Greedfall

Greedfall, a 2019 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination. The measured FPS data reveals a complex interplay between a high-end mobile CPU and a flagship desktop GPU, with performance scaling that varies significantly depending on the resolution and quality preset. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand where the bottleneck lies and what the data implies for gameplay.

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

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and telling progression across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves an average of 261 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p Low drops that to 181 FPS, a reduction of roughly 30%. Moving further to 4K Low yields 108 FPS, which is another 40% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions; the workload on the graphics card increases exponentially with pixel count, and the RTX 5090's performance, while immense, naturally decreases as the pixel throughput demands rise.

However, the scaling behavior is not uniform across all settings. When looking at Ultra settings, the pattern shifts. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 119. At 1440p Ultra, it falls to 82 FPS, a 31% decrease. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 49 FPS, representing a 40% drop from the 1440p result. This steeper decline at Ultra settings, particularly the 4K to 1080p ratio (49 FPS vs 119 FPS, a 59% reduction), suggests that the game's Ultra preset introduces effects that are disproportionately heavy on the GPU, such as advanced shading or post-processing, which scale poorly with resolution.

The data implies that the limiting component changes depending on the configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the 261 FPS average is so high that it is likely approaching the practical limit of what the CPU can feed to the GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, is powerful, but even it can struggle to maintain frame rates above 250 FPS in CPU-bound scenarios. The fact that the 1080p Low score is 44% higher than the 1440p Low score indicates the GPU is still the primary limiter, but the margin suggests the CPU is beginning to constrain the system's maximum throughput. In contrast, at 4K Ultra, the 49 FPS average is almost certainly a pure GPU limitation, as the RTX 5090 is fully saturated with the rendering workload. The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combo is likely at 1440p, where the CPU has enough headroom and the GPU is still able to deliver high frame rates without being overwhelmed by the pixel count.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a behemoth, and its specifications directly correlate with the high frame rates observed. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, the bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is enormous. For a game like Greedfall, which is from the 2019 era, this amount of VRAM and bandwidth is massively over-provisioned. The data shows the GPU is rarely, if ever, constrained by memory capacity; the performance drops are far more likely tied to the raw compute throughput required for the game's engine at higher resolutions and settings.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor. The base clock of 2017 MHz and boost clock of 2407 MHz are high, but the architecture's efficiency is more important. The RTX 5090 features 21,760 shading units and 170 RT cores, capable of 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In a game that is not heavily ray-traced, the raw rasterization power of these cores is what drives the 4K Medium average of 85 FPS and the 1080p High average of 186 FPS. The data indicates that the GPU has ample headroom to handle Greedfall's DirectX 12 (12 Ultimate) workload, as the scores are consistently high even at 4K.

The benchmark results for the GPU itself show it performs in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which has a 0.3% higher average score, and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which is 1.1% behind. These deltas are minimal, suggesting the RTX 5090's raw compute power is at the very top of the charts. In the context of Greedfall, this means the GPU is never the weak link in the chain. The observed FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are a direct consequence of the GPU having to render more pixels, not a deficiency in its memory or clock speed. The 4K Ultra result of 49 FPS is the only measured point that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which reflects how demanding the Ultra preset is, rather than a sign of GPU weakness.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a mobile processor with 16 cores and 22 threads, a configuration that is well-suited for modern gaming. Its base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and physics. The CPU's benchmark scores are solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17984.5 and a single-core score of 1810.5. In the overall CPU percentile, it ranks in the 85th percentile, indicating it is a high-performing chip, but not the absolute fastest available.

The CPU's role in Greedfall is most evident at the lower resolution and settings. The 1080p Low result of 261 FPS is a clear indicator that the CPU is working hard to feed the GPU. While the RTX 5090 is capable of much higher frame rates, the CPU's ability to process draw calls and game state updates becomes the limiting factor at such high FPS. The data implies that the 185H is sufficient to keep the GPU well-fed at 1440p and 4K, as the frame rates there are more dependent on GPU load. However, the gap between 1080p Low (261 FPS) and 1080p High (186 FPS) shows that even a strong CPU can't completely eliminate the performance cost of increasing graphical fidelity.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 and Intel Core 7 250H, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of -0.1% and -0.2% respectively. This suggests that the 185H is in a tightly contested performance tier. For Greedfall, the CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache may play a role in reducing memory latency, but the game's engine is not particularly known for being cache-sensitive. The measured data suggests that the CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 5090, but it is not the primary driver of the performance figures. The CPU ensures that the GPU is never starved of data, but the GPU's raw power is what ultimately dictates the high FPS at 1440p and the playable frame rates at 4K.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, all presets are playable, but the data suggests that the High preset at 186 FPS offers a superior experience to Ultra at 119 FPS. The 67 FPS difference is substantial, and it is unlikely that the visual jump from High to Ultra is worth a 36% performance hit. The Low preset at 261 FPS is overkill for most displays and indicates the CPU is the bottleneck, so High is the recommended setting for 1080p to balance visual quality and performance.

At 1440p, the analysis is more nuanced. The High preset delivers 129 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset drops to 82 FPS, which is still respectable but represents a 36% reduction from High. The Medium preset offers 142 FPS, a 10% improvement over High, but with a likely reduction in visual fidelity. The data suggests that High is the best choice for 1440p, as it provides a robust frame rate without sacrificing too much graphical detail. The 129 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS target and close to the 144 Hz refresh rate that many gamers prefer.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Ultra preset's 49 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold and would be considered suboptimal for a smooth experience. The High preset at 77 FPS is a much better option, providing a playable frame rate with good visual quality. The Medium preset at 85 FPS is also viable, offering a 10% improvement over High, but the difference between Medium and High is often subtle in terms of shadows and textures. The Low preset at 108 FPS is playable but would significantly degrade the game's visuals, which is a poor trade-off for a GPU of this caliber. Therefore, for 4K, the High preset is the recommended balance, as it avoids the performance cliff of Ultra while maintaining a high level of graphical quality.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combination?

A: The highest average FPS is 261, measured at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only test point that exceeds 250 FPS, indicating a CPU-bound scenario.

Q: Is this combination capable of 4K gaming at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only with adjusted settings. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 77, and with Medium settings, it is 85. However, at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 49, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the 1440p High performance compare to 1080p High performance?

A: At 1440p High, the average FPS is 129, which is 57 FPS lower than the 186 FPS achieved at 1080p High. This represents a 31% decrease in performance when increasing resolution from 1080p to 1440p.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset achieves an average of 181 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 82 FPS. This is a 99 FPS difference, meaning the Ultra preset is roughly 55% slower than Low.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K Ultra?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component at 4K Ultra. The average FPS of 49 is a significant drop from the 82 FPS at 1440p Ultra, showing the GPU is saturated by the high pixel count and demanding settings. The CPU's strong 16-core/22-thread configuration is sufficient to keep up at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 49, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only test point that falls below 60 FPS, highlighting the extreme demand of the Ultra preset at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are consistently high. With Low settings, the average FPS is 261. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 205, with a minimum of 174 and a maximum of 236. High settings yield an average of 186 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p produces an average of 119 FPS. This shows a clear step-down in performance as settings increase, with a 142 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a predictable decline due to the higher pixel count. Low settings average 181 FPS. Medium settings average 142 FPS, with a minimum of 121 and a maximum of 163. High settings average 129 FPS. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to an average of 82 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is a 99 FPS difference, demonstrating the significant impact of the Ultra preset.

At 3840x2160, the performance is the most demanding. Low settings average 108 FPS. Medium settings average 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 and a maximum of 98. High settings average 77 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K are the most taxing, yielding an average of 49 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 59 FPS, and notably, the Ultra preset is the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The data shows a clear and consistent decrease in FPS as both resolution and settings increase, with the largest relative drop occurring when moving to the Ultra preset at any resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds a rank of 595 out of 2,938 total combinations. This places it in the top 20% of all tested systems, a strong showing that reflects the power of both components. While the rank is impressive, it is not in the top tier, suggesting that there are other combinations that achieve higher frame rates in this specific game.

The rank of 595 out of 2,938 indicates that while the RTX 5090 is a top-tier GPU, the mobile Core Ultra 9 185H may be a limiting factor in the absolute highest echelons of performance. The data suggests that systems with more powerful desktop CPUs, or perhaps other high-end mobile chips with higher clock speeds, might achieve better results. However, the 595th rank is still a very competitive position, and the measured FPS data shows that this combination is more than capable of delivering a smooth gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p, and a playable one at 4K. The rank is a holistic measure, and when paired with the detailed FPS numbers, it paints a picture of a high-performance system that excels in most scenarios but is not the absolute pinnacle for Greedfall.