Downfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 is an older, end-of-life combination that still appears in many existing systems. For a horror title like Downfall, the data shows this combo is strictly limited to 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being entirely off the table. The recorded measurements reveal a system that can handle the game at playable framerates, provided the resolution and settings are managed carefully.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database contains measured FPS data for this specific CPU and GPU combination across three resolutions and four settings presets. The data shows a clear progression of performance as resolution and graphical load increase.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 92. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS recorded. High settings produce an average of 62 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only one at this resolution that falls below the playable threshold, with an average of 39 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance takes a noticeable hit. Low settings still manage an average of 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings drop to an average of 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. High settings average 44 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 28 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the combo is not playable at any preset. Low settings produce an average of 41 FPS, Medium drops to 33 FPS with a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 38 FPS, High averages 27 FPS, and Ultra averages just 17 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The data indicates that the gap between Low and Ultra presets is substantial. At 1080p, the difference between Low (92 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) is 53 FPS. At 1440p, the difference is 38 FPS (66 vs 28). At 4K, the difference is 24 FPS (41 vs 17). The scaling shows that the Ultra preset is extremely demanding on this hardware, effectively halving or worse the framerate compared to Low settings at every resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the primary performance limiter for this game, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth become stressed as resolution increases, which explains the sharp framerate drops seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K.

The Intel Core i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, provides adequate processing power for this title. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1389, suggest it is not the bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 92 FPS, which is likely near the GPU's maximum output in this scenario.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this interpretation. At 1080p, the GPU can still push high framerates, with Low settings hitting 92 FPS and Medium hitting 75 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU load increases significantly, and the average FPS drops by roughly 28% for Low settings (from 92 to 66). At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, and even Low settings only manage 41 FPS.

The settings presets also tell a story about GPU vs CPU load. The Ultra preset at any resolution causes a catastrophic framerate drop, which points to the GPU's shading units (2048) and texture units (128) being insufficient for the higher fidelity effects. The CPU's role becomes more prominent at lower resolutions and settings, where it can feed the GPU fast enough to maintain 92 FPS at 1080p Low.

For this game, the data suggests that the RX 570 is the component to upgrade first if a user wants better performance. The i5-9400 has enough headroom to support a more powerful GPU, as evidenced by its ability to maintain high framerates at 1080p where the GPU is the limiting factor.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals in the database, several other CPUs and GPUs would behave similarly to this combo in Downfall.

On the CPU side, the Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (average score 2259, 0.2% slower), the Intel Core i7-10710U (average score 2248, 0.3% faster), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (average score 2246, 0.4% faster), and the Intel Core i3-10305 (average score 2264, 0.4% slower). These CPUs are all within a fraction of a percent of the i5-9400's performance, so a system with any of these processors would produce nearly identical framerates in Downfall when paired with the RX 570.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 570 has an average benchmark score of 28766. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (average score 28874, 0.4% slower), the AMD Radeon R9 M295X (average score 28580, 0.7% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 470 (average score 28996, 0.8% slower), and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 (average score 28421, 1.2% faster). The RX 470 is essentially the same GPU as the RX 570 in terms of performance, so users with that card should see nearly identical results. The R9 M295X and Quadro RTX 8000 are also close enough that the measured FPS would be within a couple of frames.

The data shows that this combo sits in the 47th percentile for CPUs and the 74th percentile for GPUs. This means the GPU is relatively stronger than the CPU when compared to all other tested hardware, which reinforces the conclusion that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Downfall at 1080p?

A: Yes. The data shows playable framerates at Low (92 FPS), Medium (75 FPS), and High (62 FPS) settings. Ultra settings drop to 39 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

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

A: Low settings is the only playable option at 2560x1440, with an average of 66 FPS. Medium settings drop to 54 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS recorded is 41 FPS on Low settings. All other presets are lower, with Ultra averaging just 17 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 570 compare to the RX 470 for this game?

A: The RX 470 has an average benchmark score of 28996, which is 0.8% higher than the RX 570's score of 28766. In practical terms, both cards would produce nearly identical framerates in Downfall.

Q: Is the i5-9400 holding back the RX 570?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. The i5-9400's nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its performance, and the sharp framerate drops at higher resolutions point to the GPU being the limiting factor.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 28 FPS at 4K Medium settings. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 46 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 64 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 plus AMD Radeon RX 570 combination ranks 3547 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested systems, which reflects its age and limited performance in this horror title.

The low ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data. The combo can only achieve playable framerates at 1080p and 1440p Low settings, and it cannot handle 4K at all. The GPU's 74th percentile ranking among all GPUs might suggest decent relative performance, but the CPU's 47th percentile ranking and the overall age of both components contribute to the poor combined showing.

Users with this hardware should understand that it is near the bottom of the performance spectrum for modern games. The ranking indicates that most other tested combinations will outperform this one, and the only way to improve the experience would be to upgrade either the CPU or GPU. Given that the GPU is the limiting factor, upgrading to a more powerful graphics card would yield the largest improvement in Downfall.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database provides clear guidance on the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is High, with an average FPS of 62. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 75 FPS and Low settings average 92 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while still maintaining playability. Ultra settings are not playable at this resolution, averaging 39 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Low, with an average FPS of 66. This is the only preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 54 FPS, High averages 44 FPS, and Ultra averages 28 FPS, all of which fall short of the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, there is no playable setting. The highest average FPS is 41 on Low settings, which is well below the 60 FPS threshold. Users with this combo should avoid 4K resolution for Downfall entirely.

For the best experience, the data recommends playing at 1080p with High settings, which balances visual quality with a 62 FPS average. Those who prefer smoother framerates can drop to Medium for 75 FPS or Low for 92 FPS. At 1440p, Low settings at 66 FPS is the only viable option, and it will require some visual compromises. This hardware is not suitable for 4K gaming in Downfall, and users should stick to lower resolutions to maintain playable performance.