Greedfall

Greedfall is an Action RPG from 2019 that still presents a meaningful challenge to modern hardware, and this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT produces a data set that reveals a clear division of labor between the processor and graphics card. The measured FPS across three resolutions and four quality presets shows a system that is capable of smooth 1080p play but quickly runs into the GPU's limits as pixel count climbs, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures it is rarely the bottleneck at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 114 FPS at 1920x1080 to 79 FPS at 2560x1440, a decline of roughly 31%, and then to 47 FPS at 3840x2160, another 41% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that the Radeon RX 7600 XT is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the game's rendering load grows faster than the GPU's ability to process it.

The Low preset tells a similar story but with higher absolute numbers. The average at 1080p is 159 FPS, which drops to 111 FPS at 1440p and then to 66 FPS at 4K. The percentage declines are 30% and 41% respectively, mirroring the High preset's scaling almost exactly. This consistency across presets suggests that the resolution scaling is driven by the GPU's raw pixel throughput rather than by specific settings like shadows or textures, since even the lowest quality settings cannot escape the fill-rate and bandwidth demands of 4K.

Interestingly, the gap between Low and High at the same resolution narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, Low is 45 FPS faster than High (159 vs 114), but at 4K that gap shrinks to 19 FPS (66 vs 47). This compression at higher resolutions reinforces the idea that the GPU is the primary constraint: when the pixel workload is enormous, the difference between quality presets matters less because the GPU is already saturated. The data implies that players wanting higher frame rates at 4K will get more benefit from lowering resolution than from tweaking individual quality settings.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling, with averages of 73 FPS at 1080p, 50 FPS at 1440p, and just 30 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is barely playable, and the 32% drop from 1080p to 1440p followed by a 40% drop to 4K shows that the most demanding settings tax the GPU disproportionately. This pattern suggests that Ultra settings include features that are particularly expensive at high pixel counts, likely related to draw distance or post-processing effects that scale with resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Core Ultra 5 225 and RX 7600 XT achieves a combo rank of 1840 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the 62nd percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 62% of the systems that have been benchmarked in this game. The rank is a composite measure that accounts for both the CPU and GPU contributions, and it suggests a mid-pack position that is respectable but not elite.

The CPU's individual percentile of 85 versus all CPUs indicates that the processor is a strong performer in general computing tasks, but the combo rank is dragged down by the GPU's more modest 60th percentile standing. This divergence between the CPU's and GPU's relative positions is a key insight: the system is CPU-heavy in its overall capability, but in Greedfall specifically, the GPU's lower percentile becomes the limiting factor for achieving higher frame rates at demanding settings.

Comparing to the nearest rival combos, the data shows that the CPU's closest competitors in average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a deltaPct of 0, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at -0.4%. These tiny percentage differences mean that swapping the Core Ultra 5 225 for any of these CPUs would have virtually no impact on overall system performance in Greedfall, since the GPU is the bottleneck in most scenarios. The Intel Core i9-12900T is slightly behind at -0.5%, but again, this difference is negligible in gaming workloads that are GPU-limited.

The combo rank of 1840 out of 2938 translates to a position that is solidly above average, but the data suggests that this system would see more meaningful improvements from a GPU upgrade than from a CPU change. The rank reflects a balanced pairing that performs as expected given the components' individual standings, with the CPU providing a stable platform that never holds back the GPU at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 33 chip, and its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1980 MHz, with a game clock of 2470 MHz and a boost clock of 2755 MHz, and it features 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. These specifications place it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17083.

In Greedfall, the GPU's memory capacity is likely not a limiting factor, as the game from 2019 would not be expected to exceed 16 GB even at 4K Ultra. The bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s, however, could become a constraint at high resolutions where large texture sets and high pixel counts demand more data throughput. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra of 30 FPS suggests that the GPU is struggling with the combination of high pixel count and demanding settings, and the 128-bit bus may be contributing to this bottleneck.

The GPU's nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 with a deltaPct of 0.3%, followed by the AMD Radeon HD 7970M at 0.4% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 at -0.7%. The small percentage differences between these cards indicate that the RX 7600 XT sits in a crowded performance band, and in Greedfall specifically, the measured FPS reflects this mid-range positioning. The RTX 3070 being only 0.7% behind in average score is notable, as that card has different memory characteristics, but the benchmark data shows they perform similarly overall.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2348 and Passmark G3D score of 17132 provide additional context for its gaming capability, but the measured Greedfall results are the most direct evidence. The RX 7600 XT's ability to deliver 114 FPS at 1080p High but only 47 FPS at 4K High shows that it is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it lacks the raw power for smooth 4K experiences in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates across all settings. The Low preset averages 159 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth and suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high speed. Medium averages 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 and maximum of 144, indicating consistent frame times. High averages 114 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay. Ultra drops to 73 FPS, which is playable but shows a significant 36% reduction from High, suggesting that Ultra settings include effects that are particularly demanding on the GPU.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain respectable but begin to show strain. Low averages 111 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100, demonstrating that the GPU can handle 1440p with mid-range settings. High averages 79 FPS, which is solid for most players. Ultra falls to 50 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for fast-paced action but still technically playable for a slower RPG like Greedfall.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low averages 66 FPS, which is acceptable, but Medium drops to 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60, showing noticeable frame dips. High averages 47 FPS, which is borderline playable but not ideal. Ultra averages just 30 FPS, which is below playable standards for most users. The 4K results confirm that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming beyond Low settings, and even Low settings at 4K are only marginally above 60 FPS.

The Medium preset across all resolutions provides the most balanced data, with the minimum and maximum FPS recorded. At 1080p, the 106-144 range shows a tight spread, at 1440p the 74-100 range is slightly wider, and at 4K the 44-60 range shows significant variance. This pattern suggests that Medium settings offer a good balance between visual quality and performance, but the frame time consistency degrades as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Greedfall at 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K is only playable at Low settings, where the average FPS is 66. Medium drops to 52 FPS, High to 47 FPS, and Ultra to 30 FPS, so 4K gaming is limited to Low or Medium settings for a playable experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 both provide playable frame rates across most settings. At 1080p, even Ultra averages 73 FPS, while at 1440p, High averages 79 FPS, making either resolution viable depending on the player's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals in this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a percentile of 85 versus all CPUs, and its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a deltaPct of 0, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at -0.4%. These differences are minimal, so the CPU is not a differentiator in Greedfall.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates yes. From 1080p to 4K, frame rates drop by roughly 40-45% at each step, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance. The GPU's 60th percentile ranking versus the CPU's 85th percentile also supports this conclusion.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p High settings?

A: The measured average at 2560x1440 with High settings is 79 FPS. This is a smooth experience for an Action RPG like Greedfall, and the data shows no minimum FPS was recorded below this average, suggesting consistent performance.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High?

A: At every resolution, Ultra is significantly slower. At 1080p, High averages 114 FPS versus 73 FPS for Ultra, a 36% difference. At 1440p, High averages 79 FPS versus 50 FPS for Ultra, a 37% difference. At 4K, High averages 47 FPS versus 30 FPS for Ultra, a 36% difference. The consistent percentage drop suggests Ultra adds a uniform load increase.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 features 10 cores and 10 threads with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process with 17,800 million transistors and has a shared 20 MB L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong for a mid-range desktop part, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p Low settings, where the average FPS of 159 suggests the processor can keep up with the GPU's maximum output. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4412 and multithread score of 30459 indicate strong performance in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads, which is relevant for a game that may use multiple cores for AI and physics.

The CPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are all within 0.5% of each other, with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F being the closest at 0 deltaPct. This means that in Greedfall, the specific choice of CPU among these competitors would have virtually no measurable impact on frame rates, since the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios. The CPU's 10 cores and 10 threads are sufficient for this game, and the high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures responsive single-thread performance.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory provide a solid foundation for feeding the GPU, and the PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 lanes ensures no bandwidth bottleneck for the GPU's PCIe 4.0 x8 connection. The CPU's integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 EU is not relevant for gaming with a discrete GPU, but it does mean the system has fallback display output. Overall, the CPU is a capable partner that does not hold back the RX 7600 XT in Greedfall, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset at 114 FPS provides an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, while Ultra at 73 FPS offers a modest visual upgrade for a 36% performance penalty. For players who prioritize maximum smoothness, the Medium preset at 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS is the safest choice, as it guarantees frame rates well above 60 FPS even in demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 79 FPS is the recommended choice for most players, as it delivers smooth gameplay while maintaining good visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 87 FPS is slightly faster and offers a more consistent frame time range of 74-100 FPS, making it a better option for those who notice frame pacing issues. The Low preset at 111 FPS is available for competitive play or for users who prefer maximum frame rate, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a story-driven RPG.

At 3840x2160, the options are more limited. The Low preset at 66 FPS is the only setting that provides a consistently playable experience, while Medium at 52 FPS may be acceptable for some players despite the 44 FPS minimum. High and Ultra at 47 and 30 FPS respectively are not recommended for comfortable gameplay. The data suggests that 4K players should either accept Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

For the best overall experience, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the most balanced performance with an average of 87 FPS and a tight frame time range. This setting combination provides good visual quality while maintaining frame rates that are smooth for an Action RPG, and it avoids the significant performance drops seen at Ultra settings. Players with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors can comfortably use High settings at 114 FPS, while those with 4K displays should stick to Low settings or drop to 1440p for a more enjoyable experience.