Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a very strong performance profile for Downfall, a horror title released in 2016. Benchmark data shows this combination is capable of exceeding the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution, with headroom for high refresh rate displays at lower resolutions. The measured results indicate that the RTX 3080, despite its end-of-life production status, remains a powerful GPU for this title, while the i5-12400F provides sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset I can use at 4K while staying above 60 FPS?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding playable option, producing an average of 90 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 58.4 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The data shows an average of 89 FPS at 2560x1440 with the Ultra preset, comfortably clearing the 60 FPS playability standard.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary driver of performance at 1080p, as the CPU's benchmark scores (e.g., a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380) indicate it can supply frames faster than the RTX 3080 can render them, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU load is lighter.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3080's average benchmark score is 23172. Its closest rivals, such as the NVIDIA P106-100 (23249) and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23250), score within -0.3% to -0.4% of it, indicating nearly identical synthetic performance levels.

Q: Does the RTX 3080 support modern graphics APIs needed for this game?

A: Yes, the GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring full API compatibility with Downfall.

Q: What is the performance rank of this specific CPU+GPU combo among all tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 1086 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all tested configurations for this game.

Best Settings per Resolution

For a 60 FPS target, the optimal settings are defined by the most demanding preset that still maintains an average frame rate at or above that threshold.

• 3840x2160 (4K): The High preset is the best choice, delivering 90 FPS on average. While the Medium preset achieves 106.3 FPS and Low reaches 132.9 FPS, High offers the best visual fidelity without dropping below the 60 FPS line. The Ultra preset is not viable, averaging 58.4 FPS.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): The Ultra preset is fully playable, with an average of 89 FPS. This resolution provides the best balance of image quality and performance, as even the highest settings maintain a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): The Ultra preset averages 124.4 FPS, making it the clear choice for maximum quality. The data shows substantial headroom, with High at 200.2 FPS, Medium at 247 FPS, and Low at 297.9 FPS, which is beneficial for high refresh rate monitors.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data provides direct comparisons for both components, showing which hardware would yield similar performance in a synthetic context.

For the Intel Core i5-12400F, the nearest rivals are:

• AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (avg score 19047, delta 0%)
• Intel Core 3 201E (avg score 19056, delta -0.1%)
• Intel Core i5-1335U (avg score 18982, delta 0.3%)
• AMD EPYC 7773X (avg score 18979, delta 0.3%)

These processors all produce average benchmark scores within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12400F, meaning a system using any of these CPUs would behave nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, the nearest GPU rivals are:

• NVIDIA P106-100 (avg score 23249, delta -0.3%)
• AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (avg score 23250, delta -0.3%)
• AMD Radeon RX 6600M (avg score 23273, delta -0.4%)
• AMD Radeon R9 M290X (avg score 23276, delta -0.4%)

Each of these GPUs scores within 0.4% of the RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172. In practical terms, a system with one of these cards would deliver similar frame rates in Downfall.

The Verdict

According to the verdict by resolution, this PC is fully capable of running Downfall at playable frame rates across all tested settings.

• At 3840x2160: The system is playable on High (90 FPS), Medium (106.3 FPS), and Low (132.9 FPS) presets. The Ultra preset, at 58.4 FPS, is the only setting that fails to reach the 60 FPS threshold.

• At 2560x1440: All presets are playable, including the most demanding Ultra setting, which averages 89 FPS. This makes 1440p the ideal resolution for maximizing visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

• At 1920x1080: Every preset is playable, with the Ultra preset achieving 124.4 FPS. The system has significant performance headroom, with the Low preset reaching 297.9 FPS.

The data confirms that this combination can run the game at 60 FPS or higher at all resolutions, with the only exception being 4K Ultra settings. For users with a 4K display, the High preset is the recommended ceiling.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions and presets reveals the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU in Downfall.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant factor. The performance scales clearly with rendering resolution: the RTX 3080's workload increases substantially, dropping frame rates from 132.9 FPS at Low to 58.4 FPS at Ultra. This steep decline as settings increase indicates that the GPU's pixel and shading throughput is the primary constraint.

At 2560x1440, the GPU remains the main driver, but the margin to the CPU narrows. The frame rate range across presets is 89 FPS to 213.8 FPS, showing that while the GPU is still heavily taxed at Ultra, lower presets allow for very high frame rates. The i5-12400F's single-thread performance (a 3DMark single-thread score of 909) is sufficient to feed the GPU at these settings.

At 1920x1080, the CPU begins to play a more noticeable role, though the GPU still leads. The frame rates are extremely high across all presets, ranging from 124.4 FPS at Ultra to 297.9 FPS at Low. The scaling from Low to Ultra (a 173.5 FPS difference) is less dramatic than at 4K (a 74.5 FPS difference), suggesting that at 1080p, the system is approaching the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and manage game logic. The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities, shown by a 3DMark max-threads score of 5912, prevent it from bottlenecking at these frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination holds a combo rank of 1086 out of 3716 tested systems in Downfall. This places the configuration in the top 29% of all tested combos, a strong showing for a horror game that is not typically known for extreme hardware demands.

This ranking is driven by the RTX 3080's high average benchmark score of 23172, which places it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, and the i5-12400F's 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs. The synergy between these components is effective: the CPU's strong single and multi-thread scores (3DMark single-thread 909, multi-thread 5912) ensure it does not hold back the GPU at lower resolutions, while the GPU's raw power at higher resolutions delivers the playable frame rates documented in the verdict. The rank indicates that while many systems outperform this one, it sits comfortably ahead of the majority of tested hardware for this specific title.