Downfall

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers an exceptional experience in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that is far from demanding by modern standards. Across all three tested resolutions, the combination clears the 60 FPS playability threshold with substantial headroom, even at the highest preset. The data indicates a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the sheer performance of the RTX 4090 ensures that frame rates remain extraordinarily high, making this combo a definitive overachiever for this particular game.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above the 60 FPS threshold is the "Ultra" setting. The measured average frame rates at this setting are as follows:

• 3840x2160 (4K): Ultra at 82 FPS average.
• 2560x1440 (1440p): Ultra at 132 FPS average.
• 1920x1080 (1080p): Ultra at 185 FPS average.

The data shows that this hardware configuration is capable of running the game at its highest visual fidelity at all tested resolutions without dropping below the 60 FPS mark. The margin of safety is considerable; even at 4K, the average frame rate is nearly 37% above the playability threshold, indicating that there is no need to compromise on graphical quality for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

*Q: Can the Intel Core i7-14700F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 run Downfall at 4K with the Ultra preset?*

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset is 82 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: The Ultra preset is playable, with an average frame rate of 132 FPS. This is the highest available preset and it still provides a frame rate more than double the playable threshold.

Q: How does the frame rate scale from 1080p to 4K at the Ultra preset?

A: The average frame rate drops from 185 FPS at 1920x1080 to 132 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 82 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 55% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is there any preset at 1080p that fails to hit 60 FPS?

A: No. All tested presets, including Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, produce average frame rates far exceeding 60 FPS. The lowest average frame rate at 1080p is 185 FPS on the Ultra preset.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates recorded for this configuration?

A: Minimum frame rates were only recorded for the Medium preset. At 1920x1080, the minimum was 307 FPS; at 2560x1440, it was 219 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it was 136 FPS.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Downfall?*

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 109th out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 3% of all configurations tested for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. The following breakdown details the exact average, minimum, and maximum frame rates recorded.

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Ultra: Average 185 FPS.
• High: Average 296 FPS.
• Medium: Average 361 FPS, with a minimum of 307 FPS and a maximum of 416 FPS.
• Low: Average 442 FPS.

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Ultra: Average 132 FPS.
• High: Average 212 FPS.
• Medium: Average 258 FPS, with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS.
• Low: Average 315 FPS.

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Ultra: Average 82 FPS.
• High: Average 132 FPS.
• Medium: Average 161 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 185 FPS.
• Low: Average 196 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: lowering the preset from Ultra to Low yields a substantial performance increase. At 1080p, the jump from Ultra to Low is from 185 FPS to 442 FPS, a 139% increase. At 4K, the same preset change increases average frame rates from 82 FPS to 196 FPS, a 139% improvement as well. This suggests that the performance scaling between presets is uniform across resolutions, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Downfall? The data unequivocally indicates yes, and with extraordinary performance to spare. The verdict by resolution confirms that all settings presets are playable at every tested resolution.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Ultra, delivering an average of 82 FPS. This is a clear pass, as it exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by 22 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 132 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset runs at an average of 185 FPS, providing a buttery-smooth experience. In summary, this combination does not merely run the game; it dominates it, rendering the highest quality settings at frame rates typically reserved for competitive esports titles.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU in this configuration provide a reference point for similar performance. It is important to note that these comparisons are based on aggregate benchmark scores, not direct Downfall measurements.

For the Intel Core i7-14700F, its average benchmark score of 53,620 is closely matched by several other processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X trails by a marginal 0.6%, with a score of 53,288. The AMD EPYC 7313P is 0.8% behind, scoring 53,206. The Intel Xeon 6505P is essentially tied at 53,701, a 0.2% difference. Systems built with these CPUs would likely yield very similar frame rates in Downfall, as the game is not particularly CPU-intensive.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, its average benchmark score of 60,347 is closely aligned with several professional-grade GPUs. The Intel Arc Pro A60 scores 60,326, a 0% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60,140, a 0.3% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is slightly ahead at 61,896, a 2.5% difference. In the context of Downfall, any of these GPUs would likely deliver playable frame rates at high settings, though the RTX 4090's specific architecture and driver optimizations may lead to differing results.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all hardware combinations tested for Downfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 109th out of 3,716 tested combos. This places the configuration in the 97th percentile of all systems tested for this game. The high rank reflects the raw performance of both components, but the data also suggests that the RTX 4090 is the primary driver of this position, given the game's reliance on graphics processing power at higher resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data for Downfall illustrates a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU. The game's performance is heavily dependent on the graphics card, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops when moving from 1080p to 4K. At the Ultra preset, the average FPS falls from 185 at 1080p to 82 at 4K, a 56% reduction. This scaling is a classic sign of GPU limitation, where the rendering workload increases substantially with pixel count.

The role of the Intel Core i7-14700F, which sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, is to ensure that the GPU is never starved of data. At 1080p, where the GPU workload is lighter, the CPU's capability becomes more relevant. However, even here, the frame rates are so high (e.g., 296 FPS on High) that the CPU is clearly not a bottleneck. The differences between presets also point to the GPU's influence. The frame rate delta between Low and Ultra settings is consistent across resolutions, suggesting that the graphics card is scaling the visual workload as intended, while the CPU maintains a steady supply of draw calls and physics calculations. In essence, for Downfall, the RTX 4090 is the performance arbiter, while the i7-14700F provides a robust foundation that does not impede its output.