Downfall

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting for Downfall at 4K with this hardware?

A: High is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at 3840x2160, delivering 67 FPS average. Ultra drops to 42 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: Can this PC run Downfall at 1440p on Ultra?

A: Yes. The recorded data shows 68 FPS average at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores 76155, a delta of 0.1%, meaning the two are effectively tied in overall CPU performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 significantly faster than the RX Vega 56?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507. The delta is 0.4%, so the RTX 4070 is marginally ahead in aggregate GPU benchmarks.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p on Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 and a maximum of 213 FPS. This is far above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which resolutions and settings are not playable?

A: The only recorded configuration below 60 FPS is 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which averages 42 FPS. All other tested resolution and preset combinations clear 60 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

Downfall is a horror title that shows strong scaling across resolutions, but the data indicates the GPU becomes the dominant factor at higher settings. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate ranges from 226 FPS on Low to 95 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, the same preset sweep runs from 162 FPS on Low down to 68 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the range compresses further: 101 FPS on Low, 82 FPS on Medium, 67 FPS on High, and 42 FPS on Ultra.

The resolution scaling is telling. Moving from 1080p Low to 1440p Low costs 64 FPS, from 226 to 162. Moving from 1440p Low to 4K Low costs another 61 FPS, from 162 to 101. That is a consistent drop as pixel count rises, which points to the GPU as the limiting factor at Low presets. At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 27 FPS (95 to 68), and from 1440p to 4K is another 26 FPS (68 to 42). The GPU load scales nearly linearly with resolution, and the RTX 4070 simply cannot sustain Ultra at 4K.

The CPU, a 16-core, 32-thread Zen 4 part with a 5.40 GHz boost clock, is not the bottleneck in any of these measurements. The CPU sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs in the database. If the processor were limiting performance, the frame rate would remain flat across resolutions at a given preset. Instead, frame rates fall steadily as resolution rises, which is the signature of GPU-bound rendering. The CPU has ample headroom even at 1080p Low where the average reaches 226 FPS, a frame rate that would stress most processors but is still achieved here.

The preset scaling reinforces this. At 4K, moving from Low to Medium reduces the average from 101 to 82 FPS, Medium to High from 82 to 67, and High to Ultra from 67 to 42. The jump from High to Ultra is particularly steep, a 25 FPS loss. At 1440p, the same preset steps cost 30 FPS (Low to Medium, 162 to 132), 24 FPS (Medium to High, 132 to 108, though the recorded High value is 108), and 40 FPS (High to Ultra, 108 to 68). The largest single preset penalty occurs at 4K Ultra, confirming that Ultra is a heavy load class of its own.

in short, the CPU role is secondary for Downfall. The Ryzen 9 8945HX provides enough compute to keep the GPU fed at every tested combination. The GPU role is decisive at 4K Ultra, where only 42 FPS is possible. Every other resolution and preset pairing is playable, and the RTX 4070 is the component that determines the ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 configuration ranks 2035 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. That places this system in the upper portion of the database, though not at the top tier. The rank reflects the full system pairing, not just the CPU or GPU in isolation.

The RTX 4070 sits at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, which is a solid position. The Ryzen 9 8945HX is at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, so the processor is relatively stronger than the graphics card within the context of the database. The combo rank of 2035 out of 3716 indicates that many faster GPU pairings exist above this configuration, particularly those with higher-end graphics cards, but this system still outperforms the majority of recorded combinations.

The ranking is consistent with the measured frame rates. At 1080p Ultra, the system delivers 95 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold and competitive. At 4K Ultra, the 42 FPS result drags the overall standing down, as several other combos in the database manage to clear 60 FPS at that resolution and preset. The combo rank is a blend of these outcomes, weighted toward the full range of tested settings.

The gap between the CPU percentile and GPU percentile explains why the system does not rank higher. The CPU is near the top of the database, but the GPU, while strong, is not in the same tier. In a game like Downfall that scales heavily with GPU load, the graphics card becomes the limiting factor for the highest settings, and that is reflected in the combo rank.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU rivals in the database are all close in aggregate score. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX is 0.1% ahead of the Ryzen 9 8945HX, with an average score of 76155 versus 76212. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P trails by 0.4% at 76492, which is counterintuitive given the higher score, but the delta is calculated relative to the rival, so the sign indicates direction from the reference. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX also trails by 0.4% at 76513. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 0.6% ahead at 75779. For Downfall, any of these CPUs would deliver essentially identical performance, since the game is not CPU-bound in the measured scenarios.

The GPU rivals are similarly close. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 is 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4070, with an average score of 37628 versus 37648. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% ahead at 37507, again a marginal difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile trails by 1.3% at 38135, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 trails by 1.3% at 37157. For practical purposes, swapping the RTX 4070 for any of these alternatives would produce nearly identical frame rates in Downfall across all tested resolutions and presets.

A system built around the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and an RTX 4080 Mobile would behave similarly to this combo, within a 1.3% GPU delta and a 0.1% CPU delta. The same applies to a Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with a Radeon RX Vega 56, though the CPU delta of 0.6% and GPU delta of 0.4% would keep the experience within a few frames of the measured results. The database indicates that this performance class is tightly clustered, and no rival pairing would meaningfully change the playability verdict at any resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 67 FPS. Ultra is not playable at this resolution, averaging 42 FPS. Low and Medium also clear the threshold, at 101 and 82 FPS respectively, but High offers the best visual quality within the playable range.

At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 68 FPS. Medium delivers 132 FPS, High delivers 108 FPS, and Low delivers 162 FPS. Ultra is the recommended choice for the best visual fidelity at 1440p, as it still clears the 60 FPS threshold with a small margin.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 95 FPS. Medium delivers 185 FPS, High delivers 152 FPS, and Low delivers 226 FPS. Ultra is comfortably playable with a 35 FPS margin above the threshold, making it the best settings choice at 1080p.

The Verdict

This PC can run Downfall at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 on Ultra settings, and at 3840x2160 on High settings. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1080p, Ultra runs at 95 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1440p, Ultra runs at 68 FPS, still above the threshold. At 4K, High runs at 67 FPS, and Ultra drops to 42 FPS, which is not playable.

The only configuration that fails to clear 60 FPS is 4K Ultra. Every other tested resolution and preset pairing is playable. The system is therefore suitable for the game at 1080p and 1440p at maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings for a smooth experience. For players prioritizing 4K visual quality at Ultra, this hardware will not sustain the target frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded frame rates are as follows: Low averages 101 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Medium averages 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 and a maximum of 95. High averages 67 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Ultra averages 42 FPS, with no min or max recorded.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 162 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Medium averages 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152. High averages 108 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Ultra averages 68 FPS, with no min or max recorded.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 226 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Medium averages 185 FPS, with a minimum of 157 and a maximum of 213. High averages 152 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Ultra averages 95 FPS, with no min or max recorded.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min and max data across all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 157 to 213 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 112 to 152 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 70 to 95 FPS. The spread narrows as resolution increases, which is consistent with the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The minimum values at each resolution stay well above the 60 FPS threshold, so even the worst recorded frames at Medium settings are playable. The Ultra preset at 4K, with its 42 FPS average, is the sole outlier that fails to reach the playable threshold.