Downfall

# Downfall with AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a striking combination in Downfall, a horror title from 2016 that clearly rewards both high core counts and massive GPU throughput. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings tell a story of a system that rarely struggles, yet the scaling patterns reveal where each component's contribution peaks. With the CPU holding an 82nd percentile ranking among all processors and the GPU sitting at the 94th percentile among all graphics cards, this pairing represents a high-tier configuration, though the benchmark data shows interesting bottlenecks emerging at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D brings 8 cores and 16 threads to the table, built on the Zen 3 architecture with the Vermeer codename. Its base clock runs at 3.00 GHz with a boost clock reaching 4.10 GHz, and the 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a defining feature for gaming workloads. The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its position: a Cinebench R23 multicore result of 22,366 and a single-core score of 3,157, alongside a Passmark multithread score of 26,318. In the 3DMark suite, the 16-thread test produced 6,764 points, while the single-thread test yielded 804 points. These numbers place the chip in close competition with the Intel Core i7-1360P (0.2% ahead), AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D (0.3% ahead), and Intel Core i5-11600 (0.5% ahead), while the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 trails by 0.6%. For a 2016 horror game like Downfall, which predates this CPU by eight years, the 5700X3D's thread count and cache configuration appear more than sufficient. The data suggests the CPU is not the primary constraint at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the gap between the fastest and slowest settings hints at CPU involvement in frame pacing, particularly when the GPU is capable of exceeding 300 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture monster, built on a 5 nm process with 92,200 million transistors. Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory runs across a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The boost clock reaches 2,407 MHz, and the memory operates at 1,750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). With 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output units, the RTX 5090 produces 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. Its average benchmark score of 84,306 places it just ahead of the RTX 5090 D (0.1% delta), RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2%), and AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (1.3%), while the NVIDIA CMP 40HX trails by 1.6%. In Downfall, the GPU's dominance is evident: at 4K Ultra, the system still manages 84.8 FPS, a figure that many lesser cards could not achieve at 1080p. The 32 GB VRAM capacity is far beyond what this game requires, but the data shows the GPU's raw compute power driving frame rates well past 200 FPS at lower resolutions and settings. The RTX 5090's role becomes increasingly central as resolution climbs, where its pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s directly translate to higher sustained throughput.

Resolution Scaling

Examining the FPS drops from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 286.3 at 1080p to 220.5 at 1440p, then to 135.2 at 4K — a reduction of 23% from 1080p to 1440p, and 39% from 1440p to 4K. The Low settings row shows a similar trajectory: 334 FPS at 1080p, 296.5 at 1440p, and 201.3 at 4K. The Medium preset drops from 311.4 to 267.3 to 165.3 across the same resolutions. Ultra settings produce the most dramatic scaling, with 192.7 FPS at 1080p, 135.4 at 1440p, and 84.8 at 4K. The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are steepest at Ultra (56% reduction) and gentlest at Low (40% reduction). This scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p and even 1440p, the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output, but the RTX 5090's full potential is only partially realized at lower resolutions — the frame rates there are so high that the game's engine and CPU become the limiting factor. At 4K, the GPU takes over as the primary constraint, yet the system still delivers playable frame rates at every setting, including 84.8 FPS at Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 7 5700X3D and RTX 5090 achieves a combo rank of 82 out of 1,741 tested combinations in Downfall. This places the pairing in the top 4.7% of all tested combos, a strong showing that reflects both components' high percentile standings. The CPU's 82nd percentile among all processors and the GPU's 94th percentile among all graphics cards suggest that the GPU is the more dominant contributor to this ranking. The data indicates that while the CPU is competitive with its nearest rivals — all within 0.6% of its average benchmark score — the GPU's nearest rivals are similarly close, with deltas ranging from -1.6% to 1.3%. This tight clustering at the top of both component hierarchies means the combo's rank is less about raw component superiority and more about how well the two work together in Downfall's specific engine. The game's 2016 release date means it was designed for far older hardware, so this modern pairing is likely overkill for most scenarios, yet the measured FPS data confirms the combination still scales meaningfully with settings and resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 334 FPS average, Medium reaches 311.4 FPS, High achieves 286.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 192.7 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 141.3 FPS, indicating that settings have a substantial impact even at this resolution. Moving to 2560x1440, the figures remain high: Low hits 296.5 FPS, Medium 267.3 FPS, High 220.5 FPS, and Ultra 135.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows slightly to 161.1 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system still performs admirably: Low averages 201.3 FPS, Medium 165.3 FPS, High 135.2 FPS, and Ultra 84.8 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra spread at 4K is 116.5 FPS. Notably, the Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that dips below 100 FPS, while every other combination of resolution and settings stays above 135 FPS. The data reveals that Low settings at 1080p are the fastest configuration, while Ultra at 4K is the most demanding, with a 249.2 FPS difference between these extremes.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Downfall?

A: The highest average FPS is 334, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Does the system maintain 60+ FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the 4K Ultra preset averages 84.8 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700X3D has an average benchmark score of 24,673, which is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1360P and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D.

Q: What is the largest FPS difference between settings at the same resolution?

A: At 2560x1440, the difference between Low (296.5 FPS) and Ultra (135.4 FPS) is 161.1 FPS, the largest spread across any resolution.

Q: What percentile does the GPU hold among all graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds the 94th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Which resolution shows the smallest percentage drop from Low to Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160, Low averages 201.3 FPS and Ultra averages 84.8 FPS, a 57.9% reduction, which is the smallest relative drop compared to 1080p (42.3%) and 1440p (54.3%).

Settings Recommendations

For players seeking the smoothest experience in Downfall with this hardware, the data points to High settings at 1440p as the sweet spot. This configuration delivers 220.5 FPS average, which is more than sufficient for any display, while maintaining visual fidelity that exceeds what the game's 2016 engine likely requires. At 4K, High settings at 135.2 FPS offer an excellent balance, keeping frame rates high enough for competitive play while maximizing resolution. The Ultra preset at 4K, at 84.8 FPS, remains playable but shows the largest performance penalty, suggesting it is best reserved for players prioritizing visual quality over frame rate headroom. For those with 1080p displays, Medium settings at 311.4 FPS provide near-maximum performance with only a modest visual reduction compared to High, which still delivers 286.3 FPS. Low settings are unnecessary on this hardware, as even Ultra at 1080p exceeds 190 FPS, making the lowest preset a poor trade-off for the minimal visual gain. The measured data indicates that this combo can handle any preset at any resolution without dropping below 84 FPS, so the recommendation is to choose settings based on display refresh rate and personal preference for visual detail rather than performance necessity.