Downfall

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER pairing in Downfall demonstrates a balanced configuration where the GPU governs high-fidelity output, while the CPU provides sufficient headroom for high refresh-rate scenarios. The benchmark data indicates that this combination is capable of delivering smooth gameplay across most settings, with the primary performance ceiling appearing at 4K Ultra. This analysis dissects the measured FPS rows to show exactly where each component dominates and how the system scales with resolution.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, which provides a solid foundation for gaming workloads. The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for feeding a modern GPU in a horror title like Downfall, which does not show extreme multi-threaded scaling based on the measured frame rates.

In synthetic tests, the processor scores 10297 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1453 in single-core. These figures place it in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14168. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% faster), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% slower), and Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% slower), indicating that the i5-10400F sits in a tight performance cluster. For Downfall, the CPU’s single-thread strength is more relevant, as the game’s FPS deltas between Low and Ultra settings are substantial, suggesting that frame rate is primarily dictated by the graphics card rather than processor throughput.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 212.4 FPS, which is a scenario where the CPU’s 4.30 GHz boost clock can keep up with the GPU’s output. However, the i5-10400F’s 3dmark single-thread score of 688 and 3dmark 2-thread score of 1350 imply that it is not a bottleneck even at high frame rates. The processor’s TDP of 65 W and Intel Socket 1200 compatibility make it a mainstream option, but its performance in Downfall is clearly sufficient, as evidenced by the fact that FPS scales nearly linearly with resolution and settings changes, pointing to GPU-bound behavior in most tested configurations.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its TU104 chip, manufactured on a 12 nm process at TSMC, has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, the card offers 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is well-suited for Downfall’s horror visuals.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability: it achieves 18169 in Passmark G3D and 98316 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 22206. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A400 (0.5% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z (0.9% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile (2.3% slower), showing that the RTX 2070 SUPER holds its ground against newer parts. In Downfall, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor, as the measured FPS at 4K Ultra drops to 40.8, but this is due to compute load rather than memory capacity.

The data indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary driver of performance. For instance, moving from 1080p Low to 1080p Ultra reduces average FPS from 212.4 to 88.7, a drop of over half, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering. Similarly, at 4K, the card’s limits are exposed, with High settings yielding 62.9 FPS and Ultra falling to 40.8. The GPU’s 14 Gbps effective memory speed and 113.3 GPixel/s pixel rate are sufficient for 1440p gaming, as shown by the 99.3 FPS at High settings, but 4K Ultra demands more than the card can deliver for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS rows reveal a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the combo averages 140.2 FPS, which drops to 99.3 FPS at 1440p High (a 29% reduction) and further to 62.9 FPS at 4K High (a 55% reduction from 1080p). This degradation is consistent with the GPU’s fillrate and memory bandwidth limits, not the CPU, since the i5-10400F’s performance is static across resolutions.

Looking at the Low preset, the system achieves 212.4 FPS at 1080p, 152.7 FPS at 1440p (a 28% drop), and 94.2 FPS at 4K (a 56% drop from 1080p). These percentages are remarkably similar across settings, confirming that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the bottleneck at every resolution above 1080p. At 1080p Low, the CPU may still have headroom, but even then, the FPS ceiling is set by the GPU’s ability to process frames quickly.

The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling: 88.7 FPS at 1080p, 60.3 FPS at 1440p (a 32% drop), and 40.8 FPS at 4K (a 54% drop from 1080p). This indicates that as pixel count increases, the GPU’s shader and ROP throughput becomes the limiting factor, with the CPU contributing negligible overhead. The data suggests that the i5-10400F is never the primary limiter in Downfall, as even at 1080p Ultra, the FPS is high enough to rule out CPU stalls.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High provides a strong balance, with an average FPS of 99.3, which is well above 60 FPS. At 4K High, the average drops to 62.9, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: No, the measured average FPS at 4K Ultra is 40.8, which falls below the standard 60 FPS target. The GPU’s compute resources are insufficient for this configuration, as indicated by the 54% FPS drop from 1080p Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting component. FPS scales consistently with resolution changes (e.g., 140.2 at 1080p High vs. 62.9 at 4K High), while the CPU’s performance remains constant, showing no signs of bottlenecking.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 22206, with the NVIDIA RTX A400 being 0.5% slower and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 being 2.5% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z is 0.9% faster, placing the RTX 2070 SUPER in a tight performance band.

Q: What FPS can be expected at 1080p Medium?

A: The data shows an average of 174.9 FPS at 1080p Medium, which is a high refresh-rate experience suitable for fast-paced action. This is 15% higher than High settings and 50% higher than Ultra.

*Q: Does the CPU’s multi-threading affect Downfall performance?*

A: Based on the measured rows, multi-threading has minimal impact. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 is solid, but FPS differences between settings are entirely driven by GPU load, as seen in the resolution scaling patterns.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and RTX 2070 SUPER combination ranks 1046 out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the middle of the distribution, which is consistent with the hardware’s specifications: the CPU is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. The rank indicates that while this setup is capable of playing the game smoothly at most settings, there are many higher-performing combinations, particularly those with newer GPUs.

The combo’s rank is influenced by the GPU’s 4K Ultra performance, where the 40.8 FPS average is a weak point. However, the 1080p and 1440p results are competitive, with the system outperforming many lower-tier configurations. The rank of 1046 out of 1741 suggests that this is a mid-pack performer, suitable for 1080p high-refresh and 1440p standard gaming, but not for 4K enthusiasts. The data shows that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 4060 Mobile, have similar average scores, so the ranking is expected for a card of this vintage.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 212.4 FPS, Medium 174.9 FPS, High 140.2 FPS, and Ultra 88.7 FPS. These figures show a steady decline as graphical fidelity increases, with a 58% reduction from Low to Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 152.7 FPS (Low), 120.8 FPS (Medium), 99.3 FPS (High), and 60.3 FPS (Ultra). This represents a 28% drop from 1080p for Low and a 32% drop for Ultra, confirming that the GPU’s workload scales with pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the performance is 94.2 FPS (Low), 76.6 FPS (Medium), 62.9 FPS (High), and 40.8 FPS (Ultra). The 4K Ultra result is the only sub-60 FPS figure in the entire dataset, indicating that this setting is beyond the card’s comfortable range. The 4K High average of 62.9 FPS is borderline, but it remains above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the highest resolution at which the combo can maintain playable performance with quality settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience for this combo is at 2560x1440 with High settings, yielding 99.3 FPS. This configuration provides a significant visual boost over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS, which is ideal for a horror game where smoothness enhances immersion.

For players prioritizing high refresh rates, 1920x1080 with Medium settings delivers 174.9 FPS, which is excellent for 144Hz displays. This setting offers a 25% FPS increase over High (140.2 FPS) with only a minor reduction in visual quality, making it a strong choice for competitive or reaction-heavy play.

At 4K, the data recommends High settings (62.9 FPS) over Ultra (40.8 FPS). The jump from High to Ultra results in a 35% FPS loss, which is not worth the marginal graphical improvement. The 4K Medium setting (76.6 FPS) is also viable if users prefer higher frame rates, but the High preset offers the best balance of fidelity and performance at this resolution. The Low preset should be avoided above 1080p, as it provides no meaningful benefit over Medium while sacrificing visual quality.