Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 pairing. The measured data reveals a configuration that is firmly capable at mainstream resolutions but begins to show its limitations as pixel counts climb. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the combo's standing against other tested hardware, and examines the specific roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping the final experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly indicates a transition from a balanced workload to a GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 99 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High preset, the average falls to 68 FPS, a reduction of 31 frames. The jump to 3840x2160 sees the average plummet to 41 FPS, a further drop of 27 frames. This progression shows that the RTX 2060 is the primary limiting factor as resolution increases.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. With Low settings, the frame rate goes from 138 FPS at 1080p, to 96 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 57 FPS at 4K. This represents a roughly 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. This accelerating decline is a classic sign of the GPU hitting its raw fillrate and bandwidth ceiling. The RTX 2060's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, is taxed heavily by the 4K resolution, where the sheer number of pixels required for each frame outstrips what the card can efficiently process.

At 1080p, the data suggests the CPU is still a relevant contributor. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the gap between Low (138 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) at 1080p shows that the game's graphical settings have a massive impact on the GPU load. The 1080p Ultra result of 63 FPS is more than halved from the 1080p Low result, indicating that even at this resolution, the RTX 2060 is being pushed hard by the highest preset. The CPU's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, is sufficient to prevent a significant CPU bottleneck at these frame rates.

The 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS is the clearest indication of the system's limits. This is a nearly unplayable frame rate for an action RPG that requires timely dodges and parries. The scaling from 1080p Ultra (63 FPS) to 4K Ultra (26 FPS) is a 59% reduction in performance. This massive penalty underscores that the RTX 2060 is simply not designed for 4K gaming in a title as demanding as Greedfall. The data strongly suggests that the 4K resolution is outside the practical operating window for this combination, and users would need to make significant compromises to achieve even a 30 FPS experience.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of presets for each resolution, allowing for specific recommendations based on the target frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the options are limited. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 99 FPS, and even the Ultra preset manages 63 FPS, both of which are above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes 1080p the only resolution where the Ultra preset is a viable choice, as it provides the enhanced visual fidelity without dropping below a playable frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more nuanced. The High preset at 68 FPS is a solid choice, offering a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 75 FPS is also quite playable and could be preferred if the user wants to prioritize a higher frame rate for a 144Hz monitor. The Ultra preset at 44 FPS is below the 60 FPS mark and would be best avoided for action-heavy sequences. For a locked 60 FPS experience at 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, as its 68 FPS average provides a small buffer against dips.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests that only the Low preset (57 FPS) comes close to a playable 60 FPS standard. The Medium preset at 45 FPS and High at 41 FPS are playable but with compromises. The Ultra preset at 26 FPS is not recommended under any circumstances. For users with a 4K display, the recommendation is to use the Low preset for a responsive experience, or accept the visual downgrade of the High preset for a more cinematic but less fluid feel. The 4K Medium preset, with its recorded min FPS of 38 and max of 52, indicates noticeable frame-time variance, which can feel less smooth than the more consistent Low preset.

The most balanced experience across the board is the Medium preset. At 1080p, it delivers 109 FPS; at 1440p, it delivers 75 FPS; and at 4K, it delivers 45 FPS. While the 4K result is not ideal, the Medium preset offers a consistent and predictable performance profile that scales predictably with resolution. For most users, the High preset at 1440p or 1080p represents the sweet spot, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium with only a modest performance cost.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination holds a rank of 2313 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places the pairing in the bottom 21% of all tested systems, indicating that while it can play the game, most other combinations of hardware that have been benchmarked offer better performance. This rank is more a reflection of the GPU's age and market positioning than the CPU's capabilities.

The CPU itself is a strong performer. The Core Ultra 5 225 scores in the 85th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (deltaPct 0), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (deltaPct -0.2), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (deltaPct -0.5). This shows that the CPU is highly competitive, offering performance on par with a range of other solid mid-range processors. The CPU is not the bottleneck in this system.

The GPU, however, is a different story. The RTX 2060 sits in the 58th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15290. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon 680M (deltaPct 0.1), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (deltaPct 0.6). This places the RTX 2060 in the lower half of the performance spectrum. The fact that it is closely matched with an integrated GPU like the Radeon 680M in synthetic benchmarks highlights its age. The low combo rank in Greedfall is therefore almost entirely attributable to the GPU's performance ceiling.

The data implies that the CPU has significant untapped potential. In a system with a more powerful GPU, the Core Ultra 5 225 would likely allow for much higher frame rates, especially at 1080p where the CPU can exert more influence. The current rank is a result of the GPU being the limiting factor, holding the entire combo back to a performance tier that is far below what the CPU alone is capable of supporting.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for each resolution and settings preset:

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 26 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 41 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 45 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 57 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 44 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 68 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 75 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 96 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 63 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 99 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 109 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 138 |

The data also includes minimum and maximum FPS readings for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate varied between 92 and 125 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it ranged from 64 to 87 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range was 38 to 52 FPS. These figures show that the gameplay experience is not entirely smooth, even at the Medium preset, as the frame rate can fluctuate by over 30 FPS at the higher resolutions.

The performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets is substantial. At 1080p, the difference is 75 FPS (138 vs 63). At 1440p, the difference is 52 FPS (96 vs 44). At 4K, the difference is 31 FPS (57 vs 26). This demonstrates that Greedfall's Ultra preset is incredibly demanding and that the visual gains from High to Ultra may not justify the significant performance hit, particularly at higher resolutions. The Medium preset consistently offers a better performance-per-visual-cost ratio than Ultra, making it a more pragmatic choice for this hardware.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the defining component in this combo's gaming performance. Its role is clearly to be the primary bottleneck, especially as resolution and settings increase. The GPU is built on the 12 nm process and features 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Its boost clock is rated at 1680 MHz, and it has 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, which are unused in a title like Greedfall that does not support ray tracing or DLSS.

The 6 GB of GDDR6 memory is a critical limitation. At 4K resolution, the high-resolution textures and geometry demand a significant amount of video memory. The 192-bit memory bus and 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates, as evidenced by the steep drop in performance from 1440p to 4K. The card's memory capacity and bandwidth are the primary factors in the 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS. The 6 GB frame buffer is likely being maxed out, causing the GPU to rely on slower system memory or to drop textures, which can cause stuttering and reduced performance.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores align with its in-game performance. Its Passmark G3D score is 14111, and its Passmark GPU Compute score is 5488. These numbers, combined with its percentile rank of 58, paint a picture of a mid-range card from a previous generation. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 is most comfortable at 1080p, where its 6 GB frame buffer and 192-bit bus are sufficient for most settings. At 1440p, it can still perform well, but users must be selective with their settings, typically avoiding the Ultra preset. At 4K, the card is out of its depth, with even the Low preset providing a marginal 57 FPS average.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. All four settings presets produce an average FPS above 60, with the High preset delivering 99 FPS and the Ultra preset achieving 63 FPS.

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

A: The data shows that while 4K is technically playable, it is not recommended. The Low preset yields 57 FPS, which is just below a smooth 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset is not viable, as it only produces an average of 26 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060's average benchmark score of 15290 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, deltaPct 0) and the AMD Radeon 680M (15270, deltaPct 0.1). It is only slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, deltaPct 0.6).

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The CPU scores in the 85th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 36938. Its performance is on par with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (deltaPct 0). The GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

Q: What is the performance cost of the Ultra preset compared to High?

A: The cost is significant. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 99 to 63, a 36% decrease. At 1440p, it drops from 68 to 44, a 35% decrease. At 4K, it drops from 41 to 26, a 37% decrease.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems?

A: This combination of CPU and GPU ranks 2313 out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 21% of all tested systems, reflecting the GPU's performance ceiling.