Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress test for high-end hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, using only the data provided. The results across resolutions and settings paint a clear picture of a system that is overwhelmingly powerful for this title, with performance characteristics that shift from GPU-bound at high resolutions to CPU-bound at lower ones.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and the data indicates it is a top-tier performer. Its benchmark scores are substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and a single-core score of 2160. In Geekbench, it scores 20767 multi-core and 2569 single-core. These figures place the CPU in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 69355 puts it within a 0.9% delta of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 351 FPS. This exceptionally high frame rate, even at low graphical settings, indicates that the CPU is capable of handling the game's simulation overhead without becoming a bottleneck at that resolution. The high single-thread performance, evidenced by the 4472 Passmark single-thread score, is crucial for a game like this, as many game engines rely heavily on a few primary threads for core logic.

However, the data also shows that the CPU's performance ceiling is not the limiting factor in most tested scenarios. As the resolution increases, the FPS drops significantly, which points to the GPU becoming the primary constraint. For instance, at 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 104. This is a substantial drop from the 250 FPS seen at 1080p High settings. The CPU is still working hard, but the sheer volume of pixels the GPU must render at higher resolutions becomes the dominant factor. The 125W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are characteristics of the platform, but the benchmark results show that the CPU provides more than enough headroom for this specific game, even with its 20 cores and 33 MB of shared L3 cache.

The benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing for Greedfall at most settings. The performance delta between the i7-14700K and its nearest rivals is negligible (within 0.9%), suggesting that any modern high-end CPU would deliver similar results in this title. The CPU's strength is in its ability to maintain high minimum frame rates and support high average FPS, but the game's visual demands quickly outpace the CPU's workload requirements as resolution and settings are increased.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the most powerful consumer GPU in this data set, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its core clocks are a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz, and it has a massive 16,384 shading units. The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its dominance, with a Passmark G3D score of 38194 and an OpenCL score of 255416. It sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals listed are professional workstation cards, such as the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M and Intel Arc Pro A60, which have significantly lower average scores, showing the RTX 4090 is in a class of its own for gaming.

The GPU's role in Greedfall is to handle the rendering workload, which scales directly with resolution and graphical settings. The data shows the RTX 4090 is more than capable of delivering high frame rates at every tested configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 351, which is incredibly high. This suggests that the GPU is so fast that the CPU becomes the limiting factor at this resolution, as the GPU is waiting for the CPU to send instructions. The 24 GB of VRAM is a major asset, as it ensures the game never has to contend with memory capacity limits, even at 4K with Ultra settings.

As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU's workload increases, and the frame rates drop accordingly. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 66, which is still very playable, but it is a significant drop from the 351 FPS at 1080p Low. This demonstrates the GPU's performance scaling with resolution. The data shows that the RTX 4090 provides a smooth experience at all settings, but the difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is a 79 FPS gap (145 vs 66). This indicates that the Ultra preset, which likely includes demanding effects like shadows and ambient occlusion, is the most taxing on the GPU. The GPU's compute power is also relevant; its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is immense, but for a game like Greedfall, the sheer rasterization throughput is the primary driver of the FPS figures we see.

The data clearly shows the RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing. The CPU provides a solid foundation, but the GPU's performance dictates the final FPS at higher resolutions. The 88th percentile ranking against all GPUs confirms its status, and its performance is so far ahead of its rivals that comparisons are not meaningful for gaming. The GPU is the workhorse, and its capabilities are what allow for the high frame rates at 1440p and 4K.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The best experience depends on the user's target resolution and preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate. At 1080p, the data shows that even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 160 FPS. This is well above the 144Hz refresh rate of many high-end monitors, making the Ultra preset the best choice for 1080p users. The High preset at 250 FPS is excessive for most displays, offering no practical benefit over Ultra, which provides better visuals with a still very high frame rate.

At 1440p, the situation is similar. The Ultra preset averages 111 FPS, which is still excellent and ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset averages 191 FPS, but the visual jump to Ultra is substantial. Since 111 FPS is already very smooth, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice for 1440p, as it provides the best visual quality while maintaining a frame rate that is highly responsive. The High preset at 174 FPS sits between the two, but Ultra provides the best balance of quality and performance.

At 4K, the recommendation changes. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset averages 104 FPS, which is a significant improvement and provides a much smoother experience. The data shows that the jump from High to Ultra at 4K costs 38 FPS on average, which is a substantial performance hit for what is likely a marginal visual improvement. Therefore, for 4K, the High preset is the best choice, as it offers a significant FPS advantage over Ultra while still delivering high visual quality. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is also viable, but High provides a better visual experience for just a 10 FPS average difference.

In summary, the data recommends the Ultra preset for 1080p and 1440p users, as it provides the best visual experience without compromising frame rates. For 4K users, the High preset is the optimal choice, as it provides a high frame rate that is more important at that resolution than the incremental visual gains from the Ultra preset. The Low preset is unnecessary for this hardware, as even the highest settings produce playable frame rates at all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific configuration of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 147th out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 4% of all tested systems. The data shows that while this is a very high rank, it is not the absolute top. This suggests that there are other combinations of hardware that can achieve higher frame rates in this specific game.

Given that the i7-14700K is in the 94th percentile of CPUs and the RTX 4090 is in the 88th percentile of GPUs, one might expect a higher rank. However, the combo rank of 147 out of 3703 indicates that the pairing is not perfectly optimized for Greedfall. The data suggests that the CPU might be holding back the GPU in some scenarios. At 1080p Low, the system hits 351 FPS, which is a very high number. It is possible that a different CPU, with even higher single-thread performance, could push that number higher. However, the data for this combo shows that it is a top-tier performer, far ahead of the vast majority of the 3703 tested combos.

The rank also implies that the game may have some performance ceilings or engine limitations that prevent even the most powerful hardware from achieving higher scores. The 147th rank is a strong result, and the data indicates that the combo is very capable. The delta between this combo and the top rank is not provided, but the percentile placement is clear. The performance is more than sufficient for a great gaming experience, and the rank of 147 reflects the power of the i7-14700K and RTX 4090 together.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo based on the data?

A: The data shows that at 1440p with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 111 FPS, which is excellent. At 4K with High settings, it averages 104 FPS. The best resolution depends on your display, but 1440p Ultra offers the best balance of high frame rate and high visual fidelity, while 4K High is the best for 4K displays.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: Yes. The data shows an average of 104 FPS at 4K High settings and 66 FPS at 4K Ultra settings. Both are playable, but the High preset is recommended for a smoother experience.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, has a score of 60326, which is a 0% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M has a score of 61896, which is 2.5% higher, but these are professional workstation cards, not gaming GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates that the GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the FPS is very high (351 on Low), suggesting the CPU might be the limiting factor. As resolution increases to 4K, the FPS drops significantly, showing that the GPU's rendering workload is the primary constraint.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 160 FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings. This is a very high frame rate that is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core i7-14700K is $409.

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

This section details the exact measured average FPS figures from the data, broken down by resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: The average FPS is 351. This is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset, indicating a CPU-bound scenario.
• Medium: The average FPS is 276, with a minimum of 234 and a maximum of 317. This is a substantial drop from Low, showing the GPU's workload increasing.
• High: The average FPS is 250. This remains an extremely high frame rate, well above the refresh rate of most monitors.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 160. This is the lowest at 1080p but still very high, showing the Ultra preset is demanding but easily handled.

2560x1440:

• Low: The average FPS is 243. This is a significant drop from the 1080p Low result, showing the impact of the increased pixel count.
• Medium: The average FPS is 191, with a minimum of 163 and a maximum of 220. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is evident here.
• High: The average FPS is 174. This is a smooth and playable frame rate for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 111. This is the recommended preset for 1440p, offering a high frame rate with maximum visual quality.

3840x2160:

• Low: The average FPS is 145. This is the first time the FPS drops below 200, showing the GPU is now the clear bottleneck.
• Medium: The average FPS is 114, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 131. This is still a very playable frame rate.
• High: The average FPS is 104. This is the recommended preset for 4K, balancing visual quality and performance.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 66. This is the lowest frame rate in the dataset, but still playable, showing the extreme demands of 4K Ultra.

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

The data shows a clear pattern of FPS degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This scaling behavior is the key to understanding which component is the limiting factor in this system. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 351 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 243, a decrease of 108 FPS. Moving to 4K Low, the FPS drops further to 145, a decrease of 98 FPS from 1440p. The FPS is nearly halved when moving from 1080p to 4K, which is a clear sign that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck.

This pattern is consistent across all settings. For instance, at High settings, the FPS goes from 250 at 1080p, to 174 at 1440p, to 104 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 76 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 70 FPS. This linear scaling is a strong indicator that the GPU's rendering throughput is the limiting factor. The CPU is capable of providing the necessary instructions, but the GPU cannot render the increasing number of pixels fast enough to maintain the same frame rate.

The rate of FPS drop is not perfectly linear, but the overall trend is clear. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is a 30-35% decrease in FPS, and the difference between 1440p and 4K is another 40% decrease. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a much smaller decrease in FPS when moving to higher resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain relatively constant. The data shows the opposite, confirming that the RTX 4090 is the component that dictates the final frame rate at higher resolutions. The CPU is more than sufficient, and the GPU's performance scales down as the resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a high-end gaming system.