Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a strong showing in Downfall, a horror title that clearly favors GPU throughput at higher resolutions while still leveraging the CPU’s immense headroom at 1080p. The measured data, drawn from direct benchmarking, shows this combo is capable of high refresh rate play across most settings, with only the most demanding 4K preset dipping below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this configuration in Downfall reveal a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the combo is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 299 FPS, which is effectively a ceiling for many displays. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 245 FPS, with a minimum of 208 FPS and a maximum of 282 FPS, showing excellent frame pacing. High settings still deliver a robust 201 FPS average. Even at Ultra, the most demanding preset, the system maintains a 125 FPS average, ensuring a smooth experience on high-refresh monitors.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong, though the scaling from 1080p shows the GPU beginning to work harder. At Low settings, the average is 214 FPS. Medium settings produce a 175 FPS average, with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. High settings yield a 143 FPS average, which is still excellent for competitive or fast-paced play. Ultra settings at 1440p result in a 90 FPS average, which comfortably clears the 60 FPS threshold and provides a visually rich experience.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K resolution become apparent. Low settings produce a 133 FPS average, which is surprisingly high. Medium settings follow with a 109 FPS average, backed by a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 125 FPS, indicating consistent performance. High settings at 4K still manage an 89 FPS average, which is playable. However, the Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration in the entire benchmark suite that falls below the 60 FPS playability mark, yielding a 56 FPS average. This shows a significant performance cliff when all visual features are maxed out at 4K resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K and the RTX 3080 in Downfall shifts as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU's raw strength is a primary driver of the high frame rates. The jump from 201 FPS at High to 299 FPS at Low is substantial, and the ability to push past 240 FPS at Medium suggests that the 24-core processor is not a bottleneck at this resolution, allowing the GPU to render frames as fast as possible. The data indicates that at 1080p, the system is well-balanced, but the CPU's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303, is more than sufficient to feed the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the GPU's role becomes more prominent. The performance drop from the 1080p results is noticeable but not drastic, with the Ultra preset falling from 125 FPS to 90 FPS. This scaling suggests that while the RTX 3080 is still capable, it is now the more limiting factor as pixel count increases. The CPU still provides ample headroom, as the 143 FPS average at High settings indicates that the processor is not holding the system back. The GPU's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this resolution, maintaining solid frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3080 is definitively the dominant component. The 4K results show a dramatic scaling from the 1440p numbers, particularly at the higher presets. The gap between Medium (109 FPS) and Ultra (56 FPS) is a 49% reduction in performance, which is a clear sign of the GPU being pushed to its limits by the combination of high resolution and demanding settings. The CPU's influence is minimal here; the 89 FPS at High settings shows that the processor is not the bottleneck. The data confirms that for 4K gaming in Downfall, the RTX 3080's capabilities are the deciding factor, and the Ultra preset is simply too heavy for this GPU at this resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for this specific CPU and GPU combination provides context for what other hardware would behave similarly. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K has a benchmark average of 84003, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest competitor is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807, a mere 0.2% difference. This means that swapping in the 285K would yield nearly identical performance in Downfall. The AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090, 1.1% slower) and AMD EPYC 9135 (82980, 1.2% slower) are also very close in overall compute capability, though their server-oriented design makes them less relevant for a gaming-focused build. The AMD EPYC 7F72 (85072, -1.3% delta) is the only rival that scores slightly higher, but the difference is negligible for gaming.

For the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 23172, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent in performance. The NVIDIA P106-100 (23249, -0.3% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23250, -0.3% delta) are effectively identical in compute performance, though they are not gaming-focused cards. The AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23273, -0.4% delta) and AMD Radeon R9 M290X (23276, -0.4% delta) also fall into this same performance band. In practical terms for Downfall, any of these GPUs would produce frame rates within 1% of the RTX 3080, meaning the gaming experience would be virtually indistinguishable. The data shows that this RTX 3080 is not an outlier in its performance class, but rather a solid representative of its tier.

The Verdict

This PC configuration can absolutely run Downfall, and it does so exceptionally well across most settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS playability threshold with every preset, including Ultra, which averages 125 FPS. This makes it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors. At 2560x1440, the verdict is equally positive. All four presets, including Ultra, maintain an average above 60 FPS, with Ultra hitting 90 FPS. This is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a great balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The system is playable at Low, Medium, and High settings, with averages of 133, 109, and 89 FPS respectively. However, the Ultra preset at 4K fails to reach the 60 FPS threshold, averaging just 56 FPS. This is the only configuration in the entire test suite that is not playable. The data shows that for 4K gaming, you must stick to High settings or lower to ensure a consistent 60+ FPS experience. The system is powerful, but the RTX 3080's 10 GB of VRAM and overall compute capacity are not sufficient for maxed-out 4K in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested hardware combinations in the benchmark database, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 1057 out of 3716 combos. This places it in the top 28% of all systems tested for Downfall. The rank reflects a strong overall performance, driven by the powerful CPU and a capable GPU. While it is not at the very top of the charts—where more recent, higher-end GPUs would sit—it is far ahead of the median system. This ranking indicates that the combo offers substantial headroom for this horror title and that the CPU's high percentile score (96th) helps boost the overall position, even if the GPU's percentile (68th) is more moderate.

Best Settings per Resolution

For the best experience that stays at or above 60 FPS, the data suggests specific settings for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that clears the threshold is Ultra, which delivers a 125 FPS average. This is the recommended setting for 1080p, as it provides maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is also the best choice, producing a 90 FPS average. This allows for full visual fidelity at a high frame rate, making it the optimal balance for 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The highest preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, which averages 89 FPS. While the Medium preset also works, High offers better visual quality for the same playability. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as its 56 FPS average falls below the playable threshold. The data clearly indicates that for 4K, High settings are the ceiling for this hardware combination, providing a smooth and visually impressive horror experience.