Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers extreme performance headroom in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that is far more demanding on the GPU than the CPU across all tested configurations. Benchmark data shows every resolution and preset combination tested, from 1920x1080 Low to 3840x2160 Ultra, clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a substantial margin, with the weakest recorded result being 74 FPS at 4K Ultra. The combination ranks in the 93rd percentile of all tested combos in this game, indicating that this is a top-tier configuration for this specific title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset at 3840x2160 that maintains at least 60 FPS?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 is fully playable, with an average frame rate of 74 FPS. This is the most demanding settings level tested at this resolution, and all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4080 compared to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER’s score of 54209. The deltaPct of 0.1 indicates the two cards are effectively identical in raw compute performance.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-thread performance relative to its multi-thread performance?

A: The Core i5-12400 scores 2257 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 15989 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The multi-core score is roughly 7.1 times higher than the single-core score, reflecting the benefit of its 6 cores and 12 threads in threaded workloads.

Q: Which GPU is the closest competitor to the RTX 4080 in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the closest, with an average score of 54209 compared to the RTX 4080’s 54247, a difference of only 0.1%. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is slightly further behind at 54828, a -1.1% delta.

Q: Does the game become more CPU-bound at lower resolutions?

A: The data indicates the GPU remains the dominant component. At 1920x1080 Low, the average FPS is 387, while at 3840x2160 Low it drops to 178. This 209 FPS difference (a 54% reduction) is primarily due to the GPU’s workload increasing with resolution, not a CPU bottleneck.

*Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU+GPU combination among all tested combos in Downfall?*

A: The combination ranks 276 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 7.4% of all configurations tested for this game. This rank reflects the high performance of both the CPU and GPU in this specific title.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data clearly shows that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the primary performance driver in Downfall, with the Intel Core i5-12400 providing more than sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck. The evidence lies in the scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 387 FPS. When resolution increases to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset, the average drops to 285 FPS, a 26% reduction. Moving further to 3840x2160 Low yields 178 FPS, another 38% reduction from the 1440p result. This consistent, large-scale degradation with resolution increase is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect frame rates to plateau or decrease much more modestly as resolution rises, since the CPU’s workload per frame stays relatively constant. Instead, the data shows a near-linear inverse relationship between resolution and frame rate. For instance, at Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 327 FPS at 1080p to 233 FPS at 1440p and further to 145 FPS at 4K. The GPU’s rendering load is clearly the constraint.

The settings preset also plays a significant role in frame rate, further confirming GPU dominance. At 3840x2160, raising the preset from Low to Medium reduces the average FPS from 178 to 145, a 19% drop. Moving from Medium to High brings it down to 119 FPS, and finally to Ultra at 74 FPS. This steep penalty for higher graphical fidelity is typical of a GPU-limited workload. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, are more than adequate to feed the GPU even at the highest frame rates observed.

The CPU’s role becomes even less critical at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 74, which is a relatively low demand for the CPU’s single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257). The GPU is working much harder to produce those 74 frames than the CPU is. In essence, for Downfall, the RTX 4080 is the sole determinant of playable performance, and the Core i5-12400 is a supporting component that never limits the outcome across the entire tested range.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the GPU, the nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, with an average benchmark score of 54209 versus the RTX 4080’s 54247, a delta of only 0.1%. In practical terms, a system using the RTX 4080 SUPER would produce nearly identical frame rates in Downfall. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is also close, scoring 54828, which is 1.1% higher than the RTX 4080, suggesting it could deliver slightly higher frame rates in this game. Further down the list, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.6% higher) and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (2.7% higher), meaning these cards would also provide very similar, marginally better performance.

On the CPU side, the Intel Core i3-14100F has an average benchmark score of 18519, which is 0.9% lower than the i5-12400’s 18683. This indicates the i3-14100F would perform almost identically in Downfall, given that the game is GPU-bound. The AMD EPYC 7643 is also a near-match, with a score of 18697, just 0.1% higher than the i5-12400. The Intel Core i7-1355U and AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 are slightly ahead, with scores of 18730 and 18811 respectively (0.3% and 0.7% higher), but in a GPU-bound scenario these differences are negligible.

The practical implication is that a buyer could swap the Core i5-12400 for an Intel Core i3-14100F and see no measurable change in Downfall performance, as the GPU remains the limiting factor. Similarly, upgrading the RTX 4080 to an RTX 4080 SUPER would yield no tangible FPS improvement in this game. The combination’s performance is so heavily dictated by the GPU that CPU choice within this performance bracket has no meaningful impact.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Downfall, and it does so with extreme headroom. According to the verdict by resolution, all four tested settings presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at all three resolutions tested. The playability threshold is 60 FPS, and the lowest average frame rate recorded across the entire test matrix is 74 FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra. This means the system never drops below the threshold, even at the most demanding settings and resolution combination.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 168 FPS, which is 2.8 times the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, Ultra runs at 120 FPS, exactly double the threshold. Even at 4K, the Ultra preset delivers 74 FPS, which is 23% above the 60 FPS minimum. The data confirms there is no configuration tested where this system fails to meet the playability standard. The only caveat is that min FPS values were not recorded for most presets, but the average FPS figures are so far above the threshold that even a substantial drop would likely keep the game playable.

The verdict is unambiguous: this combination is overqualified for Downfall. Users can enable the highest settings at any resolution without concern for performance. The system’s performance is so strong that it would be more accurate to describe the question as whether the game can keep up with the hardware, rather than the reverse.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all presets. The Low preset averages 387 FPS, which is the highest recorded in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 327 FPS, with a minimum of 278 FPS and a maximum of 376 FPS. High settings average 268 FPS, while Ultra drops to an average of 168 FPS. All of these values are far above any playability concern, with even the lowest min FPS recorded (278 FPS at Medium) being more than 4.6 times the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very strong. Low settings average 285 FPS. Medium settings average 233 FPS, with a min of 198 FPS and a max of 268 FPS. High settings average 191 FPS, and Ultra averages 120 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a 58% reduction in frame rate, but the absolute numbers are still high enough to provide a completely smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed harder but still delivers excellent results. Low settings average 178 FPS. Medium settings average 145 FPS, with a min of 123 FPS and a max of 167 FPS. High settings average 119 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 74 FPS, which is the lowest result in the entire test matrix. Despite being the weakest result, 74 FPS is still 23% above the 60 FPS playability threshold, confirming that 4K Ultra is a viable configuration for this game.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average frame rate of 168 FPS. This is the highest quality preset tested, and it still delivers more than double the playability threshold. The data shows that even the most demanding settings at 1080p are far from stressing this hardware.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again qualifies as the best settings, achieving an average of 120 FPS. This is exactly double the 60 FPS threshold, providing comfortable headroom for maintaining smooth gameplay. All lower presets (High at 191 FPS, Medium at 233 FPS, Low at 285 FPS) also clear the threshold, but Ultra is the most demanding option that still meets the criterion.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is also the best settings, with an average of 74 FPS. This is the only resolution where the frame rate at Ultra drops below 100 FPS, but it remains above the 60 FPS threshold. The data indicates that 4K Ultra is the optimal configuration for maximum visual fidelity while maintaining playability. For users prioritizing frame rate over visual quality, the High preset at 119 FPS or Medium at 145 FPS would be smoother, but Ultra is the most demanding preset that still clears the threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 276 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 7.4% of all configurations tested. This rank is a strong indicator of the system’s overall capability in this game. The percentile equivalent is 93, meaning this combo outperforms 93% of all other tested combinations.

This high rank is consistent with the measured performance data. The system achieves an average of 168 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is a demanding test for most hardware. The GPU’s 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs (with an average benchmark score of 54247) and the CPU’s 72nd percentile ranking (with an average score of 18683) combine to produce a system that sits well above the median.

The rank of 276 out of 3716 suggests that only 275 other combinations tested in this game are faster, and those likely feature higher-end components such as the RTX 4090 or newer generation CPUs. Within the context of this specific pairing, the data shows that the RTX 4080 is the primary driver of the high rank, as the CPU’s performance is sufficient but not exceptional. The combination’s rank is a reflection of the GPU’s dominance in this GPU-bound title, and it confirms that this is a top-tier configuration for playing Downfall at any resolution or settings level tested.