Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a commanding performance profile in Downfall, a 2016 horror title. Benchmark data across three resolutions and four quality presets shows this combination consistently exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold, often by a substantial margin. The measured results indicate a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the capable six-core processor ensures the frame rates scale efficiently as graphical demands increase.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system produces a wide spread of average frame rates depending on the preset. The Low setting yields an average of 152.1 FPS, providing a massive headroom above the playability threshold. Moving to Medium drops performance to 119.7 FPS, while the High preset achieves 98.3 FPS. The most demanding Ultra setting still maintains an average of 61.6 FPS, which is just barely above the 60 FPS target. This indicates that even at maximum graphical fidelity in 4K, the combination of the i5-12400 and RX 7900 XT can sustain playable frame rates, though with less margin for error compared to lower presets.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance scaling becomes more pronounced. The Low preset reaches an average of 240.8 FPS, demonstrating the GPU’s raw throughput. Medium settings produce 199.9 FPS, and High yields 163 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 99.7 FPS, which is nearly 40% higher than the 4K Ultra result. This shows that the resolution reduction from 4K to 1440p provides a significant boost to the most demanding settings, allowing the system to comfortably handle any preset at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the CPU and GPU combination begins to show its upper limits, though the results remain exceptional. The Low preset averages 338.4 FPS, an extreme figure that suggests the game engine is not creating a bottleneck at this point. Medium settings deliver 273.6 FPS, while High produces 224.7 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves an average of 139.1 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. This data indicates that at 1080p, the system is so powerful that even the heaviest settings leave substantial performance in reserve, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400 and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 61.6, which is only 2.6% above the 60 FPS threshold. This tight margin suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution, as the rendering load on the graphics card is immense. The CPU’s role becomes more apparent as resolution decreases. At 1440p Ultra, the frame rate jumps to 99.7 FPS, a 61.8% increase over the 4K result. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the processor has enough headroom to feed the graphics card more frames as the pixel count drops.

The transition from 1440p to 1080p further clarifies the CPU’s contribution. The Ultra preset at 1080p reaches 139.1 FPS, which is 39.5% higher than the 1440p result. This indicates that while the GPU’s workload is lighter at 1080p, the i5-12400 with its 6 cores and 12 threads is sufficient to keep up with the RX 7900 XT’s output. The scaling from 4K to 1080p at Ultra settings (61.6 to 139.1 FPS) shows a 125.8% total improvement, which is nearly linear with the pixel count reduction, suggesting that neither component creates a severe bottleneck at any resolution tested. The Low preset results reinforce this, with 1080p reaching 338.4 FPS versus 4K’s 152.1 FPS, a 122.5% increase that again points to balanced scaling.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark database places this CPU and GPU in specific performance tiers relative to other tested hardware. For the Intel Core i5-12400, its average benchmark score of 18683 puts it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals show a tightly clustered group: the AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18697, which is only 0.1% higher; the Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730, a 0.3% difference; the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811, a 0.7% margin; and the Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, which is 0.9% lower. These delta percentages indicate that in synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 is effectively interchangeable with these four processors, meaning users upgrading from an i3-14100F or considering an EPYC 7643 would see nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Downfall.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, the situation is similar but with different neighboring hardware. Its average benchmark score is 13745, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M with a score of 13812 (0.5% higher), the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile at 13821 (0.5% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 570X at 13871 (0.9% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT at 13543 (1.5% lower). The RX 9070 XT being only 1.5% slower in average score is notable, as this suggests that in Downfall, the 7900 XT would outperform its newer sibling by a small margin. The presence of mobile and older desktop parts in this list indicates that the 7900 XT’s benchmark scores are not directly correlated with its gaming performance, as the measured FPS in this title is exceptionally high.

The Verdict

This PC can run Downfall at every resolution and preset combination tested, according to the verdictByResolution data. At 3840x2160, all four settings—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are marked as playable. The Ultra preset averages 61.6 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by a slim margin. This means 4K gaming is viable, but users should be aware that frame rate dips could occur in more intense scenes, as the average is only 1.6 FPS above the target.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is even more decisive. All presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 99.7 FPS. This provides a 66.2% margin above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1440p a sweet spot for this hardware. The system can handle max settings with significant headroom for smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, the performance is overwhelming. Ultra settings average 139.1 FPS, which is 131.8% above the playability threshold. This makes 1080p gaming on Ultra settings an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors, as the frame rates are more than sufficient to drive a 144Hz display without compromise.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 61.6 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it still passes the benchmark.

Q: What is the performance difference between 4K and 1440p at Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 4K Ultra is 61.6 FPS, while at 1440p Ultra it is 99.7 FPS. This represents a 61.8% increase in performance when dropping from 3840x2160 to 2560x1440.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XT compare to the RX 9070 XT in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7900 XT has an average benchmark score of 13745, while the RX 9070 XT scores 13543. This makes the 7900 XT 1.5% faster in average score, placing it ahead of its newer counterpart.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 338.4 FPS. This high figure indicates that the Core i5-12400 is not limiting performance, as even the lowest preset heavily exceeds typical refresh rates.

Q: What is the best resolution for high-refresh-rate gaming?

A: At 1080p, Ultra settings average 139.1 FPS, which is suitable for a 144Hz display. The 1440p Ultra result of 99.7 FPS is also high but less ideal for 144Hz monitors, making 1080p the better choice for maximum refresh rates.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: This combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 745th out of 3716 tested combinations in Downfall, placing it in the top 20% of all systems.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves 61.6 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and it barely clears the threshold. Users seeking more stability at 4K might prefer the High preset at 98.3 FPS, but the data confirms Ultra is playable.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 99.7 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, allowing for maximum graphical fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, delivering an average of 139.1 FPS. This setting offers the highest quality visuals while still providing frame rates that exceed the requirements for most high-refresh-rate displays.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database for Downfall, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves a rank of 745 out of 3716 tested combinations. This places the system in the top 20.0% of all configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing setup for this game. The rank reflects the measured FPS data, which shows exceptional performance across all resolutions. The fact that it falls short of the top 10% is likely due to the CPU’s 72nd percentile ranking and the GPU’s 55th percentile ranking, which, while solid, are not the absolute fastest available. However, the actual gameplay results demonstrate that this hardware is more than capable of delivering a premium experience in Downfall, with no resolution or preset combination falling below the playable threshold.