Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution. Measured with an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, the data reveals a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K, while lower resolutions expose the CPU's limitations. The combination's performance profile is defined by a steep drop in frame rates as pixel count increases, with the game's engine showing distinct behavior across its four quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear and predictable downward trend as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop is substantial. At 1080p with the High preset, the system achieves an average of 174 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same High settings, the average falls to 121 FPS, a reduction of approximately 30%. At 4K, the average plummets to 72 FPS, which is a 59% decrease from the 1080p figure and a 40% drop from 1440p. This scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 5080 is being pushed progressively harder, and the frame rate is largely dictated by pixel throughput at higher resolutions.

The Low preset tells a similar story of steep scaling, albeit from a higher baseline. At 1080p Low, the system produces 244 FPS, which drops to 169 FPS at 1440p and further to 101 FPS at 4K. The percentage decline from 1080p to 4K is about 59%, mirroring the High preset's relative loss. This consistency suggests that the game's rendering pipeline is heavily resolution-bound, and even with reduced graphical fidelity, the sheer number of pixels at 4K imposes a heavy load on the GPU.

The gap between 1080p and 1440p is notable, but the jump to 4K is the most punishing. For instance, at Medium settings, the 1080p average is 192 FPS, while 1440p manages 133 FPS, and 4K falls to 79 FPS. The 4K result is less than half of the 1080p performance. This indicates that for this title, 4K is a significant hurdle that demands a high-end GPU. The RTX 5080 is capable of handling it, but the frame rates suggest that users targeting a smooth 4K experience will need to carefully consider their settings, as even High preset results in 72 FPS, which is just above the standard 60 FPS threshold.

The data also reveals that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rates at 4K are primarily a function of GPU workload. However, at 1080p, the high FPS figures, such as 244 FPS on Low, approach the range where CPU limitations can begin to surface. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, appears to provide sufficient headroom for most scenarios, but the scaling from 1080p to 1440p is not perfectly linear, suggesting that the CPU's performance ceiling is being approached at the lower resolution. The benchmark results indicate that the game is well-optimized for GPU scaling, but the CPU's role becomes more prominent at 1080p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications align with the observed performance. The GPU features a boost clock of 2617 MHz and a base clock of 2295 MHz, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. This substantial bandwidth is critical for high-resolution textures and the detailed environments of Greedfall, which often features dense foliage and complex geometry.

The RTX 5080's performance in the measured FPS data is strong, but it is not without limits. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 46, which is a significant strain on the GPU. This result highlights the immense demand of the Ultra preset at 4K. The GPU's compute capabilities, with 10,752 shading units and 84 RT cores, are pushed to their limits under this load. The 46 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, indicating that the Ultra preset at 4K is not a viable option for most users.

In contrast, the GPU handles lower settings with relative ease. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 244 FPS, showcasing the GPU's ability to deliver high refresh rates when the graphical load is reduced. The 16 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Greedfall at all tested resolutions and settings, as the game is not known for exceeding memory limits. The GPU's memory interface and bandwidth ensure that texture streaming and asset loading do not become bottlenecks, allowing the processor to feed frames efficiently.

The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its high-end positioning. It scores 36,565 in Passmark's G3D test and 21,789 in the GPU compute test. It also achieves 8,637 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. These scores place it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, and it sits close to rivals such as the AMD Radeon 8060S, which has a deltaPct of 0.6, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, with a deltaPct of 0.7. The RTX 5080's performance in Greedfall is consistent with its high-end positioning, though the game's engine appears to place a premium on raw rasterization power rather than ray tracing or DLSS features.

How This Combo Ranks

When considering the entire database of tested CPU and GPU combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 holds a rank of 1023 out of 3703 combos for Greedfall. This places it in the 72nd percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a strong performer but not at the absolute top tier. The rank suggests that there are many other combinations that can deliver higher frame rates in this specific title.

The combo's rank is likely influenced by the CPU's mobile nature. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 28-watt processor designed for laptops, and while it is capable, it may not provide the same level of sustained performance as a high-end desktop CPU. The GPU, being a flagship desktop part, is not the limiting factor. The rank of 1023 suggests that the system is well-balanced but that the CPU is holding back the GPU to some extent, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU's workload is more significant.

Compared to the GPU's individual percentile of 87, the combo's rank is lower, which reinforces the idea that the CPU is the weaker link in this pairing. The CPU's average benchmark score is 34,083, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, which has a deltaPct of 0.3, and the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, with a deltaPct of -0.5. While these are close in average score, the CPU's mobile design and lower power envelope may impact its performance in a sustained gaming workload like Greedfall.

The data shows that the combo is capable of high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results pull the average down. The rank of 1023 out of 3703 is respectable, but it indicates that users seeking the absolute maximum performance in Greedfall would need to pair a more powerful desktop CPU with the RTX 5080. The current combo is still a very capable gaming system, but its performance is defined by the CPU's limitations rather than the GPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 72 FPS.

Q: How does the Low preset at 1080p compare to the Ultra preset at 4K?

A: The Low preset at 1080p achieves an average of 244 FPS, while the Ultra preset at 4K achieves an average of 46 FPS. This represents a difference of 198 FPS, with the 4K Ultra setting being far more demanding on the GPU.

Q: Is the 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 5080 sufficient for Greedfall at 4K?

A: Yes, the 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Greedfall at all tested resolutions and settings. The game does not appear to be VRAM-limited, as the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are not cited as a bottleneck in the performance data.

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

A: The combo ranks 1023 out of 3703 tested combinations, placing it in the upper tier of systems for this game.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates, such as 244 FPS on Low, suggest that the GPU is not the limiting factor. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H's 16 cores and 22 threads are likely the primary constraint at this resolution, as the GPU has more headroom to render frames.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 113 FPS, with a maximum of 153 FPS and an average of 133 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a mobile processor with 16 cores and 22 threads, based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a TDP of 28 watts. The CPU features a 24 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. These specifications define its role in the Greedfall benchmark results.

In this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data. At 1080p, where the GPU can render frames quickly, the CPU's performance becomes more critical. The measured FPS at 1080p Low is 244, which is a high number that can stress the CPU's single-thread performance. The CPU's boost clock of 5.00 GHz is important here, as the game's engine likely benefits from high clock speeds on a few cores rather than many cores. However, the 16 cores and 22 threads also help with background tasks and any multi-threaded aspects of the game engine.

The CPU's benchmark scores show a balanced profile. It achieves 1,759 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 14,551 in multi-core. These scores are in line with its 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, has an average score that is 0.3% higher, indicating that the 165H is well-positioned within its segment. The CPU's passmark multithread score of 25,933 and single-thread score of 3,509 further illustrate its capabilities.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU appears to be a capable partner for the RTX 5080, but it does not allow the GPU to reach its full potential at lower resolutions. The 4K results are GPU-bound, as evidenced by the lower FPS, but at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU's limitations may prevent the GPU from achieving even higher frame rates. The data suggests that a desktop CPU with higher single-thread performance could yield better results, but for a mobile processor, the 165H performs admirably. The 28-watt TDP also implies that it is designed for power efficiency, which is a trade-off against raw gaming performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings to use for the best experience with this combo. For users with a 4K display, the High preset is the optimal choice. It delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 46 FPS, which is likely to be noticeable in terms of stuttering and reduced responsiveness. The Medium preset at 4K offers 79 FPS, which is a slight improvement over High, but the visual difference between Medium and High may not justify the 7 FPS gain for users who prefer higher fidelity.

At 1440p, the High preset is also recommended, as it achieves 121 FPS, which is well-suited for high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset at 133 FPS offers a small performance boost, but the High preset provides better visual quality with only a 12 FPS penalty. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 77 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. The Low preset at 169 FPS is an option for users seeking maximum frame rates, but the visual degradation is significant.

For 1080p, the High preset is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, delivering 174 FPS. The Medium preset at 192 FPS offers a 10% performance increase with minimal visual impact, making it a strong alternative for users with 144Hz or higher refresh rate displays. The Low preset at 244 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as the High preset already provides a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 111 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but it is not as smooth as the High or Medium presets.

In summary, the data indicates that the High preset is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions. It provides a balanced experience with frame rates that are playable at 4K and excellent at 1080p and 1440p. Users with 4K displays should stick with High to maintain a 60+ FPS experience, while those at 1440p or 1080p can choose between High and Medium based on their preference for visual quality or performance. The Ultra preset is only recommended for users who are willing to accept lower frame rates in exchange for maximum graphical fidelity.