Downfall

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a dominant performance in Downfall, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution tested. The data shows that this system is not merely playable but exceptionally capable, with the most demanding preset at 1080p and 1440p still averaging over 78 FPS. The only compromise occurs at 4K, where the Ultra preset dips below the 60 FPS target, though the High preset remains comfortably smooth.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS or higher is High, which produces an average of 78.2 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short of the playable threshold with an average of 50.9 FPS, making it unsuitable for a fluid experience at this resolution. Medium and Low presets also clear the threshold with averages of 92 FPS and 116.9 FPS, respectively, but High offers the best visual fidelity while remaining well above the target.

At 2560x1440, the system can handle the absolute maximum settings. The Ultra preset achieves an average of 78.8 FPS, which is the best playable option. This is a significant margin over the 60 FPS floor, providing headroom for demanding scenes. The High, Medium, and Low presets are also viable, with averages of 123.8 FPS, 149.3 FPS, and 186.5 FPS, respectively, but Ultra is the clear choice for maximum quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best playable setting, delivering an impressive average of 106.3 FPS. This is nearly double the playable threshold, indicating that the CPU-GPU combination is heavily underutilized at this resolution. The High, Medium, and Low presets produce averages of 171.6 FPS, 209.7 FPS, and 257 FPS, respectively, all of which are vastly above the 60 FPS requirement, making Ultra the only sensible choice for a full visual experience.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear shift in component responsibility as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the GPU is not the primary bottleneck; the frame rates are extraordinarily high across all presets, suggesting that the Intel Core i7-13700K is feeding frames faster than the RTX 3070 can render them, but the ceiling is still very high. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a reduction from 257 FPS to 106.3 FPS, a 59% decrease in performance, which is entirely attributable to the GPU's workload increasing with preset complexity.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to assert its dominance. The frame rate drop from Low to Ultra is from 186.5 FPS to 78.8 FPS, a reduction of 58% . This is nearly identical to the percentage drop at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is still the limiting factor, but the absolute numbers are lower due to the increased pixel count. The CPU's role is diminishing, as evidenced by the fact that even the Low preset cannot exceed 186.5 FPS, whereas at 1080p it reached 257 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the unequivocal bottleneck. The frame rate drop from Low to Ultra is from 116.9 FPS to 50.9 FPS, a 56% reduction, but the absolute values are much lower. The CPU's performance headroom is irrelevant here; the RTX 3070 is struggling to maintain high frame rates at this pixel density. The fact that the Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS while the High preset achieves 78.2 FPS confirms that the GPU's rendering capabilities at 4K are the sole determinant of playability. The data shows that the i7-13700K is never the limiting factor in this game, as even the most demanding CPU benchmark scores are not reflected in frame rate differences across resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160: The Ultra preset averages 50.9 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The High preset significantly improves this to 78.2 FPS, a 54% increase. Medium averages 92 FPS, and Low averages 116.9 FPS. The progression from Ultra to Low shows a consistent increase in performance, with each step down in settings providing a substantial boost to frame rate.

2560x1440: The Ultra preset averages 78.8 FPS, which is just above the playable threshold. High averages 123.8 FPS, a 57% improvement over Ultra. Medium averages 149.3 FPS, and Low averages 186.5 FPS. This resolution offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, as even the Ultra preset maintains a playable frame rate.

1920x1080: The Ultra preset averages 106.3 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. High averages 171.6 FPS, a 61% improvement. Medium averages 209.7 FPS, and Low averages 257 FPS. The frame rates at this resolution are so high that the game is effectively unconstrained by the hardware, with the Low preset approaching the refresh rate limits of most monitors.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the Intel Core i7-13700K, the nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46971 (a -0.2% difference), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, scoring 47022 (a -0.3% difference). This indicates that these three CPUs would deliver virtually identical performance in Downfall. The AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 are also close, scoring 46654 and 46653, respectively, with a 0.5% positive deltaPct, meaning they are slightly faster than the i7-13700K but within a negligible margin. The data shows that any of these CPUs would provide a nearly indistinguishable experience, as the frame rates in this game are primarily GPU-bound.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which has an average score of 17083, a 0.7% difference. This means the RX 7600 XT is essentially equivalent in performance. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 and AMD Radeon HD 7970M also appear as rivals, with scores of 17037 and 17019, respectively, representing 1% and 1.1% differences. These are older or lower-tier cards that would behave similarly in terms of average frame rate, but they may lack modern feature support. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468, a -1.5% difference, meaning it is slightly faster in synthetic benchmarks but is a compute-oriented card not designed for gaming. The data suggests that the RX 7600 XT is the most practical alternative for a gamer, as it would produce nearly identical FPS numbers in Downfall.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Downfall at 4K with Ultra settings?*

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 50.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. You must drop to High settings to achieve a playable average of 78.2 FPS.

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

A: The Ultra preset is playable at 2560x1440, with an average FPS of 78.8. This is the most demanding setting that remains above the 60 FPS threshold, so it is the recommended choice.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to the RX 7600 XT in this game?

A: The RTX 3070 and the RX 7600 XT are nearly identical in performance. The RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, which is a 0.7% difference from the RTX 3070’s score, indicating that frame rates in Downfall would be essentially the same.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 1080p. The frame rates scale from 257 FPS on Low to 106.3 FPS on Ultra, a 59% reduction, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU is not constraining performance at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest playable setting at 4K?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 116.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All presets except Ultra are playable at 4K, with High being the most visually demanding option that still clears the target.

Q: Will the Intel Core i7-13700K hold back the RTX 3070 in this game?

A: No. The data shows that the CPU is never the limiting factor. The i7-13700K has a percentile rank of 89 among all CPUs, and its nearest rivals perform within a 0.5% margin, indicating that any modern high-end CPU would yield the same frame rates in this GPU-bound title.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can absolutely run Downfall. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra averaging 106.3 FPS and Low reaching 257 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets including Ultra are playable, with the highest setting averaging 78.8 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system falls short only on the Ultra preset, which averages 50.9 FPS, but the High preset is playable at 78.2 FPS. The data indicates that the RTX 3070 is the sole bottleneck at 4K, while the i7-13700K provides ample headroom for the game’s demands. For a 60 FPS experience, this combination is a reliable performer across the board, with the only caveat being that 4K Ultra is out of reach. The system ranks 1570 out of 3716 tested combos for this game, placing it in the upper half of configurations, which aligns with its strong measured performance.