Greedfall

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor built on Arrow Lake architecture with a 3nm process node from TSMC. Its base clock sits at 2.40 GHz, boosting up to 5.30 GHz, which places it in the top tier of consumer desktop CPUs. The processor carries 30 MB of shared L3 cache, alongside 3 MB of L2 per core and 192 KB of L1 per core. This configuration gives it a PassMark multithread score of 49,682 and a single-thread score of 4,689.

In the broader CPU landscape, the Ultra 7 265 ranks in the 93rd percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 64,640. Its nearest rivals are clustered tightly: the AMD EPYC 4464P scores 64,823 (0.3% higher), the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64,438 (0.3% lower), the AMD EPYC 7343 scores 64,202 (0.7% lower), and the AMD EPYC 9124 scores 65,104 (0.7% higher). The data shows that this processor is essentially neck-and-neck with server-class EPYC parts, which is remarkable for a desktop chip.

For Greedfall, an Action RPG from 2019, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining a stable frame pipeline rather than pushing raw FPS. The game is not particularly known for heavy multi-threaded workloads, yet the Ultra 7 265's 20 cores and 20 threads provide substantial headroom. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42,216 indicates strong sustained performance, which helps prevent frame hitches in crowded scenes. Meanwhile, the single-core boost to 5.30 GHz, reflected in a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,960, ensures that the game's primary game logic thread doesn't become a bottleneck.

What's interesting is that the measured FPS data shows the GTX 1070, not the CPU, as the limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the combo hits 125 FPS average; at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 57 FPS. This 68 FPS swing is far too large to be explained by CPU limitations alone. The CPU's PassMark physics score of 2,923 and data compression score of 522,983 suggest it can handle the game's AI and world simulation demands without breaking a sweat. The processor's 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth further reinforce that it is not a weak link in this pairing.

The percentile ranking at 93 means this CPU outperforms the vast majority of installed processors. Yet in Greedfall specifically, the data implies that even a much weaker CPU would likely produce similar frame rates at higher resolutions, given the GPU's constraints. This is a classic case of a modern CPU being paired with an aging GPU, where the processor's capabilities are underutilized in this particular title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal-architecture GPU built on a 16nm TSMC process, featuring 1,920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Its base clock runs at 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, while the 8 GB of GDDR5 memory operates at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The card's pixel rate is 107.7 GPixel/s and texture rate is 202.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 6.463 TFLOPS.

The GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 9,780, placing it in the 47th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 (9,803, 0.2% higher), NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (9,832, 0.5% higher), NVIDIA Tesla M10 (9,724, 0.6% lower), and NVIDIA Tesla C2070 (9,716, 0.7% lower). The data shows a tight cluster, with the GTX 1070 sitting almost exactly at the median of tested GPUs.

In Greedfall, the GPU's role is decisive. Looking at the measured FPS, the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM appears sufficient even at 4K, since the game's Ultra preset at 3840x2160 still runs (albeit at 23 FPS). The memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s is adequate for the game's textures, but the card's raw compute power is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS is modest by modern standards, which explains why the 4K Ultra preset plunges to 23 FPS.

The GPU's DirectX 12 score in PassMark is 48, which is notably low, but Greedfall likely doesn't rely heavily on DX12 features given its 2019 release. The card's Vulkan score of 22,121 in Geekbench is more respectable. The 47th percentile ranking means this GPU sits in the middle of the pack — it can handle esports titles and older games well, but modern AAA games at high settings will strain it. In Greedfall, the data confirms this: the card delivers playable frame rates at 1080p Medium (98 FPS) and High (89 FPS), but struggles at 4K Ultra (23 FPS).

The 150W TDP and 8-pin power connector suggest the card is power-efficient for its era, but the 16nm process means it's far less efficient than modern GPUs. The data implies that the GTX 1070's age is showing in this title, particularly at higher resolutions where pixel throughput becomes critical.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern of resolution scaling. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 125 FPS; at 1440p Low, it drops to 86 FPS (a 31.2% reduction); at 4K Low, it falls to 52 FPS (a 58.4% reduction from 1080p). The same trend appears across all settings. For High settings, the progression is 89 FPS at 1080p, 62 FPS at 1440p (30.3% drop), and 37 FPS at 4K (58.4% drop). Medium settings follow: 98 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p (30.6% drop), and 40 FPS at 4K (59.2% drop). Ultra settings show the steepest absolute decline: 57 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p (31.6% drop), and 23 FPS at 4K (59.6% drop).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings is telling. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by roughly 30%; from 1440p to 4K, it drops by another ~40-42%. This pattern strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between resolutions, especially at lower settings where the CPU must work harder to feed frames. Instead, the near-uniform scaling across settings suggests that the GTX 1070's pixel throughput and fill rate are being saturated.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (125 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) is 68 FPS. At 1440p, the difference is 47 FPS (86 vs 39). At 4K, the difference narrows to 29 FPS (52 vs 23). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions is a classic sign of GPU-bound scenarios — at 4K, even Low settings demand so much from the GPU that the settings have less relative impact.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. The Ultra 7 265, with its 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost, can easily feed frames at 125 FPS at 1080p Low. The fact that FPS drops to 52 at 4K Low — a 58.4% reduction — cannot be attributed to CPU limitations, as the CPU workload doesn't change significantly with resolution. The data implies that players seeking higher frame rates at 4K would need a more powerful GPU, not a faster CPU.

# FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p is the sweet spot. At Medium settings, the combo delivers 98 FPS average with a minimum of 83 FPS and maximum of 113 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 68 FPS average with a minimum of 58 FPS. At 4K Medium, it falls to 40 FPS average with a minimum of 34 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ultra 7 265 scores 64,640 on average, ranking in the 93rd percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P, scores 64,823 (0.3% higher). The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64,438 (0.3% lower), the AMD EPYC 7343 scores 64,202 (0.7% lower), and the AMD EPYC 9124 scores 65,104 (0.7% higher). The differences are negligible in real-world gaming terms.

Q: Is the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM enough for Greedfall at 4K?

A: The measured FPS data indicates that 8 GB is sufficient for the game to run at 4K, though performance is poor. At 4K Low, the combo achieves 52 FPS; at 4K High, 37 FPS; at 4K Ultra, 23 FPS. The card doesn't fail to load textures, but the frame rates are below the playable threshold for most users at higher settings.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops consistently by ~30% from 1080p to 1440p and ~40% from 1440p to 4K across all settings. The CPU, ranking in the 93rd percentile, shows no signs of being overwhelmed, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low (125 FPS).

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 2,423 out of 2,938 tested combinations in Greedfall, placing it in the bottom 17.5% of systems. This low ranking is primarily due to the GTX 1070's 47th percentile GPU ranking, which drags down the overall performance despite the top-tier CPU.

Q: What settings should I use for a smooth experience?

A: For 60+ FPS, 1080p Medium (98 FPS) or High (89 FPS) are the best options. At 1440p, Medium (68 FPS) is the only preset that stays close to 60 FPS. At 4K, even Low settings (52 FPS) fall below 60 FPS, making 4K gaming impractical for smooth play.

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination ranks 2,423 out of 2,938 tested combos in Greedfall. This places the system in the bottom 17.5% of all tested configurations. The ranking reflects the massive imbalance between the CPU and GPU in this pairing.

The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 64,640 suggest it belongs in a much higher-performing system. Its nearest rivals — the AMD EPYC 4464P, Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, AMD EPYC 7343, and AMD EPYC 9124 — all score within 0.7% of the Ultra 7 265, confirming its position at the top of the CPU hierarchy. Yet the GTX 1070's 47th percentile ranking and average score of 9,780 place it firmly in the middle of the GPU pack. The GPU's nearest rivals — the AMD FirePro W5000, NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, NVIDIA Tesla M10, and NVIDIA Tesla C2070 — are all workstation or older parts, underscoring the GTX 1070's aging status.

The rank of 2,423 out of 2,938 means that 515 tested combos perform worse, but 2,422 perform better. This is a stark illustration of how a flagship CPU cannot compensate for a mid-range GPU from 2016. In Greedfall specifically, the game's demands align more with GPU capability than CPU horsepower, which is why this combo underperforms relative to what the CPU alone would suggest.

The data implies that this pairing is a classic "upgrade the GPU" scenario. The CPU has years of headroom left, but the GPU is holding back the entire system. For context, the combo's measured FPS at 1080p Ultra (57 FPS) is barely playable, while the CPU could easily support a GPU that delivers twice that frame rate. The rank reflects this imbalance — the system performs like a mid-range gaming PC from 2016, not a 2025 desktop with a 20-core Arrow Lake processor.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data provides clear guidance for each resolution tier.

At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 98 FPS average with a minimum of 83 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay with no drops below 60 FPS. The High preset achieves 89 FPS average, which is also excellent, and the Low preset hits 125 FPS for competitive or high-refresh-rate displays. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is playable but risks dipping below 60 FPS, which may cause noticeable stuttering. For the best experience, 1080p Medium or High is recommended.

At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 68 FPS average with a minimum of 58 FPS. This is the only setting that approaches 60 FPS at this resolution. The High preset drops to 62 FPS average, which is still playable but with less headroom. Low settings hit 86 FPS, which is ideal for smoother motion, but sacrifices visual fidelity. Ultra at 39 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay. The data suggests 1440p Medium is the sweet spot for this combo.

At 4K, none of the presets achieve 60 FPS. Low settings reach 52 FPS, Medium hits 40 FPS, High drops to 37 FPS, and Ultra falls to 23 FPS. For a cinematic experience at 30+ FPS, Low settings are the only viable option. Players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate might consider Medium at 4K (40 FPS), but the data shows that 4K gaming is not practical with this GPU.

The overall recommendation is to play at 1080p Medium or High for the best experience, or 1440p Medium if a higher resolution is desired. The Ultra preset is only playable at 1080p with a borderline 57 FPS average, so it's best avoided unless visual fidelity is paramount.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance across resolutions and settings.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 125 FPS average
• Medium: 98 FPS average, with a minimum of 83 FPS and maximum of 113 FPS
• High: 89 FPS average
• Ultra: 57 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo is clearly GPU-bound at higher settings. The jump from Low to Medium costs 27 FPS (21.6% reduction), while Medium to High costs only 9 FPS (9.2% reduction). The High to Ultra jump is steep, costing 32 FPS (36% reduction), which indicates that Ultra settings introduce significant GPU load.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 86 FPS average
• Medium: 68 FPS average, with a minimum of 58 FPS and maximum of 78 FPS
• High: 62 FPS average
• Ultra: 39 FPS average

At 1440p, the frame rates drop by roughly 30% across all settings compared to 1080p. The Medium preset's minimum of 58 FPS is just below the 60 FPS threshold, making it borderline for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is noticeably choppy.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 52 FPS average
• Medium: 40 FPS average, with a minimum of 34 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS
• High: 37 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

At 4K, the GPU is severely strained. The Low preset's 52 FPS is the only setting that approaches playability, but even it falls short of 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 23 FPS is effectively a slideshow. The Medium preset's minimum of 34 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS shows significant frame time variance, which could cause visible stuttering.

The data shows that the GTX 1070 can handle Greedfall at 1080p with high settings, but loses its footing at 1440p and becomes inadequate at 4K. The CPU's contribution is consistent across all resolutions, which further confirms the GPU-centric nature of this game's performance demands. The measured FPS values are the definitive reference for what this combo can deliver, and they paint a clear picture: 1080p Medium or High is the target for a good experience, while 4K should be avoided unless playing at Low settings is acceptable.