Greedfall

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT produces a specific performance profile in Greedfall, placing the combination at rank 2754 out of 3703 tested combos. This mid-tier ranking reflects a system where the CPU is a top-tier component while the GPU is a previous-generation mainstream part, resulting in frame rates that vary significantly depending on resolution and graphical preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2754 out of 3703 places this pairing in the lower half of all tested configurations, sitting roughly at the 74th percentile of combinations. This position is heavily influenced by the GPU's standing in the overall hierarchy; the RX 5700 XT holds a percentile rank of 59 among all GPUs, indicating it performs better than a majority of graphics cards but lags far behind modern high-end options. In contrast, the Core i9-14900K sits at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, showing that the processor is doing its part to keep the system competitive.

The data reveals a clear bottleneck scenario: the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver. When examining the nearest rivals for the GPU, the RX 5700 XT's average benchmark score of 16361 is within 0.3% of the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and within 0.9% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2. This tight clustering around the 16300-16500 score range indicates the RX 5700 XT is performing exactly as expected for its class, and in Greedfall specifically, the GPU's limitations become the primary constraint on overall system performance.

The CPU's nearest rivals show a similarly tight grouping, with the i9-14900K scoring 79097 on average, just 0.3% behind the Core i9-14900KF and 0.6% behind the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus. This confirms the processor is delivering top-tier compute performance, yet the combination's rank in Greedfall suggests the game is not CPU-bound at most settings. The rank disparity between the CPU's 95th percentile and the combo's 74th percentile position underscores that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination better suited for 1080p or 4K gaming in Greedfall?

A: The measured FPS data shows this combo excels at 1920x1080, where it achieves 106 FPS on High settings and 148 FPS on Low. At 3840x2160, performance drops to 44 FPS on High and 28 FPS on Ultra, indicating the system is far more comfortable at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this combo at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the combo delivers 73 FPS on High settings and 81 FPS on Medium, both of which are above the 60 FPS playability threshold. However, enabling Ultra settings drops the average to 47 FPS, which falls below that threshold.

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

A: The Core i9-14900K scores 79097 on average, which is 0.3% behind the Core i9-14900KF and 0.6% behind the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, but 1.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. This places it firmly among the fastest desktop processors available.

Q: Does the GPU's benchmark score align with its in-game performance?

A: The RX 5700 XT's average benchmark score of 16361 places it at the 59th percentile among GPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, scores 16351 (0.1% difference). The in-game results reflect this mid-tier positioning, with 4K Ultra performance dropping to 28 FPS.

Q: What is the maximum FPS this combo can achieve in Greedfall?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 148 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The highest maximum FPS recorded is 134 at the same resolution with Medium settings, which also shows a minimum of 99 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank compare to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 2754 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 26% of all configurations. This rank is primarily driven by the GPU's 59th percentile standing, as the CPU's 95th percentile rank cannot compensate for the graphics card's limitations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K brings substantial processing power to this pairing, featuring 24 cores and 32 threads with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. This Raptor Lake-R architecture processor, built on Intel's 10 nm process, carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. The CPU's benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5, alongside a Geekbench multi-core result of 21697.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is largely to keep frame rates from being CPU-limited, and given the i9-14900K's 95th percentile standing, it is more than adequate for this task. The processor's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Core i9-14900KF at 79371 (0.3% ahead) and the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 79574 (0.6% ahead), all of which would perform nearly identically in this game. The CPU's Passmark multithread score of 58674 and single-thread score of 4697 further confirm its ability to handle any CPU-bound scenarios Greedfall might present.

The processor's 6.00 GHz boost clock is particularly relevant for a game like Greedfall, which relies on single-thread performance for many game logic calculations. With a Passmark single-thread score of 4697 and a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 324.5, the i9-14900K delivers top-tier per-core performance. However, the measured FPS data shows the system is GPU-bound at most settings, meaning the CPU's considerable headroom is not fully utilized in this title. The CPU's 125 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility are noted in the data, but its actual impact on Greedfall's frame rates is minimal given the GPU bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 148 FPS, while Medium settings yield 117 FPS with a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 134 FPS. High settings achieve 106 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 68 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system can comfortably drive high-refresh-rate displays on lower presets, though Ultra settings still maintain playable performance above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down as expected. Low settings average 103 FPS, Medium settings produce 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS, and High settings achieve 73 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable for those who prioritize visual fidelity. The step from 1080p to 1440p shows a roughly 30% reduction in frame rates across most settings, reflecting the increased pixel load on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more constrained. Low settings average 61 FPS, Medium settings produce 48 FPS with a range of 41 to 55 FPS, and High settings achieve 44 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 28 FPS, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay. The 4K results clearly show the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-fidelity rendering at this resolution, with the GPU's 9.754 TFLOPS FP32 compute being the limiting factor.

The data shows a consistent pattern across resolutions: Low settings provide roughly 1.4x the frame rate of High settings at each resolution, while Ultra settings deliver approximately 0.64x the performance of High settings. This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the RX 5700 XT's 2560 shading units and 160 texture mapping units determine the ceiling for each preset.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a significant performance drop that characterizes the GPU's limitations. At High settings, the combo delivers 106 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. This represents a 31% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a further 40% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative drop from 1080p to 4K is 58%, showing that the RX 5700 XT struggles to maintain playable frame rates as resolution increases.

Low settings show a similar pattern: 148 FPS at 1080p, 103 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 30%, and from 1440p to 4K is 41%, for a total reduction of 59%. This consistency across presets indicates that the resolution scaling is primarily GPU-bound, with the CPU's performance headroom remaining untouched even at 4K. The i9-14900K's 24 cores and 32 threads are not the limiting factor at any resolution.

The scaling analysis points to the GPU as the sole bottleneck in this system for Greedfall. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 28 FPS, while at 1080p Low it reaches 148 FPS — a 5.3x difference that mirrors the pixel count increase from 1080p to 4K. If the CPU were the constraint, the frame rate would remain more constant across resolutions, but the data shows a clear inverse relationship between resolution and performance that is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios.

The RX 5700 XT's 8 GB memory capacity also plays a role in 4K performance, as higher resolutions require more video memory for textures and buffers. The GPU's 448.0 GB/s bandwidth and 256-bit bus width are adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest the memory subsystem is stretched thin at higher resolutions. The measured data shows no min/max FPS values for most 4K settings, indicating the frame pacing is likely inconsistent in these scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS or higher, the optimal settings depend on resolution. At 1920x1080, High settings deliver 106 FPS average, providing an excellent balance between visual quality and performance. Ultra settings at 1080p still achieve 68 FPS, so players with high-refresh-rate monitors can safely enable Ultra while staying above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings at 1080p offer 117 FPS with a minimum of 99 FPS, ensuring smooth frame pacing.

At 2560x1440, the best experience is found at High settings, which deliver 73 FPS average and maintain playability above 60 FPS. Medium settings at 1440p produce 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS, making this preset a solid choice for those who prefer a safety margin. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for smooth gameplay. Low settings at 1440p achieve 103 FPS but sacrifice visual fidelity unnecessarily when High is still playable.

At 3840x2160, the options are more limited. Low settings average 61 FPS, making this the only 4K preset that maintains a 60 FPS average. Medium settings at 4K produce 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 FPS, which is playable but with noticeable frame drops. High settings at 4K average 44 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 28 FPS, neither of which provides a smooth experience. Given the data, 4K players should stick to Low settings for the best frame rates, or consider dropping to 1440p with High settings for a superior visual-to-performance tradeoff.

The measured rows indicate that the RX 5700 XT is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p with High or Medium presets. The 59th percentile GPU ranking and the combo's 2754 rank out of 3703 suggest that this system is not intended for maximum settings at high resolutions. For the best experience per the measured data, users at 1080p should use High settings, users at 1440p should use Medium or High, and users at 4K should use Low settings. The CPU's 95th percentile rank ensures that no setting combination will be CPU-limited, allowing the GPU to perform to its full capability in every scenario.