Greedfall

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a 1080p experience that is firmly playable, but the data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases. This combination ranks in the lower third of tested configurations for Greedfall, making it a pairing that prioritizes high refresh rates at standard resolutions over high-fidelity 4K output.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 109 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 drops that figure to 75 FPS, a reduction of 34 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160 yields just 45 FPS on High settings, which is a 64 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, placing the burden squarely on the graphics card.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at the lower settings presets. At Low settings, the system achieves 152 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is roughly 59%, while at High settings the drop is approximately 59% as well. This consistency across settings confirms that the limiting factor is the GPU's raw throughput rather than any CPU bottleneck. The Radeon RX 7600's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus, paired with 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, become the decisive constraints as the pixel workload expands.

The Ultra preset data reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS falls to 69 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 48 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it collapses to 29 FPS. This last figure is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that the Ultra preset at 4K is not a viable configuration for this hardware. The data suggests that the CPU's substantial compute resources — 24 cores and 24 threads with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz — are not the bottleneck at any resolution; the GPU's capabilities dictate the performance ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU combination holds a rank of 2568 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. This places it in the 31st percentile overall, meaning roughly two-thirds of all tested pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this title. The ranking underscores a mismatch in tier: the CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU is a mid-range component, and the game's performance is ultimately governed by the weaker link.

The CPU's percentile ranking among all processors is 96, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of CPUs in synthetic benchmarks. Its average benchmark score is 84003, which places it slightly ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K by a deltaPct of 0.2. However, the GPU's percentile ranking is 57, with an average score of 15171, putting it just 0.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. This juxtaposition of a 96th-percentile CPU with a 57th-percentile GPU explains why the combo's in-game rank is modest. The data indicates that upgrading the GPU would yield far more significant FPS gains than any CPU change.

The combo's position relative to other tested pairings suggests that for Greedfall, the GPU is the primary driver of the rank. The game's engine appears to scale well with GPU compute resources, and the RX 7600's 2048 shading units and 32 ray accelerators are the relevant specifications for this workload. With a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz, the GPU is running near its maximum potential, but its 8 GB frame buffer is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that this combination is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it ranks respectably, rather than for high-resolution or high-detail scenarios.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 33 chip manufactured on a 6 nm process. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s, which is a moderate figure for modern titles. In Greedfall, the memory capacity and bandwidth directly influence performance at higher resolutions. The measured FPS at 4K High (45 FPS) compared to 1080p High (109 FPS) shows a 64 FPS penalty, which is consistent with the GPU struggling to feed the larger frame buffer.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. These clocks are relatively high, and the benchmark results indicate that the card is able to maintain performance in less demanding scenes. However, the synthetic benchmark scores tell a more nuanced story. The PassMark G3D score is 16634, and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2310. These scores place the GPU in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, indicating mid-pack performance. The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, which scores 15199, a deltaPct of -0.2, meaning the RX 7600 is marginally faster on average.

The GPU's pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s are the theoretical limits for fill-rate-bound scenarios. In Greedfall, an Action RPG with dense environments, these figures contribute to the observed frame rates. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, showing that the GPU can handle the workload when the resolution is modest. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 29 FPS, which is below the minimum for acceptable gameplay. The data suggests that the 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s becomes a bottleneck, particularly with High or Ultra textures.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers consistent performance across all settings. Low settings yield an average of 152 FPS, Medium produces 120 FPS with a min of 102 and a max of 138, High gives 109 FPS, and Ultra drops to 69 FPS. The jump from Medium to High is a 11 FPS reduction, while the jump from High to Ultra is a 40 FPS reduction, indicating a significant cost for the highest quality assets. For competitive or fast-paced play, Low or Medium settings are clearly optimal, as they maintain frame rates above 120 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the results scale down predictably. Low settings average 106 FPS, Medium averages 83 FPS with a min of 71 and a max of 95, High drops to 75 FPS, and Ultra falls to 48 FPS. The 1440p High result of 75 FPS is still playable for most users, but the Ultra preset at 48 FPS begins to feel less fluid. The data indicates that 1440p is a viable resolution for this combo, provided the user is willing to dial back from Ultra settings. The Medium preset at 1440p, with its 83 FPS average, represents a good balance between visual quality and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become stark. Low settings average 63 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 50 FPS with a min of 42, High falls to 45 FPS, and Ultra collapses to 29 FPS. The 4K Medium result is borderline for a smooth experience, while High and Ultra are not recommended. The data shows a consistent pattern: the RX 7600 can handle 4K only at the lowest settings preset. For users with a 4K display, the benchmark results suggest that lowering the resolution to 1440p is the only way to achieve a consistently smooth frame rate above 60 FPS in Greedfall.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a high-end desktop processor with 24 cores and 24 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process and features 36 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Greedfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic, but the benchmark results indicate that it is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The CPU's PassMark multithread score is 60860, and its single-thread score is 4823, both of which are strong numbers.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 scores are also telling: 51731 for multicore and 7303 for single-core. These scores place the CPU in the 96th percentile of all processors, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of CPUs in both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads. In Greedfall, which is an Action RPG that likely relies on a mix of single-threaded engine tasks and multi-threaded background processing, this CPU provides ample headroom. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 152 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would typically stress a CPU, but the results show no signs of a CPU bottleneck.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807 on average, a deltaPct of 0.2. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090, a deltaPct of 1.1, and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980, a deltaPct of 1.2. These differences are minimal, indicating that the 290K Plus is at the top of the performance stack. However, the in-game rank of 2568 out of 3703 combos shows that this CPU power does not translate to top-tier gaming performance when paired with a mid-range GPU. The data suggests that for Greedfall, the CPU's 24 cores and high clock speeds are more than sufficient, and any performance gains from a more powerful GPU would be fully realized without CPU limitations.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo for a smooth experience in Greedfall?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Medium settings provides an average of 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS. For 1440p, the Medium preset averages 83 FPS, which is also playable. At 4K, only the Low preset achieves an average above 60 FPS, at 63 FPS.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scores 83807, which is a deltaPct of 0.2, meaning the 290K Plus is marginally faster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for 4K performance in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 29, while at 4K Low it rises to 63. The CPU's high single-thread score of 4823 and multithread score of 60860 suggest it is not the bottleneck.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset at different resolutions?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum FPS is 102. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 71. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 42, which may cause noticeable stuttering.

Q: How does the GPU's performance rank among all GPUs, and what is its closest competitor?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 has a percentile rank of 57 among all GPUs. Its average score is 15171, and its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM with a score of 15199, a deltaPct of -0.2.

Q: Does the combo's in-game rank reflect a balanced pairing?

A: No. The combo ranks 2568 out of 3703 tested combos for Greedfall. While the CPU ranks in the 96th percentile, the GPU ranks in the 57th percentile, creating an imbalance where the GPU holds back the overall performance.