Downfall

Resolution Scaling

Downfall's frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a system that remains firmly GPU-limited at every resolution tested, though the severity of that limitation grows dramatically as pixel count increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 181.2 FPS, which drops to 130.9 FPS at 1440p — a 27.8% reduction — and then to 80.3 FPS at 4K, a further 38.7% decline from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a graphics card being pushed progressively harder, with the CPU showing no signs of becoming the bottleneck even at the lowest resolution.

The Low preset tells a similar story but with higher absolute numbers. The system produces 268.2 FPS at 1080p Low, 193.1 FPS at 1440p Low, and 122.3 FPS at 4K Low. The percentage drops between resolutions are nearly identical to the High preset, confirming that the GPU's workload scales consistently regardless of settings. What is notable is that even at 4K Low, the system maintains over 120 FPS, indicating substantial headroom in this horror title.

Ultra settings reveal the steepest scaling curve. The 4K Ultra result of 50.9 FPS is less than half of the 1080p Ultra figure of 116.6 FPS. This steep drop suggests that Ultra settings introduce effects that disproportionately tax the GPU at higher resolutions. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K is particularly telling: 100.6 FPS versus 50.9 FPS, a near-halving of performance for the jump from Medium to Ultra. This indicates that Ultra enables features that are extremely expensive at 4K pixel counts.

The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The CPU's 3DMark scores — 6091 in 16-thread and 951 in single-thread — are more than sufficient for the frame rates observed. The fact that 1080p Low produces 268.2 FPS without the CPU capping performance demonstrates that the processor is not the constraint. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are the resources being consumed as resolution climbs.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 669th out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the 61.6th percentile of all tested configurations. The rank reflects a system that sits above the median but well below the top tier of combinations. Given that the GPU's overall percentile versus all GPUs is 74, the combo rank of 669 out of 1741 indicates that the pairing is performing roughly in line with what the GPU alone would suggest, with the CPU neither improving nor dragging down the result.

The CPU's nearest rivals provide context for its contribution. The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X has an average benchmark score of 25057, essentially identical to the 8400F's 25064, a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F scores 24993, just 0.3% lower. These near-identical scores mean the 8400F is not providing any unique advantage in this pairing. The GPU's nearest rivals tell a similar story: the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME scores 30755, just 0.3% below the RTX 3070 Ti's 30849, while the AMD Radeon RX 6700 is 0.8% higher at 31112.

The combo's rank in this specific game suggests that Downfall is not particularly demanding on either component. The game's 2016 release date means it predates both the CPU and GPU by several years, so the hardware has substantial headroom. The 61.6th percentile ranking indicates that while many combos perform better, an equally large number perform worse, placing this system firmly in the capable-but-not-elite category for this title.

GPU Role

The RTX 3070 Ti's specifications are central to understanding its performance in Downfall. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's textures at 1080p and 1440p, and even at 4K the results show playable frame rates at Medium and High settings. The 4K Ultra result of 50.9 FPS, however, suggests that the 8 GB capacity may be strained by the combination of high resolution and maximum texture quality.

Clock speeds are modest by current standards: a base of 1575 MHz and boost of 1770 MHz. These clocks, combined with 6144 shading units and 96 ROPs, produce a pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute of 21.75 TFLOPS is ample for a 2016 horror title. The GPU's 74th percentile ranking versus all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 30849 indicate a mid-to-upper tier graphics card that handles most games well but is not at the modern.

The GPU's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME, scores nearly identically at 30755, just 0.3% lower. This proximity in synthetic benchmarks does not translate to identical gaming performance, as the measured FPS in Downfall shows the RTX 3070 Ti delivering strong results across all settings. The 8 nm process node from Samsung and 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die represent the Ampere architecture's design, which prioritizes raw throughput over efficiency.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system delivers consistently high frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce 268.2 FPS, Medium 220.5 FPS, High 181.2 FPS, and Ultra 116.6 FPS. The progression is smooth, with each settings tier costing roughly 20-25% performance. The 1080p results indicate that this resolution is well within the GPU's comfort zone, with even Ultra settings maintaining over 116 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected decline. Low produces 193.1 FPS, Medium 156.4 FPS, High 130.9 FPS, and Ultra 79.8 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p drops below 80 FPS, which may be noticeable on high-refresh displays but remains playable. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is 51.1 FPS, a substantial jump that suggests Ultra enables expensive effects even at this resolution.

At 4K, the performance picture changes dramatically. Low produces 122.3 FPS, Medium 100.6 FPS, High 80.3 FPS, and Ultra 50.9 FPS. The Ultra result is the only one that falls below 60 FPS, making it the only setting combination that would struggle on a standard 60 Hz display. The Medium setting at 4K, delivering 100.6 FPS, represents the sweet spot for 4K gaming with this hardware. The 4K High result of 80.3 FPS is also respectable, though it requires a VRR display to avoid tearing.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 4.20 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz, combined with 16 MB of shared L3 cache, provide solid single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. The CPU's benchmark results — 20851 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2943 in single-core — place it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong performance for its class.

In Downfall, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The measured frame rates at 1080p Low, reaching 268.2 FPS, demonstrate that the CPU can feed the GPU far more frames than the GPU can render. The single-thread score of 951 in 3DMark and 296 in Cinebench R15 single-core are more than adequate for a horror game that likely does not demand extensive physics or AI processing. The 12 threads provide headroom for background tasks and streaming software.

The CPU's nearest rivals reinforce its position. The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, an older 8-core part, scores 25057 in average benchmarks — statistically identical to the 8400F's 25064. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, a closely related part, scores 24993, just 0.3% lower. This means the 8400F is not providing any meaningful performance advantage over these alternatives in synthetic tests, and in gaming the difference would be imperceptible.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p displays, Ultra settings are the clear choice. The 116.6 FPS average at 1080p Ultra is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay, and the visual quality improvement over High is worth the 64.6 FPS cost. Even the most demanding settings at 1080p leave substantial headroom, so there is no reason to compromise on visual quality.

At 1440p, High settings offer the best balance. The 130.9 FPS average at High is smooth and responsive, while Ultra's 79.8 FPS introduces a noticeable step down in frame pacing. Medium at 156.4 FPS is also viable for competitive play, but High provides the best combination of visual fidelity and performance. The 51.1 FPS gap between High and Ultra at this resolution makes Ultra a poor trade-off.

For 4K, Medium is the recommended preset. The 100.6 FPS average at Medium is excellent for 4K gaming and represents a 25.1% improvement over High's 80.3 FPS. Ultra at 50.9 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided. The 4K Medium result shows that this hardware can deliver a quality 4K experience, but only with moderate settings.

FAQ

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

A: 1440p provides the best overall experience, with High settings delivering 130.9 FPS. This resolution balances visual quality with high frame rates, and even Ultra settings maintain 79.8 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: Yes, but only at Medium or Low settings. Medium produces 100.6 FPS at 4K, while High drops to 80.3 FPS and Ultra falls to 50.9 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only setting combination below 60 FPS.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25064, nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X at 25057 (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F at 24993 (0.3% higher for the 8400F).

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: Yes. The 1080p Low result of 268.2 FPS shows the CPU can feed far more frames than the GPU can render. The performance drops from 1080p to 4K follow the GPU's expected scaling curve.

Q: What is the difference between High and Ultra at 4K?

A: High produces 80.3 FPS while Ultra produces 50.9 FPS, a 29.4 FPS difference. This 36.6% reduction indicates Ultra enables effects that are extremely expensive at 4K resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Downfall?

A: It ranks 669th out of 1741 tested combos, placing it in the 61.6th percentile. The GPU's 74th percentile ranking suggests the CPU is not limiting overall system performance.