Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is an exceptionally powerful combination for running Downfall, a horror title from 2016. Benchmark data shows this system delivers far more performance than the game demands, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and preset tested, including 4K Ultra at 72.2 FPS. The measured results indicate a system with massive headroom, making it a top-tier choice for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset this combo can run at 4K while staying above 60 FPS?

A: The system achieves 120.7 FPS on High, 146.2 FPS on Medium, 174.5 FPS on Low, and 72.2 FPS on Ultra at 3840x2160 resolution. All settings remain above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Ultra being the most demanding preset that still qualifies.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618, placing it at the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, scores 48698, which is only 0.2% higher. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, which is 0.3% lower, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, putting it 0.8% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, which is 0.7% behind.

Q: What is the GPU's performance ranking relative to other graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54209. Its nearest rival is the standard RTX 4080, which scores 54247, a negligible 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.7% higher), and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (2.8% higher).

Q: Which component is more critical for achieving high frame rates in Downfall?

A: Given that the GPU is operating at the 86th percentile and the CPU at the 90th percentile, the data suggests the CPU has slightly more headroom relative to its peers. However, at lower resolutions like 1080p, the frame rates scale dramatically (up to 396.3 FPS on Low), indicating the GPU is still the primary driver of performance, with the CPU providing ample support.

Q: Does this system support modern graphics APIs that might affect Downfall?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Since Downfall was released in 2016, it likely relies on older APIs, but the GPU's backward compatibility and raw power ensure it handles the game without issue, as evidenced by the high frame rates across all settings.

Q: How much memory does the GPU have, and does it matter for this game?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER comes with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. For a 2016 horror game like Downfall, this capacity is far beyond what is required, ensuring no texture or asset loading bottlenecks even at 4K Ultra settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 72.2 FPS. This is the highest visual quality available, and the system still maintains a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. Lower presets provide additional headroom: High runs at 120.7 FPS, Medium at 146.2 FPS, and Low at 174.5 FPS. For players prioritizing maximum fidelity, Ultra is the clear choice, as it remains well above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the Ultra preset again offers the best balance of quality and performance, achieving 116.8 FPS on average. This is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, providing smooth gameplay with all visual effects enabled. High settings reach 188.2 FPS, Medium hits 232.2 FPS, and Low peaks at 282.8 FPS. The data indicates that even at 1440p, this combination has substantial spare capacity, making Ultra the recommended setting without any performance concerns.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the Ultra preset delivers 169.5 FPS, far exceeding the 60 FPS requirement. High settings run at 270.1 FPS, Medium at 325 FPS, and Low at 396.3 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system is heavily GPU-bound even at the highest preset, with no risk of dropping below playable levels. Ultra is the optimal choice for this resolution, offering the full visual experience at a frame rate that exceeds most high-refresh-rate monitors.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14600K performs nearly identically to several other processors. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H has an average score of 48698, which is just 0.2% higher, making it a direct alternative in terms of compute performance. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a 0.3% deficit, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, a 0.8% advantage. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, 0.7% lower. These rivals would deliver essentially the same frame rates in Downfall, as the game is not CPU-limited at any resolution tested. The 14-core, 20-thread configuration of the i5-14600K, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, ensures that any of these alternatives would provide comparable gaming performance.

For the GPU, the RTX 4080 SUPER's closest competitor is the standard RTX 4080, which scores 54247, only 0.1% higher. This means users with an RTX 4080 would see virtually identical frame rates in Downfall. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.7% higher), and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (2.8% higher). Despite these slightly higher benchmark scores, the differences are minimal in real-world gaming, especially in a title like Downfall where the RTX 4080 SUPER already achieves 72.2 FPS at 4K Ultra. Any of these GPUs would likely maintain similar performance, though the RTX 4080 remains the closest match.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows that this PC can run Downfall exceptionally well. Across all three resolutions tested, the system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every preset, including the most demanding Ultra settings. At 3840x2160, the verdict is definitive: Ultra settings run at 72.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target, and all other presets (High at 120.7 FPS, Medium at 146.2 FPS, Low at 174.5 FPS) provide even higher performance. This means 4K gaming is fully viable with maximum visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the system delivers 116.8 FPS on Ultra, more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. The other presets range from 188.2 FPS (High) to 282.8 FPS (Low), indicating that even the most demanding settings leave significant performance headroom. At 1920x1080, Ultra runs at 169.5 FPS, with High at 270.1 FPS, Medium at 325 FPS, and Low at 396.3 FPS. These results confirm that the combination is not just playable but overpowered for Downfall, which was released in 2016 and does not stress modern hardware.

The verdict across all resolutions is that this system can run Downfall at Ultra settings with frame rates well above 60 FPS. The lowest measured average is 72.2 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still exceeds the playable threshold by a margin of 20%. There are no scenarios in the data where the system falls below 60 FPS, making it a top-tier performer for this game.

CPU and GPU Roles

Analyzing the scaling between resolutions and presets reveals the division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Downfall. At 1080p, the system achieves extremely high frame rates, ranging from 169.5 FPS (Ultra) to 396.3 FPS (Low). The jump from Low to Ultra reduces performance by approximately 57%, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames at these high rates. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking among all processors supports this interpretation, as it is unlikely to limit performance in a 2016 title.

At 1440p, frame rates scale down proportionally: Ultra drops to 116.8 FPS (31% lower than 1080p Ultra), and Low drops to 282.8 FPS (29% lower than 1080p Low). This consistent reduction across presets suggests that the GPU is still the dominant factor, with the CPU maintaining its role as a capable partner. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 16 GB of memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth provide ample resources for higher resolutions, but the increasing pixel count naturally taxes the GPU more heavily.

At 4K, the GPU's role becomes even more pronounced. Ultra settings yield 72.2 FPS, which is 57% lower than 1440p Ultra, while Low settings yield 174.5 FPS, 38% lower than 1440p Low. The larger performance drop at Ultra (57%) compared to Low (38%) indicates that the GPU is heavily stressed by the combination of high resolution and high preset, while the CPU remains relatively underutilized. This pattern is typical for a horror game from 2016, which has modest CPU requirements compared to modern titles.

The data confirms that the GPU matters more than the CPU for Downfall at all resolutions. The CPU's 90th percentile score and the GPU's 86th percentile score both indicate high-end components, but the frame rate scaling tracks the GPU's workload. At 1080p, the system is GPU-bound even at Low settings (396.3 FPS), and at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor at Ultra (72.2 FPS). The CPU, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, provides more than enough processing power for this game, ensuring that it never becomes the bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this combination of Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 278th out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the top 7.5% of all systems tested, which is an outstanding result. The rank reflects the high frame rates measured across all resolutions and presets, with the system consistently exceeding the 60 FPS playable threshold. The 278th position out of 3716 indicates that only a small fraction of tested systems outperform this combo, and many of those likely feature even more powerful components.

The combo's ranking is particularly impressive given that the GPU is at the 86th percentile and the CPU at the 90th percentile among their respective categories. This suggests that the pairing is well-balanced for gaming, with neither component dragging down the other's performance. The 4K Ultra result of 72.2 FPS is a key contributor to the high rank, as many systems struggle to maintain playable frame rates at this resolution and preset combination. The fact that this combo achieves it with a 20% margin above the 60 FPS threshold demonstrates its strength.

Compared to the 3716 total combos, being ranked 278th means this system outperforms approximately 3438 other configurations. The data shows no weak points in the measured FPS, with even the lowest result (72.2 FPS at 4K Ultra) staying comfortably above the playable threshold. This consistency across all 12 tested scenarios (3 resolutions x 4 presets) solidifies the combo's position in the upper echelon of the database. For a game like Downfall, which is not particularly demanding by modern standards, this high-end pairing delivers an exceptional experience, justifying its top-tier ranking.