Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 pairing in Downfall produces a clear picture of a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a consistent pattern: the CPU has ample headroom, while the GPU’s performance dictates the playable experience.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is a Zen 3 (Vermeer) architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock of 3.80 GHz can boost up to 4.80 GHz, providing strong single-thread and multi-thread performance. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 959 in 3dMark single-thread and 7683 in 3dMark 16-threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23794. This places it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29774. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, are within a 0.3% performance delta, indicating a tightly contested performance tier.

For Downfall, a horror game from 2016, this level of CPU performance is more than sufficient. The measured frames per second (FPS) do not show any signs of CPU limitation. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 154.7 FPS, and even at 4K with Low settings, it manages 71.5 FPS. These numbers suggest that the processor is never the limiting factor, as it is capable of feeding the GPU with data far faster than the GPU can render. The high boost clock of 4.80 GHz is particularly effective for a game of this era, which likely relies on fewer, faster threads rather than scaling perfectly across all 16. The data implies that the 5800XT is effectively idle, waiting on the GTX 1070 to finish its work.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal architecture card with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost of 1683 MHz. The card’s synthetic scores include a Passmark G3D score of 13498 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 47490. It sits in the 51st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12331. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER and NVIDIA Quadro K4200, with performance deltas ranging from -1.4% to 0.7%.

This GPU is the performance ceiling in this combination. The benchmark results show that the GTX 1070 is the component that determines the FPS at every resolution and setting. For example, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial: 154.7 FPS versus 67.3 FPS. This scaling is a direct result of the GPU’s workload increasing with higher graphical fidelity. The 8 GB of VRAM is a key factor; while it is sufficient for 1080p, the data suggests it may be a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 27.8. The card’s 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs are being pushed to their limit, particularly in the 4K Ultra preset, where the rendering load exceeds what the card can manage for a smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly identifies the GPU as the bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 107.2 at 1080p to 76 at 1440p, and then to 47.8 at 4K. This is a predictable curve, but the magnitude of the drop at 4K is telling. At 4K Ultra, the system only manages 27.8 FPS, a steep fall from the 67.3 FPS at 1080p Ultra.

This pattern is the classic signature of a GPU-limited system. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant regardless of resolution, as the processor’s workload (draw calls, physics) does not change with resolution. However, the FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is because the GPU has to render more pixels. The fact that the FPS falls from 154.7 at 1080p Low to 71.5 at 4K Low—a drop of over half—further confirms that the GTX 1070’s compute and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors. The CPU’s performance, as measured by its high synthetic scores, is not the constraint here.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At 2560x1440 Medium, the system delivers an average of 93.7 FPS, which is a very playable and smooth experience for a horror game. This is a significant improvement over the 4K High preset (47.8 FPS) and provides a more stable frame rate than the 1440p Ultra preset (46 FPS).

If you are targeting 1080p, the High preset is the sweet spot. It provides an average of 107.2 FPS, which is well above the threshold for a responsive experience, and it will look considerably better than the Low or Medium presets. While the Ultra preset at 1080p (67.3 FPS) is playable, the jump from High to Ultra costs a significant amount of performance for what is often marginal visual gains. For 4K, the data suggests avoiding Ultra altogether. The 4K High preset at 47.8 FPS is the only 4K option that approaches playability, but the 4K Low preset (71.5 FPS) is the only way to get a truly smooth experience at that resolution. In summary, prioritize 1440p Medium or 1080p High for the optimal experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1446 out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which aligns with the performance data. The rank reflects that while the CPU is a high-performing component (86th percentile), the GPU is only average (51st percentile). The overall system performance is dragged down by the graphics card.

This rank of 1446 out of 1741 shows that there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates in this game. The data indicates that the GTX 1070 is the limiting factor, so any combo with a more powerful GPU would likely rank significantly higher. The high CPU percentile is not enough to compensate for the GPU’s mid-range standing. The result is a system that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well, but falls behind many other configurations when pushed to higher settings or resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data clearly shows the GTX 1070 is the limiting component. The FPS drops significantly as resolution and settings increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s high benchmark scores (86th percentile) indicate it has plenty of headroom.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a smooth experience?

A: The 1440p Medium preset provides an excellent balance with an average of 93.7 FPS. For 1080p, the High preset is recommended, delivering 107.2 FPS. These offer a good visual quality without sacrificing frame rate.

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

A: It can run at 4K, but not comfortably at high settings. The 4K High preset produces 47.8 FPS, while the 4K Ultra preset only manages 27.8 FPS. For a playable 4K experience, you would need to use the Low preset, which gives 71.5 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its closest rivals in terms of performance?

A: The GTX 1070’s average benchmark score is 12331. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER, has an average score of 12504, which is 1.4% higher. The NVIDIA Quadro K4200 is 0.7% lower, indicating the 1070 is in a very tight performance band.

*Q: Is the 8 GB of VRAM on the GTX 1070 sufficient for Downfall?*

A: The 8 GB of VRAM appears sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming. However, the significant drop in performance at 4K Ultra (27.8 FPS) suggests that the memory capacity or bandwidth is a contributing factor to the card being overwhelmed at that resolution.

Q: Where does this combo rank compared to all other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1446 out of 1741 tested combinations in Downfall. This places it in the lower-middle range, reflecting that the mid-range GPU holds back the high-end CPU, preventing the system from achieving higher frame rates.