Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 action RPG from Spiders, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, focusing on how the system balances CPU and GPU responsibilities across different settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance curve from 1080p to 4K reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but shows signs of CPU limitation at lower ones. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 177 FPS, which drops to 123 FPS at 1440p and further to 73 FPS at 4K. This represents a 59% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that the GPU is the primary scaling factor. However, the fact that 1080p Low does not reach higher frame rates suggests the CPU is nearing its limit in this scenario.

The scaling pattern shifts with higher graphical presets. At Ultra settings, the average FPS goes from 81 at 1080p to 56 at 1440p, then plummets to 33 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 41% reduction, which is more severe than the 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling indicates that the RTX 5070's compute resources are increasingly strained as pixel count rises, particularly when the game's most demanding visual features are enabled.

Looking at the Medium preset, which is the only setting with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, the data shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p Medium, the average is 139 FPS with a minimum of 118 and maximum of 160. At 1440p Medium, this falls to 96 FPS average (82 min, 111 max), and at 4K Medium, it reaches 58 FPS average (49 min, 66 max). The frame time consistency appears to hold well across resolutions, with the minimum FPS staying within roughly 15-18% of the average in each case.

The High preset shows a similar trend to Medium but with slightly lower absolute numbers: 126 FPS at 1080p, 88 at 1440p, and 52 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at High is a 41% reduction, nearly identical to the Ultra preset's drop. This suggests that the game's High and Ultra settings place similar relative loads on the GPU, while Low and Medium are progressively less demanding.

What is most telling is the 1080p to 1440p scaling at Low settings, where FPS only drops from 177 to 123 (a 31% reduction). This relatively modest decline compared to the 41% drop at higher presets suggests that at 1080p Low, the CPU is beginning to bottleneck the system. The Core Ultra 9 185H, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, appears to be the limiting factor in this scenario, preventing the RTX 5070 from fully stretching its legs.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, brings substantial resources to Greedfall. Its 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for the game's texture streaming at higher resolutions. The 31,100 million transistors packed into a 263 mm² die give the GPU a transistor density of 118.3M per mm², an impressive figure that contributes to its 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a base of 2325 MHz and a boost of 2512 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). These clocks, combined with 6144 shading units and 192 tensor cores, position the RTX 5070 well above the 82nd percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 40377 places it in close competition with the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318, 0.1% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063, 0.8% delta), while slightly ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568, 2% delta).

In Greedfall specifically, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 4K Ultra, the system delivers just 33 FPS, which is below the 52 FPS achieved at 4K High. This 19 FPS gap between High and Ultra at 4K highlights how the RTX 5070 struggles with the most demanding settings at this resolution. The GPU's 80 ROPs and 192 TMUs are likely the limiting factors here, as the pixel fill rate of 201.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s become insufficient for the workload.

The VRAM capacity of 12 GB appears adequate for Greedfall at all tested settings, as no memory-related anomalies appear in the data. However, the 192-bit bus width means that memory bandwidth could become a constraint at 4K Ultra, where the game demands more texture data. The fact that 4K Medium achieves 58 FPS average while 4K Ultra drops to 33 FPS suggests the GPU's compute units are the primary bottleneck rather than memory bandwidth.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 2044 out of 3703 tested combinations in Greedfall, placing it in the 55th percentile of all combos. This mid-pack ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual strengths of both components, but it reflects the game's particular demands and the balance between CPU and GPU.

The CPU, with its 85th percentile ranking among all processors, is clearly not the bottleneck in most scenarios. Its nearest rivals in overall CPU benchmarks are the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35719 avg score, -0.1% delta) and Intel Core 7 250H (35728, -0.2% delta), showing that the Core Ultra 9 185H performs nearly identically to these alternatives. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, -0.4%) and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (35909, -0.7%) are slightly ahead, but the differences are minimal.

The GPU's 82nd percentile ranking is more relevant to Greedfall's performance. The RTX 5070's nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark database are the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318, 0.1% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063, 0.8% delta), both of which are workstation-class GPUs. This suggests that the RTX 5070's gaming performance, as measured by the database's average benchmark score, is comparable to these professional cards.

The combo's rank of 2044 out of 3703 suggests that there are many combinations that perform better in this game, likely those with higher-end desktop GPUs or more balanced mobile pairings. However, the data indicates that this combo is far from the bottom, and its performance is respectable for a mobile setup. The rank likely reflects that Greedfall is more GPU-bound than CPU-bound, and the RTX 5070, while capable, is not at the very top of the GPU hierarchy.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 177 FPS, which is the fastest result in the entire dataset. Medium settings achieve 139 FPS average (118 min, 160 max), High settings reach 126 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 81 FPS. The 96 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p demonstrates the significant impact of graphical presets on frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales downward as expected. Low settings deliver 123 FPS, Medium reaches 96 FPS (82 min, 111 max), High achieves 88 FPS, and Ultra drops to 56 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across presets, with reductions ranging from 31% (Low) to 31% (High), showing a uniform GPU load increase.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become apparent. Low settings still manage 73 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 58 FPS (49 min, 66 max), High falls to 52 FPS, and Ultra plumments to 33 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only sub-40 FPS measurement in the entire dataset, indicating that this setting combination is too demanding for smooth gameplay.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at all resolutions, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p, the 118-160 FPS range shows good consistency. At 1440p, the 82-111 FPS range maintains similar relative consistency. At 4K, the 49-66 FPS range shows that even the minimum remains above 30 FPS, which is generally considered the threshold for playability.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Greedfall at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at Low settings the system achieves 73 FPS average at 4K, and Medium settings deliver 58 FPS average (49 min, 66 max). However, High settings drop to 52 FPS and Ultra falls to 33 FPS, which may be too low for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The data suggests 1440p is the sweet spot, with High settings achieving 88 FPS and Ultra reaching 56 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual quality and performance, with all presets except Ultra remaining above 88 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to its nearest rivals in GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318, 0.1% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063, 0.8% delta). It is slightly ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568, 2% delta).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting in this game?

A: At 1080p Low, the 177 FPS result suggests CPU limitation, as the GPU should be capable of higher frame rates. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, with Ultra settings dropping to 33 FPS. The system becomes progressively more GPU-bound as resolution increases.

Q: What are the frame time characteristics at Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset shows good consistency across resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 118-160 FPS (avg 139). At 1440p, it is 82-111 FPS (avg 96). At 4K, it is 49-66 FPS (avg 58). The minimum FPS stays within 15-18% of the average in each case.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Greedfall?

A: The combo ranks 2044 out of 3703 combinations, placing it in the 55th percentile. This is a mid-pack result, reflecting the balance between the Core Ultra 9 185H's strong CPU performance and the RTX 5070's capable but not top-tier GPU performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, based on the Meteor Lake architecture and built on a 7 nm process, provides 16 cores and 22 threads with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This mobile processor, with a 45 W TDP, is designed for laptops but offers substantial desktop-class performance. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 112 KB L1 cache per core help feed the GPU with data.

In Greedfall, the CPU's role becomes evident at lower resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 177 FPS is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability, as the GPU should be capable of higher frame rates at this resolution. The CPU's passmark single-thread score of 3697 and multithread score of 29376 indicate strong per-core performance, which is important for a game that may not fully utilize all 22 threads.

The CPU's benchmark results show a balanced profile: Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17984.5 and singlecore score of 1810.5, with Geekbench scores of 11657 (multicore) and 1794 (singlecore). These figures place the Core Ultra 9 185H at the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35670. Its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks are the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35719, -0.1% delta) and Intel Core 7 250H (35728, -0.2% delta), showing that it performs nearly identically to these alternatives.

The fact that the CPU's percentile (85) is higher than the GPU's (82) suggests that the processor is relatively more capable than the graphics card. This is reflected in the game's performance scaling, where the CPU can keep up with the GPU's demands at most resolutions but becomes the limiting factor at 1080p Low. The 16 cores and 22 threads are more than sufficient for Greedfall's requirements, as the game likely uses fewer than 8 threads effectively.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and dual-channel memory bus provide adequate data throughput for the GPU. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 8 lanes (CPU only) ensures that data can be transferred quickly between the CPU and GPU, reducing potential bottlenecks. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 128EU is not used in this configuration but provides a fallback for video encoding and other tasks.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all settings are playable, but the Low preset's 177 FPS is overkill for most displays. The Medium preset at 139 FPS (118 min, 160 max) offers a good balance, while High at 126 FPS is also excellent. Ultra at 81 FPS is still very smooth and provides the best visual quality.

At 1440p, the High preset at 88 FPS is the recommended choice for a balanced experience. Medium at 96 FPS is also excellent, while Ultra at 56 FPS may be preferable for those who prioritize visuals over frame rate. The Low preset at 123 FPS is unnecessary unless targeting very high refresh rates. The 1440p Medium settings show good frame consistency with a minimum of 82 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. Low settings at 73 FPS are the only preset that guarantees smooth gameplay, while Medium at 58 FPS (49 min, 66 max) is still playable but may show occasional dips. High at 52 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 33 FPS is not recommended for action-oriented gameplay. For the best 4K experience, Medium settings provide the optimal balance between visual fidelity and smoothness.

For players with high refresh rate displays (144 Hz or above), 1080p with Medium or High settings is the best choice, as both exceed 120 FPS average. At 1440p, the 96 FPS Medium result is suitable for 100 Hz displays, while the 88 FPS High preset works well for 90 Hz panels. The 4K results are best suited for 60 Hz displays, with Medium being the highest recommended preset.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the most consistent frame pacing across all resolutions, with minimum FPS values that stay closest to the averages. This makes it the safest choice for maintaining a smooth experience, particularly at 4K where the 49 FPS minimum still exceeds the 30 FPS playability threshold. For the absolute best visual quality at 1080p, Ultra at 81 FPS is perfectly playable and may be worth the visual upgrade over High.