Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 63rd out of 3,716 tested combos for Downfall, placing it comfortably in the top 2% of all systems evaluated. This is a dominant position that reflects the raw horsepower of both components, though the ranking also underscores that this game is not particularly demanding by modern standards. The combo’s strong standing is driven by the RTX 5090’s massive compute advantage, as the GPU sits in the 92nd percentile among all tested graphics cards, while the Ryzen 7 7700 holds an 87th percentile ranking among CPUs. Together, they create a system that leaves very little performance on the table, even at the most punishing settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The 63rd-place finish out of 3,716 combinations is an elite result, but it is not the absolute top. The data shows that a handful of systems—likely those pairing even higher-end CPUs with the same or similar GPUs—edge out this configuration. However, the gap between this combo and the 62 systems ahead of it is likely narrow, given that the RTX 5090’s average benchmark score of 79,842 is only 0.3% behind the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB and 0.6% behind the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB, according to the nearestRivals data. This means the GPU is performing almost exactly as expected for its class, with no thermal or driver-related degradation dragging down its score.

The CPU side tells a similar story. The Ryzen 7 7700’s average benchmark score of 40,081 places it within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.2% of the Intel Core 5 221E, showing that it is precisely in line with its direct competitors. The 7700’s multi-threaded performance is particularly strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18,760 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 15,371, both of which are healthy for an 8-core, 16-thread part. In the context of Downfall, this ranking means the system will never be the bottleneck; the only question is how far the GPU can push frame rates before the game’s engine or the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes a limiting factor.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the dominant component in Downfall, but the CPU’s role becomes more visible as resolution drops. At 3840x2160, the jump from Low to Ultra settings cuts average FPS from 201 to 84, a 58% reduction that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s workload increasing. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that even at 4K, memory capacity is never a concern, allowing the GPU to stretch its legs. The CPU’s contribution at this resolution is minimal, as the 7700’s single-thread score of 1,049 in 3DMark and 1,930 in Cinebench R23 are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The average FPS at Ultra is 135, which is 60% higher than the 84 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating that the GPU is still the primary driver of performance scaling. However, the CPU begins to matter more at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system hits 452 FPS average, a figure that is so high that the CPU’s frame pacing and draw-call handling start to influence the result. The Ryzen 7 7700’s 8 cores and 16 threads, running at a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, are well-equipped for this task, but the data shows diminishing returns: moving from 1440p Low (323 FPS) to 1080p Low (452 FPS) is a 40% increase, while the GPU’s raw compute is identical. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU is doing more of the heavy lifting to maintain those extreme frame rates.

The scaling between presets reinforces this division of labor. At 4K, dropping from High to Low yields a 49% FPS increase (135 to 201), while at 1080p, the same preset drop yields a 49% increase as well (303 to 452). This consistency indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor across all resolutions, but the CPU’s headroom is what allows the system to reach such high absolute numbers. In short, the RTX 5090 is the star, but the Ryzen 7 7700 is a capable supporting actor that never holds the system back.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 84 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above the playable threshold, and the data shows that even the most visually demanding settings are fully playable at 4K. The High preset at this resolution averages 135 FPS, offering a significant headroom boost for those who prefer higher refresh rates, but Ultra remains the best choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also clears the 60 FPS bar with ease, averaging 135 FPS. This is the same frame rate as the 4K High preset, which highlights how much headroom the RTX 5090 has at this resolution. For 1440p users, Ultra is the obvious pick, as it provides the best image quality while still delivering more than double the playable threshold. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 264 FPS, but there is no reason to drop below Ultra unless targeting a 240Hz or higher display.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 190 FPS, which is over three times the playable threshold. This makes Ultra the clear recommendation for 1080p, as even the most demanding settings leave massive performance on the table. The High preset at 303 FPS is available for those with 300Hz monitors, but for the vast majority of users, Ultra provides the best balance of visual quality and frame rate. In all three resolutions, the verdict is the same: this system can run Downfall at maximum settings without breaking a sweat.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 84 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Ultra the best choice for 4K, as it delivers the highest visual quality while remaining fully playable.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5090’s average benchmark score is 79,842, which is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB and 0.6% higher than the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB. It is 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT and 1.4% behind the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p at maximum settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 135 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. The system has ample headroom for high refresh rate displays at this resolution.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 452 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 190 FPS. This represents a 58% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra, but both are far above the playable threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary driver of performance, as evidenced by the large FPS drops when increasing resolution or settings. However, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 1,049) ensures it never becomes a bottleneck, especially at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 63rd out of 3,716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 2% of all systems. This ranking reflects the RTX 5090’s 92nd percentile GPU score and the Ryzen 7 7700’s 87th percentile CPU score.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured frame rates show a clear scaling curve across presets. The Low preset averages 201 FPS, the Medium preset averages 164 FPS with a minimum of 140 and a maximum of 189, the High preset averages 135 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 84 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 29 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 51 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is significantly more demanding than the others. The Medium preset’s minimum of 140 FPS shows that even in the most intense scenes, the system stays well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably. The Low preset averages 323 FPS, the Medium preset averages 264 FPS with a minimum of 225 and a maximum of 304, the High preset averages 217 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 135 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 225 FPS is particularly notable, as it shows that even the heaviest frames at this resolution are more than three times the playable threshold. The jump from High to Ultra is 82 FPS, which is the largest single-preset drop at this resolution, reinforcing the idea that Ultra is a significant visual upgrade.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates across the board. The Low preset averages 452 FPS, the Medium preset averages 370 FPS with a minimum of 314 and a maximum of 425, the High preset averages 303 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 190 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 314 FPS is higher than most systems’ average frame rates at any resolution, highlighting the sheer power of this combo. The Ultra preset’s 190 FPS average is still more than three times the playable threshold, meaning that even the most demanding settings are easily handled at 1080p.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC can run Downfall at maximum settings across all three tested resolutions. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 84 FPS, which is 24 FPS above the playable threshold of 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 135 FPS, more than double the threshold. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 190 FPS, over three times the threshold. In every case, the system clears the 60 FPS bar with substantial headroom, and the measured minimum frame rates—where available—confirm that even the most demanding scenes do not cause dips below playable levels.

The verdict is equally clear for users who prioritize higher refresh rates. Even at 4K, the High preset averages 135 FPS, which is suitable for 120Hz displays. At 1440p, the High preset averages 217 FPS, and at 1080p, the Medium preset averages 370 FPS. For gamers with 240Hz or 360Hz monitors, this system can push frame rates that most hardware can only dream of. The only caveat is that the RTX 5090’s 575W TDP and 950W suggested PSU mean this level of performance requires serious power delivery, but the benchmark results show that the hardware is not held back by any thermal or power constraints in this title. In short, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination is an overkill solution for Downfall, delivering playable frame rates at the highest settings in every scenario tested.