Downfall

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers a formidable performance profile in Downfall, a horror title that proves heavily reliant on raw GPU throughput at higher resolutions. The measured data reveals a system capable of extreme frame rates at 1080p, with the balance of power shifting decisively toward the graphics card as resolution scales. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, answers key questions about the data, and provides a detailed look at the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and packs 8 cores and 16 threads, a configuration that is well-suited for modern gaming workloads. Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.20 GHz are high, ensuring strong single-thread performance, which is often critical for game logic and frame pacing. The processor features a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, a design choice that typically benefits gaming by reducing memory latency. The CPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its strength: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23230 and a single-core score of 2080, alongside a Geekbench multicore score of 18696 and a single-core score of 2964.

In the context of Downfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. At 1920x1080, the system hits an average of 400 FPS on Low settings, a figure that is likely near the upper limit of what the game engine can render, suggesting the CPU is not a bottleneck at this level. The processor's percentile ranking of 87 (vs. all CPUs) and its average benchmark score of 39768 place it in the top tier of available hardware. When compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS, which has an average score of 39603 (a 0.4% delta). It also sits within 1% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048, -0.7%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 (39485, 0.7%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (40081, -0.8%). This indicates that while the 9800X3D is a top performer, its raw compute scores are not dramatically ahead of some mobile or lower-tier desktop parts, though its gaming-specific cache and high clock speeds are key differentiators.

The data suggests that in Downfall, the CPU's high single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 4430) ensures that frame rates remain high even when the GPU is not under heavy load. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10081 and 8-thread score of 8252 show strong scaling, but the game does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded, as the single-thread score of 1212 in 3DMark is more indicative of its gaming capability. The processor's 120 W TDP and AM5 socket compatibility are standard for a high-end desktop part, and its launch MSRP is $479. The CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 4080, but the benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the primary determinant of performance as resolution and settings increase.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture (chip AD103). It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This large VRAM pool is more than sufficient for Downfall at any resolution, preventing texture swapping or stuttering even at 4K Ultra. The GPU's core clocks are 2205 MHz base and 2505 MHz boost, with a memory clock of 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). The card has 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, which contribute to its high pixel rate (280.6 GPixel/s) and texture rate (761.5 GTexel/s). Its FP32 performance is rated at 48.74 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a PassMark G3D score of 34457 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 214739. Its percentile ranking of 86 (vs. all GPUs) places it in the top tier, and its average benchmark score of 54247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 (a 0.1% delta). The data shows the RTX 4080 is also closely matched with the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828, -1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698, -2.6%), and the AMD Radeon 8060S (55757, -2.7%). This suggests that while the RTX 4080 is powerful, it is not the absolute fastest card on the market, but its performance in Downfall is exceptional.

In Downfall, the GPU's role is dominant. The measured FPS shows that at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 74 FPS, a significant reduction from the 119 FPS at High. This scaling indicates that the game is highly GPU-bound, with the card's compute and memory bandwidth being the limiting factors at 4K. The RTX 4080’s 16 GB of VRAM ensures that even at 4K Ultra, there is no memory pressure, allowing the card to focus on rendering. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is fully utilized, and the card's high texture and pixel rates are crucial for maintaining visual fidelity in a horror title that likely uses detailed environmental effects. The card's launch MSRP is 1,199 USD, and it has a TDP of 320 W with a suggested PSU of 700 W.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this system in Downfall?*

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 400 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival in raw benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is a 0.1% delta from the RTX 4080 SUPER's score of 54209, making them virtually identical in synthetic tests.

Q: At what resolution and setting does the system fail to maintain a 100+ FPS average?

A: The only configuration where the average FPS falls below 100 is at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, where it averages 74 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU have a higher percentile ranking among all hardware?

A: The CPU has a percentile ranking of 87, while the GPU has a percentile ranking of 86, indicating the CPU is slightly more dominant relative to its peers.

*Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 4080, and does it appear sufficient for Downfall?*

A: The RTX 4080 has a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. Given the high frame rates at 4K, the bandwidth appears more than sufficient for the game's demands.

Q: What is the performance difference between the CPU and its nearest rival, the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS?

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average score of 39768, which is a 0.4% improvement over the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS's score of 39603, showing a negligible performance gap.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Downfall provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The table below details the average FPS, with minimum and maximum values where available.

1920x1080 (Full HD):

• Low: 400 FPS average
• Medium: 327 FPS average, with a minimum of 278 FPS and a maximum of 376 FPS
• High: 268 FPS average
• Ultra: 168 FPS average

2560x1440 (Quad HD):

• Low: 285 FPS average
• Medium: 233 FPS average, with a minimum of 198 FPS and a maximum of 268 FPS
• High: 191 FPS average
• Ultra: 120 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K Ultra HD):

• Low: 178 FPS average
• Medium: 145 FPS average, with a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS
• High: 119 FPS average
• Ultra: 74 FPS average

The data reveals a clear pattern. At 1080p Low, the system is likely CPU-limited or engine-limited, as the 400 FPS figure is extremely high. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a 232 FPS drop (400 to 168), showing a 58% reduction in performance. At 1440p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 165 FPS (285 to 120), a 58% reduction as well. At 4K, the spread is 104 FPS (178 to 74), a 58% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the settings have a similar relative impact, but the absolute cost is higher at lower resolutions due to the higher baseline FPS. The minimum FPS data points, which are only provided for Medium settings, show that the system maintains a playable frame rate even in demanding scenes, with the 4K Medium minimum of 123 FPS being well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Resolution Scaling

Analyzing the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the system's bottleneck. Comparing High settings across all resolutions, the system moves from 268 FPS at 1080p, to 191 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 119 FPS at 4K. This represents a 29% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 56% drop from 1080p to 4K. This steep decline as resolution increases is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates, but the GPU's rendering workload increases exponentially with pixel count, causing the frame rate to fall.

Looking at Low settings, the drop is from 400 FPS at 1080p to 285 FPS at 1440p (a 29% drop) and then to 178 FPS at 4K (a 56% drop from 1080p). The percentage drops are nearly identical to High settings, confirming that the scaling behavior is consistent regardless of graphical fidelity. At 1080p Low, the 400 FPS figure suggests the CPU is nearing its limit, as the GPU has ample headroom. However, as soon as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting component. This is further corroborated by the fact that the FPS at 4K Ultra (74 FPS) is less than half of the 4K Low (178 FPS), showing that the combination of high resolution and high settings places an enormous load on the GPU. The data indicates that for users seeking maximum frame rates, the CPU is sufficient, but the RTX 4080 is the component that defines the ceiling at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. The data provides clear guidance for each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system is massively over-powered. Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS is 168, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most high-end monitors. For users with a 240 Hz or 360 Hz monitor, the High settings (268 FPS) or Medium settings (327 FPS) offer a smoother experience, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may be worth the FPS trade-off. The highest fidelity option, Ultra, remains highly playable and is recommended for those prioritizing image quality.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 120 FPS, which is ideal for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz display. This is the sweet spot for this resolution, as it provides a perfect balance of visual fidelity and performance. The High preset (191 FPS) is excellent for users with 165 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, offering a significant FPS boost with a minor reduction in visual quality. The Medium preset (233 FPS) is overkill for most displays and sacrifices too much visual detail.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset (74 FPS) is playable but does not quite hit the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay, though it is close. The High preset (119 FPS) is the recommended choice for 4K, as it provides a massive performance uplift over Ultra while still offering high levels of detail. This allows users to take full advantage of a 120 Hz 4K display. The Medium preset (145 FPS) is also viable, but High offers a better balance. The Low preset (178 FPS) is unnecessary at this resolution. The data suggests that High settings at 4K provide the best overall experience, delivering nearly double the frame rate of Ultra while maintaining a high level of visual quality.