Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, exhibits a pronounced performance scaling curve when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080. The measured data reveals a system that transitions from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound state at 4K, with the RTX 3080's 10 GB frame buffer and the Core Ultra 5's 10-core configuration playing distinct roles in shaping the final frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K demonstrates a classic bottleneck shift. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo delivers 238 FPS, but this drops to 165 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 98 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 59% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that the rendering pipeline becomes increasingly demanding on the GPU as pixel count rises. The scaling is not linear, however, as the 1080p-to-1440p drop is 31%, while the 1440p-to-4K drop is 41%, suggesting that the RTX 3080's bandwidth and fill rate are being stressed more heavily at higher resolutions.

For High settings, the same pattern emerges: 170 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops here are 31% and 41%, respectively, mirroring the Low settings trend. This consistency implies that the resolution scaling behavior is independent of the quality preset, which is a hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario at 4K. The Ultra preset tells a similar story but with lower absolute numbers: 108 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 45 FPS is notably below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, highlighting that the RTX 3080, while capable, is not sufficient for maximum settings at 4K in this title.

The limiting component at 1080p is clearly the CPU. The jump from 1080p Low (238 FPS) to 1080p High (170 FPS) is a 29% reduction, but the more telling data is that at 1080p, the GPU is not the primary constraint; the Core Ultra 5 225's 10 cores and 10 threads are the ceiling. At 4K, however, the GPU becomes the dominant factor, as evidenced by the fact that the difference between Low (98 FPS) and High (70 FPS) at 4K is a 29% reduction, which is similar to the 1080p reduction, but the absolute headroom is much smaller because the GPU is working harder. This data suggests that for resolution scaling, users should expect a smooth experience at 1440p with High settings, while 4K requires a compromise in quality to maintain playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the combined benchmark database for Greedfall, this specific CPU-GPU pairing achieves a combo rank of 800 out of 2938 tested combinations. This places it in the top 27.2% of all tested combos, indicating a strong but not elite performance tier. The percentileVsAllCpus for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is 85, meaning it outperforms 85% of all CPUs in the database, and the GPU's percentileVsAllGpus is 68, showing it is above the median for graphics cards. When combined, the system's rank is slightly lower than what the CPU percentile alone might suggest, which indicates that the RTX 3080 is the limiting factor in this pairing for Greedfall's specific workload.

The combo rank of 800 out of 2938 is a useful context for understanding the system's overall capability. It is not a top-tier combination, but it is well above average, and the data suggests that the CPU has headroom to support a more powerful GPU in this game. The CPU's nearest rivals in the general benchmark database include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which has a 0% deltaPct, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%, and the Intel Core i9-12900T at -0.5%. These rivals all have very similar average scores, indicating that the Core Ultra 5 225 is competitively positioned in its CPU class. The GPU's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA P106-100, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16, and AMD Radeon RX 6600M, all with a deltaPct of -0.3% to -0.4%, which shows that the RTX 3080's average benchmark score is slightly lower than these peers, but the gap is minimal.

The rank of 800 suggests that while the CPU is a strong performer, the GPU's age and its 10 GB memory capacity are noticeable in a demanding title like Greedfall. Compared to the 2938 combos, this setup is in the upper quartile, meaning that the majority of systems tested will not achieve the same frame rates. The data indicates that for users with this combo, the experience is solid, but there is clear potential for improvement by pairing the Core Ultra 5 with a newer, higher-tier GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, built on the Ampere architecture with a GA102 chip, is a central figure in these results. Its memory configuration of 10 GB of GDDR6X on a 320-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s, which is a critical factor at 4K resolution. The GPU's base clock is 1440 MHz, with a boost clock of 1710 MHz, and its 8704 shading units and 272 texture mapping units are responsible for the raw pixel-pushing power. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is overwhelmed, averaging only 45 FPS, while at 4K Low, it manages 98 FPS. This 53 FPS difference between the extreme settings at 4K demonstrates that the RTX 3080's compute resources are sufficient for lower quality presets but are fully saturated when higher-quality effects are enabled.

The 10 GB VRAM capacity is a potential concern in Greedfall, which is a 2019 title. While the game was released before the RTX 3080, the measured results show that at 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 77, with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 89. The min FPS of 66 suggests that there are moments where the GPU is hitting a memory or bandwidth limit, causing frame time spikes. In contrast, at 1440p Medium, the min FPS is 110, which is much healthier. This indicates that the 10 GB frame buffer is likely a contributing factor to the reduced minimum frame rates at 4K, as the GPU has to manage larger textures and more data.

The RTX 3080's FP32 performance is 29.77 TFLOPS, and its texture rate is 465.1 GTexel/s, which are strong numbers for a card from its generation. However, the measured data in Greedfall shows that the GPU's performance ceiling is reached at 4K Ultra, where the 45 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target for high-refresh-rate monitors. For users with a 1440p display, the GPU provides a much better experience, with 118 FPS at High settings and 130 FPS at Medium, making it a capable card for that resolution. The GPU's passmark G3D score of 25086, which is in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, further reinforces that it is a solid mid-to-high-tier performer, but not at the top of the current stack.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 238, which is an excellent result for competitive or fast-paced gameplay. Moving to Medium settings at 1080p, the average drops to 187 FPS, with a minimum of 159 and a maximum of 215 FPS. The High preset at 1080p yields 170 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 108 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary bottleneck, as the frame rates are exceptionally high across all presets, and the GPU has ample headroom.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The Low setting produces an average of 165 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings average 130 FPS with a minimum of 110 and maximum of 149 FPS, showing a stable frame time distribution. High settings average 118 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 75 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that this resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, as even Ultra settings maintain an average above 60 FPS, and the High preset provides a buttery-smooth experience for most monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low settings average 98 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. Medium settings average 77 FPS, with a minimum of 66 and maximum of 89 FPS, indicating that the system is working hard but still managing to stay above 60 FPS. High settings average 70 FPS, which is acceptable. The Ultra preset, however, averages only 45 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold for most users. This breakdown shows that for 4K gaming, users must be willing to use Medium or High settings to maintain playable frame rates, and even then, the minimum FPS can dip into the 60s.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 108 FPS is a strong choice, as it provides high visual fidelity while still delivering frame rates well above 60 FPS. The High preset at 170 FPS is also excellent for users with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors, as it maximizes fluidity. If the user prioritizes maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 238 FPS offers the most headroom. For 1440p, the High preset at 118 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it is above the 60 FPS target and close to the 120 FPS threshold for high-refresh-rate panels. The Medium preset at 130 FPS is also a viable option for those seeking higher frame rates, but the visual trade-off may not be worth it when High is so close.

For 3840x2160, the High preset at 70 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a good balance between detail and smoothness, staying above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 77 FPS is slightly faster, but the difference is minimal, and High offers a better visual experience. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS should be avoided for general gameplay, as it falls below the playable threshold. The Low preset at 98 FPS is an option for users who want to maintain high frame rates at 4K, but it sacrifices too much visual fidelity. In summary, the data suggests: 1080p Ultra for the best visuals, 1440p High for the best overall experience, and 4K High for a playable 4K experience. The min FPS values for Medium settings at all resolutions (159 at 1080p, 110 at 1440p, and 66 at 4K) show that the Medium preset has the most stable frame pacing, which may be preferable for users sensitive to stutter.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads based on the Arrow Lake architecture, plays a significant role in the lower-resolution results. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, combined with 20 MB of L3 cache, provide strong single-threaded performance, which is crucial for Greedfall's game logic and AI. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 25891, and its single-core score is 3655, indicating a robust processor. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4412, and its multithread score is 30459, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

In the measured data, the CPU's influence is most evident at 1080p. The jump from 1080p Low (238 FPS) to 1080p Ultra (108 FPS) is a 55% drop, which is a larger percentage than the drop at 4K (from 98 FPS at Low to 45 FPS at Ultra, a 54% drop). However, the absolute frame rates at 1080p are so high that the GPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls is the bottleneck. The fact that the 1080p Low and 1080p High results (238 vs 170 FPS) differ by 29% suggests that the settings' impact on the CPU workload is significant, but the CPU is still capable of delivering high frame rates.

The Core Ultra 5's 10 threads without hyper-threading is an interesting characteristic. In a game like Greedfall, which may not scale perfectly across many threads, the 10 physical cores are sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck at 1440p and 4K. At 1440p, the CPU's performance is adequate, as the frame rates are primarily determined by the GPU. The data shows that the combo rank of 800 out of 2938 is a reflection of both components, but the CPU's high percentile (85) compared to the GPU's (68) indicates that the processor has more performance headroom than the graphics card in this specific game. This suggests that if a user were to upgrade the GPU in the future, the Core Ultra 5 225 would be able to support a more powerful card without becoming a significant bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for a 60 FPS target?

A: For a 60 FPS target, the data shows that at 3840x2160, both High and Medium settings achieve this, with averages of 70 FPS and 77 FPS respectively. At 2560x1440, even Ultra settings exceed 60 FPS with an average of 75 FPS, making 1440p a more comfortable choice for higher visual fidelity.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its nearest rivals in general CPU benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has a nearly identical score of 36945, showing a 0% deltaPct. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is slightly behind at 37018 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T is at 37112 (-0.5%). The differences are minimal, indicating parity among these CPUs.

Q: Is the RTX 3080's 10 GB VRAM sufficient for Greedfall at 4K?

A: The measured data suggests that the 10 GB VRAM is a limiting factor at 4K. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 66 FPS, which is lower than the 110 FPS minimum at 1440p Medium. This drop in minimum frame rates at 4K is indicative of the GPU struggling with memory capacity or bandwidth, even though the average FPS is still playable.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Greedfall?

A: This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 800th out of 2938 tested combos. This places it in the top 27.2% of all systems tested for this game, indicating a solidly above-average performance tier.

Q: At which resolution does the CPU become the primary bottleneck?

A: The CPU is the primary bottleneck at 1920x1080. The frame rates at 1080p are exceptionally high (238 FPS at Low), and the scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p (a 55% drop) is similar to the drop at 4K, but the absolute numbers indicate that the GPU is not fully utilized at 1080p, leaving the CPU as the limiting component.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for Medium settings across all resolutions?

A: The measured data shows that for Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 159 at 1920x1080, 110 at 2560x1440, and 66 at 3840x2160. These minimum values provide insight into frame pacing and show that the system maintains a relatively stable performance at 1080p and 1440p, but drops significantly at 4K.