware is capable of.

At 4K, the choice is more complex. The High preset, at 85.1 FPS, is the best option for a balance of visual fidelity and performance. It avoids the sub-60 FPS result of Ultra (51.4 FPS) while still providing a high-quality image. The Medium preset, at 95.8 FPS, is also a viable choice for those who prefer a higher frame rate over maximum detail. However, the data clearly shows that Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended for this combo, as the frame rate drops to a level that may be distracting in fast-paced combat. The best experience for a 4K display is to use High settings, which keeps the average above 85 FPS and provides a consistent, playable experience.