Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 presents a compelling mid-range combination for evaluating the horror title Downfall. The recorded data in the database shows this pairing delivers a wide range of performance across different resolutions and quality presets, with the GPU often being the primary constraint at higher settings. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and optimal configurations based solely on the recorded benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and preset combination for this system?

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves a playable 73.8 FPS average at Ultra settings, which is the highest quality preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes 1080p Ultra the most demanding fully playable configuration.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets are playable, with Medium averaging 63.5 FPS. The High preset drops to 51.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 34.9 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs. It is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which scores 32233, and the Intel Core i9-11900 at 32226, showing less than a 1% difference in each case.

Q: What is the GPU's relative standing among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 2060 sits in the 58th percentile for all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15290. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which scores 15283, a negligible 0% delta.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 2560x1440?

A: No. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 50.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable preset at this resolution is High, with an 83.9 FPS average.

Q: How does the system rank among all tested combos for Downfall?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 2914 out of 3716 tested combos in the database for this game, placing it in the lower half of all systems tested.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data recorded for Downfall reveals a clear pattern in how the CPU and GPU workloads shift across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system's performance is heavily influenced by the graphics settings, with the average FPS ranging from 171.3 at Low to 73.8 at Ultra. This wide spread, a 97.5 FPS difference between the lowest and highest presets, indicates that the RTX 2060 is the dominant factor at this resolution. The CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU, and the frame rate scales almost entirely with the graphical workload.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern persists but with a narrower range. The Low preset averages 127.1 FPS, while Ultra drops to 50.3 FPS, a difference of 76.8 FPS. The GPU remains the primary bottleneck, as the resolution increase puts additional strain on the rasterization and shading units of the RTX 2060. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, continues to provide sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's dominance becomes even more pronounced. The performance gap between Low (77.4 FPS) and Ultra (34.9 FPS) narrows to 42.5 FPS, but the overall frame rates are much lower across the board. This suggests that at 4K, the RTX 2060 is working near its limits, and even the Low preset cannot reach the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The CPU's role diminishes further, as the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth become the sole constraints. The data implies that for this game, the GPU is the decisive component at every resolution, with the CPU only needing to maintain a baseline level of performance that the i5-14400F clearly exceeds.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded FPS data for this combination provides a complete picture of its capabilities across all three tested resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well. The Low preset delivers an average of 171.3 FPS, which is the highest recorded frame rate for this combo. Medium follows at 144.8 FPS, High at 118.2 FPS, and Ultra at 73.8 FPS. All presets at this resolution comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows a clear drop-off at the highest settings. The Low preset averages 127.1 FPS, Medium achieves 100.8 FPS, and High maintains a solid 83.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls to 50.3 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. This represents a 33.6 FPS drop from High to Ultra, indicating a significant performance cost for the highest quality settings.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset is the only one that exceeds 70 FPS, averaging 77.4 FPS. Medium drops to 63.5 FPS, which is still playable but close to the threshold. High averages 51.9 FPS, and Ultra falls dramatically to 34.9 FPS. The scaling from Medium to High at 4K shows an 11.6 FPS loss, while the jump from High to Ultra costs an additional 17 FPS. The data shows that this resolution is only suitable for lower quality settings with this hardware.

The Verdict

The database verdict for this PC is clear: it can run Downfall, but the playable experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four presets clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 73.8 FPS proves that the hardware can handle the game at its highest quality without sacrificing smoothness at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the system remains largely playable, with three of the four presets exceeding 60 FPS. High settings at 83.9 FPS offer an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 50.3 FPS is the only option that fails to meet the playable threshold, making it unsuitable for players who prioritize a consistent frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more cautious. The system can run the game, but only at Low and Medium presets, with Medium averaging 63.5 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they fall below 60 FPS. Players with a 4K display would need to accept significant graphical compromises to maintain smooth gameplay. The overall data indicates that this is a capable 1080p and 1440p machine for Downfall, with 4K support limited to lower quality settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the optimal choice based on the recorded data.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which delivers an average of 73.8 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while still leaving a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. Players can enjoy the full graphical fidelity of Downfall without worrying about frame rate drops.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, with an average of 83.9 FPS. This preset offers a strong balance between visual detail and performance, providing over 20 FPS of headroom above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset is not viable at this resolution due to its 50.3 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Medium, which averages 63.5 FPS. This is the only preset above Low that maintains playability at 4K, with just 3.5 FPS of headroom above the threshold. Players at this resolution should stick to Medium or Low to ensure a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Downfall, this combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2914 out of 3716 tested combos. This places the system in the lower portion of the overall ranking, around the 78th percentile from the bottom. The ranking reflects the RTX 2060's age and its position in the 58th percentile among all GPUs, which limits the system's ability to compete with more modern hardware.

The CPU, by contrast, is a strong component, sitting in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs. The disparity between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's mid-range percentile suggests that the graphics card is the limiting factor in this pairing. The data implies that this combo would rank higher if paired with a more powerful GPU, but as configured, it is a mid-to-low tier system for this game. The 3716 total combos tested indicate a large field of competitors, and this system's rank of 2914 shows that it outperforms a significant number of older or less capable setups, but it also falls behind many newer configurations.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals in the database for the CPU and GPU provide insight into what other hardware would behave similarly to this combo. For the Intel Core i5-14400F, the closest matches in average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which scores 32233 with a delta of 0.1%, and the Intel Core i9-11900, which scores 32226 with a delta of 0.2%. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, a delta of -0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121, a delta of 0.5%. Any of these CPUs would provide nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Downfall, with differences of less than 1%.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which scores 15283 with a delta of 0%, and the AMD Radeon 680M, which scores 15270 with a delta of 0.1%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199 with a delta of 0.6%, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171 with a delta of 0.8%. These GPUs would produce very similar frame rates in Downfall, as their benchmark scores are within 1% of the RTX 2060. A system using one of these alternative GPUs alongside the i5-14400F would likely achieve nearly identical results to the measured FPS data, making them viable substitutes for users seeking comparable performance.