Downfall

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a tightly packed performance cluster. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it squarely among several comparable processors. The nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-10305, which scores 2264, a delta of only -0.4% from the i5-9400. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (average score 2259) is essentially tied, with a -0.2% delta. The Intel Core i7-10710U comes in at 2248, a +0.3% delta, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a +0.4% delta. In practical terms, any of these four CPUs would deliver nearly indistinguishable frame rates in Downfall, given that their aggregate benchmark scores fall within a range of less than 1% of each other. The i5-9400's 6 cores and 6 threads, combined with its 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock, put it at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms just under half of the processors in the database.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is a much more dominant component. Its average benchmark score of 43223 places it at the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rivals are all within a narrow band: the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB scores 43262 (-0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile scores 43268 (-0.1% delta), the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 scores 43301 (-0.2% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile scores 43667 (-1% delta). While the RTX 4070 SUPER trails the RTX 4090 Mobile by 1%, the difference between the desktop card and the other three rivals is negligible, under a quarter of a percent. For Downfall, this means users upgrading from any of these near-identical performers would see no meaningful change in frame pacing or raw throughput. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth give it substantial headroom for the horror title's texture-heavy scenes.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data for Downfall reveals a clear pattern: this is a GPU-bound title at every resolution tested. The Intel Core i5-9400, while not a top-tier processor, never becomes the bottleneck. At 1920x1080, where CPU load typically matters most, the frame rates are extraordinarily high across all presets, ranging from 147.8 FPS at Ultra to 270.2 FPS at Low. These numbers suggest the CPU is feeding the GPU more than enough data to maintain high output.

The scaling between resolutions confirms the GPU's dominant role. At 1920x1080 Ultra, the system produces 147.8 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Ultra drops the average to 105.5 FPS, a reduction of roughly 29%. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the frame rate falls to 67 FPS, which is about 55% lower than the 1080p result. This steep decline as pixel count rises is classic GPU-limited behavior. The CPU's performance, by contrast, is largely irrelevant to resolution; it delivers the same instruction throughput regardless of the output resolution.

The preset scaling reinforces this interpretation. At 3840x2160, the gap between Low and Ultra is substantial: 154.6 FPS versus 67 FPS. At 1920x1080, the same preset spread yields 270.2 FPS versus 147.8 FPS. In both cases, the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, and the i5-9400's six threads are sufficient to keep up. For users concerned about CPU bottlenecks in modern titles, the data here shows no such issue for Downfall. The 47th percentile CPU ranking is not a liability in this specific game, as the GPU is the limiting factor across all tested configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 67 FPS. This is a narrow margin above the 60 FPS threshold, but it clears the bar. High settings produce 105.9 FPS, Medium delivers 128.6 FPS, and Low reaches 154.6 FPS. Users wanting the maximum visual fidelity at 4K can choose Ultra without dropping below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 105.5 FPS. This provides a comfortable buffer above 60 FPS, and all lower presets are even faster: High at 166.8 FPS, Medium at 200.6 FPS, and Low at 243.2 FPS. At this resolution, Ultra is the obvious choice for those prioritizing image quality, as the frame rate remains well above the playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, Ultra again is the top choice, delivering 147.8 FPS. High settings yield 231.8 FPS, Medium produces 251.7 FPS, and Low hits 270.2 FPS. The 1080p Ultra result is more than double the 60 FPS threshold, meaning there is ample headroom for future driver updates or additional background tasks. In all three resolutions, the RTX 4070 SUPER paired with the i5-9400 can run Downfall at Ultra settings while staying at or above 60 FPS.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC can run Downfall at every resolution and preset combination tested. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at all three resolutions, with the playable threshold set at 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the worst-case scenario is Ultra at 67 FPS, which clears the threshold by 7 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra produces 105.5 FPS, and at 1920x1080, Ultra delivers 147.8 FPS. There is no configuration in the measured data where the frame rate drops below 60 FPS.

The combination ranks 796th out of 3716 tested combos in the database for this game, placing it in the top 22% of all CPU-GPU pairings. This is a strong result, especially given that the i5-9400 is an end-of-life desktop processor from the Coffee Lake generation. The RTX 4070 SUPER, which sits at the 83rd GPU percentile, is doing most of the performance work. Its 220 W TDP and 12 GB memory capacity are well-suited to the demands of a horror title like Downfall, which appears to favor GPU throughput over CPU multithreading.

For users with a 4K display, the 67 FPS average at Ultra is playable, though the margin is not huge. For 1440p and 1080p displays, the system has substantial headroom, making it a robust choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data does not show any scenario where this PC fails to run the game at playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded averages are as follows: Low settings produce 154.6 FPS, Medium produces 128.6 FPS, High produces 105.9 FPS, and Ultra produces 67 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 87.6 FPS, indicating that preset selection has a major impact on performance at 4K. The Ultra preset, while playable, is significantly more demanding than the others.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 243.2 FPS, Medium at 200.6 FPS, High at 166.8 FPS, and Ultra at 105.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 137.7 FPS. The 1440p results are consistently above 100 FPS even at Ultra, making this resolution the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming.

At 1920x1080, the averages are: Low at 270.2 FPS, Medium at 251.7 FPS, High at 231.8 FPS, and Ultra at 147.8 FPS. The spread here is 122.4 FPS. Notably, the jump from High to Ultra at 1080p is a large one, dropping from 231.8 FPS to 147.8 FPS, a 36% reduction. This suggests the Ultra preset includes effects that disproportionately tax the GPU even at lower resolutions.

The database records no minimum or maximum FPS values for any of these configurations, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates. Across all 12 measured combinations, the lowest average is 67 FPS at 4K Ultra, and the highest is 270.2 FPS at 1080p Low. Every single measurement exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold, and most exceed it by a wide margin.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 67 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: Ultra is the best preset at 1440p, delivering an average of 105.5 FPS. All lower presets also exceed 60 FPS, but Ultra provides the highest visual quality.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259), Intel Core i7-10710U (2248), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246), and Intel Core i3-10305 (2264), all fall within a delta of 0.4% or less.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER significantly faster than the RTX 4090 Mobile?

A: No. The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average score of 43223, while the RTX 4090 Mobile scores 43667, a delta of -1%. The desktop card is slightly slower in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this system in Downfall?

A: The highest average is 270.2 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution does the Ultra preset have the smallest margin above 60 FPS?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 67 FPS, which is only 7 FPS above the playable threshold. This is the smallest margin across all resolutions.