Downfall

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 presents a striking imbalance in Downfall, a 2016 horror title. The recorded data shows a CPU that ranks in the 89th percentile against all processors, paired with a GPU that sits in the 74th percentile against all graphics cards. This combination produces playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K experience falls short of the 60 FPS threshold across every tested preset. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and how this pairing compares to other tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its strongest results. The Low preset averages 91.9 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this pairing. The Medium preset follows at 75.9 FPS, while High drops to 65 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 40.5 FPS, which is the only 1080p setting that misses the 60 FPS target. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, a 51.4 FPS difference, indicating that the GPU struggles with the most demanding visual effects even at the lowest resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops across the board. Low averages 68.8 FPS, which remains above the playable threshold. Medium averages 52 FPS, High averages 46 FPS, and Ultra averages 27.4 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is steep: Low loses 23.1 FPS, Medium loses 23.9 FPS, High loses 19 FPS, and Ultra loses 13.1 FPS. This suggests that pixel throughput becomes a limiting factor as resolution increases, with the RX 570's 4 GB GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth being taxed heavily.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets reach 60 FPS. Low averages 42.9 FPS, Medium averages 32.6 FPS, High averages 29.1 FPS, and Ultra averages 15.5 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K is even more punishing: Low loses 25.9 FPS, Medium loses 19.4 FPS, High loses 16.9 FPS, and Ultra loses 11.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K produces a nearly unplayable 15.5 FPS, which is less than a quarter of the 60 FPS target. The data shows a clear pattern: higher resolutions amplify the GPU's weaknesses, while the CPU's strength becomes less relevant.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data reveals which component dominates at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 51.4 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is the primary bottleneck even at the lowest settings. The CPU, with 16 cores and 24 threads, has ample headroom for a horror game from 2016. However, the RX 570's 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 32 ROPs limit how many pixels can be processed per frame.

At 1440p, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 25-35% across presets, which aligns with the increase in pixel count. The CPU's performance is less relevant here because the frame rate is already constrained by the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth. The 4 GB VRAM capacity also becomes a factor at higher resolutions, as texture data exceeds the available memory, causing the GPU to fetch data from slower system memory.

At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component. The fact that even the Low preset only reaches 42.9 FPS indicates that the RX 570 cannot sustain the pixel throughput required for 3840x2160. The CPU, despite its high benchmark scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core at 30745, single-core at 2116), cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to render frames fast enough. The data implies that this pairing is CPU-overkill for Downfall, as the i7-13700K would perform similarly with a more powerful GPU, but the RX 570 holds back the entire system.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-13700K bottleneck the AMD Radeon RX 570 in Downfall?

A: No, the data shows the opposite. The CPU's benchmark scores are far higher than what Downfall requires. The GPU is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the large FPS drops when moving from Low to Ultra settings at any resolution.

Q: Can this system run Downfall at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: No, the recorded data shows that no preset at 3840x2160 reaches 60 FPS. The best result is Low at 42.9 FPS, which is still 17.1 FPS short of the target.

Q: What is the best setting for 1080p gameplay?

A: High is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 65 FPS. Ultra falls to 40.5 FPS, so High provides the best visual quality without dropping below the playable threshold.

Q: How much faster is Low compared to Ultra at 1440p?

A: Low averages 68.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 27.4 FPS. This is a 41.4 FPS difference, meaning Low is roughly 2.5 times faster than Ultra in terms of frame rate.

Q: Is the 4 GB VRAM on the RX 570 sufficient for this game?

A: The data suggests it is insufficient at 4K, where even Low settings produce only 42.9 FPS. At 1440p, Low reaches 68.8 FPS, indicating that 4 GB is usable but limits texture quality at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the CPU's 89th percentile ranking help in this game?

A: The CPU's high ranking does not translate to better FPS because the GPU is the bottleneck. The i7-13700K's multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core at 30745) is wasted in Downfall, which is not CPU-intensive.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 3509 out of 3716 tested combos in the database. This places it in the bottom 5.6% of all configurations for Downfall. The low ranking is primarily due to the RX 570's age and performance class, as the GPU's average benchmark score is 28766, which is modest compared to modern cards. The CPU, despite its strong scores, cannot lift the overall ranking because the game's frame rate is determined by the GPU.

The percentile data confirms this: the CPU is in the 89th percentile, while the GPU is in the 74th percentile. When combined, the weaker component dictates the experience. The rank of 3509 suggests that most other tested combos, even those with less powerful CPUs, outperform this pairing because they include more capable GPUs. This is a case where the CPU investment does not yield proportional gaming returns.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has an average score of 46971, which is 0.2% lower than the i7-13700K's average of 46881. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, 0.3% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654, 0.5% higher. These CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Downfall when paired with the RX 570, since the GPU remains the bottleneck.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M has an average score of 28874, which is 0.4% higher than the RX 570. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 28580, 0.7% lower, while the AMD Radeon RX 470 scores 28996, 0.8% higher. The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 scores 28421, 1.2% lower. These GPUs would perform similarly in Downfall, meaning users with any of these alternatives would see comparable FPS numbers. The RX 470 is particularly close, as it shares the same Polaris architecture and similar specifications.

The Verdict

The recorded verdict states that this PC can run Downfall at 1080p and 1440p, but not at 4K. At 1920x1080, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best at 65 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low is playable, averaging 68.8 FPS. At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings, as the highest average FPS is 42.9 on Low.

The system clears the 60 FPS threshold at 1080p for three presets and at 1440p for one preset. The Ultra preset is not playable at any resolution, which limits visual fidelity for users who want maximum effects. For a horror game, the 65 FPS at 1080p High is acceptable, but the inability to run Ultra means missing out on the game's intended visual atmosphere. At 1440p, the user must accept Low settings to maintain smooth gameplay, which may reduce the immersive quality of the horror experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 65 FPS. The data shows that Medium runs at 75.9 FPS and Low at 91.9 FPS, but High offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, staying 5 FPS above the threshold.

At 2560x1440, the only preset that clears 60 FPS is Low, averaging 68.8 FPS. Medium drops to 52 FPS, so users must choose Low to maintain smooth gameplay. This is a significant compromise, but it is the only way to achieve playable frame rates at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS, so there is no recommended setting. The closest option is Low at 42.9 FPS, but this falls well short of the playable threshold. Users with 4K displays would need to lower the resolution or upgrade the GPU to achieve acceptable performance. The data does not provide a best setting for 4K because none are viable.