Downfall

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a surprisingly robust experience in Downfall, a horror title that clearly favors GPU headroom at higher resolutions. The recorded data shows a wide performance envelope that scales predictably with resolution and visual fidelity. At 1080p, this combination obliterates the 60 FPS threshold across every preset, while 1440p remains highly playable even at maximum settings. The 4K results are more nuanced, with the Ultra preset dipping below the playable threshold, yet the trio of lower presets all clear it. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, compares the combo to nearby alternatives, and identifies the optimal settings for each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results are structured around three resolutions and four quality presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. All figures represent average FPS, as minimum and maximum frame rate data were not recorded in this dataset.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptional. The Low preset averages 207.4 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combination. Stepping up to Medium reduces the average to 171.4 FPS, and the High preset delivers 140.6 FPS. Even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 86.1 FPS, which is more than 40% above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The scaling between Low and Ultra at this resolution shows a drop of 121.3 FPS, indicating that the game's settings have a significant impact on frame rates even when the CPU and GPU are not heavily taxed.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages remain strong. The Low preset records 149 FPS, Medium drops to 122.8 FPS, and High settles at 103.8 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 60.7 FPS, which just barely clears the playable threshold. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 88.3 FPS, a more compressed range than at 1080p, suggesting that the GPU is beginning to become a more active participant in limiting performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU load becomes the dominant factor. The Low preset averages 91.5 FPS, which is still a very playable figure. Medium averages 79.9 FPS, and High averages 60.5 FPS, a marginal 0.5 FPS above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset falls to 41.6 FPS, which is 18.4 FPS below the 60 FPS target. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 49.9 FPS, the smallest spread across all resolutions, which demonstrates that at 4K, the pixel throughput demands of the RTX 2070 SUPER cap the maximum frame rate regardless of how light the preset is.

The data clearly shows a consistent hierarchy: every resolution follows the expected trend of Low being fastest and Ultra being slowest. The min and max FPS fields are absent from the measurements, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places this CPU and GPU in a specific performance tier based on their aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, sitting at the 68th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are all within a narrow band. The Intel Core 3 N355 scores 13492, a delta of 0%. The Intel Core i5-9500 scores 13452, which is 0.3% lower. The Intel Core 5 120UL scores 13594, which is 0.7% higher. The Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13351, which is 1.1% lower. In practice, a system builder swapping between these CPUs would see nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Downfall, with differences well within run-to-run variance.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER holds an average benchmark score of 20282, placing it at the 65th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M at 20480 (1% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile at 20534 (1.2% higher), the Intel Arc B570 at 20556 (1.3% higher), and the Intel Arc A750 at 20582 (1.5% higher). These deltas are minor, meaning that any of these GPUs would produce frame rates in Downfall within a very close margin of the RTX 2070 SUPER. For a user considering alternatives, the Intel Arc A750 or the RTX 3070 Mobile would behave almost identically in this specific title, assuming other system constraints such as power delivery and thermals are comparable.

The percentile rankings reinforce this picture. The CPU at the 68th percentile and the GPU at the 65th percentile are well-matched, neither component dramatically outperforming the other in general compute tasks. In a game like Downfall, which relies heavily on GPU rasterization for its horror visuals, this balance is favorable.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded FPS data allows for an examination of how workload shifts between the CPU and GPU as resolution changes. The scaling between 1080p and 4K is the key indicator. At 1920x1080 with the Low preset, the average FPS is 207.4. At 3840x2160 with the same Low preset, the average drops to 91.5. That is a reduction of 115.9 FPS, or roughly 56%, when moving from Full HD to 4K. This substantial drop indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU, an Intel Core i3-12100F with 4 cores and 8 threads, has ample headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU cannot sustain the same frame rate as pixel count quadruples.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 86.1 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 60.7 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 41.6 FPS. The progression is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's role is more visible at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combination reaches 207.4 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the CPU's single-thread performance, reflected in its 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674, becomes relevant. However, even at this extreme, the game remains fully playable.

The preset scaling within a fixed resolution also reveals the GPU's dominance. At 1440p, going from Low (149 FPS) to Ultra (60.7 FPS) reduces frame rate by 88.3 FPS. At 1080p, the same preset jump reduces frame rate by 121.3 FPS. The larger absolute drop at 1080p suggests the CPU can still push very high frame rates, but the GPU's shading and texture work become more expensive as settings increase. At 4K, the preset spread narrows to 49.9 FPS, which is a sign that the GPU is saturated by pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth, 448.0 GB/s, before the preset complexity can fully express itself.

In summary, the CPU sets the upper ceiling at low resolutions and low presets, but the RTX 2070 SUPER is the decisive component for 1440p and 4K performance. Users with this pairing should expect bottleneck behavior to shift from the CPU at 1080p Low to the GPU at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combination run Downfall at 4K with High settings?*

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 60.5 FPS, which is 0.5 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold. It is a marginal pass, but it clears the bar.

Q: What is the best preset at 1440p for this hardware?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 60.7 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that stays at or above 60 FPS. Lower presets yield higher frame rates: High averages 103.8 FPS, Medium 122.8 FPS, and Low 149 FPS.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1080p?

A: Yes, the 1920x1080 Ultra preset averages 86.1 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, leaving substantial headroom for background tasks or recording software.

Q: Which component limits performance at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The RTX 2070 SUPER's performance drops significantly at 3840x2160, with the Ultra preset falling to 41.6 FPS. The CPU, which ranks at the 68th percentile, has enough headroom to support the GPU at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to the Intel Arc A750?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282, while the Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, a delta of 1.5%. In Downfall, the Arc A750 would be expected to perform within a very close margin of the RTX 2070 SUPER.

Q: What is the playable threshold and which presets fail it?

A: The playable threshold is 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset fails this threshold with an average of 41.6 FPS. All other presets across all resolutions clear 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this specific combination at 2266 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This positioning places it in the upper half of all tested systems, roughly at the 61st percentile. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's 68th percentile standing and the GPU's 65th percentile standing. A rank of 2266 means that a significant portion of tested hardware, specifically 1450 combos, outperforms this pairing in this game, but an even larger portion, 2266 combos, falls below it.

The rank is a composite measure. It rewards the high FPS at 1080p and 1440p but is held back by the 4K Ultra result. The gap between the best and worst measured settings is large: 207.4 FPS at 1080p Low versus 41.6 FPS at 4K Ultra. This spread suggests that the combo is versatile for medium-resolution gaming but does not excel at 4K max settings. For a horror game like Downfall, where atmosphere and smoothness matter, this rank indicates a capable but not top-tier system.

Users comparing this to other combos in the database should note that the rank is specific to Downfall and may shift in other titles. The data shows the combo is well-matched for this game's engine, with neither component dragging the other down to a significant degree at common gaming resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

The "best settings" are defined as the most demanding preset that maintains an average FPS at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data identifies the following optimal configurations:

At 3840x2160, the best settings are High. This preset averages 60.5 FPS, which is a slim margin above the threshold. The Medium preset averages 79.9 FPS and the Low preset averages 91.5 FPS, both of which are also playable, but High offers the highest visual quality that remains playable. The Ultra preset averages 41.6 FPS and is not recommended at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Ultra. This preset averages 60.7 FPS, just clearing the threshold. The High preset averages 103.8 FPS, Medium averages 122.8 FPS, and Low averages 149 FPS, but Ultra provides the maximum visual fidelity without dropping below 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra. This preset averages 86.1 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above the threshold. The lower presets all exceed 140 FPS, but Ultra is the clear choice for maximum quality at this resolution.

The data indicates that 1440p Ultra is the sweet spot for this combination, delivering near-60 FPS with full settings. At 4K, users must compromise to High settings to maintain playability.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Downfall successfully across the majority of tested configurations. The verdict by resolution is clear.

At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium. The best setting is High, with an average FPS of 60.5. The Ultra preset is not playable, averaging only 41.6 FPS. Users targeting 4K should stick to High or lower to stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable. The best setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 60.7. This is the highest resolution at which maximum settings are achievable, making 1440p the recommended target for this hardware.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The best setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 86.1. This resolution offers the most headroom, with even the Ultra preset leaving over 26 FPS of margin above the playable threshold.

Overall, the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination is a viable choice for Downfall. The game runs smoothly at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and 4K is playable with a modest reduction to High settings. The only configuration that fails the 60 FPS target is 4K Ultra. This is a strong result for a mid-range pairing, and the data suggests that users prioritizing visual fidelity should target 1440p Ultra, while those with 4K displays should accept High settings for a stable experience.