Downfall

Best Settings per Resolution

The recorded data for this Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 pairing shows clear performance boundaries across the three tested resolutions. The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and the goal is to find the most demanding preset that stays at or above that mark.

At 1920x1080, this system has headroom to spare. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 69.1 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin. This is the most demanding setting that remains playable, and it is the recommended choice for full HD gaming. The Medium preset runs at 129.6 FPS, High at 106.2 FPS, and Low at 153.5 FPS, but since Ultra already holds above 60 FPS, there is no reason to drop below it for smoother motion unless a user prioritizes very high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. The High preset averages 75.5 FPS, which is playable, but the Ultra preset falls to 46.7 FPS, well below the threshold. The Medium preset runs at 92.4 FPS and Low at 114.4 FPS, so the system can handle this resolution comfortably, but only up to High settings. The data indicates that High is the best choice here: it is the most visually demanding preset that still stays at or above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles with higher presets. The Low preset averages 69.5 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset drops to 56.7 FPS, just under the 60 FPS line, and High falls to 45.2 FPS. Ultra is not viable at 27.3 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only option that clears the threshold, and it does so at 69.5 FPS. Users who want higher visual quality at 4K will need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS, as the data shows no other playable preset at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal how the balance of work shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary bottleneck for this game. The frame rates are high across all presets, ranging from 69.1 FPS at Ultra to 153.5 FPS at Low, which indicates that the GTX 1070 is being pushed hard while the CPU has enough headroom to feed it. The scaling from Low to Ultra is steep, dropping from 153.5 FPS to 69.1 FPS, a pattern typical of GPU-bound scenarios where increasing pixel work and shader complexity directly reduces output.

At 2560x1440, the GPU load increases further, but the CPU still provides sufficient support. The frame rates scale from 114.4 FPS at Low down to 46.7 FPS at Ultra. The drop from Medium at 92.4 FPS to High at 75.5 FPS, and then to Ultra at 46.7 FPS, shows that the GTX 1070 is the limiting factor as the resolution and preset demands grow. The CPU does not appear to constrain performance here, as even the Low preset reaches 114.4 FPS, a level that would expose a weak processor.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the dominant component. The frame rates compress into a narrow band at the lower end: Low at 69.5 FPS, Medium at 56.7 FPS, High at 45.2 FPS, and Ultra at 27.3 FPS. The massive pixel count at 4K puts nearly all the strain on the GTX 1070, and the i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, has ample capacity to keep up. The data shows that the CPU's role diminishes as resolution rises, which is expected for a horror game that relies more on GPU rendering than complex CPU-side simulation.

Comparing the scaling between resolutions reinforces this picture. At 1080p Low, the system hits 153.5 FPS; at 1440p Low, it drops to 114.4 FPS; at 4K Low, it falls to 69.5 FPS. This consistent decline with increasing resolution is a hallmark of GPU-bound performance. The CPU, which scores 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database, is not a weak part, but it is also not the star here. The GTX 1070, at 47th percentile among all GPUs, carries the main load, and users should expect to adjust settings rather than upgrade the processor if they want higher frame rates at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Downfall at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 69.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the best setting for full HD.

Q: What is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 averages 75.5 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 46.7 FPS, so High is the most demanding playable option at this resolution.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings. The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 69.5 FPS, while Medium falls to 56.7 FPS, High to 45.2 FPS, and Ultra to 27.3 FPS. Low is the sole preset that clears 60 FPS.

Q: How much slower is Ultra compared to Low at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 27.3 FPS, which is 42.2 FPS lower than the Low preset's 69.5 FPS. The gap is significant and reflects the GPU's limits under heavy load.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU matter more for this game?

A: The GPU dominates at all resolutions. Frame rates scale consistently with resolution and preset changes, indicating the GTX 1070 is the bottleneck. The i5-9400 provides enough compute headroom, as even 4K Low reaches 69.5 FPS.

Q: What if I want to play at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: The data shows this is not playable. The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 46.7 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold. Users would need to accept High settings for a playable experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this specific CPU and GPU pairing, the database identifies nearby hardware that would behave similarly based on average benchmark scores.

On the CPU side, the Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. The closest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 and is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i3-10305, scoring 2264 with a 0.4% faster margin. On the slower side, the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, just 0.3% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% behind. These deltas are tiny, meaning any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Downfall. A user moving from the i5-9400 to one of these alternatives would see no meaningful frame rate change in this game, since the GPU is the limiting factor.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 9780. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000, which scores 9803 and is 0.2% faster, and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, scoring 9832 with a 0.5% faster margin. The NVIDIA Tesla M10 scores 9724, 0.6% slower, and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 scores 9716, 0.7% slower. These are all within a narrow band, so swapping the GTX 1070 for any of these would yield similar frame rates. However, note that some of these are professional or workstation cards, which may have different driver support or cooling requirements, but the raw compute scores suggest comparable gaming performance at the settings tested.

The practical takeaway is that this system sits in a cluster of hardware with very similar capabilities. Neither the CPU nor the GPU has a standout advantage over its nearest rivals, so the measured FPS values for Downfall would be nearly identical if any of these alternatives were substituted in.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database, this combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is ranked 3072 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. That places it in the lower third of all systems measured, which is consistent with the hardware's age and mid-range positioning. The CPU and GPU both sit at the 47th percentile among their respective categories, so the pairing is balanced but not exceptional.

The rank reflects that many other tested combos deliver higher frame rates in this game, likely due to more powerful GPUs or newer processors. However, the rank does not tell the full story. The actual measured performance shows that this combo is perfectly playable at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings, and even 4K is possible at Low. A rank in the lower third does not mean the system is unusable; it means that among the wide range of hardware in the database, this combo is outclassed by a majority of others, but it still meets the 60 FPS threshold at several resolution and preset combinations.

For context, a combo ranked near the top of the list would likely hold 60 FPS at Ultra across all resolutions, while this system only achieves that at 1080p Ultra and 1440p High. The gap between the 3072nd and higher-ranked combos is mostly in GPU headroom, which is why the GTX 1070's age shows at 4K and at higher presets.

The Verdict

The question is straightforward: can this PC run Downfall? Based on the recorded measurements, the answer is yes, but with caveats depending on the target resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable. The Ultra preset averages 69.1 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold, and lower presets run even faster. This is the sweet spot for this hardware, and users can enjoy the game at maximum settings without concern.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable, but only up to High settings. The High preset averages 75.5 FPS, giving a smooth experience. The Ultra preset falls to 46.7 FPS, so users must choose between higher visual quality and a frame rate below the playable line. For most players, High is the right call, as it balances fidelity and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the system barely qualifies as playable. The Low preset averages 69.5 FPS, which is above 60 FPS, but every higher preset drops below the threshold, with Medium at 56.7 FPS, High at 45.2 FPS, and Ultra at 27.3 FPS. Users who insist on 4K will have to run the game at Low settings and accept the visual downgrade.

Overall, this Intel Core i5-9400 and GTX 1070 pairing is a capable mid-range setup for Downfall, a 2016 horror title that does not demand extreme hardware. The data shows that the GPU is the main constraint, and the CPU keeps up without issue. For a smooth experience, stick to 1080p Ultra or 1440p High. If 4K is a priority, Low settings are the only playable option. This system will run the game, but it rewards users who adjust their expectations to match the hardware's limits.