Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Downfall, with performance scaling that clearly delineates the GPU as the primary driver at higher resolutions. The data reveals a system that can push past 300 FPS on low settings at 1080p, yet drops to under 60 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating a steep performance curve tied directly to graphical load.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and significant decline as resolution increases, a pattern that underscores the graphics card's workload. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 312 FPS. This figure drops to 223 FPS at 1440p and further to 139 FPS at 4K, representing a reduction of 28.5% from 1080p to 1440p and an additional 37.7% from 1440p to 4K.

This scaling behavior is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 209 at 1080p to 150 at 1440p, a 28.2% decrease, and then to 93 at 4K, a 38% decrease from the 1440p figure. The consistent percentage drops between resolution tiers indicate that the rendering load is scaling evenly, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

The most telling evidence of the GPU being the limiting component comes from the Ultra preset. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 58, which is less than half of the 131 FPS achieved at 1080p Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution is also instructive. At 1080p, the difference between Low (312 FPS) and Ultra (131 FPS) is 181 FPS. At 4K, this gap narrows to 81 FPS (139 FPS vs. 58 FPS), showing that the GPU's compute resources are being saturated by the higher resolution, leaving less headroom for the additional detail of the Ultra preset.

The data suggests that while the Intel Core i5-12400 is more than capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, the RX 9070 XT's rendering pipeline becomes the bottleneck as pixel count increases. The 4K Ultra result of 58 FPS is a clear indicator that this resolution and settings combination pushes the GPU to its limits, making it the definitive constraining factor in this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 910th out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the top 24.5% of all configurations evaluated, a strong showing that reflects the high FPS numbers achieved.

The ranking is particularly noteworthy given the GPU's overall percentile. The RX 9070 XT sits at the 55th percentile when compared against all other GPUs in the database, yet the combo performs admirably in this specific title. This suggests that Downfall is well-optimized for the RDNA 4.0 architecture or that the CPU-GPU pairing works harmoniously to avoid bottlenecks in most scenarios.

The CPU's own ranking, which is at the 72nd percentile against all CPUs, indicates a processor that is well above average. However, the combo's rank of 910 out of 3716 is a more holistic measure, demonstrating that the synergy between the two components produces a result that is greater than what either part's individual percentile might suggest. The high FPS figures at 1080p and 1440p, where the CPU is more influential, confirm that the i5-12400 is not holding the system back, allowing the RX 9070 XT to perform to its full potential in this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the central component driving the high frame rates observed in the data. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a substantial 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and detailed environments typical of a horror game like Downfall. This memory configuration ensures that the GPU does not run out of memory or bandwidth headroom, even at 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS was still a playable 58.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a key factor. The boost clock of 2970 MHz is high, and the game clock of 2400 MHz represents the typical sustained frequency during gaming workloads. These high clocks, combined with 4096 shading units, enable the card to achieve a peak FP32 performance of 48.66 TFLOPS. This raw compute power is what allows the card to generate the massive frame counts seen at lower resolutions, such as 312 FPS at 1080p Low.

The RX 9070 XT also features 64 RT cores, which are relevant for games that support ray tracing effects. While the measured data does not specify whether ray tracing was enabled in these tests, the presence of these cores means the hardware is capable of handling such workloads. However, the significant drop in FPS at 4K Ultra (58 FPS) compared to 4K High (93 FPS) suggests that the most demanding settings, which may include advanced lighting or shadow effects, are heavily taxing the GPU's compute and shading resources. The data shows a GPU that is powerful enough for high-refresh 1440p gaming and capable of 4K, but with a clear performance ceiling that becomes apparent at the highest settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Downfall?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 312 FPS, recorded at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

*Q: Is this CPU-GPU combination capable of smooth 4K gaming in Downfall?*

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High settings, the combo achieves an average of 93 FPS, which is smooth. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 58 FPS, which is on the lower edge of smoothness for high-refresh displays.

Q: How does the combo's performance at 1440p High compare to 1080p High?

A: At 1440p High, the average FPS is 150, which is a 28.2% decrease from the 209 FPS achieved at 1080p High. This indicates that the GPU is still the primary factor at 1440p, but the performance remains very high.

Q: What is the best resolution for maximizing FPS with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with an average of 312 FPS at Low settings and 209 FPS at High settings. This resolution is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors.

Q: Does the i5-12400 bottleneck the RX 9070 XT at any resolution?

A: The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at 1080p and 1440p, given the high frame rates. The significant FPS drops between resolutions point to the GPU being the bottleneck, particularly at 4K Ultra where the average FPS falls to 58.

Q: What is the lowest recorded average FPS for this combination?

A: The lowest average FPS is 58, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only measurement in the pack that drops below 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080 displays, the High preset is recommended for a balanced experience, delivering an average of 209 FPS. This is high enough to take full advantage of 144Hz or 165Hz monitors while maintaining excellent visual fidelity. The Low preset at 312 FPS is unnecessary for most users, but could be utilized for maximum competitive advantage.

At 2560x1440, the High preset remains the best choice, achieving an average of 150 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on high-refresh 1440p monitors. The Medium preset at 182 FPS offers a higher frame rate for those prioritizing speed over visual quality, but the jump in FPS is only 32 FPS (from 150 to 182), which may not justify the visual downgrade. The Ultra preset at 93 FPS is still playable, but the data indicates a significant performance cost for the extra visual effects.

For 4K (3840x2160), the High preset is strongly recommended, as it achieves an average of 93 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 113 FPS is even better for frame rate, but the High preset likely offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, as it dips below the 60 FPS mark. For the best overall experience at 4K, the High preset provides the best measured performance without sacrificing smoothness.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 serves as a capable foundation for the RX 9070 XT in Downfall. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it provides sufficient processing power to handle the game's logic, AI, and physics calculations. The CPU's architecture, Alder Lake, is a modern design that supports fast memory and has a high single-thread performance, which is crucial for gaming. Its boost clock of 4.40 GHz ensures responsive performance in tasks that rely on a few cores.

The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 15989 in multi-core and 2257 in single-core. These scores, along with a Passmark single-thread score of 3456, indicate a processor that can handle both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads efficiently. The 3DMark scores, such as 910 in the single-thread test and 5873 in the 16-thread test, show a balanced performance profile that is well-suited for gaming.

Crucially, the data shows that the i5-12400 does not bottleneck the GPU in this game. The fact that FPS scales significantly with resolution and settings—from 312 FPS at 1080p Low to 58 FPS at 4K Ultra—is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would not drop as dramatically with increased resolution. The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking against all CPUs also indicates it is a solid performer, and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 and Intel Core i3-14100F, have very similar average benchmark scores, confirming it is in a competitive performance tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a comprehensive breakdown of the measured average FPS for the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT in Downfall.

1920x1080:

• Low: 312 FPS average
• Medium: 255 FPS average, with a minimum of 217 FPS and a maximum of 294 FPS
• High: 209 FPS average
• Ultra: 131 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 223 FPS average
• Medium: 182 FPS average, with a minimum of 155 FPS and a maximum of 210 FPS
• High: 150 FPS average
• Ultra: 93 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 139 FPS average
• Medium: 113 FPS average, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS
• High: 93 FPS average
• Ultra: 58 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent scaling pattern. At 1080p, the system is capable of extremely high frame rates, even at High settings (209 FPS). The step up to 1440p reduces these numbers by roughly 28% across most presets, but still yields excellent playability. The move to 4K introduces a more significant performance hit, particularly at the Ultra preset where the average FPS falls to 58. The Medium preset at 4K shows a min FPS of 96, indicating that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate remains above 60 FPS. This detailed breakdown shows a system that is best suited for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, while still being a viable option for 4K at reduced settings.