Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a playable experience in Downfall across most resolution and settings combinations, but the data reveals a clear ceiling at 4K. The benchmark results show this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, remains highly capable at 1440p, and requires a settings compromise to maintain smooth frame rates at 2160p. The measured frame rates, which are based on actual testing rather than estimates, provide a clear picture of what this hardware can achieve in this horror title.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 77 FPS. This is the maximum quality option available, and the frame rate comfortably exceeds the playable threshold, leaving headroom for demanding scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the most demanding playable preset is High, producing an average of 88 FPS. While Ultra settings at this resolution drop to 55 FPS—below the 60 FPS threshold—High settings provide a substantial margin above it, making this the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the situation tightens considerably. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which averages 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS. High settings at 4K fall to 55 FPS on average, which technically misses the playable threshold, while Ultra drops to 34 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 34 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable preset at 4K is Medium, averaging 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS.

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

A: For 2560x1440, High settings deliver an average of 88 FPS and are the most demanding preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra at this resolution averages 55 FPS, so it is not recommended for consistent smoothness.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 77 FPS, which comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes it possible to run the game at maximum quality with a solid frame rate.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580's performance comparable to older or higher-tier GPUs?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the Arc B580 (score 23021) is very close to the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (score 23061, delta -0.2%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895, delta 0.6%). It also sits near the RTX 3080 (score 23172, delta -0.7%), indicating a wide range of similarly-performing hardware.

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

A: The only settings preset with a recorded minimum FPS is Medium. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 57 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 92 FPS; and at 1920x1080, it is 128 FPS. Other presets did not have minimum values reported.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 2802 out of 3716 tested combinations for this game, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This ranking reflects its overall performance across all resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the Intel Arc B580 ranks 2802 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, which places it roughly in the 75th percentile of all configurations—meaning about a quarter of tested systems perform worse, while the majority perform better. This ranking is driven primarily by the GPU's mid-tier standing; the Arc B580's percentile vs all GPUs is 68, indicating it outperforms roughly two-thirds of the graphics cards in the database.

The CPU, however, is a stronger component. The Core Ultra 5 235 has a percentile vs all CPUs of 89, putting it in the top 11% of processors tested. In the context of Downfall, a horror game that likely relies more on GPU throughput than multi-threaded CPU performance, this CPU advantage helps ensure the GPU remains the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The data supports this interpretation: at 1080p, the frame rates scale dramatically with settings (from 185 FPS on Low to 77 FPS on Ultra), while at 4K, the drop from Medium to High is a steep 12 FPS decline (from 67 FPS to 55 FPS), suggesting the GPU is saturating at the higher pixel count.

The rank of 2802 also reflects the fact that many combos in the database likely feature higher-tier GPUs paired with similar or better CPUs. Given that the Arc B580's nearest rivals include the RTX 2080 and RTX 3080—both older or higher-tier cards—the performance envelope here is competitive with hardware that was once considered high-end, but the absolute frame rates in Downfall show it lacks the headroom for 4K Ultra.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are a mixed group of mobile and server parts. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46030 (delta 0.1%), the Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098 (delta -0.1%), the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 45970 (delta 0.2%), and the AMD EPYC 7303 scores 45960 (delta 0.2%). All four are within a fraction of a percent of the Core Ultra 5 235's 46062 average, meaning they would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Downfall. The i9-13900HX, despite being a laptop processor, would behave equivalently in this game's CPU demands, while the EPYC parts, designed for servers, show that the game does not require top-tier desktop silicon.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580 (avg score 23021) is closely matched by the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (score 23061, delta -0.2%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895, delta 0.6%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (score 23172, delta -0.7%), and the NVIDIA P106-100 (score 23249, delta -1%). The most notable comparison is with the RTX 3080, which is a much higher-tier card historically but scores nearly identically in aggregate benchmarks—suggesting that in Downfall, the Arc B580 would produce frame rates within a few percentage points of the RTX 3080. The RX 580 2048SP, an older budget card, is also within 0.2%, meaning it would deliver nearly the same performance at each resolution and settings preset, albeit without the Arc's modern feature set.

For users considering alternatives, swapping the CPU for any of the listed rivals would have virtually no impact on Downfall frame rates, as all are within 0.2% in average score. Swapping the GPU for an RTX 2080 or RTX 3080 would also yield nearly identical results—the delta of 0.6% and -0.7%, respectively, translates to less than one frame per second in most tested scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a wide range of performance across presets. Low settings deliver an average of 185 FPS, Medium averages 151 FPS (min 128, max 174), High averages 124 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 58% reduction in frame rate, which is typical for a GPU-bound title. All presets at this resolution clear the 60 FPS threshold by a substantial margin, with even the lowest minimum (Medium's 128 FPS) far exceeding it.

At 2560x1440, the results scale down predictably. Low settings average 132 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS (min 92, max 124), High averages 88 FPS, and Ultra drops to 55 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is a 33 FPS loss, which crosses the playable threshold. This indicates that the Arc B580's compute resources are strained by the combination of higher pixel count and maximum quality settings, but it still offers strong performance at High.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates compress significantly. Low averages 82 FPS, Medium averages 67 FPS (min 57, max 77), High averages 55 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The minimum of 57 FPS on Medium is notable—it dips just below the 60 FPS threshold, meaning there may be brief stutters during intense scenes. High and Ultra are clearly not viable for smooth play, with averages 5 FPS and 26 FPS below the threshold, respectively.

The data also reveals that the gap between Low and Medium is relatively small at each resolution (roughly 15-20 FPS), while the gap between High and Ultra is much larger (roughly 47 FPS at 1080p, 33 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K). This suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load, likely due to advanced effects that are disproportionately expensive on this GPU.

The Verdict

This PC can run Downfall at playable frame rates across all three tested resolutions, but with important caveats at the highest settings. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra delivering 77 FPS—the best visual quality while still exceeding the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High providing the best experience at 88 FPS; Ultra is not recommended as it falls to 55 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium are playable, with Medium being the best choice at 67 FPS, though users should be aware that the minimum dips to 57 FPS.

In practical terms, this combo is a strong 1080p and 1440p performer for Downfall, capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at lower presets and smooth 60+ FPS at high quality on 1440p. For 4K, it requires a settings compromise—Medium is the ceiling, and even then, the frame rate hovers near the threshold. The CPU is more than sufficient for this title, ranking in the top 11% of all processors, while the GPU's mid-tier standing (68th percentile) means it is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. Overall, the system delivers a playable experience in Downfall for the majority of configurations, with the exception of 4K Ultra, which remains out of reach.