Downfall

# Downfall with AMD Ryzen 9 5900X + Intel Arc B390 — Benchmark Analysis

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a highly constrained gaming experience in Downfall, a 2016 horror title that clearly favors the GPU side of the equation. Across all tested resolutions and settings, the Arc B390's integrated-class performance consistently limits frame rates, with the Ryzen 9 5900X's substantial 12-core, 24-thread processing headroom never becoming the primary bottleneck. The measured data shows a system that can hit playable frame rates at 1080p with reduced settings, but struggles to maintain smooth performance as resolution and visual fidelity increase.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario where the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities are the decisive factor. At High settings, average frame rates decline from 71 FPS at 1920x1080 to 51 FPS at 2560x1440, then further to 32 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K, a steep scaling curve that indicates the GPU is working at its limits even at the lowest tested resolution. The Low settings preset shows a similar pattern: 106 FPS at 1080p drops to 76 FPS at 1440p and 47 FPS at 4K, a 56% decrease across the resolution range.

The Medium preset, which includes min and max FPS data, provides additional insight into this scaling behavior. At 1080p Medium, the average is 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS. Moving to 1440p Medium reduces the average to 62 FPS with a 53 FPS minimum and 71 FPS maximum. At 4K Medium, the average collapses to 39 FPS with a 33 FPS minimum and 44 FPS maximum. The consistent frame time variance across resolutions suggests the Arc B390 is not experiencing memory bandwidth starvation — rather, its compute throughput is simply insufficient for higher pixel counts.

Ultra settings paint the most dramatic picture of resolution scaling. The 1080p Ultra average of 44 FPS drops to 32 FPS at 1440p and reaches an unplayable 20 FPS at 4K. This 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K mirrors the High preset's scaling, reinforcing that the GPU's pixel throughput is the limiting factor. Notably, the gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution widens as resolution increases: at 1080p the difference is 62 FPS, at 1440p it is 44 FPS, and at 4K it narrows to 27 FPS. This convergence at higher resolutions indicates that the Arc B390's fixed-function units are saturated regardless of settings, with the GPU becoming the sole bottleneck.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 operates as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its memory configuration is entirely system-shared, meaning it draws from the same DDR4 pool as the CPU rather than having dedicated VRAM. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 raster output units, and 12 ray tracing cores, with a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 15.36 TFLOPS via a 2:1 ratio.

The benchmark data positions this GPU at the 9th percentile among all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (scoring 1463, a 1.3% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% delta). These comparisons place the Arc B390 firmly in entry-level territory, which aligns with its measured performance in Downfall.

The system-shared memory architecture is particularly relevant to this game's results. Unlike discrete GPUs with dedicated VRAM bandwidth, the Arc B390's memory bandwidth is system-dependent, tied to the Ryzen 9 5900X's dual-channel DDR4 configuration. The 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth of the CPU platform becomes the ceiling for GPU memory access. In Downfall, a horror game that likely relies on texture streaming and frequent asset loading, this shared memory setup can introduce latency and bandwidth contention. However, the measured frame rates suggest that compute throughput, not memory bandwidth, is the primary constraint — the scaling pattern shows consistent drops across all settings at each resolution, which is characteristic of ALU-bound rendering.

The GPU's 80 W TDP and lack of power connectors reflect its IGP nature, further confirming that thermal headroom is not a factor in performance. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is respectable for an integrated solution, but the relatively low shading unit count (1536) and narrow 24 ROP configuration limit fill-rate-heavy workloads. In Downfall, which appears to have moderate geometry complexity but significant post-processing effects typical of horror titles, the ROP count and pixel rate become critical — 24 ROPs at 60 GPixel/s simply cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K, as evidenced by the 20 FPS Ultra result.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X provides abundant processing power that remains largely untapped in this configuration. With 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer), the CPU operates at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and can boost to 4.80 GHz. Its 64 MB L3 cache, 512 KB L2 cache per core, and 64 KB L1 cache per core provide ample on-die storage for game data. The CPU's single-thread performance, measured by a 3DMark single-thread score of 941 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1527, is strong enough to handle game logic and AI processing without creating a bottleneck.

The CPU's benchmark results position it at the 87th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41376. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (scoring 41263, a 0.3% delta), the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (41215, 0.4% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (41208, 0.4% delta). The Ryzen 9 5900X actually leads these rivals by a small margin, with the Intel Core i7-14650HX trailing at 41576 (-0.5% delta). This competitive positioning indicates the CPU is more than capable of feeding the Arc B390.

In Downfall specifically, the CPU's role is secondary due to the GPU-limited nature of the workload. The 12-core, 24-thread configuration provides headroom for background processes, and the 3DMark multi-threaded scores (9075 for 16 threads, 10075 for max threads) suggest the CPU can handle any multithreaded game engine demands. The PassMark physics score of 1994 and floating-point math score of 77700 indicate strong computational throughput, but these capabilities are not exercised heavily when the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 with dual-channel configuration and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth creates a potential mismatch with the GPU's system-shared memory requirements. While the CPU can access this memory efficiently, the GPU must compete for the same bandwidth. However, the measured FPS patterns do not show erratic frame times that would indicate memory contention issues — the Medium preset's min/max values are relatively stable (74-100 FPS at 1080p, 53-71 FPS at 1440p, 33-44 FPS at 4K). This stability suggests the CPU is adequately managing memory traffic alongside the GPU, though the shared architecture inherently limits overall performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X + Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 3303 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the entry-level GPU. The Ryzen 9 5900X alone sits at the 87th percentile among CPUs, while the Arc B390 languishes at the 9th percentile among GPUs — a 78-percentile gap that creates a system where the GPU is the overwhelming performance ceiling.

This ranking contextualizes the measured frame rates. A combo ranked 3303 out of 3716 is expected to deliver playable performance only at lower resolutions and settings, which is precisely what the data shows. At 1080p Low, the 106 FPS average is respectable and would be competitive with many mid-range systems. However, at 4K Ultra, the 20 FPS average is among the worst outcomes possible, and the ranking accurately predicts this limitation.

The combo's ranking also highlights the inefficiency of pairing a 12-core, 24-thread CPU with an IGP. The Ryzen 9 5900X's multi-threaded capabilities (Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16262, PassMark multithread score of 39002) are completely wasted in this configuration, as the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to utilize the CPU's processing power. Users would see nearly identical frame rates with a much weaker CPU, making this pairing architecturally mismatched for gaming purposes.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings in Downfall. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 106 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 87 FPS average (74 FPS minimum) also remains playable and offers improved visual quality. The High preset at 71 FPS is still acceptable, but the Ultra preset at 44 FPS dips below the ideal smoothness range. Therefore, at 1080p, Medium or High settings provide the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate stability.

At 2560x1440, the options narrow considerably. Low settings at 76 FPS average remain playable, while Medium at 62 FPS (53 FPS minimum) is borderline acceptable for a horror game where atmosphere matters more than competitive responsiveness. The High preset at 51 FPS and Ultra at 32 FPS both fall below comfortable playability thresholds. For 1440p users, Low or Medium settings are recommended, with Medium offering the better visual experience at a small frame rate cost.

At 3840x2160, the situation is challenging across all settings. Low at 47 FPS is the only preset approaching playability, while Medium at 39 FPS (33 FPS minimum) and High at 32 FPS are marginal. The Ultra preset at 20 FPS is effectively unplayable. For 4K users, Low settings are the only viable option, and even then, frame rates may feel inconsistent during intense scenes. The data suggests that 4K gaming is not a realistic expectation for this combo in Downfall, and users should either lower resolution or accept significant visual compromises.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Downfall?

A: 1920x1080 with Low or Medium settings provides the best experience, with 106 FPS and 87 FPS averages respectively, ensuring smooth gameplay.

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

A: 4K performance is limited to 47 FPS at Low settings and 20 FPS at Ultra, making it only marginally playable with minimum settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X scores 41376 on average, leading the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H by 0.3%, the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H by 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 by 0.4%, while trailing the Intel Core i7-14650HX by 0.5%.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile?

A: The Intel Arc B390 ranks at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, placing it near the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the 55% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings, while the CPU's 87th percentile ranking indicates it has ample headroom.

Q: What settings should be used at 2560x1440?

A: Low or Medium settings are recommended, delivering 76 FPS and 62 FPS averages respectively, with Medium providing better visuals at a 14 FPS cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full settings range was tested. Low settings produced an average of 106 FPS. Medium settings averaged 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS. High settings averaged 71 FPS. Ultra settings averaged 44 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 58% performance reduction, with each step up in quality costing roughly 20-25% of frame rate.

At 2560x1440, Low settings averaged 76 FPS. Medium settings averaged 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS and maximum of 71 FPS. High settings averaged 51 FPS. Ultra settings averaged 32 FPS. The 1440p results show a 58% reduction from Low to Ultra, consistent with the 1080p scaling pattern.

At 3840x2160, Low settings averaged 47 FPS. Medium settings averaged 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS and maximum of 44 FPS. High settings averaged 32 FPS. Ultra settings averaged 20 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate a 57% reduction from Low to Ultra, confirming the GPU-bound nature of the workload across all resolutions.

The Medium preset's min/max data across all three resolutions (74-100 at 1080p, 53-71 at 1440p, 33-44 at 4K) shows consistent frame pacing without major stutters, indicating that the system delivers stable performance within its capability limits. The overall pattern — consistent scaling percentages, stable frame times, and a clear GPU bottleneck — defines this combo as one suited for 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings, with diminishing returns at higher resolutions.