Downfall

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers exceptional performance in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that is clearly not demanding by modern standards. Measured data shows this combination produces triple-digit average frame rates at every resolution and preset tested, from 85 FPS at 4K Ultra to 457.4 FPS at 1080p Low. The benchmark results indicate that this hardware combination utterly overwhelms the game’s engine, leaving no scenario where the frame rate dips below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and ranking information from the FACT PACK.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the average frame rates scale predictably with preset quality. The Low preset yields an average of 202.9 FPS, while Medium drops to 169.8 FPS. High settings produce 136.9 FPS average, and the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding configuration, still maintains a robust 85 FPS average. Notably, the data does not include minimum or maximum FPS values for any resolution, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance headroom expands significantly. The Low preset achieves 329.7 FPS average, followed by Medium at 269.2 FPS. High settings deliver 216.5 FPS average, and Ultra remains well above the playability threshold at 136.6 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p shows a consistent improvement across all presets, with the most substantial gains occurring at the lower quality settings.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the frame rates become exceptionally high, reflecting the CPU and GPU’s ability to push the game to its limits. Low settings produce 457.4 FPS average, Medium reaches 374.7 FPS, and High delivers 306.4 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 194.4 FPS, which is higher than the 4K High average, demonstrating how resolution scaling affects workload distribution. Across all resolutions, the gap between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution decreases, suggesting the GPU becomes less of a bottleneck at lower pixel counts.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 85 FPS. This is comfortably above the playable threshold, leaving significant headroom for potential frame rate drops. The data shows that even the highest quality settings at 4K cannot push this combination below playable levels.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 136.6 FPS. This represents a 60.7% improvement over the 4K Ultra result, indicating that the GPU has ample resources to handle the reduced pixel workload while maintaining maximum visual quality.

For 1920x1080, the best settings are again Ultra, averaging 194.4 FPS. This is more than three times the playable threshold, making it the most responsive configuration of the three resolutions tested. In all cases, the verdictByResolution data confirms that every preset at every resolution clears 60 FPS, so the "best" setting is simply the highest quality option available.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals the relative importance of the CPU and GPU in Downfall. At 4K, the workload is heavily GPU-bound, as evidenced by the 136.9 FPS at High settings compared to 216.5 FPS at 1440p High — a 58.1% increase when pixel count drops by roughly 44%. This disproportionate scaling indicates that the RTX 5090’s rendering capabilities are the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

At 1080p, the frame rates become extraordinarily high, with Low settings reaching 457.4 FPS. This suggests the CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, begins to play a more significant role in maintaining frame throughput. The i7-14700K’s single-threaded performance, reflected in a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160, is sufficient to feed the GPU at these extreme frame rates. However, the game’s 2016 release date means it likely does not utilize the CPU’s multi-threading capabilities extensively, so the high core count is less impactful than raw single-core speed.

The transition from 4K to 1440p shows the GPU’s dominance, while the 1440p to 1080p transition reveals diminishing returns as the CPU becomes a more noticeable factor. For instance, 4K Low (202.9 FPS) to 1440p Low (329.7 FPS) is a 62.5% gain, but 1440p Low (329.7 FPS) to 1080p Low (457.4 FPS) is only a 38.7% gain. This pattern indicates that the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls and manage game logic becomes a limiting factor at extremely high frame rates, though it never causes the frame rate to drop below playable levels.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination ranks 48th out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall, placing it in the top 1.3% of all configurations. This high ranking is consistent with the measured FPS results, which show the hardware delivering frame rates well above what the game requires. The combo’s percentile ranking for the CPU alone is 94th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, indicating both components are near the top of their respective performance hierarchies.

The rank of 48 suggests there are a handful of other combinations that achieve even higher frame rates, likely involving newer or more specialized hardware. However, the data does not specify which combos rank higher, so the analysis can only state that this configuration is among the elite performers in the database. Given that the game is from 2016, the rank reflects how modern high-end hardware handles a legacy title rather than the game’s ability to stress current components.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 457.4, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

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

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 85, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: It ranks 48th out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 1.3% of all configurations.

Q: What is the average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 269.2.

Q: Is there any resolution or preset where the frame rate drops below 60 FPS?

A: No, the data shows all presets at all three resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 4K) stay at or above 85 FPS average, well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Which component is more critical at 4K resolution?

A: The GPU is more critical at 4K, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops when moving from 1440p to 4K, while the CPU’s role becomes more apparent at 1080p where frame rates exceed 300 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Downfall at maximum settings across all tested resolutions. The verdictByResolution data confirms that every preset at every resolution clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, Ultra settings average 85 FPS, providing a smooth experience with headroom for demanding scenes. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 136.6 FPS, offering a highly responsive experience. At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 194.4 FPS, which is more than triple the playable threshold and ideal for high refresh rate displays. The lowest average FPS recorded across all configurations is 85 at 4K Ultra, meaning there is no scenario where the game becomes unplayable. The hardware is massively overqualified for this title, delivering performance that is likely limited by the game engine’s own frame rate caps or CPU single-thread performance rather than the GPU.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the Intel Core i7-14700K, the nearest rival based on average benchmark score is the AMD EPYC 9115, which scores 0.1% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 0.2% lower, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.7% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is 0.9% lower. These CPUs would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Downfall, as the game’s requirements are far below what any of these processors can deliver.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (0.3% higher score), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.1% higher), and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (1.4% lower). While these GPUs have very similar average benchmark scores, their actual gaming performance may vary due to driver optimizations and architectural differences. However, based on the benchmark data alone, swapping the RTX 5090 for any of these alternatives would result in negligible performance differences in Downfall, as the game’s modest graphics demands mean even significantly weaker GPUs would likely maintain high frame rates. The data indicates that this CPU and GPU combination is so far above the game’s requirements that any of these near-identical alternatives would provide a similarly exceptional experience.