Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional performance in Downfall, a horror title that clearly favors high refresh rates. The data shows this combination is not merely capable of running the game but does so with significant headroom across all tested resolutions and presets, with the lowest average frame rate recorded being 81.7 FPS at 4K Ultra settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this hardware combination covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a comprehensive view of performance scaling.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are remarkably high, indicating that the CPU and GPU are nowhere near their limits. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 440.9. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 359.7 FPS. High settings yield an average of 298.6 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still maintains an average of 185.5 FPS. This represents a smooth progression, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 255.4 FPS, or roughly 58% of the Low setting's performance.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally strong, though the scaling shows a slightly different pattern. Low settings produce an average of 313.9 FPS. Medium settings follow at 258 FPS. High settings average 210.2 FPS. Ultra settings, which typically tax the GPU heavily, still deliver an average of 131.6 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 182.3 FPS, showing that resolution scaling has a significant impact on the upper and lower bounds of performance.

At 3840x2160, the resolution where the GPU is most stressed, the data shows the RTX 4090's true capability. Low settings average 198.5 FPS. Medium settings average 162.2 FPS. High settings average 134 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most intensive configuration tested, still manages an average of 81.7 FPS. This is the only scenario in the dataset where the average frame rate falls below 100 FPS, but it remains well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

The "best" settings are defined here as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS. In this case, every tested preset at every resolution exceeds that threshold.

For 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra, achieving an average of 81.7 FPS. This is a clear indicator that the combination can handle the highest visual fidelity at 4K without dipping below the playable threshold.

For 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 131.6 FPS. This provides a substantial margin above the 60 FPS floor, allowing for high refresh rate monitors to be fully utilized.

For 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra as well, delivering an average of 185.5 FPS. This level of performance is ideal for competitive or high-refresh-rate gaming, where the extra frames translate directly to smoother motion and reduced input latency.

In every resolution, the Ultra preset is the ceiling of the tested configurations, and this hardware combination clears it with ease. The data suggests that if there were a higher preset available, the hardware would likely still be able to handle it, given the headroom at 4K Ultra.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions and presets reveals the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU in this specific game. Downfall appears to be heavily GPU-bound, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

The most telling evidence is the performance drop when moving from 1440p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 313.9 at 2560x1440 to 198.5 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 115.4 FPS, or approximately 37%. This significant drop indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck when pixel count increases, as the CPU's workload (draw calls, physics) does not scale proportionally with resolution.

Conversely, the impact of settings within a resolution shows the GPU's workload scaling. At 4K, moving from Low to Ultra settings reduces the average FPS from 198.5 to 81.7, a drop of 116.8 FPS. This is a larger absolute drop than the resolution change, showing that the graphical features enabled by the Ultra preset are extremely demanding on the GPU.

The CPU's role is more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high (440.9 FPS at Low), suggesting that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain these numbers. However, since the CPU is a 16-core, 32-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, it is unlikely to be the limiting factor. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the frame rate is 81.7 FPS, which is a demanding scenario for most CPUs, but the Ryzen 9 9950X3D keeps up adequately.

The benchmark results indicate that this game is primarily GPU-limited. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1292, ensures that it does not hold back the GPU even at high frame rates. While the data does not directly measure CPU-specific FPS, the consistency of the frame rate scaling suggests that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining performance across all tested configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and RTX 4090 ranks 106th out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 3% of all tested configurations, which is a strong indicator of its overall capability for this title.

This ranking is unsurprising given the individual strengths of the components. The CPU has an average benchmark score of 75779 and sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU has an average benchmark score of 60347 and is in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. When combined, they form a top-tier pairing that is only beaten by a small number of other combinations, likely those with even more specialized or overclocked parts.

The rank of 106 means that there are 105 other hardware combinations that perform better in Downfall. While the data does not specify which combinations those are, it is reasonable to conclude that they are likely similar or slightly higher-end configurations. For the vast majority of users, this combo will deliver an experience that is better than nearly all other possible setups.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this exact combination, the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide insight into what other hardware might offer similar performance.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has several close rivals based on average benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 has an average score of 75738, which is just 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D scores 75716, also 0.1% lower. The AMD EPYC 8224P scores 75582, a 0.3% difference. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488, a 0.4% difference. These processors are all within a negligible margin of performance, meaning that swapping the CPU for any of these would result in virtually identical frame rates in Downfall, assuming the GPU remains the same.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 also has nearby alternatives. The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, showing a deltaPct of 0, meaning it is statistically identical in benchmark terms. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, 0.3% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is 2.5% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, which is 2.9% lower. It is important to note that these are the closest rivals in terms of the aggregate benchmark score, but the gaming performance of these workstation cards may vary significantly from the RTX 4090, which is designed for high-end gaming with features like ray tracing and DLSS that are not reflected in the raw scores.

In practice, using a CPU from the list above instead of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D would likely lead to a negligible FPS difference, as the game appears to be GPU-bound. However, swapping the GPU for a rival card could have a more noticeable impact, especially at 4K Ultra, where the RTX 4090's raw performance is crucial.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 81.7 FPS.

Q: Can this PC run the game at 1440p with the highest preset?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 131.6, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which is more important for this game, the CPU or the GPU?

A: The benchmark data indicates that the game is heavily GPU-bound, as frame rates drop significantly with higher resolutions and settings. The CPU's role is secondary, though it provides enough performance to not bottleneck the GPU at lower resolutions.

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

A: It ranks 106th out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3% of all systems tested for Downfall.

Q: Are there other CPUs that perform similarly to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, AMD EPYC 8224P, and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 all have average benchmark scores within 0.4% of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS recorded in the data?

A: The highest average FPS is 440.9, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

The Verdict

This AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination can absolutely run Downfall with exceptional performance. The verdict by resolution is clear: all tested settings are playable at every resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system is fully playable at all settings, with the best visual quality preset, Ultra, maintaining an average of 81.7 FPS. This clears the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin.

At 2560x1440, the system is also fully playable at all settings. The Ultra preset achieves an average of 131.6 FPS, providing a high-refresh-rate experience suitable for monitors with 120Hz or even 144Hz refresh rates.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptional. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 185.5 FPS, which is ideal for competitive gaming or high-refresh-rate displays. The lower presets push frame rates even higher, reaching up to 440.9 FPS at Low settings.

The data confirms that this hardware pairing has no trouble with Downfall. It is a top-tier combination that offers maximum settings at all resolutions with frame rates that far exceed the playable threshold. There is no scenario in the tested dataset where this system fails to deliver a smooth, responsive experience.