Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers remarkably high frame rates in Downfall, a horror title that clearly favors strong hardware. The data shows this pairing is capable of handling even 4K Ultra settings with playable results, while lower resolutions push into esports-tier refresh rates. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, settings impact, and the specific roles of both the CPU and GPU in achieving these numbers.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average frame rate is 146 FPS. This is a very strong result for a horror game, ensuring smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500X3D has a PassMark single-thread score of 3494. Its overall average benchmark score of 44573 places it within 0.7% of the Intel Core i5-14600, and it is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and why is it important?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, using a 192-bit bus with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. This high bandwidth is crucial for feeding the GPU's 7168 shading units, especially at higher resolutions and texture-heavy settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint. At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops from 104 at High to 65 at Ultra, a significant 39 FPS reduction. This indicates the graphics card is struggling with the increased pixel count and shader complexity, not the CPU.

Q: What is the best measured preset for a balance of quality and speed at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 provides an average of 167 FPS. This is significantly higher than the 104 FPS of Ultra, while offering a substantial visual upgrade over the 248 FPS of Low, making it the optimal choice for most users.

Q: How does this specific CPU-GPU combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 447th out of 2928 tested combinations in Downfall, placing it in the top 15% of all systems benchmarked for this game. This is a strong overall position, indicating a well-balanced pairing.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for Downfall. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth provide ample resources for the game's textures and effects. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and its 7168 shading units do the heavy lifting for rendering the horror game's environments.

Benchmark results show the GPU's raw compute strength. It scores 29995 in PassMark's G3D test and 17108 in the GPU compute test. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 further confirms its DirectX 12 capability, which is relevant for a modern title. The GPU's performance percentile is 83, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of other graphics cards in the database. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, have an average score that is 1% lower, showing how close the desktop 4070 SUPER is to top-tier mobile parts.

The frame rate scaling with settings clearly illustrates the GPU's workload. At 4K, the jump from High (104 FPS) to Ultra (65 FPS) is a massive 37.5% performance hit. This is a classic sign of the GPU being pushed to its limits with shader complexity and memory pressure. The step from Medium (126 FPS) to High is a 22 FPS drop, while the step from Low (155 FPS) to Medium is a 29 FPS drop. This non-linear scaling shows that the Ultra preset introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive on the RTX 4070 SUPER.

The GPU's 220 W TDP and dual-slot design make it a practical choice for most builds. Its performance in Downfall is consistently high, but the Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration where it drops below the 100 FPS threshold. For the vast majority of settings and resolutions, the GPU provides headroom that will satisfy users with high-refresh-rate displays.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimizing Downfall on this hardware. The best experience depends on the target resolution and refresh rate, but the High preset emerges as the most consistent performer.

At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset delivers 146 FPS, which is excellent. However, the Medium preset's 284 FPS and Low's 348 FPS are overkill for most displays. The High preset at 233 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual improvement over Medium while still providing frame rates that exceed the refresh rate of all but the most extreme gaming monitors.

At 2560x1440, the choice becomes more critical. The Ultra preset drops to 104 FPS, which is still playable but misses the 144 Hz target. The High preset, however, delivers a superb 167 FPS. This is the recommended setting for 1440p, as it provides a 60% performance increase over Ultra while the visual difference is often minimal in a fast-paced horror game. The Medium preset at 203 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize frame rate above all else.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the only one that falls below 60 FPS, hitting 65 FPS. This is borderline for a smooth experience. The High preset is the clear winner at this resolution, delivering 104 FPS. This allows for a fluid 4K experience without the massive performance penalty of Ultra. The Medium and Low presets at 126 FPS and 155 FPS respectively are also excellent, but High offers the best balance of visual fidelity and speed for 4K gaming.

For a 60 Hz 4K display, High is the way to go. For 144 Hz 1440p, High is the only choice that fully saturates the refresh rate. For 1080p, users have the luxury of choosing between High for quality or Medium for extreme frame rates. In all cases, the data suggests avoiding the Ultra preset unless a lower frame rate is acceptable, as the performance cost is steep.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the Downfall benchmark covers three resolutions and four settings presets. The results show a clear and predictable pattern of performance scaling.

1920x1080:

• Low: The average FPS is 348, which is the highest score recorded for this combo.
• Medium: The average drops to 284 FPS, with a minimum of 242 and a maximum of 327 FPS. This shows a 64 FPS drop from Low.
• High: The average is 233 FPS, a further 51 FPS reduction from Medium.
• Ultra: The average is 146 FPS, a significant 87 FPS drop from High. This is the largest single-setting performance penalty at this resolution.

2560x1440:

• Low: The average FPS is 248, showing a 100 FPS drop from the 1080p Low preset.
• Medium: The average is 203 FPS, with a minimum of 173 and a maximum of 234 FPS.
• High: The average is 167 FPS, a 36 FPS drop from Medium.
• Ultra: The average is 104 FPS, a 63 FPS drop from High. This is the first setting where the frame rate dips below the 144 Hz threshold.

3840x2160:

• Low: The average FPS is 155, which is still a very playable frame rate for 4K.
• Medium: The average is 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 and a maximum of 145 FPS. This shows good frame pacing.
• High: The average is 104 FPS, a 22 FPS drop from Medium.
• Ultra: The average is 65 FPS, a 39 FPS drop from High. This is the lowest recorded score and the only one that approaches the 60 FPS baseline.

The data reveals that the performance cost of each setting tier is not uniform. The jump from High to Ultra is consistently the most expensive, costing 87 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the Ultra preset enables effects that are particularly demanding on the GPU's resources.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination holds a strong position in the Downfall benchmark database. With a combo rank of 447 out of 2928 tested combinations, it sits comfortably in the top 15.3% of all systems.

This ranking reflects the balance between the two components. The CPU's high average benchmark score of 44573, which places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, ensures it won't bottleneck the GPU. The GPU's average score of 43223, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, provides the raw rendering power needed for the game. This pairing avoids the common pitfall of a weak CPU holding back a strong GPU, or vice versa.

The rank of 447 indicates that while the combo is very fast, there are still 446 other combinations that perform better. These likely include higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generation parts. However, the data shows that this specific pairing is more than capable of delivering an excellent experience in Downfall, especially at 1440p and below. The fact that it achieves 104 FPS at 4K High is a strong indicator of its overall capability.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D plays a crucial supporting role in this combo. While the GPU handles the bulk of the rendering, the CPU's job is to feed it with data and manage game logic. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it has sufficient parallel processing power for modern games. Its base clock of 4.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.50 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which is often critical for game engine physics and draw calls.

The CPU's benchmark scores highlight its strengths. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3494 is solid, and its multithread score of 25047 shows it can handle multi-threaded workloads. The 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a significant asset for gaming, as it allows for faster access to frequently used data. Its performance in the PassMark physics test (2779) and integer math test (70774) further demonstrates its capability in tasks that games rely on.

The CPU's overall performance is competitive with its nearest rivals. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and 0.5% faster than the Intel Core i9-13950HX. It is also 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385. The only rival it trails is the Intel Core i5-14600, which is 0.7% faster on average. These narrow margins indicate that the 7500X3D is exactly where it should be in the performance hierarchy.

In Downfall, the CPU's role is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data. The high frame rates observed at 1080p and 1440p, even at Low settings, suggest that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up. The fact that the frame rate drops significantly at 4K Ultra points to the GPU being the limiting factor, not the CPU. The CPU's 65 W TDP also makes it an efficient choice, allowing builders to use more modest cooling solutions. Its DDR5 memory support and PCIe Gen 5 lanes ensure it is future-proof for upcoming hardware.