Downfall

# Downfall: AMD Ryzen 5 5600F + AMD Radeon RX 9070 — Performance Analysis

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 delivers a formidable combination for Downfall, a 2016 horror title that remains demanding at high resolutions. This pairing sits in the 829th position out of 2,928 tested CPU-GPU combos for this game, placing it comfortably in the upper third of all configurations. The CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 part on the AM4 socket, posts a PassMark multithread score of 19,236 and a single-thread score of 2,872, ranking in the 85th percentile among all CPUs. The GPU, built on RDNA 4.0 with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, achieves a PassMark G3D score of 25,381 and sits in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Together, these components produce frame rates that range from a playable 55 FPS at 4K Ultra to a fluid 295 FPS at 1080p Low, with the measured data showing how each component's strengths manifest across different settings and resolutions.

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

The Ryzen 5 5600F brings six physical cores and twelve threads to the table, operating at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. This architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process with a 65 W TDP, represents the mainstream Zen 3 design with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Downfall, a horror title that typically leverages single-thread performance heavily for game logic and physics, the 5600F's single-thread score of 2,872 in PassMark provides a solid foundation. The CPU's PassMark physics score of 1,043 further indicates its capability in handling the kind of constrained, sequential workloads that horror games often present, where unpredictable AI and scripted events can create sudden processing spikes.

When comparing the 5600F to its nearest rivals, the data shows a remarkably tight cluster. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36,938 in average benchmark, essentially matching the 5600F's 36,945 average with a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D trails by just 0.2% with a score of 37,018, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 is 0.4% behind at 37,093, and the Intel Core i9-12900T sits 0.5% lower at 37,112. This clustering suggests that for Downfall, the CPU is not the primary differentiator at most settings; instead, the GPU handles the bulk of the rendering load. The data supports this interpretation: at 1080p Low, the system reaches 295 FPS, a figure that approaches the practical ceiling for many displays and indicates the CPU can feed the GPU adequately even at high frame rates.

The 5600F's multithread score of 19,236 and data compression score of 232,836 suggest strong general-purpose throughput, but Downfall's performance scaling tells a more nuanced story. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 55 FPS, while at 4K High it rises to 88 FPS — a difference of 33 FPS purely from lowering settings, which points to GPU-bound rendering rather than CPU limitations. The CPU's 12 threads and 4.00 GHz boost clock are sufficient to drive the RX 9070 to its limits at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the 295 FPS at 1080p Low. The fact that the system maintains over 200 FPS at 1080p Medium (241 FPS) further confirms that the 5600F is not a bottleneck in this title, even when paired with a high-end GPU.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the dominant component in this pairing, wielding 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. Its clock configuration includes a 1,330 MHz base, 2,070 MHz game clock, and 2,520 MHz boost, with memory running at 2,518 MHz (20.1 Gbps effective). The GPU's 3,584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 564.5 GTexel/s, translating to 36.13 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. These specifications are directly reflected in the measured FPS figures for Downfall, where the GPU's raw throughput becomes the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase.

The RX 9070's PassMark G3D score of 25,381 places it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals showing tight competition. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z scores 23,736 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6800S scores 24,063 (0.8% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile scores 23,628 (1.1% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 24,170 (1.2% lower). This grouping indicates the RX 9070 sits in a performance tier where Downfall's demands are met with headroom at lower settings but challenged at maximum quality. The 16 GB VRAM capacity proves ample for this 2016 title, as even at 4K Ultra the system operates without memory-related stutters, evidenced by the consistent 55 FPS average.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) API support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility are relevant for a game released in 2016, which may rely on older rendering paths. The measured data shows the GPU's PassMark DirectX 11 score of 281 and DirectX 12 score of 74, with the latter being notably lower — yet Downfall still performs strongly, suggesting the game's engine is well-optimized for the hardware's strengths. At 4K Medium, the system delivers 107 FPS with a minimum of 91 FPS and maximum of 123 FPS, showing the GPU can maintain smooth gameplay even at high resolution when settings are moderated.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary performance limiter in Downfall. At Low settings, the system achieves 295 FPS at 1080p, 210 FPS at 1440p, and 131 FPS at 4K — a drop of 85 FPS (28.8%) from 1080p to 1440p, and another 79 FPS (37.6%) from 1440p to 4K. This progressive decline with increasing resolution is the hallmark of GPU-bound performance, where pixel throughput becomes the bottleneck. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution climbs, since the same number of draw calls and game logic operations are spread across more pixels, allowing the GPU to stretch its legs.

At Medium settings, the scaling is equally revealing: 241 FPS at 1080p, 172 FPS at 1440p, and 107 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS figures also scale proportionally, with 205 at 1080p, 146 at 1440p, and 91 at 4K, maintaining a consistent ratio of roughly 85% of average FPS across all resolutions. This consistency suggests the GPU's memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s is sufficient to handle the increased data throughput at higher resolutions without introducing frame-time anomalies. The maximum FPS values follow suit, with 277 at 1080p, 198 at 1440p, and 123 at 4K.

The High settings row shows a similar trend: 198 FPS at 1080p, 141 FPS at 1440p, and 88 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 57 FPS (28.8%), and from 1440p to 4K is 53 FPS (37.6%), mirroring the Low settings percentages almost exactly. This consistency across settings reveals that the scaling factor is purely resolution-driven, not settings-driven, which again points to the GPU's pixel processing capability as the constraint. At Ultra settings, the data shows 123 FPS at 1080p, 88 FPS at 1440p, and 55 FPS at 4K — the latter figure dropping below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay, indicating that 4K Ultra is the first configuration where the RX 9070's limits are truly tested.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming in Downfall?

A: Yes. The CPU delivers 295 FPS at 1080p Low and 241 FPS at 1080p Medium, with a single-thread score of 2,872 and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The 12 threads and 32 MB L3 cache provide ample headroom for the game's logic, as evidenced by the high frame rates that approach display refresh limits.

Q: How does the RX 9070's 16 GB VRAM impact 4K performance in Downfall?

A: The 16 GB memory capacity, combined with 644.6 GB/s bandwidth, allows the GPU to maintain stable frame rates at 4K across all settings. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 91 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra the system sustains 55 FPS average, indicating no memory-related bottlenecks.

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

A: At 1440p, the system delivers 141 FPS on High and 172 FPS on Medium, making it the sweet spot for high-refresh monitors. At 4K, the frame rates range from 55 FPS on Ultra to 131 FPS on Low, so players prioritizing smoothness should stick to 1440p.

Q: How does the RX 9070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The RX 9070's PassMark G3D score of 25,381 is 0.6% lower than the GTX TITAN Z (23,736), 0.8% higher than the RX 6800S (24,063), 1.1% lower than the RTX 3080 Mobile (23,628), and 1.2% higher than the RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170). This places it in a competitive mid-to-high tier.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p in Downfall?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p, as shown by the 295 FPS at Low settings and 198 FPS at High settings. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates, with the single-thread score of 2,872 handling game logic without bottlenecking.

Q: Is the RX 9070's 36.13 TFLOPS compute power fully utilized in Downfall?

A: The measured FPS data suggests the GPU's compute capability is well-utilized at higher resolutions and settings, with 4K Ultra producing 55 FPS and 4K High reaching 88 FPS. The FP32 throughput of 36.13 TFLOPS is sufficient for this 2016 title, though the game may not fully exploit modern RDNA 4.0 features.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings configuration depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays with high refresh rates (144 Hz or higher), the Medium preset delivers 241 FPS average with a minimum of 205 FPS, providing smooth gameplay without excessive GPU load. The High preset at 198 FPS is also viable, but the 43 FPS difference between Medium and High may not justify the visual upgrade for competitive play. For 1440p, the Medium preset at 172 FPS (minimum 146 FPS) offers the best balance, allowing players to maintain frame rates above 144 Hz while enjoying improved visual fidelity over Low. The High preset at 141 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz displays, though players with variable refresh rate monitors may prefer the extra headroom of Medium.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 107 FPS (minimum 91 FPS) is the recommended choice, as it maintains smooth gameplay above 90 FPS while providing reasonable visual quality. The High preset at 88 FPS is acceptable for 60-90 Hz displays, but the 19 FPS drop from Medium may not be worth the marginal visual improvement in a horror title where atmosphere matters more than fine detail. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is only recommended for players with 60 Hz displays who prioritize maximum visual fidelity over frame rate consistency. The Low preset, while delivering 131 FPS at 4K, sacrifices too much visual quality for a game that relies on atmosphere and lighting, making it a poor trade-off at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F + AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination in Downfall is presented below, organized by resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 295 FPS average
• Medium: 241 FPS average, 205 FPS minimum, 277 FPS maximum
• High: 198 FPS average
• Ultra: 123 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 210 FPS average
• Medium: 172 FPS average, 146 FPS minimum, 198 FPS maximum
• High: 141 FPS average
• Ultra: 88 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 131 FPS average
• Medium: 107 FPS average, 91 FPS minimum, 123 FPS maximum
• High: 88 FPS average
• Ultra: 55 FPS average

These figures demonstrate the system's capabilities across the full spectrum of settings and resolutions. The data shows a clear progression: at 1080p, all settings produce playable frame rates, with even Ultra maintaining 123 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset drops to 88 FPS, still playable, but the Medium preset at 172 FPS emerges as the best balance of quality and performance. At 4K, the system's limits become apparent, with only Low and Medium settings exceeding 100 FPS, while Ultra falls to 55 FPS. The minimum and maximum FPS values for Medium settings at each resolution provide insight into frame time consistency, with the 4K Medium showing a range of 91-123 FPS, indicating a 32 FPS variance that may be perceptible in a horror game with sudden scene changes.