Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is an overwhelmingly capable combination for Downfall, a 2016 horror title. Measured data indicates that this setup not only clears the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution and preset, but it does so with massive headroom. The benchmark results show a system that is effectively unburdened by the game’s demands, with performance scaling that reveals more about the CPU’s limits at lower resolutions than the GPU’s at higher ones. The data paints a picture of a combo that turns a potentially tense horror experience into a buttery-smooth slideshow of frights.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest setting this combo can run at 4K (3840x2160) while staying above 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 74 FPS, making it the highest quality setting that remains playable. The High preset averages 119 FPS, Medium 145 FPS, and Low 178 FPS, all of which also exceed the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much faster is this CPU compared to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, which is a 0.1% advantage over the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U’s score of 32233. This places the two processors in a statistical dead heat for general compute performance.

Q: What is the FPS difference between the Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 285 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 120 FPS. This represents a 165 FPS drop when moving to the most demanding preset, yet the Ultra setting still provides double the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Which component appears to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The scaling from 1440p to 1080p suggests the CPU becomes the primary constraint. For instance, the Medium preset at 1440p averages 233 FPS, but at 1080p it only increases to 327 FPS—a 40% gain. This disproportionate scaling indicates that the RTX 4080 has ample headroom, and the processor is beginning to cap frame generation.

Q: How does the GPU rank compared to its closest competitor, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER’s score of 54209. In practical terms, the performance delta is negligible, meaning the two cards would be nearly interchangeable in this game.

Q: Is the game playable at the Ultra preset on all resolutions?

A: Yes. The verdict data lists Ultra as the best playable setting at every resolution, with average FPS of 74 at 4K, 120 at 1440p, and 168 at 1080p. All three figures comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-14400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in Downfall. At 4K, the GPU is the dominant factor. The difference between the Low preset (178 FPS) and Ultra (74 FPS) is a massive 104 FPS swing, demonstrating that the graphics card’s rendering workload scales heavily with visual complexity. The GPU’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are likely being exercised here, but the high frame rates even at Ultra suggest the RTX 4080 is not yet fully saturated.

As resolution drops to 1440p, the balance shifts. The Low preset jumps to 285 FPS, while High hits 191 FPS and Ultra lands at 120 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra remains large (165 FPS), but the overall ceiling is higher, indicating the GPU is still the primary driver. However, the CPU’s influence begins to show: the jump from 4K Low (178 FPS) to 1440p Low (285 FPS) is a 60% increase, which is less than the theoretical 2.25x pixel-count reduction. This suggests the processor is starting to limit how many frames the GPU can push.

At 1080p, the CPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset reaches 400 FPS, a figure that is likely near the processor’s maximum frame generation capability. The Medium preset’s 327 FPS and High’s 268 FPS further confirm this, as the GPU has plenty of spare capacity at these light loads. The scaling between 1440p and 1080p is telling: Medium goes from 233 FPS to 327 FPS (40% gain), and High from 191 FPS to 268 FPS (40% gain). These are significant but not proportional to the pixel reduction, reinforcing that the i5-14400F’s 10 cores and 16 threads are the ceiling at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4080 delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low setting averages 178 FPS, providing a smooth experience with maximum frame pacing. Medium averages 145 FPS with a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS, showing a tight frame delivery window. High averages 119 FPS, still far above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset averages 74 FPS, which is the lowest recorded at this resolution but still comfortably clears the 60 FPS bar. This data indicates that 4K gaming is not just possible but highly fluid.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates escalate significantly. Low averages 285 FPS, nearly doubling the 4K Low result. Medium averages 233 FPS with min/max values of 198 FPS and 268 FPS, respectively. High averages 191 FPS, and Ultra averages 120 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 165 FPS, but even the lowest figure is double the playable threshold. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, as the GPU still holds sway but the CPU is beginning to contribute to the ceiling.

At 1920x1080, the numbers become extreme. Low averages 400 FPS, a figure that approaches the practical limits of display technology. Medium averages 327 FPS with min/max of 278 FPS and 376 FPS. High averages 268 FPS, and Ultra averages 168 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 232 FPS, the largest of any resolution. This pattern suggests that at 1080p, the game’s CPU thread utilization becomes the limiting factor, as the GPU is clearly capable of far more work than the processor can feed it.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, all fall within a tight performance band. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 32233 (deltaPct 0.1%), placing it virtually identical to the i5-14400F. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226 (deltaPct 0.2%), also effectively a tie. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354 (deltaPct -0.2%), meaning it is slightly faster. The Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121 (deltaPct 0.5%), which is marginally slower. In practice, any of these processors would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Downfall at 1080p, where the CPU is the bottleneck.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209 (deltaPct 0.1%), making it the closest competitor. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (deltaPct -1.1%), indicating it is slightly faster in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (deltaPct -2.6%), and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (deltaPct -2.7%), both showing a small but measurable advantage in raw compute. However, the RTX 4080’s 16 GB VRAM and 9728 shading units mean that in a game like Downfall, the differences would likely be imperceptible, as all these cards are far beyond the game’s requirements.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 74 FPS. This is the optimal choice for players prioritizing visual fidelity on a 4K display. For those seeking higher refresh rates, High at 119 FPS or Medium at 145 FPS would be preferable, but the data confirms that Ultra is viable.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again takes the title, averaging 120 FPS. This is a particularly attractive option, as it provides a full visual experience while still leaving headroom for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitor. The High preset at 191 FPS would suit competitive players, but Ultra is the definitive pick for quality.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 168 FPS. This is the clear winner, as it maxes out the game’s settings while still delivering frame rates that exceed the refresh rates of most high-end monitors. The Medium preset at 327 FPS is overkill for any current display, making Ultra the logical choice for 1080p users.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally shows that this PC can run Downfall flawlessly. The verdict-by-resolution data lists High, Low, Medium, and Ultra as playable at every resolution. At 4K, the best setting is Ultra with 74 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by 23%. At 1440p, Ultra averages 120 FPS, exactly double the threshold. At 1080p, Ultra averages 168 FPS, nearly three times the minimum. This is not a borderline case; the system obliterates the playability standard at all settings and resolutions.

The only potential concern is the 74 FPS at 4K Ultra, which, while playable, shows a dip from the 119 FPS High preset. This suggests that the RTX 4080 is working hard at the highest settings, but the frame rate is still stable and well above the floor. For a horror game, where atmosphere and smoothness are paramount, this combo delivers a flawless experience. There is no scenario in the measured data where the system falls below the playable threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 230 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the top 6.2% of all systems tested for this game. The percentile rankings of the individual components support this: the CPU sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. When combined, their synergy produces a result that is near the top of the heap.

The high rank is unsurprising given the measured frame rates. A rank of 230 means that over 3400 other combinations produce lower average FPS in Downfall, which aligns with the data showing this setup rarely dips below 74 FPS even at the most demanding settings. The gap between this combo and the top-ranked systems is likely minimal, as the game’s age and the hardware’s power create a scenario where diminishing returns set in quickly. For all practical purposes, this is a top-tier configuration for Downfall, offering performance that far exceeds the requirements of the title.