Downfall

Downfall, a 2016 horror title, exhibits exceptionally high frame rates when paired with the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The measured data shows that this combination is far from being a bottleneck at standard refresh rates, with the primary performance constraints shifting between the CPU and GPU depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, interprets the CPU and GPU roles, and provides actionable recommendations based solely on the provided data.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling from 1080p to 4K, demonstrating the increasing graphical load on the GPU as resolution rises. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 267 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 190 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 118 FPS. This scaling is expected, as higher resolutions demand more pixel-pushing power from the GPU.

However, the most telling insight comes from the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system produces a massive 397 FPS average. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at a very rapid pace, and at this resolution, the game is likely heavily CPU-bound or limited by the game engine's frame rate ceiling. The frame rate drop from 1080p Low (397 FPS) to 1440p Low (284 FPS) is a 28.5% reduction, which is substantial. Yet, the drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low (177 FPS) is a 37.7% reduction, indicating that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at this point.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. For instance, at Medium settings, the frame rates are 325 FPS (1080p), 232 FPS (1440p), and 144 FPS (4K). The scaling factor between 1080p and 4K is approximately 2.26x for High, 2.24x for Low, and 2.26x for Medium. This consistent scaling factor suggests that the performance is scaling almost linearly with the pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario at these higher resolutions. The GPU is the limiting component at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU's capability is what allows these very high frame rates to be reached. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 74, a figure that still represents a playable experience but highlights the significant cost of the highest quality preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with the High preset is 267 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 232 FPS at 2560x1440 to 144 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 88 FPS.

Q: Which configuration yields the highest average frame rate in the dataset?

A: The highest average frame rate is 397 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER a better performer than the RTX 4080 based on the provided data?

A: No. The average benchmark score for the RTX 4080 SUPER is 54209, while the nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, has an average score of 54247, a delta of -0.1%. The data indicates they perform nearly identically.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded at 4K Medium?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is 123 FPS, with a maximum of 166 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32750. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, scores 32707, which is a 0.1% difference, making them statistically equivalent in performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its robust single-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3072, is critical for gaming. In a horror title like Downfall, which often involves complex scripting and AI, this strong single-core performance helps maintain high minimum frame rates and prevents stutters.

The benchmark results indicate that this CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 4080 SUPER, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the system achieves average frame rates well above 250 FPS on High and Medium presets. This suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution; instead, the game's engine or the GPU's processing speed becomes the limiting factor. The processor's ability to handle 12 threads concurrently also ensures that background tasks or game engine logic do not interfere with the rendering pipeline.

The data shows that when the resolution is increased to 4K, the overall frame rate drops significantly across all settings. This is a classic indication that the workload shifts from the CPU to the GPU as the number of pixels increases. The CPU's work in preparing frames remains relatively constant, but the GPU's task of rendering those frames becomes exponentially more demanding. Therefore, while the Ryzen 5 7400F has the headroom to produce very high frame rates, its role in 4K gaming is less prominent than the GPU's. The benchmark scores place this CPU in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32750, confirming its high-end placement. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600T, show nearly identical average scores, meaning the 7400F is competitive with the best mid-range and high-end options.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 194th out of 2928 tested combos for Downfall. This placement in the top 6.6% of all tested combinations indicates that this pairing provides exceptional performance for this specific game. It places the system well above the median, demonstrating that the combination of this CPU and GPU is highly synergistic for this title.

The high ranking is supported by the measured FPS data, which shows that the system is capable of delivering extremely high frame rates even at demanding settings. The 4K High preset, which is often a benchmark for high-end systems, produces an average of 118 FPS, a figure many combinations would struggle to achieve. The fact that the combo ranks so highly suggests that while the GPU is powerful, the CPU is not holding it back, allowing the system to perform to its full potential. The gap between the 194th rank and the top spot may be occupied by systems with even more specialized hardware, but the data confirms that this pairing is a top-tier choice for playing Downfall. The percentile ranking of the GPU (86th) and CPU (83rd) also corroborates this, as both components are individually in the top tier of their respective categories.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look into the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the system excels:

• Low: 397 FPS average.
• Medium: 325 FPS average, with a minimum of 276 FPS and a maximum of 374 FPS.
• High: 267 FPS average.
• Ultra: 167 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very high:

• Low: 284 FPS average.
• Medium: 232 FPS average, with a minimum of 197 FPS and a maximum of 267 FPS.
• High: 190 FPS average.
• Ultra: 119 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed harder, but frame rates remain playable:

• Low: 177 FPS average.
• Medium: 144 FPS average, with a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 166 FPS.
• High: 118 FPS average.
• Ultra: 74 FPS average.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The Low preset is always the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the most demanding. The difference between Low and Ultra is substantial; at 1080p, the gap is 230 FPS, and at 4K, it is 103 FPS. The Medium preset provides a balanced performance, with the minimum FPS never dropping below 123 FPS even at 4K, ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset is a good middle ground, but at 4K, its 118 FPS average is still above the 60 FPS standard, making it a viable option for high-refresh-rate 4K monitors.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings depend on the user's display and performance goals.

For users with a 1080p 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 267 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors, ensuring a fluid and responsive experience. The Ultra preset, while offering better visuals, still produces a very high 167 FPS, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may not justify the 100 FPS drop for competitive play. The Low preset's 397 FPS is overkill for any current monitor and suggests the CPU is the limiting factor.

For users with a 1440p 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, the High preset is again the recommended starting point. The 190 FPS average provides enough headroom to comfortably exceed the monitor's refresh rate. The Medium preset offers a higher 232 FPS average, which could be beneficial for competitive players seeking the absolute highest frame rates, but the visual fidelity is reduced. The Ultra preset's 119 FPS average is still very good and offers the best visual quality, but it may not fully saturate a 165Hz display.

For users with a 4K 60Hz or 120Hz monitor, the High preset is the sweet spot. Its 118 FPS average is perfect for a 120Hz display, offering a high level of detail and smoothness. The Medium preset, at 144 FPS, is also an excellent choice, providing even more headroom. The Ultra preset, with a 74 FPS average, is best reserved for those who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate and are using a 60Hz display, as it still provides a playable experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 736.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This memory capacity and bandwidth are crucial for loading high-resolution textures quickly, which is a common feature in horror games to create detailed and atmospheric environments.

The GPU's role in this system is clearly demonstrated by the resolution scaling data. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the average FPS drops proportionally, indicating that the GPU's rendering capabilities become the primary constraint. For instance, at High settings, the GPU's performance scales from 267 FPS at 1080p to 118 FPS at 4K, a 55.8% reduction. This is a direct result of the increased pixel count, which demands more from the GPU's compute and memory subsystems.

The GPU's benchmark scores are impressive, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54209. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080, scores 54247, a negligible difference. This data suggests that the 4080 SUPER is effectively a peer to the RTX 4080 in terms of raw performance. The measured FPS in Downfall confirms its strength, as it is capable of handling the game at 4K with High settings, maintaining an average of 118 FPS. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for all presets tested, and its high memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming is not a bottleneck. Ultimately, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the key component that enables high-fidelity 4K gaming in this pairing, with the CPU providing enough support to avoid limiting its performance.