Downfall

The analysis of the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 in Downfall reveals a configuration that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU becoming the clear limiting factor at higher settings. The data measured for this combo shows a performance profile that is strong at 1080p and 1440p but requires careful settings management to maintain high frame rates at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear and consistent downward trend as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 295 FPS at 1080p to 210 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 85 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, the average further drops to 131 FPS, another 79 FPS decrease. This scaling pattern is typical for a system where the GPU is the dominant bottleneck, as the workload on the graphics card increases with pixel count.

The scaling behavior changes when examining higher settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 241 at 1080p, to 172 at 1440p, and finally to 107 at 4K. The percentage drop between 1080p and 1440p is roughly 29%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 38%. This steeper decline at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is being pushed closer to its limits, and the additional pixel workload has a proportionally larger impact.

At High settings, the measured averages are 198 FPS at 1080p, 141 FPS at 1440p, and 88 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 57 FPS, and the drop from 1440p to 4K is 53 FPS. This shows a more linear scaling pattern compared to Medium settings, suggesting a balanced load between the CPU and GPU at these settings. The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling, with averages of 123 FPS at 1080p, 88 FPS at 1440p, and just 55 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that at 1080p, especially with Low settings, the frame rates are exceptionally high, suggesting that the CPU might be approaching its performance ceiling in certain scenes. However, the consistent behavior across the resolution ladder points to the GPU as the primary component governing frame rates. The wide gap between Low and Ultra settings at 4K — a difference of 76 FPS — underscores that the graphics card's capabilities are the main factor in determining playable settings at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this combo in Downfall?*

A: The highest measured average FPS for this combo is 295 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 55 FPS, which is the lowest measured average across all configurations in the data.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 210 on Low settings to 88 on Ultra settings, a difference of 122 FPS.

Q: Are there any frame rate variance data points available for this combo?

A: Yes, the data includes minimum and maximum FPS values for Medium settings at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 205 to 277 FPS; at 1440p, it is 146 to 198 FPS; and at 4K, it is 91 to 123 FPS.

Q: Does the combo achieve playable frame rates at 4K on any settings?

A: Yes, at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 131. Medium settings yield 107 FPS, and High settings yield 88 FPS, all of which are above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the combo's performance at 1080p Ultra compare to its 4K Low performance?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 123, which is slightly lower than the 131 FPS average at 4K Low. This suggests that the graphical settings have a more significant impact on performance than resolution alone.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 1122 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 30% of all configurations tested for this game, indicating a solid performance tier. The percentile ranking is 69 for the GPU and 68 for the CPU. The combo's overall rank is influenced by the balance between its components.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 23877, placing it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z with an average score of 23736, which is a 0.6% difference, and the AMD Radeon RX 6800S with an average score of 24063, a -0.8% difference. The CPU's average benchmark score is 13494, placing it in the 68th percentile. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core 3 N355 with a score of 13492, showing a negligible 0% difference. The Intel Core i5-9500 is also close, with a score of 13452 and a deltaPct of 0.3.

The combo's rank of 1122 out of 3716 suggests that while both components are individually strong, the pairing is not at the absolute top of the performance charts for Downfall. The data implies that other combinations of higher-end CPUs and GPUs achieve better results. However, the rank is still respectable, indicating that this setup can deliver a high level of performance in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a comprehensive view of its performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are 295 for Low, 241 for Medium, 198 for High, and 123 for Ultra. The Medium settings also have recorded minimum and maximum values of 205 and 277 FPS, respectively.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values decrease across the board. Low settings yield 210 FPS, Medium yields 172 FPS, High yields 141 FPS, and Ultra yields 88 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution has a minimum of 146 FPS and a maximum of 198 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p is 122 FPS, showing the significant impact of graphical fidelity on performance.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 131 FPS for Low, 107 FPS for Medium, 88 FPS for High, and 55 FPS for Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 76 FPS. The data reveals that the combo can handle 4K gaming comfortably on High settings with an average above 60 FPS, but Ultra settings push it below that threshold.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is a high-performance graphics card with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its listed boost clock is 2520 MHz and the game clock is 2070 MHz. The card's architecture is RDNA 4.0, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 3584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, along with 56 ray tracing cores.

In Downfall, the GPU's role is evident from the FPS scaling. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 55, which is a considerable drop from the 123 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This indicates that the GPU is fully utilized at 4K with maximum settings, and its performance limits the frame rate. The card's 16 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for the textures and assets in Downfall at all tested settings, as no VRAM-related bottlenecks are apparent in the data.

The high memory bandwidth and clock speeds allow the card to produce very high frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, such as the 295 FPS at 1080p Low. The GPU's performance is consistent with its benchmark scores, such as a PassMark G3D score of 25381 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290. The fact that the card ranks in the 69th percentile of all GPUs supports the observation that it is a strong performer, but the Ultra preset at 4K exceeds its capabilities for maintaining high refresh rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz and its boost clock is 4.30 GHz. It features a 12 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache. The CPU's benchmark results show a PassMark multithread score of 14015 and a single-thread score of 3444.

In Downfall, the CPU's role is less prominent than the GPU's, but it is still a factor. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 295 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution and settings combination. However, the jump from 1080p Low to 1080p Medium shows a drop to 241 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 123 FPS. This scaling is primarily due to the increased GPU workload, but the CPU must also handle more draw calls and game logic at higher settings.

The CPU's performance is adequate for this game, as it ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its multi-threaded capabilities, as shown in Cinebench R23 with a score of 11860, allow it to handle the game's demands without becoming a major bottleneck at most settings. The data shows that the CPU is not the primary limiting factor in this combo, as the FPS drops are more consistent with GPU-bound behavior, particularly at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, all settings presets provide playable frame rates. The Low preset at 295 FPS is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset, with an average of 241 FPS and a minimum of 205 FPS, offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 123 FPS is also playable and provides the highest visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is a strong recommendation. It achieves an average of 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. The High preset at 141 FPS is also excellent for users who prioritize visual quality. The Ultra preset at 88 FPS is still playable but may not be suitable for 144Hz monitors. The Low preset at 210 FPS is available for those seeking maximum frame rates.

For 4K gaming, the High preset at 88 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a solid balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 107 FPS is also a good option, offering a higher frame rate with a slight reduction in visual detail. The Low preset at 131 FPS is optimal for high refresh rate 4K displays. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The data suggests that users should avoid Ultra at 4K and instead select High or Medium settings to ensure a more stable frame rate.