Greedfall

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT pairing delivers a robust experience in Greedfall, with frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions. The data shows a system capable of high-refresh 1080p and smooth 1440p gameplay, while 4K remains playable with settings adjustments. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to guide settings choices and clarify the CPU and GPU roles.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, the High preset is the clear standout. At 1920x1080, High produces an average of 177 FPS, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh monitors. Moving to 2560x1440, High still delivers a strong 123 FPS average, keeping gameplay fluid without requiring a drop in quality. Even at 3840x2160, High manages a 73 FPS average, which remains playable on many displays.

The Ultra preset, while visually superior, exacts a steep performance penalty. At 1080p, the average drops to 113 FPS, a 36% reduction from High (177 FPS). At 1440p, Ultra falls to 78 FPS, and at 4K, it plummets to just 47 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is not worth the frame rate cost, especially since High already provides a high-quality visual experience. The data suggests that Ultra is only viable for users who prioritize maximum image quality over frame rate and are playing at 1080p.

The Medium preset offers only marginal gains over High. At 1080p, Medium (195 FPS) is just 18 FPS faster than High (177 FPS). At 1440p, the difference shrinks to 12 FPS (135 vs 123). At 4K, the gap is a mere 8 FPS (81 vs 73). Given the relatively small performance uplift, dropping from High to Medium is not recommended unless you are targeting a very specific frame rate cap and need the extra headroom.

The Low preset provides the highest frame rates but sacrifices significant visual quality. At 1080p, it hits 248 FPS, and at 1440p, it reaches 172 FPS. At 4K, it is the only setting besides High to break the 100 FPS barrier with 103 FPS. This preset is best reserved for competitive play or for users with very high refresh rate displays who want to maximize frame rate above all else. However, for the majority of players, the High preset offers the optimal trade-off between visuals and performance across all three resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with the High preset, the average frame rate is 73 FPS, which is playable. The Low preset yields 103 FPS, while Medium produces 81 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, drops to 47 FPS, which may feel less smooth. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: The High preset is the best fit. It delivers 123 FPS average, which is close to a 144Hz refresh rate. While the Low preset achieves 172 FPS, it comes with a significant visual downgrade. The Medium preset at 135 FPS is also viable, but High provides the best balance of image quality and performance for this target.

Q: How much performance is lost by enabling the Ultra preset?

A: The Ultra preset imposes a substantial penalty compared to High. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 177 FPS to 113 FPS. At 1440p, it falls from 123 FPS to 78 FPS. At 4K, the drop is from 73 FPS to 47 FPS. The cost is roughly a 36% reduction in performance across all resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p with the Low preset?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes the limiting factor at 1080p Low. The frame rate reaches 248 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Given the GPU's performance at higher settings and resolutions, this extreme frame rate indicates that the CPU's 20 cores and 20 threads are keeping up with the GPU's output, but the system is likely nearing the CPU's limit at this point, as the GPU has more headroom to render frames if the CPU could feed it faster.

Q: What kind of frame pacing can I expect with the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum frame times. At 1080p, the average is 195 FPS, with a minimum of 166 FPS and a maximum of 224 FPS. At 1440p, the average is 135 FPS with a range of 115 to 155 FPS. At 4K, the average is 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS. These ranges indicate consistent frame pacing without major stutters.

Q: How does the combo rank among other tested systems?

A: In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 694th out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the top quarter of all tested systems, indicating a strong overall performance level.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the increasing load on the GPU. With the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 177 FPS at 1080p to 123 FPS at 1440p, a 30% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate further drops to 73 FPS, a 41% reduction from 1440p. This pattern shows that the GPU is the primary scaling factor, as the workload per pixel increases dramatically with resolution.

The Low preset shows a similar trend. From 248 FPS at 1080p, it drops to 172 FPS at 1440p (a 31% decrease) and then to 103 FPS at 4K (a 40% decrease from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across different presets indicate that the GPU's rendering throughput is the main constraint as resolution increases. The CPU, with its high core count and boost clock of 5.30 GHz, is able to maintain its part of the workload without becoming a bottleneck at these higher resolutions.

The scaling between 1080p and 1440p is particularly telling. The frame rate drops by roughly 30% regardless of preset. This is a typical pattern for a GPU-bound scenario. At 4K, the drop is even steeper, around 40% from 1440p. This suggests that the RX 9070 XT, with its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth, is being fully utilized at 4K. The data indicates that the system is balanced, with the GPU being the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination achieves a rank of 694 out of 2938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places the system in the top 23.6% of all tested configurations. This rank reflects a high level of performance, indicating that this pairing is well-suited for the game. The high ranking is a result of the strong individual performance of both components.

The CPU itself sits in the 93rd percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, show that it is performing at the very top of the stack. The GPU, however, is in the 55th percentile when compared to all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, are significantly older and less powerful, suggesting that the average benchmark score for the GPU is skewed by a wide range of tested cards. Despite the GPU's lower percentile, the in-game rank demonstrates that this specific pairing is highly effective for Greedfall.

The rank of 694 out of 2938 suggests that while there are many faster systems, this combo is far from an entry-level option. It is a high-performance pairing that will provide a smooth and enjoyable experience in this title. The data shows that the combination of the CPU's strong multi-threaded performance and the GPU's capable rendering power results in a system that ranks in the top quarter of all tested configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This high boost clock is crucial for gaming, as it allows the processor to quickly ramp up speed for single-threaded tasks. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache also helps to reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game performance.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The benchmark results show that this processor is more than capable of handling this task. At 1080p with the Low preset, the system reaches 248 FPS. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor, as it is able to process game logic quickly enough to allow the GPU to render at such high speeds.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216, ensures that background tasks and complex game scenes do not cause frame drops. The Passmark multithread score of 49682 further reinforces its strong multi-threading capabilities. Even at 4K, where the GPU is heavily loaded, the CPU maintains a stable enough frame rate to avoid bottlenecking the system. The data suggests that this processor provides a solid foundation for the RX 9070 XT, ensuring that the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 248 FPS.
• Medium: Average 195 FPS, with a minimum of 166 FPS and a maximum of 224 FPS.
• High: Average 177 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 113 FPS.

At 1080p, the system provides exceptional performance. Even the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, produces an average of 113 FPS. The Low preset's 248 FPS is exceptionally high, indicating the system can easily drive high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset shows a narrow frame time range (166-224 FPS), suggesting consistent performance.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 172 FPS.
• Medium: Average 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 155 FPS.
• High: Average 123 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 78 FPS.

At 1440p, the system remains highly capable. The High preset's 123 FPS average is ideal for 144Hz monitors. The Low preset still provides over 170 FPS for competitive play. The Ultra preset drops to 78 FPS, which is a significant hit but still playable. The Medium preset's frame range of 115-155 FPS indicates smooth gameplay.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 103 FPS.
• Medium: Average 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS.
• High: Average 73 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 47 FPS.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The High preset's 73 FPS average is playable, but the Ultra preset's 47 FPS is not ideal for a smooth experience. The Low preset's 103 FPS is the only way to achieve a triple-digit frame rate at this resolution. The Medium preset's minimum of 69 FPS suggests that the system can maintain a playable frame rate, but it is closer to the edge of performance. The data shows that 4K gaming with this combo is best approached with the High preset for a balance of quality and frame rate.