Greedfall

# Greedfall Performance Analysis: Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

This combination places the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 alongside the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti in Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that scales predictably with graphical load, though the relationship between CPU and GPU bottlenecks shifts noticeably as resolution increases. The data shows a capable pairing that delivers playable performance at 4K, strong results at 1440p, and very high frame rates at 1080p, with the CPU's 10 cores and 10 threads providing a solid foundation for the GPU's substantial rendering power.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies in this system. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 176 FPS average, which drops to 122 FPS at 1440p and further to 73 FPS at 4K. This represents a 58.5% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings, indicating that the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count increases. The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets, though the magnitude of the drop varies.

At Low settings, the system achieves 247 FPS at 1080p, 171 FPS at 1440p, and 102 FPS at 4K — a 58.7% decrease from 1080p to 4K. Medium settings show 194 FPS at 1080p, 134 FPS at 1440p, and 80 FPS at 4K, a 58.8% reduction. Ultra settings produce 112 FPS at 1080p, 78 FPS at 1440p, and 46 FPS at 4K, a 58.9% drop. The remarkably consistent percentage declines across all presets suggest that the limiting component is scaling uniformly with resolution, rather than being constrained by any single setting's specific demands.

The interesting implication here is that the CPU is likely not the primary constraint at any resolution, given that the frame rate declines are so evenly proportional to pixel count. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see a flattening of frame rates at lower resolutions, where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the smooth progression from 247 FPS at 1080p Low down to 102 FPS at 4K Low indicates the GPU is the dominant factor throughout. However, the relatively modest frame rates at 1080p Ultra (112 FPS) compared to 1080p Low (247 FPS) show that the Ultra preset's rendering demands are substantial enough to keep the GPU fully occupied even at lower pixel counts.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings 10 cores and 10 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This Arrow Lake-S architecture chip, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC, sits in the 85th percentile versus all CPUs according to synthetic benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 scores of 25891 multi-core and 3655 single-core demonstrate strong computational throughput, while the PassMark single-thread score of 4412 indicates solid per-core performance.

In Greedfall, an Action RPG that typically relies on a mix of physics, AI, and game logic, the CPU's 10 threads provide adequate headroom for the game's demands. The data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU has the least work and the CPU would be most likely to become a bottleneck, the system still achieves 247 FPS. This suggests the CPU is not significantly limiting performance in this title. The nearest CPU rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average benchmark score of 36945 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018 (-0.2% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093 (-0.4% delta), all of which are essentially equivalent in synthetic performance.

The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample storage for game data, and its dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth ensures the GPU has a steady stream of data. The fact that frame rates scale so cleanly with resolution implies that the CPU is delivering frames faster than the GPU can render them at every tested configuration. The passmark physics score of 2342 and floating point math score of 92038 suggest the CPU handles the physics and logic calculations in Greedfall without creating a noticeable bottleneck.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the clear workhorse in this configuration, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 912.4 GB/s bandwidth. Its GA102 chip, built on Samsung's 8 nm process, contains 28,300 million transistors across a 628 mm² die. The GPU's 10,240 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 112 ROPs are complemented by 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor cores, providing substantial raw compute power. The boost clock of 1665 MHz and base clock of 1365 MHz drive a pixel rate of 186.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s.

The GPU's 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance places it in the 83rd percentile versus all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 with an average score of 40870 (0.8% delta), the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB at 41707 (-1.2% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 at 40377 (2% delta). In Greedfall, the RTX 3080 Ti's performance is clearly the limiting factor at higher resolutions, with 4K Ultra producing just 46 FPS average. This is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting the Ultra preset at 4K demands more from the GPU than it can deliver.

The 12 GB of VRAM appears sufficient for Greedfall at all tested settings, as there are no signs of memory-related stuttering or frame drops in the measured data. The minimum frame rates recorded at Medium settings — 68 FPS at 4K, 114 FPS at 1440p, and 165 FPS at 1080p — indicate that even the lowest dips remain playable. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s is more than adequate for the game's texture and geometry requirements, allowing the card to maintain consistent performance across all resolution and setting combinations.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 744th out of 2,938 tested combos in Greedfall, placing it in the top 25.3% of all configurations tested for this game. This ranking reflects the strong performance of both components individually — the CPU at the 85th percentile and the GPU at the 83rd percentile — and their effective collaboration in this title.

The ranking position suggests that while this combo delivers excellent frame rates in absolute terms, there are many configurations that outperform it. The CPU's relatively low thread count (10) compared to higher-end processors may limit performance in CPU-bound scenarios, though the measured data does not show obvious signs of CPU limitation. The GPU, while powerful, faces stiff competition from newer architectures that offer better performance per watt and higher raw throughput.

What makes this ranking particularly interesting is the balance between components. The combo sits in the upper quartile of all tested systems, meaning that roughly 2,194 other combinations perform better in Greedfall. This is consistent with the hardware being from the previous generation (GPU released 2021, CPU released 2025), though the CPU's newer architecture helps offset its mid-range positioning. The data suggests this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, with adequate performance at 4K for most settings presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce 247 FPS average, which is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 194 FPS with a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 223 FPS, while High settings achieve 176 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 112 FPS, which still provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 54.7% decrease in performance, showing that the Ultra preset's additional visual effects come at a significant cost.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system maintains very playable frame rates. Low settings achieve 171 FPS, Medium produces 134 FPS with a minimum of 114 FPS and maximum of 155 FPS, and High delivers 122 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 78 FPS, which remains above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 1440p results show a 54.4% reduction from Low to Ultra, consistent with the pattern observed at 1080p. The minimum frame rate of 114 FPS at Medium settings indicates that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings produce 102 FPS, Medium delivers 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and maximum of 92 FPS, and High achieves 73 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 46 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stuttering during intense action sequences. The 4K results show a 54.9% reduction from Low to Ultra, maintaining the consistent scaling pattern seen at lower resolutions. The minimum FPS of 68 at Medium settings shows that this preset remains playable even in demanding scenes, though Ultra's unrecorded minimum could be significantly lower.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 194 FPS with a minimum of 165 FPS, providing a substantial cushion above the 60 FPS threshold and enabling high-refresh-rate displays to be fully utilized. The 1440p Medium result of 134 FPS with a minimum of 114 FPS maintains this comfortable margin, while 4K Medium at 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even in the most demanding scenes.

For users prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, the High preset is viable at 1080p and 1440p, with 176 FPS and 122 FPS respectively. At 4K, High drops to 73 FPS, which remains playable but leaves less headroom for frame rate fluctuations. The Ultra preset should be avoided at 4K, where its 46 FPS average falls below the standard 60 FPS target. At 1080p and 1440p, Ultra's 112 FPS and 78 FPS respectively are acceptable, though the performance cost over High may not justify the visual improvements for competitive play.

The Low preset, while producing the highest frame rates (247 FPS at 1080p, 171 FPS at 1440p, 102 FPS at 4K), sacrifices too much visual quality for most players. The data indicates that Medium provides the most consistent experience, with frame rates that remain above 60 FPS even at 4K and minimum frame rates that suggest no problematic stuttering. The 68 FPS minimum at 4K Medium is particularly noteworthy, as it demonstrates that this preset can handle the game's most demanding moments without dropping below playable thresholds.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with 122-171 FPS across settings. At 4K, only the Medium preset (80 FPS) and Low preset (102 FPS) consistently exceed 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only with reduced settings. The Medium preset at 4K produces 80 FPS average with a 68 FPS minimum, while the High preset achieves 73 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, placing it 0% relative to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945), -0.2% versus the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018), and -0.4% against the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093).

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor. Frame rates scale consistently with resolution across all settings, suggesting the CPU can deliver frames faster than the GPU can render them at every tested configuration.

Q: What is the highest frame rate this combo achieves?

A: The maximum measured average frame rate is 247 FPS at 1080p with Low settings. The highest minimum frame rate recorded is 165 FPS at 1080p with Medium settings.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset costs approximately 36-37% of the frame rate compared to High across all resolutions. At 1080p, High delivers 176 FPS versus Ultra's 112 FPS; at 1440p, 122 FPS versus 78 FPS; and at 4K, 73 FPS versus 46 FPS.