Downfall

# Downfall with AMD Ryzen 9 9900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a playable but uneven experience in Downfall, with performance heavily dependent on resolution and settings. The combo ranks 1266th out of 1741 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. At 1080p, this pairing is capable of high refresh rates on medium settings, but 4K Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits, dropping to 37.3 FPS. The data indicates a system where the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X provides ample headroom for the game's horror-themed workloads.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Downfall?*

A: The highest recorded average is 190.9 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This drops to 80.4 FPS at the same resolution with Ultra settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the system averages 56.4 FPS on High settings, 69.5 FPS on Medium, and 82.7 FPS on Low. However, Ultra settings at 4K yield only 37.3 FPS, which is below smooth playability thresholds.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54450, placing it 0.4% behind the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681) but 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F (54097). It trails the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K by 1.5% and the 245KF by 1.8%.

Q: What GPU benchmark percentile does the RTX 2060 SUPER achieve?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER scores in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774. Its nearest rival, the GTX TITAN, scores 19706, a 0.3% difference.

Q: Is there a significant performance gap between 1080p and 1440p?

A: Yes. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 127.4 at 1920x1080 to 90.3 at 2560x1440, a 29% reduction. The gap widens at Ultra settings, falling from 80.4 to 57.3 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance profile?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 46438 and a single-core score of 6555. Its 3DMark max-threads score is 13929, while the single-thread score is 1286.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 120 W TDP. The CPU features 64 MB of shared L3 cache, with 1 MB of L2 per core and 80 KB of L1 per core. Memory support includes DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Downfall, the CPU's role is largely supportive, given that the game's horror genre typically emphasizes graphical atmosphere over complex physics or AI. The 9900X's benchmark scores indicate strong single-thread performance, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1286 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6555. This ensures that the CPU does not become a limiting factor even at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest. The multi-threaded capabilities, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 46438 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 19827, provide headroom for background tasks and any game engine threads that scale beyond a few cores.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 9900X sits in a tight cluster. Its average benchmark score of 54450 is nearly identical to the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681, -0.4%) and the Intel Core i7-14700F (54097, +0.7%). The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and 245KF score 55304 and 55421, respectively, putting them 1.5% and 1.8% ahead. This means the 9900X delivers essentially comparable CPU performance to its direct competitors, none of which would substantially alter the Downfall frame rates given the GPU-bound nature of the workload at higher settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, based on the TU106 chip with Turing architecture, is the decisive component in this combo. It features 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost clock of 1650 MHz, while memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The card's FP32 performance is 7.181 TFLOPS, and it operates at a TDP of 175 W.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's benchmark standing shows it at the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 19774. Its nearest rivals are remarkably close: the GTX TITAN scores 19706 (+0.3%), the RTX 2070 scores 19680 (+0.5%), and the Quadro K5200 scores 19623 (+0.8%). This clustering indicates that the 2060 SUPER is performance-competitive with these cards, though none of them are modern high-end parts. In Downfall, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's textures at most settings, but the compute throughput becomes a constraint at 4K Ultra.

The measured frame rates reveal the GPU's limitations clearly. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 190.9 FPS, but this falls to 80.4 FPS at Ultra — a 58% drop. At 4K, the spread is from 82.7 FPS on Low to 37.3 FPS on Ultra. This pattern is characteristic of a GPU that struggles with the pixel fill and shading demands of higher resolutions and quality presets, while the CPU remains underutilized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 190.9 FPS on Low, 154.0 FPS on Medium, 127.4 FPS on High, and 80.4 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate smooth performance across the board, with even the most demanding preset staying above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop but remain playable: 138.0 FPS on Low, 113.8 FPS on Medium, 90.3 FPS on High, and 57.3 FPS on Ultra. The Ultra preset falls just below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that users seeking consistent smoothness should consider High settings at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more variable. Low settings yield 82.7 FPS, Medium drops to 69.5 FPS, High falls to 56.4 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 37.3 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is notably below playability standards, while High and Medium remain usable for less demanding players. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 55% reduction in frame rate, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to settings changes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1266th out of 1741 tested combinations, placing it in the 27th percentile of all configurations in the database. This ranking reflects the pairing of a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU from a previous generation. While the Ryzen 9 9900X sits in the 94th percentile among CPUs, the RTX 2060 SUPER's 63rd percentile GPU standing drags the overall combo ranking down. The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

In practical terms, this ranking means that a significant majority of other tested combos outperform this system in Downfall. However, the ranking is not uniform across all settings — at 1080p Low, the system's 190.9 FPS would be competitive, while at 4K Ultra, the 37.3 FPS result would rank poorly. The combo's position is therefore context-dependent, with its best relative performance occurring at lower resolutions where the CPU's strength can shine.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but Medium (154.0 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance headroom for high refresh rate monitors. High (127.4 FPS) is also excellent, while Ultra (80.4 FPS) remains smooth for most users.

At 2560x1440, High settings (90.3 FPS) provide the best experience, maintaining fluidity while delivering good visual fidelity. Medium (113.8 FPS) is the safer choice for users who prioritize frame rate stability, while Ultra (57.3 FPS) is borderline and may cause stutter in demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, Medium settings (69.5 FPS) are recommended as the highest playable preset. Low (82.7 FPS) offers the smoothest experience, while High (56.4 FPS) dips below 60 FPS. Ultra (37.3 FPS) should be avoided for serious gameplay. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM and compute capabilities are best utilized at Medium settings for 4K, providing a playable horror experience without sacrificing too much atmosphere.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the system's bottleneck characteristics. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 190.9 FPS at 1080p to 138.0 FPS at 1440p (a 28% reduction) and further to 82.7 FPS at 4K (a 57% reduction from 1080p). At Ultra settings, the drop is from 80.4 FPS at 1080p to 57.3 FPS at 1440p (a 29% reduction) and 37.3 FPS at 4K (a 54% reduction).

This pattern of roughly 28-29% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a further 40-41% reduction from 1440p to 4K, is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p to 1440p and by 225% from 1080p to 4K, but the frame rate drops are less severe, suggesting that the CPU is providing some relief by keeping up with the game's logic. However, the absolute FPS at 4K Ultra (37.3) confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint, as the Ryzen 9 9900X's high single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 1286) is not the limiting factor. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply insufficient for the highest settings at 4K, making resolution scaling a key consideration for users of this combo.