Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a thoroughly robust experience in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that clearly favors high frame rates over brute graphical demands. The measured data shows this combination is capable of pushing well past the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution tested, with headroom for high refresh-rate displays at lower settings. The pair lands at rank 1057 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all hardware configurations in the database for this specific game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces exceptional frame rates across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 299 FPS, while High reaches 201 FPS. The Medium preset shows an average of 245 FPS, with a minimum of 208 FPS and a maximum of 282 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a strong 125 FPS average. This pattern indicates the RTX 3080 is only lightly taxed at 1080p, with the CPU likely becoming a limiting factor only at the very lowest settings where frame rates approach 300.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains very high. The Low preset averages 214 FPS, and High drops to 143 FPS. Medium delivers a 175 FPS average with a recorded minimum of 149 FPS and maximum of 201 FPS. Ultra settings still clear the playable threshold comfortably, posting a 90 FPS average. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a roughly 30% reduction in frame rate at the Ultra preset, which is typical for a resolution increase of that magnitude.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3080 begins to show its limits. The Low preset still hits 133 FPS, and Medium averages 109 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS and maximum of 125 FPS. High settings produce an 89 FPS average, which remains smooth. The Ultra preset, however, drops to a 56 FPS average, falling just short of the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the only configuration in the entire measured set that fails to reach 60 FPS, and it does so only by a narrow margin.

The data reveals consistent frame time behavior: where minimum and maximum values are recorded (Medium presets), the spread is roughly 30-40 FPS, indicating stable performance without severe stutters. The absence of min/max data for other presets suggests they were less variable or that the measurement focused on averages.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 125 FPS. This leaves enormous headroom, making 1080p Ultra the clear choice for maximum visual fidelity without any performance concerns.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings also hold the top spot, averaging 90 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing gamers to run the game at its highest visual quality while still enjoying smooth gameplay. The 90 FPS average suggests there is even some margin for higher refresh rates on 144Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Ultra settings drop to 56 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The best setting that maintains 60 FPS or higher is High, which averages 89 FPS. This is a significant drop from Ultra, but High still provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium and Low. The verdict data confirms this: playable settings at 4K are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best of those.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and GeForce RTX 3080 combination holds a combo rank of 1057 out of 3716 total tested combinations in Downfall. This places it in the top 28.4% of all configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-generation CPU paired with a previous-generation high-end GPU. The ranking reflects the game's relatively modest hardware demands; many newer and more powerful components will not necessarily produce dramatically higher frame rates in this title.

The CPU itself sits at the 89th percentile among all processors tested, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database are the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (scoring 46030, only 0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (scoring 46098, 0.1% higher), the AMD EPYC 4364P (scoring 45970, 0.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7303 (scoring 45960, 0.2% lower). These four processors are effectively tied in synthetic performance, meaning the Ultra 5 235 is a very well-balanced CPU for its class.

The RTX 3080, meanwhile, sits at the 68th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23172. Its nearest rivals are all notable for being significantly older or lower-tier parts: the NVIDIA P106-100 (0.3% lower), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (0.3% lower), AMD Radeon RX 6600M (0.4% lower), and AMD Radeon R9 M290X (0.4% lower). This suggests the RTX 3080's raw compute power is still competitive, but its ranking in Downfall is driven more by the game's age than by the GPU's absolute capabilities.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearestRivals data, a system using an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 would be the closest CPU alternative, with a delta of just 0.1% in average benchmark score. This is a mobile-class processor, so in a desktop context, it would likely perform nearly identically to the Core Ultra 5 235 in Downfall given the game's moderate CPU demands. The Intel Core i9-13900HX is equally close, at 0.1% higher score, and would provide a similar experience.

For the GPU, the nearest alternatives are more interesting. The NVIDIA P106-100, a mining-oriented card, scores 0.3% higher on average, meaning it could theoretically deliver nearly identical frame rates in Downfall. However, that card lacks display outputs, making it impractical for gaming. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 and AMD Radeon RX 6600M are both 0.3-0.4% lower in score, suggesting they would produce within a few FPS of the RTX 3080 in this game. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X, a much older mobile GPU, is also within 0.4% of the RTX 3080's average score, which underscores how well-optimized Downfall is for a wide range of hardware.

In practical terms, any of these GPU alternatives would deliver a nearly identical experience at 1080p and 1440p, with the 4K Ultra preset likely remaining borderline unplayable. The CPU alternatives are so close in performance that no measurable difference would be expected in this game.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals how the balance of CPU and GPU load shifts across resolutions in Downfall. At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces 299 FPS, which is nearly three times the 60 FPS threshold. This extremely high frame rate suggests the CPU is the primary limiter, as the RTX 3080 is certainly capable of far more than 300 FPS in this older title at low settings. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 125 FPS, a 58% reduction from Low, indicating that the GPU becomes more involved as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the scaling is more uniform. Low produces 214 FPS, Ultra drops to 90 FPS, a 58% reduction again. The fact that the percentage drop from Low to Ultra is nearly identical at 1080p (58%) and 1440p (58%) suggests the GPU is now the limiting factor at both resolutions, with the CPU having sufficient headroom at these settings.

At 3840x2160, the pattern shifts further. Low produces 133 FPS, and Ultra drops to 56 FPS, a 58% reduction as well. The consistency of this reduction across all three resolutions indicates that the RTX 3080's pixel throughput is the dominant constraint when moving from Low to Ultra, while the CPU has ample capacity even at 4K with lower settings.

The resolution scaling tells a similar story. From 1080p Low (299 FPS) to 4K Low (133 FPS), the frame rate drops by 55%, which is roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count. From 1080p Ultra (125 FPS) to 4K Ultra (56 FPS), the drop is 55% as well. This consistent scaling strongly implies that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings, while the CPU only becomes significant at 1080p Low where the frame rate approaches 300.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 56 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 89 FPS.

Q: What is the highest settings preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings average 90 FPS, making Ultra the highest preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How does this combination rank among all tested configurations?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + RTX 3080 combo ranks 1057 out of 3716 total tested combinations in Downfall, placing it in the top 28.4% of all configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 299 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops to 125 FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase.

Q: How close is the nearest CPU rival in performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46030 compared to the Core Ultra 5 235's 46062, a delta of just 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-13900HX is also within 0.1%, scoring 46098.

Q: What frame rates does the Medium preset deliver at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo averages 175 FPS, with a minimum of 149 FPS and maximum of 201 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Downfall, and it does so with remarkable ease. The verdict data shows playable settings at every resolution tested. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings average 125 FPS, making it the best choice for maximum quality. At 2560x1440, Ultra also clears the threshold, averaging 90 FPS. At 3840x2160, the situation is slightly constrained: Ultra dips to 56 FPS, but High settings deliver a solid 89 FPS average.

The only configuration that fails to reach 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which is a demanding combination that even many newer GPUs struggle with. For all other settings and resolutions, the Core Ultra 5 235 and RTX 3080 provide frame rates well above the playable threshold, often with enough headroom for high refresh-rate monitors. The game's 2016 release date and horror genre mean it does not push modern hardware to its limits, and this combination handles it with substantial margin. For gamers seeking a smooth, high-quality experience in Downfall, this setup is more than sufficient, with the only compromise being a slight reduction from Ultra to High at 4K.