Greedfall

Greedfall, the 2019 Action RPG from Spiders, presents an interesting study in hardware scaling when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT. The measured data reveals a configuration that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at mainstream resolutions but begins to show its limits as pixel counts climb toward 4K. The combination of a flagship-class 24-core CPU with a mid-range RDNA 3 GPU creates a distinct bottleneck profile that shifts depending on the resolution and preset selected. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand where this combo excels and where it struggles, offering a clear picture of its performance characteristics in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a predictable but pronounced decline as resolution increases, which is classic behavior for a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel densities. At 1080p High, the combo delivers a robust 149 FPS average. Moving to 1440p High, that figure drops to 103 FPS, a reduction of 46 FPS or roughly 31%. The jump to 4K High sees the average fall to 62 FPS, which is a further 41 FPS drop from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern indicates that while the CPU is more than capable of feeding frames at lower resolutions, the Radeon RX 7700 XT becomes the primary limiting factor as the pixel load increases.

The scaling behavior shifts significantly when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves a very high 209 FPS average. This drops to 145 FPS at 1440p Low, a 64 FPS decrease. At 4K Low, the average is 86 FPS, which is a 59 FPS decline from the 1440p result. The fact that the 4K Low score (86 FPS) is higher than the 1440p High score (103 FPS) is telling; it demonstrates that the GPU’s workload is heavily influenced by both resolution and graphical settings. The gap between Low and High presets widens as resolution increases, from a 60 FPS difference at 1080p to a 41 FPS difference at 4K, highlighting that the GPU’s fill rate and shading power are being taxed more heavily by the higher visual fidelity.

The most dramatic scaling occurs with the Ultra preset, which includes the most demanding visual effects. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 95 FPS. This falls to 66 FPS at 1440p Ultra, a 29 FPS drop. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 39 FPS, which is a substantial 27 FPS reduction from the 1440p result. This 39 FPS average at 4K Ultra represents a 59% performance loss compared to the 1080p Ultra score, indicating that the RX 7700 XT is completely saturated by the combination of high resolution and maximum settings. The data clearly suggests that for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, users must dial settings down to High, and even then, the 62 FPS average leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the extensive database of tested hardware combinations for Greedfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT secures a rank of 1069 out of 2938 tested combos. This places the configuration in the upper-middle tier of all possible systems, which is a logical result given the mix of a top-tier CPU and a mid-range GPU. The combo outperforms a majority of tested systems, but it doesn't crack the top tier, which is typically reserved for pairings that include flagship GPUs.

The ranking suggests that while the CPU is among the fastest available, its immense processing power is not fully utilized in this game due to the GPU's performance ceiling. The combo rank is a holistic measure that reflects the system's ability to run Greedfall across all tested scenarios. A rank of 1069 indicates that the system is in the 64th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it is faster than roughly two-thirds of the configurations in the database. This is a strong showing, but it underscores the fact that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. If the same CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo's rank would likely be significantly higher, as the CPU would be able to push higher frame rates in less demanding scenes.

The data implies that this combination is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where it delivers high frame rates, but it is not optimized for 4K Ultra settings, where the GPU's limitations are exposed. For a user with a 1080p or 1440p high-refresh-rate monitor, this combo would be considered a high-performing choice. However, for a 4K display, the system would require more graphical horsepower to achieve consistently high frame rates with maximum settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a substantial 36 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates exceptional multi-threaded performance, scoring 51,731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7,303 in single-core. Its Passmark multi-thread score of 60,860 and single-thread score of 4,823 place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, indicating top-tier processing capability.

In the context of Greedfall, the CPU’s role is to provide a stable foundation for the GPU to render frames. The measured FPS data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution or setting. This is evidenced by the fact that frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, which is a hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU has the least graphical work to do, the system achieves 209 FPS, a figure that is likely well below the CPU’s maximum frame generation capability. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 score, is particularly important for game logic and physics, ensuring that these tasks do not impede the rendering pipeline.

The CPU’s architecture also plays a role in its efficiency. The 3 nm process node and 125W TDP suggest that power delivery is not a constraint, allowing the processor to maintain high boost clocks under sustained loads. The data shows that the CPU is effectively "waiting" on the GPU in this pairing, as the FPS is consistently capped by the graphics card’s output. In a pairing with a less powerful CPU, we might expect to see frame rate dips in CPU-intensive scenes, but the benchmark results for this combo show no such signs. The 24 cores and 24 threads are overkill for a game like Greedfall, which is not known for using that many threads, but the high single-core speed ensures that the primary game thread is handled with ease.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four graphical presets. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. With the Low preset, it hits an average of 209 FPS. The Medium preset averages 164 FPS, with a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 189 FPS. High settings average 149 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to an average of 95 FPS. At this resolution, the system is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors, even with the most demanding settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's workload. The Low preset averages 145 FPS, while Medium averages 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. The High preset delivers a solid 103 FPS average, which is still well within the range for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset, however, sees a significant drop to 66 FPS. This is a critical threshold, as it falls below the 70 FPS mark, which some users might consider a minimum for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 86 FPS, which is respectable. The Medium preset averages 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is just at the edge of playable for many. The Ultra preset, however, collapses to an average of 39 FPS, which is not a playable experience for most users. The data shows a clear progression: 1080p is for maximum frame rates, 1440p is the sweet spot for high settings, and 4K is only viable with reduced settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the central component in this pairing, and its specifications dictate the system's performance ceiling. Built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, it features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is rated at 2544 MHz, with a game clock of 2171 MHz. The GPU is capable of 35.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and includes 54 ray tracing cores. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 22,547 in Passmark G3D, placing it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs.

The benchmark data for the GPU shows it is a solid mid-range performer. In Greedfall, its role is to handle the rasterization and shading workload, which becomes increasingly demanding at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (39 FPS) clearly indicates that the GPU is overwhelmed by the combination of pixel count and visual effects. The 12 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for this game, as Greedfall is not notorious for exceeding that amount at 4K, but the sheer compute load is what limits performance.

The GPU’s performance relative to its rivals, as shown in the nearestRivals data, shows it is competitive with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile and RTX 4060 Mobile, but those are mobile parts. Its deltaPct of 1.7% over the AMD Radeon RX 5700 shows it is a generational improvement. The data indicates that the RX 7700 XT is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it delivers high frame rates in most titles. In Greedfall, it can achieve over 100 FPS at 1440p High, which is an excellent result. At 4K, it can manage playable frame rates with the High preset, but the Ultra preset is beyond its capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset at 95 FPS is the best choice. This provides a high level of visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold and is smooth on a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 149 FPS is also an option for users with very high refresh rate displays (e.g., 165Hz or 240Hz), sacrificing some visual quality for a significant frame rate boost.

For 1440p displays, the High preset at 103 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a great balance of visual quality and performance, delivering a smooth experience on a 144Hz monitor. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is also a viable option if users prefer higher frame rates, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable. The Ultra preset at 66 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes, and users might experience occasional dips below 60 FPS in heavy combat. It is recommended to stick with High for a consistent experience.

For 4K displays, the recommendation is to use the High preset, which averages 62 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a slower-paced RPG, but it is not ideal for fast action. The Medium preset at 68 FPS is a safer choice, providing a bit more headroom and a minimum FPS of 58, which is just at the edge of playable. The Low preset at 86 FPS is the best choice for a consistently smooth experience, but it comes with a significant reduction in visual quality. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS should be avoided, as it is not a playable experience. In summary, 1080p users should use Ultra, 1440p users should use High, and 4K users should use Medium or High, depending on their tolerance for frame rate fluctuations.