Downfall

# Downfall with AMD Ryzen 7 7700 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers strong frame rates across all tested resolutions in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that clearly favors high-refresh-rate play. The data shows a system that shifts from being overwhelmingly CPU-bound at 1080p to progressively more GPU-limited as resolution climbs, with the 4K Ultra preset representing the only configuration where the average frame rate dips below 60 FPS. The combo ranks 862nd out of 3,716 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the top quarter of all systems evaluated, which suggests a well-balanced pairing for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS numbers reveal a consistent and predictable scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 312 FPS, which drops to 223 FPS at 1440p and further to 139 FPS at 4K. This represents a 29% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The pattern is similar but less steep at High settings, where 210 FPS at 1080p falls to 150 FPS at 1440p and 93 FPS at 4K — a 29% drop and 56% drop respectively. Interestingly, the percentage losses are nearly identical regardless of quality preset, indicating that resolution scaling is largely independent of the graphical workload being applied.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data set, including minimum and maximum frame rates. At 1080p Medium, the average is 256 FPS with a minimum of 217 and maximum of 294. Moving to 1440p Medium drops the average to 182 FPS (a 29% reduction) with a minimum of 155 and maximum of 210. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 114 FPS (a 55% reduction from 1080p) with a minimum of 97 and maximum of 131. The consistency of these percentage drops across presets suggests that the limiting component changes character between 1080p and 4K — at 1080p, the extremely high frame rates (over 300 FPS at Low) point to CPU-side limits, while the 4K results show the GPU becoming the primary constraint.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest absolute declines. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 131 FPS, which drops to 94 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 58 FPS at 4K. The 38% reduction from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is notably larger than the 29% drops seen at other presets, and the 56% reduction from 1080p to 4K matches the pattern. This suggests that Ultra settings introduce additional GPU-intensive effects that amplify resolution sensitivity. The 4K Ultra result of 58 FPS is the only measured configuration below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this combination can handle nearly everything this game throws at it, but maxing out at 4K pushes the GPU to its limits.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is 58 FPS, which falls just short of the 60 FPS target. However, at 4K High, the system achieves 93 FPS, and at 4K Medium it reaches 114 FPS, so dropping from Ultra to High is sufficient to comfortably exceed 60 FPS at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 7700 scores 40,081 in average benchmark score, placing it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.2% behind the Intel Core 5 221E. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 270 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i9-13905H by 0.6%, showing it sits in a tightly competitive group.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4070 ranks in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37,648. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, scores 37,628, putting the RTX 4070 just 0.1% ahead.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 312 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suggests CPU limitations are beginning to cap performance. The CPU's single-thread 3DMark score is 1,049, and with 8 cores and 16 threads, it has substantial headroom, but frame rates above 300 FPS typically strain any processor.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and is it sufficient for this game?

A: The RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Given that even the 4K Ultra preset only manages 58 FPS, memory capacity is not a limiting factor in this title.

Q: What is the system's ranking among all tested combos in Downfall?

A: This combination ranks 862nd out of 3,716 tested combos, placing it in the top 23% of all systems evaluated for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 862 out of 3,716 tested combinations places this system in approximately the 77th percentile — meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all tested configurations in Downfall. This is a strong result for a mid-range pairing, though it also indicates that a substantial number of more powerful combos exist for this title. The rank reflects the system's ability to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p while still maintaining playable performance at 4K, with the 4K Ultra result being the only sub-60 FPS outcome.

Looking at the individual component rankings provides context for the combo's position. The Ryzen 7 7700 sits in the 87th percentile among all CPUs, while the RTX 4070 ranks in the 81st percentile among GPUs. The combo rank of 862/3,716 is slightly lower than what either component's individual percentile might suggest, which could indicate that Downfall does not perfectly scale with the strengths of this particular pairing. The CPU's nearest rivals all score within 0.6% of each other, suggesting that processor choice in this performance tier makes minimal difference for this game. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals are within 1.3% of its average score, reinforcing that this performance class is tightly packed.

The fact that the combo ranks 862nd despite both components ranking above the 80th percentile in their respective categories suggests that Downfall may favor certain hardware configurations that this pairing does not fully exploit. The game's 2016 release date means it predates the Zen 4 and Ada Lovelace architectures, so optimization for these newer designs may be less thorough than for older hardware. Nevertheless, the measured frame rates demonstrate that this combination delivers excellent real-world performance in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates across all presets. Low settings produce 312 FPS average, Medium produces 256 FPS with a 217 FPS minimum and 294 FPS maximum, High produces 210 FPS, and Ultra produces 131 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 58% reduction in frame rate, which is the largest relative spread at any resolution. Even at Ultra, the 1080p result of 131 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected decline. Low settings average 223 FPS, Medium averages 182 FPS with a minimum of 155 and maximum of 210, High averages 150 FPS, and Ultra averages 94 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p still comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, and even the minimum frame rate at Medium settings (155 FPS) is far above what most displays can show. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for this combination, offering a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining high performance.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. Low settings average 139 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 and maximum of 131, High averages 93 FPS, and Ultra averages 58 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K maintains a minimum above 60 FPS, which is notable for a game running at full 4K resolution. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that drops below 60 FPS, and at 58 FPS it is only marginally below the threshold. The gap between 4K High (93 FPS) and 4K Ultra (58 FPS) represents a 38% performance penalty for the maximum quality settings, which is a significant trade-off.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, providing 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and includes integrated Radeon Graphics despite being primarily a desktop part.

In Downfall, the CPU's performance is most evident at 1080p resolutions where frame rates exceed 200 FPS. The 312 FPS result at 1080p Low suggests the processor is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates, though it may also represent a practical ceiling for the game's engine. The CPU's 3DMark scores show strong scaling from 2,043 at 2 threads to 8,484 at 16 threads, with the 8-thread score of 6,933 and max-thread score of 8,479 indicating that the 8-core/16-thread configuration is well-utilized. The single-thread score of 1,049 is respectable but not exceptional, which aligns with the game's likely reliance on a few primary threads for core gameplay logic.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 results of 18,760 multi-core and 1,930 single-core demonstrate strong overall processing capability, and the PassMark multi-thread score of 34,470 places it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals — the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, Intel Core 5 221E, AMD Ryzen 9 270, and Intel Core i9-13905H — all score within 0.6% of the 7700's average benchmark score of 40,081, meaning that swapping to any of these processors would have negligible impact on Downfall performance. The 65 W TDP of the 7700 is notably low for an 8-core desktop processor, which may contribute to sustained performance without thermal throttling.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 312 FPS, which is far beyond what any standard display can show and likely exceeds the game's engine capabilities. The Medium preset at 1080p offers a substantial visual improvement while still producing 256 FPS average with a 217 FPS minimum, making it an excellent choice for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides 182 FPS average with a 155 FPS minimum, which is ideal for 144 Hz displays and offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset at 1440p drops to 150 FPS, still sufficient for most high-refresh-rate monitors, while Ultra at 1440p yields 94 FPS, which is acceptable for 60 Hz or basic 144 Hz displays.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering 114 FPS average with a 97 FPS minimum. This maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS even during demanding scenes. The High preset at 4K produces 93 FPS, which is also viable, but the Ultra preset's 58 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may introduce noticeable stuttering on displays without variable refresh rate support. Given that the visual difference between High and Ultra in a horror game from 2016 is unlikely to be dramatic, the Medium or High preset at 4K offers the best experience. The data overall suggests that this system can run Downfall at maximum settings at 1440p with room to spare, while 4K players should consider stepping down one or two presets from Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm TSMC process, featuring 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. It operates at a base clock of 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and its memory runs at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective speed through a 192-bit interface. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for a mid-range card.

The GPU's compute capabilities include 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, along with 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores. Its FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS (with FP16 at the same 29.15 TFLOPS) positions it as a capable performer, and the pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s support high-resolution rendering.

In Downfall, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU likely becomes the limiting factor, but at 4K the GPU's workload increases substantially. The 4K Ultra result of 58 FPS suggests the GPU is fully utilized at this setting, and the 38% performance drop from 4K High to 4K Ultra indicates that the Ultra preset introduces effects that heavily tax the GPU. The RTX 4070's 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37,648, places it just 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, while trailing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile by 1.3%.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 26,927 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3,854 reflect strong overall performance, and the 12 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for a game from 2016, even at 4K resolution. The 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU rating make it an efficient and practical choice for most systems. The end-of-life production status indicates this GPU is being phased out in favor of newer models, but its performance in Downfall remains competitive, with the data showing that it can handle this game at high quality settings across all tested resolutions.