Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers an exceptionally strong performance profile in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that is clearly not demanding by modern standards. Across all tested resolutions and presets, the combination never falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the most demanding configuration—4K Ultra—still averaging 67.2 FPS. The data indicates a system with massive headroom, capable of running the game at maximum settings at 1080p and 1440p with frame rates well above 100 FPS, and at 4K with only a modest compromise in visual fidelity needed to maintain high refresh rates. The benchmark results are measured, not estimated, and the performance scaling across resolutions and settings follows predictable patterns that highlight both the CPU's strong single-threaded capabilities and the GPU's substantial rasterization power.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate in the measured data is 348.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This demonstrates the extreme headroom this hardware has in a title from 2016, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra preset averages 67.2 FPS.

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

A: Yes, the data shows a 3840x2160 Ultra preset averages 67.2 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a margin of 7.2 FPS. The verdictByResolution field lists Ultra as the best playable setting at this resolution.

Q: How much performance drops when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate falls from 147.9 FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra to 67.2 FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra, a reduction of approximately 54.6%. This scaling shows the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the pixel count quadruples.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 247.9 FPS while Ultra averages 106.5 FPS. This represents a 141.4 FPS gap, indicating that settings have a substantial impact on performance but that even the highest preset remains far above playable levels.

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

A: The combination ranks 606th out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 16.3% of all systems tested. This percentile position reflects the strong overall performance of the i5-14600K and RTX 4070 SUPER pairing.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average frame rates of 235.6 FPS (High) and 348.6 FPS (Low) suggest the GPU is still the primary limiter, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance—evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064—provides enough headroom to avoid bottlenecking at these high frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, with the GPU emerging as the dominant factor at higher resolutions and the CPU providing ample support at lower ones. At 1920x1080, the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings is 200.7 FPS (348.6 vs. 147.9), a 135.7% increase. This wide gap indicates that the GPU's workload scales significantly with graphical fidelity, while the CPU maintains consistent frame delivery even at the lower settings where the GPU is less stressed.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling pattern remains similar but the absolute numbers shift. The Low preset averages 247.9 FPS, dropping to 106.5 FPS at Ultra—a 141.4 FPS difference. The percentage reduction from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 57.0%, which is slightly less than the 57.6% reduction seen at 1080p. This suggests that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, but the CPU's contribution becomes more noticeable as resolution increases, as the i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 SUPER even at lower settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's dominance becomes unmistakable. The Low preset averages 154.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 67.2 FPS—a 56.5% reduction. The absolute difference of 87.4 FPS is smaller than at lower resolutions, but the frame rates are closer to the playable threshold. This indicates that at 4K, the RTX 4070 SUPER's 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are the limiting factors, while the i5-14600K's role is reduced to maintaining minimum frame consistency. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and single-core score of 2064 both rank in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, ensuring it never becomes a bottleneck even when pushing 154.6 FPS at 4K Low.

The preset scaling across resolutions shows that the GPU's performance degrades predictably with increasing pixel count, but the CPU's influence is more subtle. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 348.6 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability for this game. At 4K Low, the same preset yields 154.6 FPS, a 55.7% reduction attributable almost entirely to the GPU's rasterization load. The data suggests that for this title, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the component to prioritize when optimizing for higher resolutions, while the i5-14600K provides a robust foundation that prevents CPU-bound scenarios at any tested setting.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data for the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER in Downfall covers twelve distinct configurations, spanning three resolutions and four quality presets. Every entry reports an average FPS value, with minimum and maximum figures not provided in the dataset, so the analysis relies on average frame rates to assess performance.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 348.6 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this combination. The Medium preset follows at 286.6 FPS, representing a 17.8% drop from Low. High settings reduce performance further to 235.6 FPS, a 32.4% reduction relative to Low, while Ultra averages 147.9 FPS, which is 57.6% below the Low preset. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a consistent decrease in performance, with each step up in quality costing a significant number of frames.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern emerges but with lower absolute values. Low averages 247.9 FPS, Medium drops to 202 FPS (18.5% lower), High achieves 169.8 FPS (31.5% lower), and Ultra falls to 106.5 FPS (57.0% lower). The relative performance gaps between presets are similar to those at 1080p, confirming that the GPU's scaling with settings is consistent across resolutions. The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p is particularly steep, costing 63.3 FPS, which is the largest single-preset drop in this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance ceiling is substantially lower. Low averages 154.6 FPS, Medium drops to 128.7 FPS (16.8% lower), High achieves 101.8 FPS (34.2% lower), and Ultra averages 67.2 FPS (56.5% lower). The absolute frame rates at 4K are roughly 44% of those at 1080p for matching presets, which aligns with the fourfold increase in pixel count. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that approaches the 60 FPS playable threshold, sitting 7.2 FPS above it.

The data shows a consistent ratio between resolutions: 1440p averages are approximately 71% of 1080p averages for each preset, and 4K averages are approximately 44% of 1080p averages. This linear scaling indicates that the GPU is the dominant performance factor across all tested configurations, as the CPU's frame delivery capacity is not exceeded even at 1080p Low. The i5-14600K's single-thread score of 2064 in Cinebench R23 and its 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs support this conclusion, as the processor provides more than enough headroom for the GPU to operate at its full potential in this 2016 title.

The Verdict

The benchmark results are unequivocal: this PC can run Downfall at every resolution and preset combination tested, with all twelve configurations exceeding the 60 FPS playable threshold. The verdictByResolution field confirms that at 3840x2160, the playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with Ultra being the best setting at an average of 67.2 FPS. This means even the most demanding 4K configuration clears the playable threshold by a comfortable margin, leaving room for minor frame drops without dipping below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra achieving an average of 106.5 FPS. This represents a 77.5% increase over the 4K Ultra score, demonstrating that 1440p Ultra is not just playable but also smooth enough for high-refresh-rate displays. The 1920x1080 resolution offers the most headroom, with Ultra averaging 147.9 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold and suitable for 144Hz monitors.

The system's performance in Downfall is characterized by extreme surplus. Even the lowest performing configuration—4K Ultra at 67.2 FPS—provides a buffer of 7.2 FPS above the playable line. For gamers prioritizing visual fidelity, 4K Ultra is viable, while those with high-refresh-rate monitors can target 1440p Ultra for 106.5 FPS or 1080p Ultra for 147.9 FPS. The data shows no configuration that fails to meet the 60 FPS standard, making this combo a definitive "yes" for running the game at maximum settings across all standard resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14600K, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, which scores 48698 against the i5's 48618, a negligible -0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, which is 0.3% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, a 0.7% deficit. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, which is 0.8% higher than the i5-14600K. These CPUs would all behave nearly identically to the i5-14600K in Downfall, as their single-thread and multi-thread performance are within 1% of each other, meaning none would alter the game's frame rates in any meaningful way.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, which scores 43262 against the RTX 4070 SUPER's 43223, a -0.1% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile scores 43268, also -0.1%, while the Quadro M6000 scores 43301, a -0.2% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile scores 43667, which is 1.0% higher. All of these GPUs would deliver nearly identical performance in Downfall, with the RTX 4090 Mobile offering a marginal 1% improvement that would translate to roughly 1-3 FPS difference at 4K Ultra, which is imperceptible in practice.

For users considering alternative hardware, swapping the i5-14600K for any of its listed rivals would produce frame rates within 1% of the measured values, meaning the 4K Ultra average of 67.2 FPS would remain above 60 FPS. Similarly, replacing the RTX 4070 SUPER with a Quadro M6000 or RTX 5050 Mobile would yield virtually identical results, as the performance delta is under 0.2%. The RTX 4090 Mobile's 1% advantage could push 4K Ultra to approximately 67.9 FPS, but this difference is within the margin of measurement error and would not change the playability verdict.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best setting that maintains at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 67.2 FPS. This is the most demanding preset available, and the data shows it clears the playable threshold by 7.2 FPS. While High settings at 101.8 FPS would provide a smoother experience, the Ultra preset is confirmed as playable, making it the recommended choice for maximum visual quality at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is also Ultra, averaging 106.5 FPS. This configuration provides a substantial 46.5 FPS buffer above the 60 FPS threshold, making it suitable for both 60Hz and 120Hz displays. The performance headroom at 1440p Ultra is more than sufficient for consistent frame delivery, and the visual quality benefits of Ultra settings are fully realized without compromising playability.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is again the best setting, with an average of 147.9 FPS. This is more than double the playable threshold, allowing for high-refresh-rate gaming on 144Hz monitors. The data shows no reason to reduce settings at 1080p, as even the most demanding preset performs exceptionally well. Across all three resolutions, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice, confirming that this hardware combination has no need for compromise in Downfall.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 606th out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 16.3% of all systems tested. This percentile position is notable given the game's age and the hardware's modern specifications, as many higher-ranked combos likely feature more powerful GPUs or newer CPUs. The rank reflects the system's ability to deliver high frame rates at all resolutions, with the 4K Ultra average of 67.2 FPS being a key contributor to its position.

The ranking data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, with 3110 combos ranking below it. The top 16.3% placement is consistent with the hardware's individual benchmark percentiles: the CPU ranks in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. The combined performance in Downfall is slightly lower than the individual percentiles would suggest, likely due to the game's relatively low requirements, which allow even mid-range hardware to achieve high frame rates, compressing the performance distribution at the top.

The 606th rank out of 3716 combos means that 605 configurations deliver higher average frame rates in Downfall. These are likely systems with higher-tier GPUs such as the RTX 4080 or RTX 4090, or CPUs with better single-thread performance for 1080p Low scenarios. However, the practical difference is minimal, as this combo already exceeds 60 FPS at 4K Ultra, making higher-ranked systems redundant for this title unless targeting extreme refresh rates above 240Hz.