Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a compelling performance profile in Downfall, a horror title from 2016. The data reveals a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, indicating a balanced partnership where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the 6-core CPU demonstrates ample headroom. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to interpret what the numbers mean for gameplay across different configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 174.7 FPS to 121.2 FPS, a reduction of approximately 30%. This substantial drop indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, a hallmark of the GPU being the limiting factor. The trend continues when stepping up to 3840x2160, where the High preset yields 78.4 FPS. This represents a further 35% decrease from the 1440p figure, showing that the RTX 3070’s pixel throughput is being taxed more severely as resolution climbs.

The scaling pattern is not linear, however. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p (254.7 FPS) to 1440p (184 FPS) is a 28% reduction, but the jump to 4K (113.4 FPS) is a more pronounced 38% loss. This suggests that at lower settings, where the CPU has less work to do, the GPU’s architectural limits become more apparent at higher resolutions. Conversely, at Ultra settings, the decline from 1080p (106.2 FPS) to 1440p (79.9 FPS) is 25%, and to 4K (51.2 FPS) is another 36%. This indicates that even with maximum graphical load, the GPU remains the performance limiter, but the relative impact of resolution is somewhat mitigated by the sheer demand of the Ultra preset. The data implies that for a smooth 60 FPS experience, 4K is only viable at Medium or High settings, while 1440p and 1080p offer much more headroom.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, built on the Ampere architecture, is the driving force behind these frame rates. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for the textures and assets in Downfall at the tested resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 1725 MHz, paired with 5888 shading units, allows it to handle the game’s horror-themed rendering effects. The benchmark results show that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck, especially as resolution increases, which is typical for a title of this era where CPU demands are relatively modest.

The GPU’s performance is further contextualized by its synthetic benchmark scores. It achieves a PassMark G3D score of 22214 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 28238 is remarkably close to its CPU counterpart, which suggests a balanced pairing for general compute tasks. In terms of direct competition, the RTX 3070 is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, yet it trails the AMD FirePro S7150 by 0.6%. This indicates that within its performance class, the RTX 3070 is a solid mid-to-high tier contender, and its real-world FPS in Downfall reflects this standing, offering playable frame rates even at 4K with adjusted settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Zen 5 architecture, provides the computational foundation for this setup. Its base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz are high for a desktop part, and its 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency. In Downfall, a game released in 2016, the CPU load is likely not extreme, and the data supports this. The CPU’s synthetic performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25525 and a single-core score of 3603, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

When looking at the frame rates, the CPU does not appear to be a limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 254.7 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would require a capable CPU to maintain. The Ryzen 5 9600X’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 3363, ensures that the game’s main logic thread is not starved. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-13490F and AMD Ryzen 5 230, have average scores within 0.3% of the 9600X, indicating that this processor is competitively positioned. For a horror game like Downfall, the CPU’s role is to maintain consistent frame pacing, and the high average FPS across all settings suggests it does so without introducing stutter, leaving the GPU as the sole arbiter of performance at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Downfall, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 790th out of 1741 combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested, which is a notable position given the CPU’s high percentile ranking (85th) versus the GPU’s slightly lower one (72nd). The combination’s rank suggests that while the individual components are strong, they are not at the very top of the performance spectrum, which is often reserved for top-tier GPUs paired with flagship CPUs.

The data implies that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but it is not designed for maximum 4K performance. The rank of 790 out of 1741 means that roughly 55% of tested combos perform better, but it also means that this setup outperforms 45% of all systems. This is a solid result for a mid-range GPU from the previous generation, and it shows that the Ryzen 5 9600X’s strong single-core performance helps boost the overall experience. The average benchmark scores of the CPU (28246) and GPU (28238) are nearly identical, which is a sign of a well-balanced system where neither component is severely holding back the other.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system excels, with the Low preset achieving 254.7 FPS, Medium at 210.4 FPS, High at 174.7 FPS, and Ultra at 106.2 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the RTX 3070 has ample headroom, and even the most demanding Ultra preset remains well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong: Low hits 184 FPS, Medium reaches 148.2 FPS, High delivers 121.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 79.9 FPS. The 1440p results are particularly impressive, as even Ultra settings maintain an average above 75 FPS, providing a smooth experience on standard 1440p displays. At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. The Low preset still achieves a playable 113.4 FPS, and Medium hits 92.7 FPS, but High drops to 78.4 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only one that falls below the 60 FPS target, delivering 51.2 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced horror game but is not ideal for all players. This data indicates that the system is versatile, capable of high-speed competitive play at 1080p and still powerful enough for cinematic 4K experiences at reduced settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p users with a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, the High preset at 174.7 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual fidelity and speed, while Ultra at 106.2 FPS is still viable for those who prioritize image quality over raw frame rate. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution unless chasing maximum esports-style responsiveness.

For 1440p, the High preset at 121.2 FPS is the clear recommendation for most players, as it provides a smooth experience on 120Hz displays. Those with 144Hz monitors can also enable Ultra, which at 79.9 FPS remains above the 60 FPS line and offers better shadows and effects. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 92.7 FPS is the sweet spot, delivering high frame rates without sacrificing too much detail. The High preset at 78.4 FPS is also viable, but the Ultra preset at 51.2 FPS is not recommended unless the player is willing to accept frame rates below 60 FPS for maximum visual quality. The data suggests that Medium is the best all-around choice for 4K, while High is the preferred preset for 1080p and 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 79.9 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 28238, which is 0.9% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT's average score of 27985.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the data shows the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p. The system achieves 254.7 FPS at Low settings, indicating the CPU can handle high frame rates without limiting the GPU.

Q: What is the best preset for 4K gaming?

A: The Medium preset at 3840x2160 provides the best experience, with an average FPS of 92.7, which is well above the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in this game?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 790th out of 1741 tested combos.

Q: How much faster is the CPU than its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13490F?

A: The Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 28246, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-13490F's score of 28173.