Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG, presents a fascinating case study for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti pairing. This combination sits in a specific performance tier, and the measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with the GPU taking on a more significant role as pixel count rises. The benchmark results offer a clear picture of how this hardware duo handles a demanding open-world title, and the following analysis breaks down that data across multiple dimensions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across the three tested resolutions paints a definitive picture of where the bottleneck lies in this system. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 133 FPS, but dropping the resolution to 1440p reduces that to 92 FPS, a significant 31% decrease. Moving to 4K at the same High settings, the average FPS falls to 55, which is a 59% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The rendering load is growing faster than the CPU’s ability to feed frames, indicating the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions.

The scaling behavior is even more pronounced when examining the Low settings preset. At 1080p Low, the system pushes an average of 187 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is working hard to keep up with the relatively light GPU workload. At 1440p Low, the frame rate only drops to 130 FPS, and at 4K Low, it's 77 FPS. The gradual decline here, compared to the sharp drop at High settings, shows that the CPU can sustain a high frame output, but the GPU's raw throughput becomes the ceiling as the resolution increases. The data indicates that at 1080p, the processor is more of a co-equal partner, while at 4K, the graphics card is clearly the deciding factor.

The fact that the 4K Ultra preset yields a playable-but-low 35 FPS, while 4K Low produces 77 FPS, shows a massive performance swing of 42 FPS based solely on settings. This suggests that the game's Ultra preset includes effects that are particularly taxing on the graphics card's resources, likely related to shadow quality or post-processing. In contrast, the 1080p Ultra score of 85 FPS, which is still 48 FPS lower than the 1080p Low score, reinforces the notion that the Ultra preset is disproportionately heavy on the GPU. The data strongly implies that for 4K gaming, the player must make a significant trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate with this specific hardware.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Greedfall with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 on High settings provides an average of 92 FPS, which is a strong balance. While 1920x1080 on High delivers 133 FPS, the jump to 1440p offers a significant increase in visual clarity for a 41 FPS cost. 4K is possible, but even High settings only average 55 FPS, which may not be smooth enough for all players.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets?

A: At 1080p, the difference is 102 FPS, with Low averaging 187 FPS and Ultra averaging 85 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 71 FPS (130 FPS vs 59 FPS). The most dramatic difference is at 4K, where Low averages 77 FPS and Ultra drops to 35 FPS, a 42 FPS difference. The Ultra preset is consistently far more demanding.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 holding back the RTX 3060 Ti in this game?

A: At higher resolutions like 4K, the data points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck, as frame rates scale down sharply with resolution. However, at 1080p, the high frame rates (133 FPS on High) suggest the CPU is keeping up well, though its limits may be approached when trying to exceed 187 FPS at Low settings.

Q: What kind of frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 102 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings. This preset also has recorded minimum and maximum FPS of 87 and 117, respectively, indicating a stable performance range.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems in Greedfall?

A: This specific configuration ranks 1413 out of 2938 tested combos in the game. This puts it in the middle of the pack, suggesting that while it's not a top-tier performer, it's far from the bottom and is capable of a solid experience.

Q: Is the 4K Ultra preset playable with this setup?

A: The data records an average FPS of 35 at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, 60 FPS gameplay and would likely be considered too choppy for most players. Lowering settings or resolution is necessary for a more fluid experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. In the context of Greedfall, its role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The benchmark data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of pushing the RTX 3060 Ti to an average of 133 FPS on High settings, indicating it has sufficient single-thread performance to avoid being a major bottleneck at this resolution. Its strong single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, likely helps in this scenario.

At higher resolutions, the CPU's influence wanes. The frame rate at 4K High (55 FPS) is significantly lower than at 1080p High (133 FPS), which is a direct result of the GPU's increased workload. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; it's waiting for the graphics card to finish rendering each frame. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than adequate for feeding a GPU in this performance class at 4K, as the workload shifts heavily towards pixel processing and texture shading.

The data suggests the CPU's high boost clock is an asset for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. However, the headline here is that the Ultra 5 225 provides a stable platform, but its performance ceiling is rarely tested in this game. The Passmark multithread score of 30459 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25891 show it's a capable processor, but Greedfall's engine appears to respond more to GPU throughput at higher resolutions. The processor's performance is not the primary story; it's the enabling partner for the GPU, and its influence diminishes significantly as resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is very capable. Low settings produce an average of 187 FPS, while Medium delivers 147 FPS (with a min of 125 and max of 169). High settings still yield a very smooth 133 FPS, and even Ultra is playable at an average of 85 FPS. This resolution is where the combo shines, offering high refresh rate potential on lower presets and a solid experience on the highest ones.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes more balanced. Low settings average 130 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium settings produce 102 FPS (min 87, max 117), and High settings average 92 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 59 FPS, which is borderline for 60 FPS gaming. This resolution represents the sweet spot for the RTX 3060 Ti, where a high-quality visual experience can be maintained with a smooth frame rate on High settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Low settings average 77 FPS, which is playable. Medium settings produce 61 FPS (min 52, max 70), which is just at the edge of smoothness. High settings drop to 55 FPS, and Ultra averages a very demanding 35 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming with this setup requires significant compromises. The step from Medium to High at 4K costs 6 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs a massive 20 FPS, highlighting the extreme cost of the Ultra preset at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this configuration of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti ranks 1413 out of 2938. This places it in the 48th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it performs better than roughly half of the systems tested. This is a solid, mid-range ranking, indicating that while it's not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it's a very competent pairing that delivers a good gaming experience.

The ranking implies that this system is well-matched for its intended purpose. It's not a combination that will top any charts, but it's also not one that will struggle in most scenarios. The CPU's performance, as indicated by its 85th percentile rank among all CPUs, is relatively strong, while the GPU's 59th percentile rank is more modest. This suggests the combo's overall ranking is dragged down slightly by the GPU, which is consistent with the resolution scaling analysis that points to the graphics card as the primary bottleneck in more demanding settings.

The fact that the combo ranks in the middle of the pack reflects the balance of the two components. A more powerful GPU would likely have pushed this ranking higher, but for the target audience of a 1080p or 1440p gamer, this pairing offers a performance level that is above average. The data confirms that this is a dependable, mainstream combination that can handle Greedfall with a good degree of flexibility across different visual presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and preference for visual fidelity. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 133 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, making it the clear recommendation. Players with high refresh rate monitors could also consider Medium settings at 147 FPS, or Low at 187 FPS, for an even smoother experience, but the visual compromise may not be worth it given the High preset's strong performance.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset at 92 FPS is the sweet spot. It provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate that is smooth and responsive. The Medium preset at 102 FPS is also a viable option for those who prioritize higher frame rates, but the step up to High is more substantial in visual quality. The Ultra preset at 59 FPS is not recommended, as it sits just below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel less consistent.

For 4K gaming, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset at 77 FPS is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, but it sacrifices much of the game's visual detail. The Medium preset at 61 FPS (with a min of 52) is a borderline option, but the risk of frame drops below 60 FPS makes it a gamble. The High and Ultra presets at 55 FPS and 35 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for a pleasant experience. For 4K, players should either accept the Low preset or consider downscaling the resolution to 1440p for a better balance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing for Greedfall, particularly as resolution and settings are increased. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has sufficient memory capacity and throughput for most scenarios in this game. Its 4864 shading units and 16.20 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are the core of its rendering capability, and the data shows this is what determines frame rates at higher resolutions.

The GPU's 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16129, places it as a solid mid-range performer. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, have an average score of 16361, a 1.4% difference, showing the 3060 Ti is competitively positioned in its class. The card's 8 GB of VRAM is a key specification; while it's enough for 1080p and 1440p, the large texture sets and effects at 4K Ultra could potentially push memory usage to its limits, though the data suggests the performance drop is more likely due to raw compute limitations.

The GPU's role as the bottleneck is clearly demonstrated by the resolution scaling. The 42 FPS difference between 4K Low (77 FPS) and 4K Ultra (35 FPS) confirms how much the card's processing power is stressed by the game's higher visual presets. The RTX 3060 Ti is a capable card, but the data shows it has a definitive ceiling in Greedfall, and this ceiling is reached at 1440p with Ultra settings. Its performance is the primary factor in determining the playable resolution and settings, with the CPU acting as a supporting player that is rarely the limiting factor.