Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing in Downfall presents a clear study in system bottlenecks, where the GPU's workload scales dramatically with resolution, while the CPU's six cores provide a stable foundation. The measured data reveals a component that is well-matched at lower resolutions but becomes increasingly strained as pixel counts rise. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics across the tested configurations, offering a detailed look at what this specific hardware combination delivers in this horror title.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 has a profound impact on frame rates, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary performance limiter at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 97.8 FPS at 1080p to 72.9 FPS at 1440p, a drop of approximately 25% (24.9 FPS). Moving further to 4K, the average plummets to 44.4 FPS, representing a 54.6% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline strongly suggests that the GPU's rendering capabilities are saturated as the pixel workload increases, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets, though the magnitude of the drop varies. For Low settings, the average FPS goes from 146.2 at 1080p to 103.4 at 1440p and finally to 67.0 at 4K—a 54.2% decrease from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows an even more dramatic fall, starting at 63.7 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 41.6 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to 27.2 FPS at 4K, a 57.3% reduction. This consistent scaling pattern across presets reinforces the notion that the GPU is the limiting component; if the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to plateau or become less sensitive to resolution changes.

The data implies that the 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and the Turing architecture's compute throughput are simply not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, especially with higher graphical fidelity. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to feed frames, but the GPU is still the primary constraint, as evidenced by the fact that even at Low settings, the 4K average of 67.0 FPS is far below the 1080p Low result of 146.2 FPS. The conclusion is straightforward: this combo is optimized for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch target requiring significant compromises.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides a robust processing foundation that does not appear to be the primary limiting factor in Downfall. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz, combined with a 32 MB shared L3 cache, ensure adequate instruction throughput for the game's logic and physics. The CPU's benchmark scores support this: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124 suggest a balanced performance profile that can handle both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads efficiently.

The fact that frame rates scale so consistently with resolution changes—rather than plateauing—indicates that the CPU is not running out of headroom. If the Ryzen 5 3600 were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU's work would be the limiting factor regardless of pixel count. Instead, the data shows a clear GPU-bound behavior, with the CPU easily keeping up with the GTX 1660 SUPER's output at all tested settings.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 76.0 versus all CPUs indicates it is a solid mid-range performer, but its nearest rivals show it is tightly grouped with other options. For instance, the Intel Core i5-11400 has an average score of 18150, a deltaPct of -0.1% relative to the Ryzen, meaning they are essentially performance equals. This suggests that the CPU is capable of supporting the GPU without introducing significant stutter or frame pacing issues, as long as the game is not heavily CPU-dependent. The data shows that Downfall is likely GPU-bound, allowing the Ryzen 5 3600 to operate within its comfort zone.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the defining component in this system's performance, with its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit memory bus proving to be a double-edged sword. The GPU's boost clock of 1785 MHz and memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data shows they are insufficient for 4K at higher settings. The GPU's average benchmark score of 14286 places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, indicating a mid-range performer that is outclassed by more modern options.

The GPU's memory capacity is likely a limiting factor at 4K, where texture data and frame buffers can exceed 6 GB. This is reflected in the sharp performance drop at 3840x2160, particularly at Ultra settings, where the average FPS falls to just 27.2. The GPU's nearest rivals show it is closely matched with integrated graphics solutions like the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, which has an average score of 14314 (a deltaPct of -0.2%), and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics. This comparison highlights that while the GTX 1660 SUPER is a dedicated card, its performance is not dramatically superior to some integrated solutions in synthetic benchmarks, though its real-world gaming results are better.

The GPU's 1408 shading units and 48 ROPs provide a fixed compute budget that is heavily taxed at higher resolutions. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a near-linear relationship with pixel count, which is characteristic of a GPU that is compute-limited rather than bandwidth-limited. The 336.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p, but at 4K, the memory bus becomes a potential bottleneck, especially with high-quality textures. The data suggests that for a smooth experience, users should target 1080p or 1440p, where the GPU can deliver playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. The Low preset averages 146.2 FPS, which drops to 119.3 FPS at Medium and 97.8 FPS at High. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 63.7 FPS. This resolution is clearly the sweet spot for this hardware, with even Ultra settings remaining playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease noticeably but remain respectable. Low settings average 103.4 FPS, Medium hits 88.5 FPS, and High achieves 72.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls to 41.6 FPS, which may be considered borderline for smooth gameplay, especially in a horror title where responsiveness matters.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. The Low preset produces an average of 67.0 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium drops to 53.8 FPS, and High falls to 44.4 FPS. The Ultra preset is the worst performer, with an average of just 27.2 FPS, which is likely to feel choppy and unsatisfying. The data clearly shows that 4K is only viable with significant graphical compromises, and even then, the frame rates are below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER achieves a rank of 1535 out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the lower 12% of all tested systems, which is a surprising result given the component's individual performance. The rank suggests that while the CPU and GPU are individually capable, their combination does not excel in this specific game, likely due to the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

This ranking implies that many other hardware combinations, potentially with more powerful GPUs or better-balanced components, deliver superior performance in Downfall. The low rank is not necessarily a condemnation of the hardware's quality, but rather a reflection of the game's demands and the competitive landscape of tested systems. The data indicates that for players seeking high frame rates at 4K, this combo is not the ideal choice, and even at 1080p, there are likely many systems that outperform it. The rank of 1535 out of 1741 serves as a cautionary note for those expecting top-tier performance from this mid-range pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 97.8.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 27.2, which is quite low and likely not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter, as frame rates drop significantly with increasing resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1535 out of 1741 tested combinations in Downfall.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: The best resolution is 1920x1080, where even Ultra settings achieve an average of 63.7 FPS, and Low settings reach 146.2 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rival?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 14286, which is -0.2% compared to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11's score of 14314.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which delivers an average of 97.8 FPS. This provides a smooth and responsive experience while maintaining good visual fidelity, which is important in a horror game where atmosphere and detail contribute to immersion. The High preset balances performance and quality, avoiding the potentially unstable frame rates of Ultra while offering better visuals than Medium or Low.

At 2560x1440, the High preset also performs well, with an average of 72.9 FPS, making it a viable option for players with 1440p monitors who prefer higher resolution over maximum settings. However, the Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 41.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may cause noticeable stutter.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that only the Low preset offers a playable experience, with an average of 67.0 FPS. The Medium and High presets produce averages of 53.8 and 44.4 FPS respectively, which are playable but not ideal, while Ultra is not recommended due to its 27.2 FPS average. Given these results, the best overall experience is at 1080p High, offering a smooth frame rate with solid visual quality. Players with 1440p displays can also enjoy a good experience at High settings, but should avoid Ultra to maintain playability.