Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a remarkably strong performance profile in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that clearly favors high frame rates. The measured data shows this combination handles the game with significant headroom across most settings, though the most demanding 4K Ultra preset does challenge the hardware. This analysis breaks down the exact FPS figures, how the combo ranks among tested configurations, and what the data implies for playability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo produces extremely high frame rates. The Low preset averages 256.8 FPS, which drops to 214 FPS at Medium, 176 FPS at High, and 108.5 FPS at Ultra. This indicates the pair has substantial performance reserves at 1080p, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a triple-digit average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain impressive but show the expected decline from 1080p. The Low preset averages 186.5 FPS, Medium delivers 150.6 FPS, High produces 123.2 FPS, and Ultra falls to 76 FPS. The drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is roughly 27%, while the Ultra preset sees a 30% reduction from 108.5 FPS to 76 FPS. This suggests the GPU is becoming a more significant factor as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens considerably. Low settings yield 116.6 FPS average, Medium drops to 95.4 FPS, and High manages 75.1 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold with an average of 47.5 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is notable: Low drops from 186.5 to 116.6 FPS (a 37% reduction), Medium from 150.6 to 95.4 FPS (37%), and High from 123.2 to 75.1 FPS (39%). Interestingly, the Ultra preset only drops from 76 to 47.5 FPS, a 37.5% reduction, suggesting the scene complexity at 4K Ultra is disproportionately demanding.

The data shows no min or max FPS values, so the analysis relies entirely on average frame rates. The consistent 35-40% performance penalty from 1440p to 4K across all presets indicates a well-balanced workload, though the absolute numbers at 4K Ultra are the only point where the combo struggles to maintain fluidity.

How This Combo Ranks

The i5-14400F and RTX 3070 combination ranks 1562 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the 58th percentile of all tested configurations. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier position, indicating that while the pair is not at the absolute top end of performance, it outperforms a majority of setups tested for this game.

Given the measured FPS numbers, this ranking makes sense. The combo delivers 108.5 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is nearly double the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1440p Ultra, the 76 FPS average still clears the threshold comfortably. The only setting that falls short is 4K Ultra at 47.5 FPS, which explains why the combo does not rank higher — a significant portion of the 3716 tested combos likely handle 4K Ultra more effectively.

The rank also reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. The i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, and its benchmark scores place it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The RTX 3070, while older, still holds the 61st percentile among GPUs. The combination of a strong CPU and a solid mid-range GPU creates a system that excels at lower resolutions but hits a wall at 4K Ultra.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component is the limiting factor at each setting. At 1920x1080, the CPU likely plays a more significant role, as the frame rates are exceptionally high (256.8 FPS Low, 214 FPS Medium). These numbers suggest the i5-14400F's 10 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 3070 even at low graphical settings, where the GPU would normally have less work to do.

The transition to 2560x1440 shows the GPU beginning to matter more. The 27-30% performance drop from 1080p to 1440p across all presets is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, as the pixel count increases by 78% but frame rates only drop by roughly a third. This indicates the RTX 3070's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are handling the increased load reasonably well.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The 37-39% performance drop from 1440p to 4K across Low, Medium, and High presets shows the RTX 3070 is struggling to maintain throughput. The Ultra preset's 47.5 FPS average confirms this — the 4K Ultra workload exceeds what the GPU can deliver. The CPU, by contrast, has ample headroom; its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and single-core score of 3055 suggest it can handle even the most demanding scenes without becoming a limiting factor.

The Verdict

This PC can run Downfall at all tested resolutions, but with caveats at 4K Ultra. The verdict data shows playable settings (those at or above 60 FPS) for each resolution: at 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best at 75.1 FPS average. At 2560x1440, all four settings are playable, with Ultra at 76 FPS average being the best. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, and Ultra delivers 108.5 FPS average.

The clear answer is yes, this combo runs Downfall exceptionally well for the vast majority of scenarios. The only configuration that fails the 60 FPS threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 47.5 FPS. Any user willing to drop from Ultra to High at 4K will still enjoy 75.1 FPS, a 37% improvement. At 1440p and below, the system provides a very smooth experience even at maximum settings, making this a highly capable setup for this particular title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide useful context for what other hardware would behave similarly. For the Intel Core i5-14400F, the closest matches in average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (0.1% slower), Intel Core i9-11900 (0.2% slower), AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (0.2% faster), and Intel Core i7-12800H (0.5% slower). These alternatives would likely deliver nearly identical frame rates in Downfall, making them viable substitutes for the i5-14400F.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (1% slower), AMD Radeon HD 7970M (1.1% slower), and NVIDIA Tesla K40c (1.5% faster). The RX 7600 XT and GTX 690 are the most relevant for gaming, and their sub-1% performance deltas mean they would produce almost the same FPS numbers as the RTX 3070 in this game. The Tesla K40c, being a compute-focused card, would behave similarly in raw benchmark terms but may not offer the same gaming features.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Downfall at 4K Ultra settings?*

A: No, the measured data shows 47.5 FPS average at 3840x2160 Ultra, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Dropping to High settings at 4K brings the average up to 75.1 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 76 FPS at 2560x1440. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among tested systems?

A: It ranks 1562 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the upper 58th percentile. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier position.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU plays a larger role at 1080p, as frame rates are extremely high (256.8 FPS Low, 214 FPS Medium). The i5-14400F's strong single-core performance likely prevents any bottleneck.

Q: What happens to performance when going from 1440p to 4K?

A: Frame rates drop by 37-39% across Low, Medium, and High presets. The Ultra preset drops by 37.5% from 76 FPS to 47.5 FPS. This indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K.

Q: Which graphics card alternatives perform similarly to the RTX 3070?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% slower) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (1% slower) are the closest rivals, with performance deltas under 1% in average benchmark scores.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best playable preset is High, which averages 75.1 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold, offering a solid balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset averages 95.4 FPS and Low averages 116.6 FPS, but High provides the highest visual fidelity without dropping below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, averaging 76 FPS. This is the most demanding setting available and still maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset averages 123.2 FPS, Medium 150.6 FPS, and Low 186.5 FPS, but Ultra offers the maximum visual quality without sacrificing playability.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 108.5 FPS, making it the clear best option. The system has significant headroom at this resolution, with Low reaching 256.8 FPS, Medium 214 FPS, and High 176 FPS. Ultra at 108.5 FPS is not only playable but also provides a very smooth experience, making it the recommended choice for any user prioritizing visual fidelity.