Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics. The measured data reveals a configuration that is almost entirely constrained by its graphics subsystem, with the capable CPU left largely underutilized. This analysis examines the performance metrics across resolutions and settings to characterize the experience this hardware combination provides.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The transition from 1080p to 4K with this hardware combo produces a dramatic and consistent collapse in frame rates, clearly identifying the Intel Arc B370 as the primary bottleneck. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 54 FPS at 1920x1080 to 38 FPS at 2560x1440, and then plummets to just 22 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 45% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at High settings, a scaling pattern that is characteristic of a system where the GPU is saturated.

The data shows an even steeper drop when moving from 1440p to 4K. The gap between 38 FPS at 2560x1440 and 22 FPS at 3840x2160 is a 42% decrease, while the jump from 54 FPS at 1080p to 38 FPS at 1440p is a 30% loss. This non-linear scaling suggests that the Arc B370's rendering capabilities are being overwhelmed by the 4K pixel count, which requires 2.25 times the pixels of 1440p. The fact that the frame rate does not drop proportionally to the pixel increase indicates that other factors, such as memory bandwidth or fill rate limitations, are coming into play at higher resolutions.

The pattern is similar, though less severe, at the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 76 FPS, which drops to 53 FPS at 1440p (a 30% decrease) and then to 31 FPS at 4K (a 42% decrease from 1440p). The persistence of this sharp 4K penalty even at Low settings reinforces the conclusion that the GPU's raw throughput is the limiting factor, not the game's visual complexity. The CPU, with its 14 cores and 14 threads, is unlikely to be the constraint at any resolution, as even the lowest frame rates are well above what would indicate a CPU-bound scenario.

This scaling behavior has a clear implication: 4K resolution is not a viable target for this combination, regardless of quality settings. The best 4K result, 31 FPS at Low, is still below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The performance cliff at 4K is a direct consequence of the Arc B370's position in the market, as its benchmark percentile of 5 places it in the lowest tier of tested graphics processors. The data suggests that the IGP is designed for basic display output and light workloads, not for pushing high-resolution gaming.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 appears to be more than sufficient for Greedfall, based on the measured frame rates. This processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its architecture is Arrow Lake, built on a 3 nm process, and it accesses a 24 MB shared L3 cache. These specifications point to a modern, high-performance desktop part that should handle the game's logic and physics calculations with ease.

Benchmark data supports this assessment. The CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648, placing it in the 90th percentile when compared to all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 48995 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 which scores 49228 (a delta of -0.5%) and the Intel Core i5-14600K which scores 48618 (a delta of 0.8%). This puts the Ultra 5 245 in the upper echelon of processor performance, far exceeding what a game like Greedfall would require to avoid being a bottleneck.

The game's frame rates, however, never approach the levels that would indicate CPU limitation. Even at the lowest stress point for the GPU (1080p Low), the system averages 76 FPS. While this is a respectable number, a processor of this caliber could likely push significantly higher frame rates if the graphics solution were capable. The data implies that the CPU is waiting on the GPU for the majority of each frame, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The multi-threaded performance of the Ultra 5 245, evidenced by its PassMark multi-thread score of 38706, is likely underutilized, as Greedfall's engine may not be optimized to fully exploit 14 threads.

Given the GPU's low performance metrics, the CPU's role in this pairing is to provide a stable foundation without introducing stutters or frame-time spikes. The 5.10 GHz boost clock ensures that single-threaded game logic is processed quickly, but the overall frame rate ceiling is determined by the Arc B370. In this context, the CPU's impressive specifications are largely academic, as they do not translate into higher frame rates in Greedfall when paired with this particular IGP.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive component in this configuration, and its specifications explain the performance ceiling observed in the data. This is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its clock speeds are modest, with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. Critically, its memory is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's DDR5 memory rather than having its own dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which can be a significant limiting factor in a memory-intensive game like Greedfall.

The Arc B370's raw compute numbers are low. It has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s. To contextualize this, its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, delta -0.5%) and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, delta -0.2%). This indicates that the Arc B370's performance level is comparable to discrete graphics cards from over a decade ago, which are not suited for modern gaming at high resolutions.

This performance tier directly explains the measured FPS. With a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s, the GPU struggles to feed the renderer at higher resolutions. The 4K results are particularly telling, with the Ultra preset yielding an average of only 14 FPS. Even at 1080p, the Ultra preset only manages 35 FPS, while the High preset achieves 54 FPS. The shared memory architecture likely contributes to these results, as the system memory bandwidth is shared between the CPU and GPU, potentially causing contention during complex scenes. The 25 W TDP of the IGP further confirms its limited capacity, as it is designed for power efficiency rather than high-performance gaming. This is not a component built for 4K gaming; the data shows it is barely adequate for 1080p at lower settings.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the most balanced experience is found at 1920x1080 with the High preset. This configuration yields an average of 54 FPS, which is playable for an Action RPG. While the Low preset at the same resolution offers a higher 76 FPS, the visual fidelity of High is a significant step up, and the frame rate remains above the 50 FPS threshold that most players find acceptable. The Medium preset at 1080p provides a middle ground at 60 FPS, but the jump to High is only a 6 FPS loss for what is likely a noticeable improvement in visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that players must compromise. The High preset averages 38 FPS, which may feel sluggish for action-oriented gameplay. The Medium preset at this resolution is only slightly better at 41 FPS. The Low preset is the only option that breaks the 50 FPS barrier at 1440p, achieving 53 FPS. However, dropping to Low settings negates much of the benefit of the higher resolution. For a balance of visual quality and smoothness, 1440p Medium at 41 FPS is a defensible choice, but the system is clearly more comfortable at 1080p.

The 4K resolution is not recommended for any preset. The best average FPS at 3840x2160 is 31 FPS on Low, which is below the standard for playable frame rates. The High preset at 4K drops to 22 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 14 FPS. The data indicates that this combination should be used exclusively at 1080p. The Ultra preset at any resolution is also not advisable, as it yields 35 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. The performance cost of Ultra does not appear to be worth the visual gain, especially when High provides a 54 FPS experience at 1080p. Therefore, the optimal setting is 1080p High, offering a playable and visually appealing experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B370 ranks at 2699 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations in the database, a position that is directly attributable to the GPU. The CPU's high performance, in the 90th percentile, is completely overshadowed by the GPU's low performance, in the 5th percentile. In a game like Greedfall, which is graphically demanding, the GPU is the dominant factor in determining overall system ranking.

This rank of 2699 indicates that the system will struggle to compete with any configuration that uses a discrete graphics card, even a modest one. The data shows that the Arc B370's performance is comparable to a decade-old discrete GPU, so any modern entry-level discrete card would likely provide a significantly better experience. The high rank number (where 1 is best) is a reflection of the system's overall inability to maintain high frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU is not the cause of this low rank; it is the IGP that drags the entire system down.

To understand the discrepancy, consider the CPU's nearest rivals. The Ultra 5 245's average benchmark score of 48995 is within 1% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and the Intel Core i5-14600K. If this CPU were paired with a discrete GPU, the system's rank would likely be in the top half of the database. However, the Arc B370's 3DMark score of 1184 is effectively at the bottom of the GPU performance scale. The delta between the GPU and its rivals is minuscule, showing it is clustered with the weakest graphics processors ever tested. This extreme imbalance between CPU and GPU capability is the defining characteristic of this combo, resulting in its lowly 2699 rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 76 FPS on Low, 60 FPS on Medium, 54 FPS on High, and 35 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset has a recorded minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, indicating some frame variability, but the overall averages are the most playable of any resolution tested.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. The Low preset yields an average of 53 FPS. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. The High preset averages 38 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the system to its knees with an average of only 24 FPS. The step from Low to Medium at 1440p is a 12 FPS loss, which is substantial, and the gap between Medium and High is a further 3 FPS loss.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. The Low preset is the only option that approaches playability, with an average of 31 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 28 FPS. The High preset averages 22 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively a slideshow at 14 FPS. The data shows a consistent pattern: each increase in resolution or settings results in a steep performance penalty, with the 4K Ultra configuration being the absolute worst-case scenario at 14 FPS. These exact figures highlight the hardware's limitations, making it clear that this combo is only suitable for 1080p gaming, with the 1080p High preset offering the best compromise at 54 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, the 1920x1080 High preset offers the best balance, achieving an average of 54 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a frame rate comfortably above 50 FPS without resorting to the lowest visual quality.

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

A: No. The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 31 FPS on the Low preset, which is below playable standards. The Ultra preset at 4K yields only 14 FPS, making it unplayable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this combo?

A: The data clearly indicates the GPU is the sole bottleneck. The Intel Arc B370's 3DMark score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245's benchmark scores place it in the 90th percentile, showing a massive imbalance.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The average benchmark score for the CPU is 48995. This is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49228 (a 0.5% difference), and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 48618 (a 0.8% difference). It is a strong performer.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 76 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 35 FPS. This represents a 41 FPS drop when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU/GPU combination for Greedfall?

A: This combo ranks 2699 out of 2938 tested configurations in the database. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested combos, a direct result of the integrated GPU's low performance.