Downfall

Downfall is an older horror title, but data from this benchmark run shows that the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination delivers an exceptionally high level of performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The most striking result is the sheer headroom available; even at the most demanding preset and resolution, the average frame rate remains well above standard display refresh rates. The data indicates a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance becomes a critical factor at 1080p. The measured results show that this pairing is among the top 2% of all tested combos for this game, making it an elite configuration for maximizing frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly illustrates the shift in system bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 452 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that average falls to 323 FPS, a reduction of 129 FPS. At 4K, the average further drops to 201 FPS, representing a total decline of 251 FPS from the 1080p figure. This dramatic scaling indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiting factor; the GPU has ample capability to render frames far faster than the processor can feed it.

The scaling pattern changes character when moving to higher graphical presets. With High settings, the average frame rates are 303 FPS at 1080p, 217 FPS at 1440p, and 135 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 28%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is about 38%. This suggests that as the graphical load increases, the GPU begins to take on a more significant role in limiting performance, though the CPU still provides enough throughput to keep frame rates very high. The data shows that at 4K, with the highest settings, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck.

The most demanding preset, Ultra, shows the same resolution trend but at lower absolute numbers. The average FPS at 1080p is 190, which drops to 135 at 1440p and further to 84 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K on Ultra settings shows a 51 FPS drop, which is proportionally similar to the drop seen on High settings. This indicates that the RTX 5090’s rendering workload scales consistently with resolution, and the CPU’s role becomes less of a constraint as the GPU’s pixel-pushing duties increase.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, provides a strong foundation for this game. Its benchmark results show a robust multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18760 and a 3DMark max-thread score of 8479. However, for a title like Downfall, the single-threaded performance is often more critical for maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU must process game logic and draw calls quickly. The processor’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1049 and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1930 are indicative of strong per-core performance.

The data confirms this CPU’s importance at 1080p. The gap between Low (452 FPS) and High (303 FPS) settings at this resolution is 149 FPS, which is a larger absolute difference than the 122 FPS gap seen at 1440p (323 FPS vs 217 FPS). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is working hard to keep up with the GPU’s potential, and the graphical settings have a more pronounced effect on the overall frame rate as the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The processor’s boost clock of 5.30 GHz and base clock of 3.80 GHz are key specifications that contribute to this high level of single-threaded performance.

In the broader context of CPU benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 7700 sits at the 87th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 40081 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with a negligible performance difference of 0.1% compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and -0.2% compared to the Intel Core 5 221E. This indicates that while the CPU is not the absolute fastest available, its performance is well-matched for a high-end GPU like the RTX 5090, ensuring that it does not become a significant bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the extraordinary frame rates. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, the GPU has a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This massive bandwidth is crucial for feeding the 21,760 shading units at high resolutions and with high-detail textures. The GPU’s boost clock of 2407 MHz, combined with its 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, provides the raw computational power needed to handle the most demanding scenes in Downfall.

The data shows that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 4K, the RTX 5090 manages an average of 201 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 164 FPS on Medium and 135 FPS on High. This shows a clear performance cost for each step up in visual fidelity. The most significant drop occurs when moving from High to Ultra at 4K, where the average frame rate falls from 135 FPS to 84 FPS, a decline of 51 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset includes effects that are particularly taxing on the GPU’s compute and memory subsystems.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its top-tier status. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 39650 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18355. Its percentile rank among all GPUs is 92, placing it in the upper echelon of graphics cards. Interestingly, its average benchmark score of 79842 is comparable to its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, with performance deltas of 0.3% and 1.1% respectively. This emphasizes that while the RTX 5090 is a flagship consumer card, its raw compute scores are in a similar tier to some specialized or mobile parts, but its gaming performance, as shown by the measured FPS, is in a league of its own.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset is the clear choice, but the data shows it is likely overkill for most displays. At 1080p, Low yields an average of 452 FPS, and at 1440p it still produces 323 FPS. Even at 4K, the Low preset maintains an average of 201 FPS. The performance headroom here is immense, and most users would not see a visual difference beyond a 144Hz or 165Hz display. The Medium preset offers a better balance, providing a significant visual upgrade over Low while still delivering excellent performance: 370 FPS at 1080p, 264 FPS at 1440p, and 164 FPS at 4K.

The High preset is the recommended choice for a high-refresh-rate 1440p or a standard 4K display. At 1440p, High produces an average of 217 FPS, which is more than sufficient for even the fastest gaming monitors. At 4K, the High preset’s 135 FPS average is ideal for a 120Hz or 144Hz display, providing a smooth and detailed experience. The data suggests that High is the optimal sweet spot for this combo, as it offers a substantial improvement in visual quality over Medium with a manageable performance hit.

The Ultra preset is only recommended for players with a 4K 60Hz display who want maximum visual fidelity. The data shows that at 4K, Ultra averages 84 FPS, which is playable but leaves little room for frame rate dips. At 1440p, Ultra’s 135 FPS average is acceptable, but the visual gains over High are often marginal in a horror title like Downfall. Given the significant performance cost, particularly at 4K where it is 51 FPS slower than High, Ultra is best reserved for scenarios where image quality is the absolute priority over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 63 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 1.7% of all configurations, proof of its exceptional performance. This high ranking is expected, given the GPU’s status as a flagship product and the CPU’s strong all-around capabilities. The data confirms that this is a top-tier pairing for this game, and users can expect performance that is near the very best available.

The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s dominance. The RTX 5090’s raw power ensures that the combo performs well across all resolutions, but its margin over other top GPUs may shrink at 1080p where the CPU becomes more relevant. The Ryzen 7 7700, while not the absolute fastest CPU, provides enough single-threaded performance to keep the GPU fed, allowing the combo to achieve its high ranking. The 87th percentile CPU and 92nd percentile GPU rankings work in concert to deliver a result that is greater than the sum of its parts.

This ranking also contextualizes the measured FPS data. A rank of 63 means that there are 62 other combinations that perform better, likely featuring even more powerful CPUs or slightly more optimized configurations. However, for the vast majority of users, the difference between rank 63 and rank 1 is imperceptible in real-world gameplay, as both would deliver frame rates far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The data indicates that this combo is a top-tier performer, and its ranking reflects that status.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured averages are 452 FPS on Low, 370 FPS on Medium, 303 FPS on High, and 190 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset also has recorded min and max FPS of 314 and 425, respectively, showing a narrow band of performance. The Low preset at 1080p is the highest average frame rate recorded in the entire dataset, underscoring the CPU’s ability to push very high frame rates when the GPU is not heavily loaded.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 323 FPS on Low, 264 FPS on Medium, 217 FPS on High, and 135 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 1440p shows min and max FPS of 225 and 304. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, averaging around a 29% reduction. This resolution is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming with this combo, as even the Ultra preset produces a frame rate that is smooth on most monitors.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 201 FPS on Low, 164 FPS on Medium, 135 FPS on High, and 84 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset here has a min FPS of 140 and a max of 189. The 4K results clearly show the GPU’s limits; while the Low and Medium presets offer high refresh rate performance, the High preset is the maximum recommended for a 144Hz display. The Ultra preset’s 84 FPS average is the only result that falls below the 100 FPS mark, indicating that this setting is only suitable for 60Hz displays or for players who prioritize visual fidelity above all else.