Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a decisive performance result in Downfall: this combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested resolution, and at 1080p and 1440p it does so with substantial headroom even at the highest settings. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at lower resolutions, yet still offers playable Ultra settings at 4K, albeit with a narrower margin. This is a high-tier pairing, ranking in the 75th percentile of all tested combinations for this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this configuration across resolutions and presets reveal a consistent pattern of performance that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold in most scenarios, with the most demanding settings at 4K being the only exception.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 310.3 FPS, illustrating a massive performance ceiling. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 254.4 FPS, still an extremely high number that would saturate most high-refresh-rate displays. High settings produce an average of 206.9 FPS, demonstrating that the game remains highly fluid even as graphical fidelity increases. The most demanding Ultra preset at this resolution still yields an average of 133.5 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold and indicates that the GPU has significant headroom to spare.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally strong. The Low preset averages 225.6 FPS, which is a marginal decrease from the 1080p result but still incredibly high. Medium settings deliver 180 FPS on average, showing a linear scaling with the resolution increase. The High preset achieves an average of 150.2 FPS, reinforcing that this resolution is not a bottleneck for the combination. Ultra settings at 1440p produce an average of 90.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth, high-fidelity experience without needing to compromise on visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the performance profile changes more dramatically, though it remains largely playable. The Low preset still manages an impressive 138.8 FPS average, showing the raw power of the RTX 4070 even at 4K. Medium settings drop to an average of 117.1 FPS, which is still an excellent result for 4K gaming. The High preset yields 95 FPS on average, maintaining a comfortable margin above the playability target. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that falls short, producing an average of 58.2 FPS. This is just below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that while the system can handle 4K Ultra, it does so with a slight performance deficit that may cause occasional stutters on a 60Hz display.

The data indicates that the performance scaling from 1080p to 1440p is relatively modest, with average frame rates dropping by roughly 27-32% depending on the preset. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K is much more pronounced, with performance nearly halving across most settings, highlighting the significant pixel-pushing demands of 4K resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on aggregate benchmark scores, the components in this system have close rivals that would deliver nearly identical performance in Downfall. For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279 and sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U with an average score of 32233, a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226, also a 0.2% difference, meaning users with that older flagship would see essentially the same CPU-bound performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, which is -0.2% relative to the i5-14400F, and the Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121, a 0.5% difference. These figures confirm that the i5-14400F's performance is tightly clustered with these other processors, and none would create a meaningful bottleneck difference in this game.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648 and ranks in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with a score of 37628, just 0.1% behind. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a 0.4% difference, suggesting it would produce very similar frame rates in Downfall despite its older architecture. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, which is -1.3% higher, indicating it would be slightly faster but not by a perceptible margin. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, which is 1.3% lower, meaning it would trail the RTX 4070 by a small but measurable amount. For practical purposes, any of these alternatives would provide a nearly identical gaming experience to the tested configuration.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Downfall at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but not at the highest settings. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the High preset averages 95 FPS and Medium averages 117.1 FPS, both clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset falls short at 58.2 FPS average, so users should stick to High or below for a consistently smooth 4K experience.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset is fully playable at 2560x1440, producing an average of 90.6 FPS. This is the best visual quality option that still maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it the recommended choice for this resolution.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance drop is substantial. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 310.3 FPS at 1920x1080 to 138.8 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of more than half. At High settings, the drop is from 206.9 FPS to 95 FPS, showing that 4K resolution roughly halves the frame rate across most presets.

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

A: The GPU is the dominant factor. The Intel Core i5-14400F ranks in the 83rd percentile of CPUs and has close rivals with near-identical scores, indicating it is not a limiting factor. The RTX 4070, ranking in the 81st percentile of GPUs, shows significant performance scaling with resolution changes, confirming it is the primary driver of frame rates.

*Q: Does this system support the latest graphics APIs used by Downfall?*

A: Yes. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which covers all modern rendering requirements for a 2016 horror title like Downfall.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 206.9 FPS. This is an exceptionally high result that would be well-suited for a high-refresh-rate monitor, providing a very fluid and responsive gaming experience.

The Verdict

This system is unequivocally capable of running Downfall at a high level. The verdict by resolution data confirms that the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at all three tested resolutions, with the single exception of 4K Ultra. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra is playable, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 133.5 FPS. This means users can max out the game and still enjoy frame rates that are more than double the playability target, making it ideal for competitive or high-refresh-rate play.

At 2560x1440, the system again handles all presets, with Ultra being the best playable setting at 90.6 FPS average. This provides a perfect balance of visual fidelity and performance, offering a smooth experience on 1440p monitors. The margin above the threshold is substantial, ensuring that even demanding scenes with multiple enemies or complex lighting effects will not cause the frame rate to dip below acceptable levels.

For 3840x2160, the system is playable on High, Medium, and Low settings, with High being the best at 95 FPS average. The Ultra preset is the only one that fails to reach the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 58.2 FPS. This is a marginal miss, and depending on the user's tolerance for minor frame drops, it may still be acceptable, but for a locked 60 FPS experience, High is the recommended ceiling. Overall, this is a very strong result for a 4K-capable system, and the only compromise required is turning down one setting from the absolute maximum.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Downfall. The Intel Core i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is more than sufficient for this title. Its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2058, place it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals all score within 0.5% of it, meaning that even a weaker CPU would likely not change the frame rates observed. The game does not appear to be heavily threaded or CPU-bound at any resolution, as the frame rates scale consistently with GPU load.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the decisive component. Its performance scales dramatically with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound workloads. At 1080p, the GPU is so powerful that it pushes frame rates beyond 300 FPS on Low settings, indicating it is not being fully utilized. As the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the frame rates drop proportionally, showing that the GPU's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth are ample for this game, and its 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power ensures that even the most demanding presets are handled with ease.

The scaling between presets also points to the GPU's role. At 4K, dropping from Ultra to High increases the average frame rate from 58.2 FPS to 95 FPS, a 63% improvement. This is a far larger jump than what would be observed if the CPU were the bottleneck, confirming that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance. At 1080p, the same preset change only yields an increase from 133.5 FPS to 206.9 FPS, a 55% improvement, which still indicates GPU dominance but with less absolute impact due to the lower resolution. In summary, the i5-14400F provides a stable foundation, but the RTX 4070 is what dictates the playable settings and resolutions for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 891st out of 3716 tested combinations in Downfall. This places the system in the top 24% of all configurations, which is an impressive result for a mid-range to high-end pairing. The rank reflects the GPU's ability to push high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, as well as its competence at 4K with adjusted settings.

This ranking is consistent with the individual component percentiles. The CPU sits in the 83rd percentile and the GPU in the 81st percentile, and their combined performance in this game aligns with those figures. The high rank indicates that this system will outperform the vast majority of other configurations tested, making it a strong choice for playing Downfall at high settings. The only systems that would rank higher would feature more powerful GPUs, such as those from the RTX 40-series higher tiers, which would provide additional headroom at 4K Ultra. However, for the vast majority of gaming scenarios, this combination offers a level of performance that is both excessive and future-proof for a title of this era. The data confirms that users with this hardware can expect a top-tier experience, with the only limitation being the inability to hold a locked 60 FPS at 4K with every setting maxed out.