Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional performance in Downfall, a horror title released in 2016. Benchmark data measured for this combination shows that every resolution and preset tested exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold, with average frame rates ranging from 81.6 FPS at 4K Ultra to 437.9 FPS at 1080p Low. This analysis breaks down the specific scaling behavior, component roles, and optimal settings for this hardware configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest playable settings preset at 3840x2160?

A: At 4K resolution, the Ultra preset is fully playable, delivering an average of 81.6 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable 36% margin.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The i5-12600KF and RTX 4090 combination ranks 107th out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall, placing it in the top 2.9% of all configurations benchmarked for this title.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 318.6 FPS average, while Ultra produces 135.2 FPS average. The Ultra preset represents a 57.6% reduction in frame rate compared to Low, but remains well above the playability threshold.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's 24 GB memory capacity relevant for this game?

A: The GPU's 24 GB GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth is well beyond what Downfall requires. The measured frame rates show no memory-related bottlenecks, with even the highest preset at 4K maintaining 81.6 FPS average.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 3302 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 23391 in multi-core. The single-core score is 14.1% of the multi-core result, indicating strong per-core performance that benefits games relying on fewer threads.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 297 FPS at 1920x1080 to 133.8 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 55% reduction when scaling resolution from 1080p to 4K, highlighting the GPU load increase at higher pixel counts.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling patterns across resolutions and presets reveal how the RTX 4090 dominates performance in Downfall. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 437.9 FPS average, which drops to 318.6 FPS at 2560x1440 and 196.5 FPS at 3840x2160. This progression shows a 27.2% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 38.3% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The GPU clearly becomes the limiting factor as pixel count increases, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom even at the highest frame rates.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 300 FPS. At 1080p Low, the 437.9 FPS average indicates that the i5-12600KF's 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, can feed the GPU efficiently. The single-thread score of 3925 in Passmark supports this, as Downfall's horror gameplay likely relies on consistent single-thread performance for game logic and AI. However, the CPU's percentile rank of 79 against all CPUs suggests it is a capable but not top-tier processor for this workload.

Preset scaling further illustrates the GPU-bound nature of Downfall. At 4K, moving from Low to Medium increases average FPS from 196.5 to 158.9 (a 19.1% drop), while Medium to High drops to 133.8 (a 15.8% drop), and High to Ultra falls to 81.6 (a 39% drop). The Ultra preset's significant performance hit indicates heavy GPU effects like shadows and reflections. At 1080p, the same preset progression shows 437.9 to 359.5 (17.9% drop), then 297 (17.4% drop), then 184.9 (37.7% drop). The consistent percentage drops across resolutions confirm that GPU effects, not CPU limitations, drive the performance scaling.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 107 out of 3716 tested configurations places it in the top 2.9% of all hardware combinations benchmarked for Downfall. This position reflects the RTX 4090's exceptional performance, as the GPU ranks in the 88th percentile against all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 60347. The CPU, while ranking in the 79th percentile against all CPUs, contributes strong baseline performance with an average benchmark score of 27799.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the Intel Arc Pro A60 with a score of 60326 (0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (0.3% slower), and AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61896 (2.5% faster). These comparisons show that the RTX 4090 sits in a performance cluster where the delta between adjacent GPUs is minimal. The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K at 27872 (-0.3% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D at 27896 (-0.3% delta), and AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE at 27712 (0.3% delta). This tight grouping means that swapping the CPU for a direct rival would have negligible impact on Downfall performance.

The combination's high rank is driven by the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 4090's 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 128 RT cores provide massive headroom for a 2016 horror title. The measured average FPS values at every resolution and preset exceed 60 FPS, with the lowest result being 81.6 FPS at 4K Ultra. This indicates that the combo is not just playable but delivers high refresh rate experiences at most settings.

The Verdict

This PC configuration runs Downfall flawlessly at all tested settings. The verdict data shows that every resolution and preset combination is playable, with the 3840x2160 Ultra preset achieving 81.6 FPS average, which is 36% above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers 135.2 FPS average, and at 1920x1080, it reaches 184.9 FPS average. The best settings at each resolution are always Ultra, meaning users never need to compromise visual quality for playability.

The performance margins are substantial across the board. Even the most demanding configuration (4K Ultra) provides a 21.6 FPS buffer above the playability threshold. At 4K High, the average of 133.8 FPS is more than double the threshold, while 4K Medium reaches 158.9 FPS. The data indicates that this combo would support high refresh rate monitors at 1440p and even 4K, with the 4K High preset exceeding 120 FPS average.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average FPS values are: Low 196.5, Medium 158.9, High 133.8, and Ultra 81.6. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a cumulative 58.5% reduction in frame rate, with the largest single drop occurring between High and Ultra (52.2 FPS decrease). No minimum or maximum frame rate data is available, so the average values represent the primary performance metric.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low 318.6, Medium 256.4, High 214.1, and Ultra 135.2. The drop from High to Ultra is 78.9 FPS, representing a 36.9% reduction. The scaling from Low to Ultra totals a 57.6% decrease, slightly less severe than at 4K due to lower pixel count pressure on the GPU.

At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are: Low 437.9, Medium 359.5, High 297, and Ultra 184.9. The High to Ultra drop is 112.1 FPS, a 37.7% reduction. This resolution shows the highest absolute frame rates, with Low exceeding 400 FPS and even Ultra remaining above 180 FPS. The CPU's role is most evident here, as the 437.9 FPS Low result requires efficient frame generation without GPU bottlenecking.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 81.6 FPS. This is the only resolution where Ultra stays close to the 60 FPS threshold, but it still provides a 36% buffer. Users seeking higher refresh rates can opt for High at 133.8 FPS average, which offers a 64% improvement over Ultra.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is the best choice with 135.2 FPS average. This delivers a 125% margin above the playability threshold, making it suitable for 120 Hz displays. The High preset at 214.1 FPS average provides an alternative for 144 Hz monitors, though Ultra already exceeds 120 FPS.

At 1920x1080, Ultra achieves 184.9 FPS average, which is 208% above the threshold. This configuration supports 144 Hz and 165 Hz displays comfortably, with the High preset at 297 FPS average being the choice for 240 Hz monitors. The Low preset at 437.9 FPS average would suit competitive play on 360 Hz panels, though Ultra's visual quality is recommended for the horror experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals based on average benchmark scores are the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872, -0.3% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896, -0.3% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (27887, -0.3% delta), and AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27712, 0.3% delta). All of these processors score within 0.3% of the i5-12600KF, meaning Downfall performance would be virtually identical when paired with the RTX 4090. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D's 3D V-Cache could theoretically help in some games, but the measured deltas show no meaningful difference for this title.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, 0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, 0.3% delta), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61896, -2.5% delta), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657, 2.9% delta). The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090's average score exactly, suggesting comparable performance in synthetic benchmarks. However, the RTX 4090's 24 GB memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provide substantial advantages for higher resolutions that may not be reflected in the average score. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster in average score, while the PRO V710 is 2.9% slower, indicating that swapping to any of these GPUs would produce similar results in Downfall given the game's low demands.