Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers an exceptional experience in Downfall, with measured frame rates that far exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold across every resolution and preset combination tested. The data shows a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the processor’s strong single-thread performance keeps frame rates remarkably high even at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Benchmark results for this combo are consistent and robust, with no resolution or settings level dipping below the playable threshold. The most demanding configuration, 4K Ultra, still produces an average of 74 FPS, leaving substantial headroom for drops.

At 3840x2160, the scaling from Low to Ultra is steep but manageable. The Low preset yields an average of 178 FPS. Stepping up to Medium reduces the average to 145 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS. The High preset maintains an average of 119 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only 4K configuration that drops below the triple-digit mark, averaging 74 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at this resolution is 45 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset introduces a significant rendering load that the RTX 4080 handles, but not as effortlessly as High.

At 2560x1440, the performance envelope expands considerably. The Low preset averages 285 FPS. Medium delivers 233 FPS on average, with a minimum of 198 FPS and a maximum of 268 FPS. High settings produce 191 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 120 FPS, which is still double the playability threshold. The delta between 1440p Ultra and 4K Ultra is 46 FPS, showing that resolution scaling has a pronounced effect on the GPU’s workload.

At 1920x1080, the CPU begins to emerge as a limiting factor, though the frame rates are still extraordinarily high. The Low preset hits an average of 400 FPS. Medium averages 327 FPS, with a minimum of 278 FPS and a maximum of 376 FPS. High settings reach 268 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 168 FPS. The difference between 1080p Ultra and 1440p Ultra is 48 FPS, which is a smaller relative drop than the 1440p to 4K transition, suggesting that the game becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution rises.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the RTX 4080 shifts clearly across the resolution spectrum. At 1920x1080, the extremely high frame rates—up to 400 FPS on Low—indicate that the GPU is being fed with minimal rendering work, and the CPU’s performance is the primary driver of the upper limits. The Core Ultra 5 235’s single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2085 and Passmark single-thread score of 4516 support this, as the game’s logic and draw call processing at low resolution can become a bottleneck before the graphics card is fully utilized.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling from Low to Ultra shows a more balanced interaction. The GPU’s compute resources are engaged more heavily, but the CPU still has ample headroom. The RTX 4080’s 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 716.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient to keep the frame rates above 120 FPS even at Ultra, which is the most demanding preset. The CPU’s role here is secondary; it is not the limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the unequivocal bottleneck. The drop from 120 FPS at 1440p Ultra to 74 FPS at 4K Ultra is a 38% reduction, which aligns with the increased pixel count and shading workload. The RTX 4080’s 112 ROPs and 280.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are taxed heavily at this resolution. The CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads are more than adequate for the game’s demands, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate scales almost entirely with the GPU’s rendering load rather than any CPU limitation.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for both components, this combo sits in a performance tier where only a handful of alternatives would deliver measurably different results in Downfall.

On the CPU side, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235’s average benchmark score of 46062 is nearly identical to that of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030, a delta of just 0.1%. Any difference in Downfall between these two processors would be negligible, likely within run-to-run variance. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, which is 0.1% higher, making it a similarly matched alternative. Both AMD EPYC parts, the 4364P and 7303, score 45970 and 45960 respectively, trailing by 0.2%—again, a margin that would not be perceptible in game frame rates.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4080’s average score of 54247 is essentially matched by the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209, a delta of 0.1%. In practice, these two cards would perform almost identically in Downfall, with the SUPER having a negligible edge. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, which is 1.1% higher, but this workstation-oriented card is not a typical gaming counterpart. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and Radeon 8060S score 55698 and 55757 respectively, sitting 2.6% and 2.7% higher in synthetic benchmarks. However, these AMD parts would likely show a different scaling pattern in a DirectX 12 title, and their real-world gaming performance may not directly correlate with the benchmark delta.

For a user building a system, swapping the Core Ultra 5 235 for any of the listed CPUs would yield no meaningful change in Downfall performance, as the game is not CPU-limited at the resolutions tested. Swapping the RTX 4080 for an RTX 4080 SUPER would also produce nearly identical results, though the SUPER’s slight benchmark advantage could translate to a 1-2 FPS difference in the most demanding 4K Ultra scenario.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and RTX 4080 combination ranks 230th out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the top 6.2% of all configurations in the database. The percentile rankings for the individual components support this position: the CPU is in the 89th percentile against all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 86th percentile against all GPUs.

The data indicates that this combo’s rank is driven primarily by the GPU’s strong rasterization performance, as the CPU’s percentile is slightly higher but the game’s frame rates are more sensitive to GPU load at 1440p and 4K. The rank of 230 means that a substantial majority of tested systems—over 3400 of them—produce lower average frame rates in Downfall. The systems that rank higher are likely equipped with top-tier GPUs such as the RTX 4090 or the RX 7900 XTX, which are not in this combo’s direct rival set.

Given that this combo clears 60 FPS at every preset and resolution, the ranking is more a measure of headroom than playability. The 74 FPS average at 4K Ultra is a strong result, but systems ranked above this one would likely push that number into the 80-90 FPS range.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Downfall, and it runs it exceptionally well. The verdict data is unambiguous: every resolution tested—3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080—has all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) listed as playable, meaning they all achieve an average of at least 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 74 FPS, which is comfortably above the threshold. The High preset averages 119 FPS, providing a smoother experience with more headroom for demanding scenes. Medium averages 145 FPS, and Low averages 178 FPS. No configuration at this resolution falls below 60 FPS, so players can choose their preferred visual quality without worrying about playability.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 120 FPS, which is double the threshold. This is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, as the frame times are consistent enough to support a 120 Hz display. The Medium preset’s minimum of 198 FPS indicates that even the most intense moments in the game will stay well above 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are so high that the playability question becomes irrelevant. The Ultra preset averages 168 FPS, and the Low preset hits 400 FPS. This is a configuration that would benefit from a high refresh rate display, as the GPU is capable of pushing far beyond the 60 FPS threshold at all times.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the best settings are defined as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average of 60 FPS or higher. The data shows that the Ultra preset is the best choice at every resolution, because it is both the most visually demanding and still clears the threshold.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra, with an average FPS of 74. This provides the highest visual fidelity while leaving a 14 FPS margin above the playability threshold. Players who prefer a larger safety margin could use High at 119 FPS, but Ultra is the recommended choice for those who prioritize image quality.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, averaging 120 FPS. This is a perfect match for a 120 Hz monitor, as the average frame rate aligns with the display’s refresh rate. The 60 FPS margin above the threshold ensures that even frame rate dips will not cause perceptible stuttering.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 168 FPS. This is the highest preset available, and it still delivers a frame rate that is nearly three times the playability threshold. The Core Ultra 5 235’s strong single-core performance ensures that the CPU does not prevent the GPU from reaching its full potential at this resolution, making Ultra the optimal choice for both visual quality and responsiveness.