Greedfall

Greedfall, an Action RPG released on 2019-09-09, presents a demanding test for the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. The measured data shows a pairing where a modern, high-core-count CPU is yoked to an older, entry-level GPU, and the benchmark results across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is almost entirely constrained by its graphics hardware. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand the performance characteristics, scaling behavior, and overall viability of this specific configuration for playing Greedfall.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination for Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 2844 out of 2938 tested combinations in the database for this game, placing it in the bottom percentile of all tested systems and indicating that it will struggle to provide a high-performance experience.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals in general GPU benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7472. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M, scores 7447, which is a 0.3% difference. The Intel Arc A310 scores 7550, placing it 1% higher, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 and AMD Radeon R7 350 score 7441 and 7425, respectively, making them 0.4% and 0.6% lower. This shows the GTX 1650 is positioned in a narrow performance band alongside integrated and very old discrete graphics solutions.

Q: What is the best average FPS achieved at 1080p with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded for this combo is 73 FPS, which is achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only setting combination that breaks the 70 FPS threshold.

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

A: At the 3840x2160 resolution with High settings, the system produces an average of 21 FPS. This is below the threshold for smooth, playable gameplay and indicates the GPU is severely overloaded.

Q: How much VRAM does the GTX 1650 have, and what type is it?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory. This memory is accessed via a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s.

Q: What are the core and thread counts of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the primary determinant of gaming performance in this configuration. The measured FPS data for Greedfall shows a clear pattern where the GPU's capabilities, or lack thereof, dictate the results across all tested scenarios. The GTX 1650's specifications are modest by modern standards, featuring a TU117 chip on a 12 nm process, with 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output pipelines. Its compute power is rated at 2.984 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. These specifications place the card in the 40th percentile of all GPUs in the database, a figure that aligns with its observed performance in this game.

The GPU's 4 GB of VRAM is a critical factor. In Greedfall, an Action RPG with detailed environments, the memory capacity can become a bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the average FPS falls to 21 at High settings and 14 at Ultra settings. While the GPU's raw processing power is insufficient for these loads, the limited VRAM likely exacerbates the issue, potentially causing texture swapping and stuttering. The measured minimum FPS of 20 at 4K Medium supports this, showing that frame pacing can be inconsistent when the memory subsystem is stressed. The GTX 1650's memory clock runs at 2001 MHz, with an effective data rate of 8 Gbps, and the 128.1 GB/s bandwidth is a significant limitation for a game like Greedfall that requires streaming large amounts of texture data.

The GPU's general benchmark scores further contextualize its performance. Its Passmark G3D score is 7880, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is a very low 305. These synthetic tests confirm that the card is not designed for high-end gaming. In Greedfall, this translates directly to the observed frame rates. The GTX 1650's nearest rivals in the benchmark database, such as the AMD Radeon HD 8850M and the Intel UHD Graphics 750, are either legacy mobile parts or integrated graphics, highlighting that the GTX 1650, while a discrete card, is competing at a very low performance tier. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor in this combo; the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, as the frame rates are consistently low and scale with settings changes that affect GPU load.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and points directly to the GPU as the limiting component. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 73 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops to 50, a reduction of 23 FPS. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS falls further to 30. This represents a 59% decrease in frame rate from 1080p to 4K.

This scaling behavior is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. The number of pixels being rendered quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the GTX 1650 simply does not have the pixel throughput to handle that increase. The pixel rate of the GTX 1650 is rated at 53.28 GPixel/s. At 4K, the demand for pixel processing far exceeds this capability, leading to the dramatically lower frame rates. The texture rate of 93.24 GTexel/s is also a limiting factor, as higher resolutions require more detailed texture sampling.

The pattern holds across all settings. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS is 52 at 1080p, 36 at 1440p, and 21 at 4K. The consistent halving of performance at each major resolution step underscores that the GPU is working at its absolute limit. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see more consistent frame rates across resolutions, particularly at lower settings where the CPU load is relatively higher compared to the GPU. Instead, the frame rates plummet with resolution, a definitive sign that the GeForce GTX 1650's rendering capabilities are exhausted. This analysis confirms that for this combo, resolution scaling is entirely dependent on the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth, not the computational power of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 2844 out of 2938 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the bottom 3.2% of all configurations, a position that starkly illustrates the performance ceiling imposed by the graphics card. The data indicates that this is a severely unbalanced pairing for this title, where the CPU's potential is largely wasted due to the GPU's inability to render frames quickly enough.

To understand why the combo ranks so low, it is necessary to look at the individual components. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end processor. It sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs and has an average benchmark score of 64640. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 4464P, which scores 64823 (0.3% higher), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which scores 64438 (0.3% lower). This CPU is clearly a top-tier performer in synthetic benchmarks. In contrast, the GTX 1650 is in the 40th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 7472. Its nearest rivals are low-end parts like the AMD Radeon R7 350 and Intel UHD Graphics 750.

The massive disparity in the percentile rankings of the CPU (93rd) and GPU (40th) is the core issue. The combo's rank of 2844 is a direct consequence of this mismatch. In a game like Greedfall, which is graphically demanding, the GPU is the sole arbiter of performance. The data shows that the frame rates are low across the board, which is entirely consistent with the GPU's low benchmark scores. The CPU's high core count and clock speeds do not translate into higher FPS because the GPU cannot keep up. The combo's rank essentially reflects the GTX 1650's performance, with the powerful CPU having no positive impact on the gaming experience in this specific title. This configuration would be better suited for CPU-intensive tasks, but for gaming, it is firmly in the lowest performance tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Greedfall provides a detailed look at the performance of this combo across a matrix of resolutions and settings. The data is consistent and shows a clear hierarchy of performance.

At 1920x1080, the system's performance is at its peak. With Low settings, the average FPS is 73. This is the only configuration that approaches a high-refresh experience. With Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 57, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 66. High settings yield an average of 52 FPS. Ultra settings result in a significant drop to an average of 33 FPS. This shows that even at 1080p, the GTX 1650 cannot maintain high frame rates at the highest quality preset.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings produce an average of 50 FPS. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 45. High settings average 36 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 23 FPS. None of these averages are ideal for a smooth gaming experience, and the Ultra setting is nearly unplayable.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. Low settings average 30 FPS. Medium settings average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27. High settings average just 21 FPS. Ultra settings plummet to an average of 14 FPS. These frame rates are all below acceptable playability thresholds.

The data shows a clear pattern: the GTX 1650 is only capable of providing a playable experience at 1080p with lower settings. The step from 1080p to 1440p incurs a roughly 30% performance penalty, and the step from 1440p to 4K incurs another 40% penalty. The minimum FPS values at Medium settings (48 at 1080p, 34 at 1440p, 20 at 4K) also show that frame pacing becomes less consistent as resolution increases. This data reinforces the conclusion that the GPU is the primary and overwhelming bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal way to play Greedfall with this hardware is to prioritize resolution and settings that keep the average frame rate in a playable range. The data shows that the only configuration that consistently approaches or exceeds 60 FPS is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 73 FPS. This is the recommended starting point for a smooth experience.

For players who prefer higher visual fidelity, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is a viable alternative, offering an average of 57 FPS. This is a significant visual upgrade over Low while remaining largely playable. The measured minimum of 48 FPS suggests that there will be occasional dips, but the overall experience should be acceptable. The High preset at 1080p, with an average of 52 FPS, is also playable but is more likely to experience noticeable frame drops in demanding scenes.

The data strongly suggests avoiding 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 resolutions with this GPU. At 1440p, even the Low preset only averages 50 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 40 FPS. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it yields an average of 33 FPS at 1080p and drops to 14 FPS at 4K. The performance cost of the Ultra preset is not justified by the visual gains on this hardware.

The best experience per the measured rows is to play at 1920x1080 with either Low or Medium settings. Choosing Low provides the highest frame rate and best responsiveness, while Medium provides a more visually rich experience at a still-acceptable frame rate. The data indicates that this is a 1080p gaming setup, and attempting to run the game at higher resolutions will result in a subpar experience. The GTX 1650's 4 GB of VRAM is likely also a factor at higher settings, making the Medium preset a safer choice for consistent performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a formidable processor that plays a minimal role in the gaming performance measured for Greedfall. This is not a criticism of the CPU, but rather a reflection of the fact that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's specifications are impressive: it is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This CPU is clearly designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads.

Its benchmark scores confirm its high-end status. It scores 42216 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 5960 in single-core. Its Passmark multithread score is 49682, and its single-thread score is 4689. These are strong numbers, placing the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all processors. The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 4464P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which have nearly identical average scores. This indicates that the CPU is performing as expected.

In the context of Greedfall, however, the CPU's power is untapped. The measured FPS data shows that performance scales almost entirely with GPU-related factors like resolution and quality settings. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates that remain relatively flat across different resolutions, or performance that improves significantly when the CPU is overclocked. The data shows the opposite: frame rates plummet as resolution increases, which is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is likely providing more than enough processing power to handle the game's physics, AI, and draw calls, but it is constantly waiting for the GTX 1650 to finish rendering each frame. The data implies that this CPU would be paired with a much more powerful GPU to achieve a balanced gaming system. Its role in this specific combo is to ensure that the system never becomes CPU-limited, even at 1080p with Low settings where the CPU load is at its highest relative to the GPU. In this scenario, the CPU is not a performance contributor; it is simply a very capable foundation that is being held back by the graphics card.