Downfall

# Downfall Performance Analysis: Intel Core i5-12400 + AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

This combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT lands at rank 1310 out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. The data reveals a system that can handle the horror title at playable framerates in most configurations, but struggles to maintain smooth performance at the highest settings and resolutions. The pairing of a 12th-generation six-core processor with a RDNA 1.0 graphics card produces predictable scaling patterns, with the GPU emerging as the primary constraint in demanding scenarios. Benchmark results indicate a system better suited to high-refresh 1080p gaming than to 4K ultra presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo sits at position 1310 of 1741, meaning roughly 75% of tested configurations outperform it in Downfall. This ranking reflects the age of both components — the RX 5700 XT launched in 2019, and while the i5-12400 is newer (released in 2022), its mid-range positioning limits overall system potential. The percentile standing of the individual components supports this: the CPU ranks at the 77th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 68th percentile among all graphics cards. The gap between these percentiles suggests the graphics card is the more limiting factor in this pairing.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 posts an average score of 19850, sitting within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771) and just 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831). This places the processor in a competitive mid-range bracket. The RX 5700 XT averages 24731 across GPU tests, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile at 24763 (0.1% faster) and the Intel Arc A350M at 24647 (0.3% slower). These tight margins suggest the combo's low ranking stems more from the age of the GPU architecture than from any specific weakness in either component.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its memory clock runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), while the GPU core operates between a 1605 MHz base and 1905 MHz boost clock, with a game clock of 1755 MHz. These specifications translate to a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute reaching 9.754 TFLOPS.

In Downfall, these specifications produce a clear pattern: the GPU handles lower settings efficiently but buckles under Ultra presets. At 1080p Low, the card delivers 191.2 FPS, dropping to 77.5 FPS at Ultra — a 59.5% reduction. The 8 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for this title, as the data shows no anomalous drops that would suggest memory capacity issues. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides adequate bandwidth, though the card's RDNA 1.0 architecture lacks the ray tracing cores found in newer competitors. The GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all cards aligns with its mid-range positioning in this horror title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests High settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 125.6 FPS, which drops to 93.1 FPS at 1440p and 55.7 FPS at 4K — all playable for a horror experience. Medium settings provide a modest boost (156.7 FPS at 1080p, 111.9 FPS at 1440p, 67.5 FPS at 4K) but the visual fidelity trade-off may not justify the framerate gain at 1080p where High already exceeds 120 FPS.

Ultra settings should be avoided except for players with 1080p displays who prioritize visuals over smoothness. The 77.5 FPS at 1080p Ultra remains playable, but the 55 FPS at 1440p and 37.3 FPS at 4K fall below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a genre that relies on atmosphere and tension. Low settings push framerates to 191.2 FPS at 1080p and 132.8 FPS at 1440p, but the visual degradation in a horror game undermines the experience. High presents the optimal compromise.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data reveals consistent scaling across all three resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 191.2 FPS on Low, 156.7 FPS on Medium, 125.6 FPS on High, and 77.5 FPS on Ultra. The step from High to Ultra costs 48.1 FPS — the largest single-setting drop in the entire dataset. Moving to 2560x1440, framerates fall to 132.8 FPS (Low), 111.9 FPS (Medium), 93.1 FPS (High), and 55 FPS (Ultra). The 1440p High result retains 74% of the 1080p High performance, indicating reasonable scaling.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its age: 81.8 FPS on Low, 67.5 FPS on Medium, 55.7 FPS on High, and 37.3 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Ultra result falls below 40 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The pattern across all resolutions shows diminishing returns as settings increase — the gap between Medium and High remains relatively small (9.2 FPS at 4K), while the High-to-Ultra jump costs 18.4 FPS at 4K, 38.1 FPS at 1440p, and 48.1 FPS at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Downfall at 60 FPS in 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 81.8 FPS. Medium drops to 67.5 FPS, High falls to 55.7 FPS, and Ultra reaches just 37.3 FPS.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-12400 averages 19850 in benchmarks, sitting 0.1% above the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831) and 0.4% above the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771), while trailing the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX by 0.4%.

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

A: 1080p provides the most comfortable experience, with High settings delivering 125.6 FPS. At 1440p, High remains playable at 93.1 FPS, but 4K requires dropping to Low settings to exceed 60 FPS.

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

A: The GPU appears to be the limiting factor, as its 68th percentile ranking falls below the CPU's 77th percentile. The steep framerate drops at higher settings and resolutions support this conclusion.

Q: How much performance does Ultra settings cost compared to High?

A: Ultra reduces framerates by 48.1 FPS at 1080p, 38.1 FPS at 1440p, and 18.4 FPS at 4K compared to High settings in the same resolution.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM cause any issues in this game?

A: The measured data shows no anomalies that would indicate VRAM capacity problems. The RX 5700 XT's 448.0 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient for Downfall's requirements.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 contributes six cores and twelve threads, running at a 2.50 GHz base clock and boosting to 4.40 GHz. This Alder Lake-S processor uses 10 nm process technology with an 18 MB shared L3 cache, and its 65 W TDP keeps thermals manageable. In synthetic tests, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15935 and single-core score of 2249, with 3DMark results ranging from 910 (single thread) to 5890 (max threads).

These results indicate the CPU has ample headroom for Downfall. The game's horror genre typically relies more on GPU rendering than CPU physics, and the 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 suggests the processor can handle modern game workloads. However, the CPU's 77th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 68th percentile means the processor is not the primary constraint. The nearest rival comparisons show the i5-12400 trading blows with the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894, 0.2% faster) and the Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928, 0.4% faster), confirming its mid-range positioning.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows framerates scale predictably with resolution. At High settings, the combo delivers 125.6 FPS at 1080p, 93.1 FPS at 1440p, and 55.7 FPS at 4K — representing a 25.9% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 55.7% drop from 1080p to 4K. Low settings show similar scaling: 191.2 FPS at 1080p, 132.8 FPS at 1440p (30.5% drop), and 81.8 FPS at 4K (57.2% drop). Ultra settings suffer the most severe scaling, falling from 77.5 FPS at 1080p to 55 FPS at 1440p (29% drop) and 37.3 FPS at 4K (51.9% drop).

This scaling pattern reveals the GPU saturates as pixel count increases. The relatively consistent percentage drops across settings suggest the RX 5700 XT's 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 9.754 TFLOPS compute become the binding constraints at higher resolutions. The CPU's role diminishes at 4K, where the GPU's workload dominates. For players targeting 1440p, Medium settings (111.9 FPS) provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, while 4K users must accept Low settings (81.8 FPS) for smooth gameplay. The data implies this combo is best suited for 1080p high-refresh displays, with 1440p viable at medium-to-high settings.