Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both the CPU and GPU. In this analysis, the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 demonstrates a clear performance hierarchy across different settings and resolutions. The benchmark data indicates that the most balanced experience is achieved at 1440p with High settings, where visual fidelity and frame rates align to provide a smooth and responsive gameplay experience without the steep performance penalties of Ultra settings. This pairing is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and maintains playable frame rates at 4K, but the optimal balance of image quality and performance is found in the middle ground.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear verdict on the best settings preset for this hardware combination. The Ultra preset, while offering the highest visual quality, incurs a severe performance cost that undermines the gameplay experience. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 82 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 128 FPS average achieved at High settings. This 46 FPS difference represents a substantial loss in smoothness, particularly in a game where combat responsiveness is key. At 1440p, the Ultra preset drops further to 57 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to an unplayable 34 FPS average. The data clearly shows that the Ultra preset is not a viable option for this combination, especially at higher resolutions.

The High preset emerges as the recommended choice for most users. It provides a substantial performance uplift over Ultra while maintaining a high level of visual detail. At 1080p, the High preset achieves an average of 128 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors. At 1440p, it delivers a strong 89 FPS average, which is well within the range for smooth and immersive gameplay. Even at 4K, the High preset manages a 53 FPS average, which is borderline playable but indicates the GPU is being heavily tasked. The jump from High to Medium is also notable, with Medium offering 141 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 58 FPS at 4K. While Medium offers higher frame rates, the High preset provides a better balance, as the visual improvements are generally worth the performance trade-off for most players.

The Low preset serves as a performance fallback, but it is not recommended for the primary experience. It yields 180 FPS at 1080p, 125 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K. These numbers are impressive, but they come at a significant cost to visual quality, which can detract from the game's atmosphere and detail. The data suggests that the best experience is achieved by prioritizing the High preset. The 1440p High combination is particularly compelling, as it offers a 89 FPS average, which is a sweet spot for modern displays. For users with 1080p displays, the High preset is the definitive choice, providing a high frame rate without sacrificing the visual presentation. For 4K, users may need to consider the Medium preset for a more consistent frame rate, but the High preset remains the benchmark for quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 at rank 2006 out of 3703 tested combos in Greedfall. This position places it in the 54th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a solidly mid-range performer for this specific title. The ranking suggests that while this combo is by no means at the top of the charts, it is also far from the bottom, and it outperforms a significant portion of the tested hardware configurations. This is a respectable position for a mobile CPU paired with a desktop-class GPU, showing that the combination is well-balanced for this game's requirements.

The ranking data indicates that the system is more capable than a majority of other combos in the database. This is a positive signal for users with this hardware, as it confirms that the pairing is not a bottleneck in Greedfall. The CPU's performance, as measured by its average benchmark score of 35670, places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. This suggests the processor is a strong performer, but the overall combo rank is influenced by the GPU's capabilities as well. The RTX 4070, with an average benchmark score of 37648 and an 81st percentile ranking, is also a strong component. The combination of two above-average parts results in a system that is well-suited for this game, but the rank of 2006 out of 3703 shows that there is still a significant number of more powerful configurations, likely featuring higher-end desktop GPUs.

When looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the performance is very tightly clustered. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has an average score of 35670, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35719) and the Intel Core 7 250H (35728). The deltaPct values are all under 1%, showing that these processors are functionally equivalent in general benchmarks. This means that the gaming performance in Greedfall is likely more dependent on the GPU than on the specific CPU choice among these rivals. The data reinforces that this combo's rank is a product of the balanced pairing of a mid-to-high-end CPU and a high-end GPU, rather than a single component carrying the load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of frame rates in Greedfall, and its memory configuration and clock speeds are critical to its performance. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This ample memory capacity and bandwidth are sufficient for Greedfall's textures and assets at all tested resolutions, ensuring that the GPU does not run out of memory and cause stuttering. The boost clock of 2475 MHz allows the GPU to sustain high performance under load, which is evident in the measured FPS numbers. The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, and its 5888 shading units are fully utilized in this game, as the resolution scaling shows a clear performance drop when moving from 1080p to 4K.

The GPU's role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be a limiting factor, but the data shows that the RTX 4070 is still able to push frame rates above 180 FPS on Low settings. As the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the GPU's workload increases significantly, and the frame rates drop accordingly. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The 4K results, where the High preset averages 53 FPS and Ultra averages 34 FPS, demonstrate that the GPU is being heavily taxed. The GPU's 200W TDP and its performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 26927, confirm its capability, but Greedfall's engine at 4K with Ultra settings presents a formidable challenge.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals shows it is a competitive part. The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507). The deltaPct values are small, but the RTX 4070 is notably behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, which scores 38135 (a -1.3% delta). This indicates that while the RTX 4070 is a strong performer, it is not at the very top of the mobile GPU hierarchy. In Greedfall, this translates to the observed frame rates, which are good but not exceptional at 4K. The GPU's memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) is a key factor in its ability to handle high-resolution textures, and the 12 GB capacity is future-proof for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 perform across different settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly capable of high refresh rate gaming. The Low preset achieves an average of 180 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 141 FPS, with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS, showing a consistent performance range. The High preset averages 128 FPS, which is still very smooth and is the recommended setting for a balance of quality and speed. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 82 FPS, which is a significant decrease and shows the heavy cost of the highest settings at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales as expected. The Low preset averages 125 FPS, which is still very playable. The Medium preset averages 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS, demonstrating a stable performance profile. The High preset averages 89 FPS, which is ideal for a 1440p monitor with a 90Hz or 100Hz refresh rate. The Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The data shows a 36 FPS drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

At 3840x2160, the system is pushed to its limits. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset averages 58 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, which is a playable but not ideal experience. The High preset averages 53 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset averages only 34 FPS, which is not playable for most users. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 40 FPS, which is the largest absolute difference across all resolutions. This clearly shows that the RTX 4070 is the limiting factor at 4K, and users will need to make significant sacrifices in settings to achieve a smooth frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is a clear indicator of the system's bottleneck. At 1080p, the High preset averages 128 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 89 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 53 FPS. This represents a 30% decrease in frame rate from 1080p to 1440p, and a 59% decrease from 1080p to 4K. This is a substantial drop, which strongly suggests that the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound as the resolution increases. The CPU, with its high multi-core performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17984.5), is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, but at higher resolutions, the GPU's rendering workload becomes the dominant factor.

This scaling pattern is typical for a demanding game like Greedfall. The RTX 4070's 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to process overwhelms the GPU's compute capabilities. The data shows that the frame rate at 4K is roughly half of the frame rate at 1080p, which is a common ratio for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's role is less significant at 4K, as the frame rate is primarily determined by the GPU's fill rate and shader processing power.

The implications for the user are clear. For a 1080p display, the system is overwhelmingly capable, and users can enjoy the High or even Ultra settings. For a 1440p display, the High settings are the sweet spot, providing a smooth experience. For a 4K display, users must compromise on settings, with Medium being the highest viable option for a consistent frame rate. The data confirms that this is not a 4K gaming system for Greedfall at maximum settings, but it is a very capable 1440p machine. The limiting component is the GPU, and the CPU is not significantly holding back performance at any resolution tested.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 with the High preset is the optimal balance, delivering an average of 89 FPS. This provides a high-quality image with a smooth frame rate, unlike 4K where the High preset only averages 53 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset has a significant performance cost. At 1080p, it drops from 128 FPS (High) to 82 FPS (Ultra). At 1440p, it drops from 89 FPS to 57 FPS. This is a substantial reduction that is unlikely to be worth the visual gain for most users.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The resolution scaling data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The frame rate drops by 59% from 1080p to 4K on the High preset, which is a clear sign of GPU limitation. The CPU is less of a factor at 4K.

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

A: The system can play at 4K, but with compromises. The Medium preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable, and the Low preset averages 74 FPS. However, the High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they average 53 FPS and 34 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 180 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS. This is a difference of 98 FPS, showing a massive performance range between the lowest and highest settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems in Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 2006 out of 3703 tested combinations. This places it in the 54th percentile, indicating it performs better than a majority of systems in the database, but it is not a top-tier configuration for this specific game.