Downfall

Downfall’s measured performance with the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 reveals a configuration that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU becoming the clear bottleneck only at the highest settings. The data shows a system capable of extreme frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K Ultra presents the only scenario where the combo dips below the 100 FPS mark. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and what the numbers imply for gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a distinct pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases, which is typical for a high-end GPU paired with a strong mid-range CPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 400 FPS, which drops by 28.75% to 285 FPS at 1440p, and then by another 37.5% to 178 FPS at 4K. This steep decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings suggests that while the RTX 4080 is immensely powerful, it is still the primary driver of frame rate changes when pixel count quadruples.

The scaling at Ultra settings is even more revealing. From 1080p Ultra (168 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (120 FPS) is a 28.6% reduction, but moving from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (74 FPS) represents a 38.3% drop. This indicates that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is heavily saturated, and the frame rate is almost entirely limited by the graphics card’s raw processing power. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is 94 FPS, which is a 55.9% reduction, reinforcing that resolution scaling is the dominant factor in this title.

Interestingly, the scaling between Medium and High settings shows a different behavior. At 4K, High (119 FPS) is 18% faster than Medium (145 FPS), which is counterintuitive. This anomaly in the measured data suggests that Medium settings may trigger a different workload distribution or that the High preset is better optimized for the RTX 4080’s architecture. At 1440p, the difference narrows to 18% as well (High 191 FPS vs Medium 233 FPS), and at 1080p it is 18% again (High 268 FPS vs Medium 327 FPS), showing a consistent pattern where High outperforms Medium by a significant margin. This could imply that the Medium preset introduces a bottleneck unrelated to raw GPU throughput.

The overall trend indicates that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high (168-400 FPS) that the CPU’s single-thread performance likely becomes the ceiling, as the GPU has ample headroom. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, especially on Ultra where the 74 FPS average is far below the 1080p Low result. The data strongly suggests that for players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the CPU is the more critical component, while at 4K, the GPU’s capabilities dictate the experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 230th out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 6.2% of all configurations. This is a strong showing, but the rank reveals that there are 229 other combos that achieve higher average FPS in this specific game. The percentile positioning suggests that while this setup is excellent for most users, it is not the absolute top-tier for Downfall, likely due to the CPU’s 6-core/12-thread configuration limiting performance in certain scenarios.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 29713, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE (29656) and 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (29868). The deltaPct values show that the 9600X is effectively on par with these alternatives, with a difference of less than 1% in synthetic benchmarks. This indicates that the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo’s ranking; the GPU is likely the more influential factor.

The GPU’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 on average, a mere 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080’s 54247. This negligible difference means that in most games, including Downfall, the two cards would perform nearly identically. The other rivals, such as the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828, -1.1%) and AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698, -2.6%), show that the RTX 4080 is slightly behind some competing cards in aggregate benchmarks, but the measured FPS in Downfall suggests this does not translate to a poor experience.

Given the combo rank of 230 out of 3716, the data implies that there are more powerful combos available, but this setup is firmly in the upper echelon. The rank is likely driven by the 4K Ultra result of 74 FPS, which pulls the average down compared to combos with even faster GPUs. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, this combo would rank much higher, as the FPS numbers are exceptional.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a 16 GB GDDR6X card with a 256-bit memory bus and a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The memory clock is listed at 1400 MHz with 22.4 Gbps effective, while the base clock is 2205 MHz and the boost clock is 2505 MHz. These specifications directly influence the measured FPS in Downfall, particularly at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth becomes critical. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this 2016 horror title, even at 4K Ultra, so VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor.

The GPU’s FP32 performance is 48.74 TFLOPS, which is substantial for a 5 nm Ada Lovelace chip. The 9728 shading units and 76 RT cores provide the raw compute power needed for high frame rates. In Downfall, the data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the 74 FPS average is far below the 178 FPS at 4K Low. This 58.4% reduction from Low to Ultra at 4K highlights how much the GPU’s workload increases with graphical fidelity.

The RTX 4080’s boost clock of 2505 MHz is relatively high, and the data suggests that this clock speed helps maintain performance in less demanding settings. At 1080p Low, the 400 FPS result indicates that the GPU is not fully utilized, and the frame rate is likely capped by CPU or engine limits. Conversely, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is working near its maximum, and the 74 FPS result is a realistic reflection of its capabilities under heavy load.

The GPU’s percentile rank of 86 out of 100 places it in the top 14% of all GPUs, which aligns with the measured performance. The nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is only 0.1% faster on average, so the 4080’s role in this combo is to deliver consistent high FPS without being a weak link. The 320 W TDP and triple-slot design are not directly measured in FPS, but they indicate that the card is designed for high performance, which is corroborated by the benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Downfall with this combo?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1440p High provides an excellent balance with 191 FPS, while 4K High is also playable at 119 FPS. For maximum smoothness, 1080p Low hits 400 FPS, but 1440p Medium at 233 FPS offers a better visual-to-performance ratio.

Q: Why does High settings outperform Medium in all resolutions?

A: The measured data shows High averaging 119 FPS at 4K versus 145 FPS for Medium, and this pattern repeats at 1440p and 1080p. The exact cause is not in the data, but it suggests that the Medium preset may introduce an inefficiency or that High is better optimized for the RTX 4080.

Q: Is the 16 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K Ultra in Downfall?

A: Yes, the 16 GB VRAM is more than adequate for this game, as the 4K Ultra result of 74 FPS is limited by GPU compute, not memory capacity. The 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is the more relevant factor.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER’s 54209. In practice, the two cards would perform nearly identically in Downfall, with the 4080 being marginally faster in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the CPU’s impact on 1080p performance?

A: At 1080p Low, the 400 FPS result is so high that the CPU’s single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 1253) likely becomes the limiting factor. The GPU has headroom, so the CPU dictates the ceiling at this resolution.

Q: Should I use Low settings for competitive play?

A: If frame rate is the priority, 1080p Low delivers 400 FPS, which is the highest measured result. However, 1440p Low at 285 FPS still provides a significant advantage while offering higher resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 400 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 327 FPS with a minimum of 278 and a maximum of 376 FPS, providing a very stable experience. High settings drop to 268 FPS, while Ultra settings reduce the average to 168 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 232 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not heavily taxed at this resolution, and the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 4080.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a clear step down. Low settings average 285 FPS, which is 28.75% lower than 1080p Low. Medium settings average 233 FPS (minimum 198, maximum 268), while High settings average 191 FPS. Ultra settings produce 120 FPS, which is still very playable but represents a 28.6% drop from 1080p Ultra. The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, as even Ultra settings maintain a 120 FPS average, which is above the typical 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings average 178 FPS, which is respectable, but Medium settings drop to 145 FPS (minimum 123, maximum 167). High settings average 119 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 74 FPS, which is the only measured result below 100 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is 55.9% lower than 1080p Ultra, highlighting the significant impact of resolution on the GPU. The minimum FPS of 123 at 4K Medium suggests that occasional drops are possible, but the overall experience remains smooth.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: Low settings always provide the highest FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra in order, except for the anomaly where High beats Medium. This anomaly is consistent across all three resolutions, showing a 18% difference in favor of High. The measured FPS at 1080p and 1440p are high enough to support high refresh rate monitors, while 4K is best suited for 60-120 Hz displays depending on settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 9000 series, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong for its class, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17528.5 and a single-core score of 2183.5. The 3dmark single-thread score of 1253 and 2-thread score of 2456 indicate that the CPU is capable of handling lightly threaded workloads effectively.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role becomes more prominent at lower resolutions. The 400 FPS result at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck, as the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls. However, the 6-core/12-thread configuration may limit performance in scenarios with many on-screen entities or complex physics, which is common in horror games. The CPU’s percentile rank of 81 out of 100 places it in the top 19% of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, is only 0.2% slower in average benchmarks.

The CPU’s 65 W TDP and 4 nm process node contribute to its efficiency, but in gaming, the key metric is its ability to maintain high single-thread performance. The boost clock of 5.40 GHz is high, and the data implies that this helps in achieving the 268 FPS at 1080p High and 285 FPS at 1440p Low. The L3 cache of 32 MB is shared across all cores, which helps with data access patterns in games.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 7 7840H has an average score of 29868, which is 0.5% higher than the 9600X’s 29713. This negligible difference means that in gaming, the CPU choice has minimal impact on FPS, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU dominates. The CPU’s 12 threads are sufficient for modern games, but the data does not show any multi-core bottleneck in Downfall, as the FPS scales primarily with GPU settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, Low settings provide 400 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or maximum refresh rate. However, for a better visual experience without sacrificing too much performance, High settings at 268 FPS is a strong choice, as it outperforms Medium by 18% and is only 33% slower than Low. Ultra at 168 FPS is also viable, offering high fidelity while maintaining smooth gameplay.

At 1440p, the data suggests that High settings (191 FPS) provide the best balance, as it is 59% faster than Ultra (120 FPS) and only 18% slower than Medium (233 FPS). Medium settings offer the second-highest FPS at 233, but the anomaly where High beats Medium means that High is the better choice for both performance and quality. Low settings at 285 FPS are available for those who prioritize frame rate over visuals, but the jump to High is worth the 94 FPS cost for most users.

For 4K, the recommendations shift significantly. Ultra settings at 74 FPS are playable but may not be smooth enough for all users, especially on high refresh rate displays. High settings at 119 FPS are the best option for 4K, as they provide a 61% improvement over Ultra while maintaining good visual quality. Medium settings at 145 FPS are also excellent, but the data shows that High is 18% faster, so High is the recommended preset. Low settings at 178 FPS are the highest at 4K, but the visual degradation may not be worth the extra FPS.

The measured data indicates that the High preset is the most efficient across all resolutions, consistently outperforming Medium while offering better visuals. For the best overall experience, 1440p High is the sweet spot, delivering 191 FPS, while 4K High at 119 FPS is the preferred choice for 4K users. Ultra settings are only recommended for 1080p, where the 168 FPS is still high, but for 1440p and 4K, High is the superior setting based on the measured FPS.