Greedfall

Greedfall is a 2019 Action RPG that places significant demands on both processor and graphics card, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER demonstrates a clear performance hierarchy. Based on measured data, this pairing ranks 1672nd out of 2938 tested combos in the database, placing it in the 57th percentile of all possible configurations. This is a mid-pack result that is heavily influenced by the GPU's age and capabilities, particularly at higher resolutions where the RTX 2070 SUPER becomes the primary constraint on frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1672 out of 2938 tested configurations indicates a solid, but not exceptional, standing within the broader ecosystem of hardware pairings. The data shows this is not a top-tier combination capable of maxing out every title at 4K, but it is far from a low-end setup. The CPU, Intel Core Ultra 5 235, is a modern part that sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, is in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. This disparity is telling: the processor is a much stronger component relative to its peers than the graphics card is relative to its own generation.

This rank suggests that the combo is balanced in the sense that neither component is a complete bottleneck at lower settings, but the GPU's limitations become more apparent as visual demands increase. In Greedfall specifically, the measured FPS data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the combo can deliver playable to highly smooth frame rates, but at 4K, the system struggles to maintain 60 FPS on higher settings. The rank of 1672 reflects this reality—it is a configuration that can handle the game well at mainstream resolutions, but it is not built for extreme 4K performance. The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals show it is extremely close in average benchmark score to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.1% behind), and the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 (both 0.2% ahead), confirming the Core Ultra 5 235 is a highly competitive processor in raw compute terms, which helps explain why the combo's rank is not dragged down further by CPU limitations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which are the specifications that drive its single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. In the context of Greedfall, an Action RPG that relies on game logic, AI, and world simulation, the CPU's ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously is important, but the game is not known for being extremely CPU-intensive compared to strategy titles.

The benchmark data for the CPU shows strong results across the board. In Cinebench R23, it scores 14769 in multicore and 2085 in single-core tests. These scores place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is significantly more powerful than the average processor. The PassMark single-thread score of 4516 is particularly relevant for gaming, as many game engines still rely heavily on a few cores. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that the CPU can deliver high single-threaded performance, which is beneficial for maintaining high frame rates in Greedfall when the GPU is not the limiting factor.

However, the data from the measured FPS suggests that the CPU is rarely the primary bottleneck in this combo. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 167 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would stress many CPUs, yet the Core Ultra 5 235 handles it without issue. This indicates that the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU even at lower resolutions. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth) provide the necessary data throughput for the game. The processor's 65 W TDP and active production status also suggest it is a modern, efficient part that pairs well with the older GPU, but its performance is not the limiting factor in this pairing—the GPU is.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the older component in this pairing, released in 2019, and it shows its age in Greedfall's most demanding scenarios. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The RTX 2070 SUPER is based on the Turing architecture and includes 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores.

The GPU's benchmark results show it is a competent, if not leading-edge, performer. In PassMark G3D, it scores 18169, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 90637. The GPU sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, which is respectable but not outstanding. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (1% slower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (1.2% slower), and the Intel Arc B570 and Arc A750 (1.3% and 1.5% slower, respectively). This indicates the RTX 2070 SUPER is competitive with these parts, but it is not a top-tier GPU by modern standards.

In Greedfall, the GPU's role is critical, and its limitations are exposed at 4K. With 8 GB of VRAM, the card can handle the game's textures at most resolutions, but the compute power is not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo only achieves 31 FPS, which is not playable for most users. The GPU's 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the key metric here—it simply does not have enough raw throughput to push the high pixel counts of 4K at high settings. The card's 215 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for its generation, but the performance gap to newer GPUs is evident in the 4K results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Greedfall with this combo provides a clear picture of its capabilities across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance: 167 FPS on Low, 131 FPS on Medium, 119 FPS on High, and 76 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 112 FPS and a maximum of 151 FPS, indicating consistent performance. These numbers mean that at 1080p, the combo is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors on most settings, and even at Ultra, it remains comfortably above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. The system achieves 116 FPS on Low, 91 FPS on Medium (with a min of 77 and max of 105), 83 FPS on High, and 53 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, the GPU begins to become a more significant factor, but the combo still delivers smooth gameplay on High and below. The Ultra setting at 53 FPS is borderline, but for many players, it is acceptable.

At 3840x2160, the story changes dramatically. The combo only manages 69 FPS on Low, 54 FPS on Medium (with a min of 46 and max of 63), 49 FPS on High, and 31 FPS on Ultra. These results show that the RTX 2070 SUPER is not powerful enough for consistent 60 FPS gameplay at 4K, except on the lowest settings. The 49 FPS at High is playable but not ideal, and the 31 FPS at Ultra is not a smooth experience. The data clearly indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch that requires significant settings compromises.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and reveals the limiting component in this combo. Comparing the High settings across resolutions, the system achieves 119 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K. This represents a 30% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, and the steep decline at 4K points directly to the GPU as the bottleneck.

The CPU's performance is strong enough that it is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system hits 167 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would stress most CPUs, yet the Core Ultra 5 235 handles it without issue. The fact that the FPS drops so precipitously as resolution increases—while the CPU workload remains relatively constant—confirms that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary constraint. The GPU's pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s are simply not sufficient to render the massive number of pixels at 4K at high settings.

The resolution scaling analysis shows that this combo is optimized for lower resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to deliver high frame rates, and the CPU is not holding it back. At 1440p, the balance shifts slightly toward the GPU, but performance remains strong. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, and the system's performance drops to levels that are not suitable for competitive or smooth gameplay. For users with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this combo is a good match, but for 4K, a more powerful GPU would be necessary to achieve higher frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Greedfall?

A: The data shows that the combo performs best at 1920x1080, where it achieves 119 FPS on High and 76 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it still delivers 83 FPS on High, which is smooth. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1440p High is recommended, as it provides a high frame rate without the steep performance penalty seen at 4K.

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

A: It can run the game at 4K, but with significant compromises. At 4K Low, it achieves 69 FPS, which is playable, but at High settings, it drops to 49 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 31 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, the user would need to play on Low settings, which sacrifices visual quality.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4516 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 are strong, and the system achieves 167 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating the CPU has ample headroom. The FPS drops dramatically as resolution increases, which points to the RTX 2070 SUPER as the limiting component.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46030, which is 0.1% lower. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, which is 0.1% higher, while the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 score 45970 and 45960, respectively, both 0.2% lower. This shows the CPU is highly competitive with these parts.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 2070 SUPER and its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20480, which is 1% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534 (1.2% higher), and the Intel Arc B570 and Arc A750 score 20556 and 20582, respectively, both about 1.3% and 1.5% higher. This indicates the RTX 2070 SUPER is slightly behind these parts in raw compute.

Q: Does the combo maintain consistent frame rates, or are there significant drops?

A: The data shows consistent performance at most settings. At 1080p Medium, the system has a min FPS of 112 and a max of 151, with an average of 131. At 1440p Medium, the min is 77 and max is 105, with an average of 91. At 4K Medium, the min is 46 and max is 63, with an average of 54. These ranges indicate stable performance without major stuttering, although the 4K results are less consistent.