Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, presents an interesting study in hardware scaling when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The measured data reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but whose frame rates at 1080p begin to hint at the CPU's limitations. This analysis examines how this specific combination performs, where its bottlenecks lie, and what settings offer the most consistent experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate deltas across resolutions tell a clear story about where the performance ceiling resides. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings, the average frame rate drops from 186 FPS to 129 FPS, a reduction of 57 FPS or roughly 30%. The subsequent jump to 3840x2160 at the same settings yields 77 FPS, another 52 FPS drop. This scaling pattern, where each resolution step costs a similar absolute number of frames, is characteristic of a system where the GPU is the primary rendering bottleneck.

However, the Low settings preset reveals a more nuanced picture. At 1080p Low, the combination produces 261 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it still manages 181 FPS. The drop to 4K Low results in 108 FPS. The performance gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is 80 FPS, which is significantly larger than the 57 FPS gap seen at High settings. This suggests that at lower graphical loads, the CPU begins to play a more substantial role in determining the final frame rate, as the GPU is less saturated and can process frames faster than the processor can feed it.

The data implies that at 4K, the RTX 5090 is the definitive limiting component. The difference between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160 is 59 FPS (108 vs 49), showing that the GPU's workload scales dramatically with visual fidelity. Conversely, at 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 142 FPS (261 vs 119), which indicates that while the GPU still matters, the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and manage game logic becomes a more significant factor at the lower resolution. The scaling is not linear; it suggests that a faster processor could extract even more frames at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput is the sole arbiter of performance.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the comprehensive database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Core Ultra 5 125H and RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 813 out of 3703 combos in Greedfall. This places it in the top 22% of all tested systems, a respectable position, but not a dominant one. The percentile data for the individual components provides context for this ranking. The CPU sits in the 79th percentile against all tested CPUs, while the GPU is in the 92nd percentile against all GPUs. The combination's overall rank being lower than both individual percentiles suggests a mismatch in pairing.

This discrepancy is the key takeaway. The RTX 5090 is a top-tier graphics card, capable of immense throughput, but it is paired here with a mobile processor, the Core Ultra 5 125H. The CPU's average benchmark score of 27507 places it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, which scores 27535 (a delta of -0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-12600K, which scores 27578 (a delta of -0.3%). In fact, it is marginally ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G by 0.5%. This indicates that the CPU's raw compute power is comparable to mid-range desktop processors from a previous generation. The data suggests that while the GPU is capable of far more, the CPU's performance ceiling restricts the system's overall ranking in a game like Greedfall, which is likely sensitive to processor speed for its simulation and scripting logic.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a behemoth on paper, and its measured performance in Greedfall reflects its high-end positioning. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, it offers a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. In a game like Greedfall, which is not known for being exceptionally VRAM-hungry at 1080p or 1440p, this capacity is unlikely to be a limiting factor. The 4K Ultra preset, which often taxes memory, still yields an average of 49 FPS, indicating that even at its most demanding, the game is not exhausting the available video memory.

The GPU's clock speeds are also noteworthy. The base clock is listed at 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. The fact that the card can sustain high boost clocks under load is a primary reason for its strong performance. At 1440p High settings, it produces 129 FPS, and at 4K High, it delivers 77 FPS. These are high numbers for a title from 2019. The GPU's compute capabilities, with 21,760 shading units and a 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 rating, provide more than enough raw power to handle the game's DirectX 12 rendering pipeline.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 79842 places it in the 92nd percentile, and its nearest rivals in the database are professional-grade cards like the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (scoring 79605, a delta of 0.3%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (scoring 78940, a delta of 1.1%). This confirms that the RTX 5090 is a top performer, but the game's performance at 4K Ultra (49 FPS) shows that even a card of this caliber can be brought to its knees by maxing out every setting, likely due to heavy use of effects like volumetric lighting and ambient occlusion that stress the GPU's shader units and ROPs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data provides a complete picture of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the system excels. The Low preset produces an average of 261 FPS, which speaks to the CPU and GPU combination's ability to handle light workloads with ease. The Medium preset drops to 205 FPS, with a minimum of 174 FPS and a maximum of 236 FPS, showing tight frame pacing. High settings yield 186 FPS, and Ultra settings still deliver a very playable 119 FPS. The 142 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution demonstrates that the GPU is still scaling with settings, but the high frame rates across the board suggest that the processor is keeping up adequately.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings produce 181 FPS, Medium delivers 142 FPS (min 121, max 163), and High settings achieve 129 FPS. Ultra settings take a significant hit, dropping to 82 FPS. The 99 FPS gap between Low and Ultra here is less than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU's workload is increasing as expected. The system is still capable of high refresh rate gaming at this resolution on most presets, but Ultra settings begin to push it towards the 60-90 FPS range.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. The Low preset yields 108 FPS, which is excellent for 4K. Medium settings produce 85 FPS (min 72, max 98), which is smooth. High settings drop to 77 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS. The difference between the 4K Low and 4K Ultra results is 59 FPS, showing a steep performance curve as settings increase. The data shows that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, players would need to choose between High and Medium settings, as Ultra is not viable for smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. Its benchmark results show it is a capable chip, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12804.5 and a single-core score of 1647.5. In the Passmark suite, it scores 21100 in multithread tests and 3399 in single-thread tests. These numbers indicate a processor that is strong for mobile workloads but is not at the absolute top tier for gaming.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions. The jump from 1440p to 1080p at Low settings yields a 80 FPS increase (from 181 to 261 FPS). This massive gain suggests that the CPU is capable of pushing well beyond 180 FPS, but the GPU's performance at 1440p Low might be the limiting factor there. However, the fact that the system cannot reach 300 FPS at 1080p Low, a mark that a more powerful desktop CPU might achieve with this GPU, points to the CPU's single-thread performance being a ceiling.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 and the Intel Core i5-12600K, both of which are older desktop parts. The Core Ultra 5 125H performs within 0.3% of these chips. This is a significant finding, as it means the processor's compute power is comparable to a mid-range desktop CPU from the Zen 3 or Alder Lake generations. For a game like Greedfall, which relies on a single primary thread for much of its game logic, the 3.60 GHz base clock and 4.50 GHz boost clock are sufficient to avoid major bottlenecks, but they do limit the absolute maximum frame rate achievable, especially when the GPU is not the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the clear winner. It delivers an average of 119 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and is sufficient for most high refresh rate monitors. The High preset offers 186 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but the visual fidelity jump to Ultra is often worth the 67 FPS sacrifice for a single-player RPG. The data shows that the system has enough headroom at 1080p to run the game at its highest settings without any performance concerns.

At 1440p, the High preset provides the best balance. It achieves 129 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The Ultra preset drops to 82 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for those who prefer a rock-solid 100+ FPS experience. The Medium preset offers 142 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High is typically more noticeable than the 13 FPS difference in performance. Therefore, High settings are recommended for a premium visual experience without sacrificing too much speed.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It produces an average of 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. This ensures that the game remains fluid and responsive, even in intense combat scenarios. The High preset, at 77 FPS, is also viable, but the Medium preset's higher minimum frame rate (72 vs unknown for High) suggests more stable performance. The Ultra preset, at 49 FPS, is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and will likely result in a less enjoyable experience. The Low preset, at 108 FPS, is an option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromises are substantial.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Greedfall?

A: The data shows strong performance at all resolutions. 2560x1440 High settings deliver 129 FPS, offering a great balance of visual quality and speed. 1920x1080 Ultra achieves 119 FPS, while 3840x2160 Medium produces 85 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Greedfall at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. It is playable, but not ideal for a consistently fluid experience.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates it depends on the resolution. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as frame rates scale heavily with settings. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has less work to do and the system cannot push beyond 261 FPS on Low settings.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 125H compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: Its average benchmark score of 27507 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (27535, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-12600K (27578, -0.3% delta). It is 0.5% faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset produces an average of 129 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces 82 FPS. This is a difference of 47 FPS, making Ultra a significant performance hit for a marginal visual gain.

Q: Is 32 GB of VRAM necessary for Greedfall?

A: The benchmark data does not show VRAM capacity to be a limiting factor. The game runs at 77 FPS on 4K High and 49 FPS on 4K Ultra, which are strong results. The 32 GB capacity is far more than the game requires, but it ensures there are no memory-related stutters or texture pop-in issues.