Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing in Downfall produces a combination that ranks 2505th out of 2928 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is decisively GPU-limited at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering very high frame rates at 1080p with lower presets. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU contributions, scaling behavior, and optimal settings based solely on the measured data.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer) using a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. The processor features a substantial 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a defining characteristic of the X3D line, alongside 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core. Memory support is DDR4 with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows a PassMark single-thread score of 2941 and a multithread score of 20363. Its average benchmark score is 37018, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals in the database are remarkably close: the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36945 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36938 (0.2% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093 (0.2% lower). The Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112, which is 0.3% higher. This cluster of scores indicates that the 5500X3D's raw compute performance is essentially interchangeable with several other mid-range processors, with deltas under 0.3%.

For Downfall, a horror game, the CPU's role is to maintain consistent frame pacing and avoid bottlenecking the GPU. With a single-thread score of 2941 and a multithread score of 20363, the processor is more than capable of feeding frames to the GTX 1660 SUPER in most scenarios. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 147 avg FPS, which suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at that setting. However, the gap between the 5500X3D and its rivals is so small that any performance differences in-game would be negligible. The 96 MB L3 cache is notable for gaming, but the data shows that the overall system performance is constrained elsewhere, particularly as resolution increases and GPU load rises.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is based on the TU116 chip with Turing architecture, manufactured on a 12 nm process. It has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). It includes 1408 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, delivering a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 5.027 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12699 in PassMark G3D, with an average benchmark score of 12986, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals show tight competition: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile scores 12940 (0.4% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 580 scores 12928 (0.4% higher), and the AMD Radeon 740M scores 12870 (0.9% higher). The NVIDIA Tesla M2090 scores 13075, which is 0.7% higher. These small deltas indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER sits in a crowded performance band, with no clear advantage over its immediate competitors.

For Downfall, the GPU's 6 GB VRAM is a critical resource. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 27 FPS, which is likely due to both VRAM capacity and raw compute limits. The 336.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is adequate for 1080p, but at higher resolutions, the GPU struggles. The boost clock of 1785 MHz helps maintain performance in lighter scenes, but the overall compute throughput of 5.027 TFLOPS is the primary constraint. The data indicates that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck in most configurations, especially at 1440p and 4K, where the CPU's headroom cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations.

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

The measured FPS across resolutions provides a clear picture of scaling behavior. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 147 avg FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 105 FPS, a reduction of 42 FPS (approximately 28.6%). At 4K Low, the average falls to 65 FPS, another 40 FPS drop (approximately 38.1%). This pattern shows that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate decreases proportionally with the increase in pixel count.

At Medium settings, the same trend is evident: 1080p yields 120 avg FPS, 1440p yields 86 avg FPS, and 4K yields 54 avg FPS. The drops are 34 FPS (28.3%) and 32 FPS (37.2%), respectively. At High settings, 1080p produces 99 avg FPS, 1440p produces 71 avg FPS, and 4K produces 44 avg FPS, with drops of 28 FPS (28.3%) and 27 FPS (38.0%). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings strongly indicates that the GPU is the sole bottleneck, as the CPU's performance does not vary with resolution.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more dramatic. 1080p Ultra yields 62 avg FPS, 1440p Ultra yields 44 avg FPS, and 4K Ultra yields 27 avg FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 18 FPS (29.0%), and from 1440p to 4K is 17 FPS (38.6%). The fact that 4K Ultra produces only 27 FPS suggests that the GPU is severely overburdened, likely due to a combination of VRAM pressure and compute limitations. The data shows that the CPU, with its high single-thread score of 2941, is not the constraining factor at any resolution; the GPU's performance ceiling is what determines the frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 2505th out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the 85.5th percentile of the database, meaning that only about 14.5% of tested combos perform worse. This is a low ranking, reflecting the GPU's age and position in the performance hierarchy.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 53rd among all GPUs is consistent with the combo's overall position, as the GTX 1660 SUPER is a mid-range card that is now several generations old. The CPU's percentile ranking of 85th among all CPUs is much higher, but this does not translate into a high combo rank because the GPU is the limiting factor. The nearest rival GPUs, such as the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and RX 580, show similar performance, with deltas of 0.4% or less, which means that swapping the GPU for one of these would likely result in nearly identical frame rates.

The CPU's nearest rivals, including the Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Core Ultra 5 225, show deltas of 0.2%, which is negligible in real-world gaming. The data suggests that the combo's rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom. In a game like Downfall, which appears to be GPU-bound based on the resolution scaling, the combo's low rank is expected given the GTX 1660 SUPER's modest specs. The 2505th rank out of 2928 combos indicates that users of this setup are near the bottom of the performance distribution, but the measured FPS at 1080p shows that playable frame rates are still achievable with appropriate settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Downfall?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently delivers high frame rates. At Low settings, it averages 147 FPS; at Medium, 120 FPS; and at High, 99 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 105 FPS on Low and 71 FPS on High, which is still playable, but 4K is only viable on Low with 65 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36938, also 0.2% higher, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37093, which is 0.2% lower. The Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37112, 0.3% higher. These differences are negligible.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 SUPER a bottleneck for the Ryzen 5 5500X3D?

A: Yes, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The resolution scaling shows consistent FPS drops of approximately 28-38% when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 1440p to 4K, regardless of settings. The CPU's high multithread score of 20363 suggests it has plenty of headroom, but the GPU's 5.027 TFLOPS compute is insufficient for higher resolutions.

Q: What settings are recommended for 1080p gaming?

A: For the best experience at 1080p, Medium settings provide a strong balance with 120 avg FPS and a minimum of 102 FPS. High settings yield 99 avg FPS, which is also smooth, while Ultra drops to 62 avg FPS. Low settings reach 147 FPS but sacrifice visual quality. The data suggests Medium is the sweet spot.

Q: How does the GPU's synthetic benchmark score relate to its in-game performance?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has a PassMark G3D score of 12699 and an average benchmark score of 12986, placing it in the 53rd percentile. In Downfall, this translates to 44 FPS at 4K High and 27 FPS at 4K Ultra, showing that the GPU is adequate for 1080p but struggles at higher resolutions.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for Medium settings?

A: The data provides minimum FPS only for Medium settings. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 102 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 73 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 45 FPS. These minimums are all above 30 FPS, indicating acceptable frame pacing at Medium settings even at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Medium settings deliver 120 avg FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, which is the best balance of visual quality and performance. High settings reduce the average to 99 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 21 FPS drop from Medium to High may not justify the visual improvement. Ultra settings are not recommended at 1080p, as the average drops to 62 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings provide 86 avg FPS with a minimum of 73 FPS, which is playable. High settings yield 71 avg FPS, which is acceptable, but Low settings reach 105 FPS for those prioritizing frame rate. Ultra at 1440p is not viable, with only 44 avg FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low settings are recommended, as they produce 65 avg FPS. Medium at 4K yields 54 avg FPS, which is borderline, while High (44 FPS) and Ultra (27 FPS) are too low for a smooth experience.

For the best overall experience, the data points to 1080p Medium as the sweet spot. It offers the highest frame rate above 60 FPS with a minimum that never drops below 100 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. If the user prefers 1440p, Medium is still the best choice, as it balances the 86 avg FPS with the 73 FPS minimum. The data clearly shows that Ultra settings are only suitable for lower resolutions, and even then, the frame rate drops significantly.

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

1920x1080:

• Low: 147 avg FPS
• Medium: 120 avg FPS, min 102, max 138
• High: 99 avg FPS
• Ultra: 62 avg FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 105 avg FPS
• Medium: 86 avg FPS, min 73, max 99
• High: 71 avg FPS
• Ultra: 44 avg FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 65 avg FPS
• Medium: 54 avg FPS, min 45, max 62
• High: 44 avg FPS
• Ultra: 27 avg FPS

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern across all resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the combo delivers playable frame rates at all settings, with Low reaching 147 FPS and Ultra dropping to 62 FPS. At 1440p, Low and Medium remain above 60 FPS, but High falls to 71 FPS and Ultra to 44 FPS. At 4K, only Low is above 60 FPS, with Medium at 54 FPS, High at 44 FPS, and Ultra at 27 FPS. This breakdown confirms that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting component, as the FPS scales almost linearly with pixel count, while the CPU's performance remains constant. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings (102 at 1080p, 73 at 1440p, 45 at 4K) indicate that frame pacing is stable at this preset, making it the recommended choice for most users.