Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combination is a study in asymmetry for Downfall. The CPU is a modern 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake-S part with a 2.50 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost clock, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU, however, is a Turing-era entry-level card with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, a 1485 MHz base and 1665 MHz boost clock, and it sits in only the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. This pairing results in a combo rank of 1650 out of 1741 tested configurations, meaning the system is at the bottom of the barrel for this specific title. The data indicates that the GTX 1650 is the dominant factor in performance, but the i5-12400’s strong single-thread and multi-thread scores ensure it is not the bottleneck in most scenarios.

CPU Role

The i5-12400 brings substantial processing headroom to this build. Its 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with an 18 MB shared L3 cache, provide a solid foundation. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935 and a single-core score of 2249, demonstrating strong performance for a mainstream desktop chip. Its average benchmark score of 19850 places it nearly identically to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831) and slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771), with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.4% respectively. The i5-12400 also edges out the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894) by a 0.2% margin, indicating that this generation of Core i5 is competitive with previous-generation i7 parts.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role is less about raw frame generation and more about ensuring the GPU can operate at its limits. At 1080p with Low settings, the system hits 90.5 FPS average, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at lower resolutions where the graphics card is less stressed. However, the CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and 2-thread score of 1692 indicate that while it handles the game’s logic and physics, it is not the limiting factor. The data shows that as the resolution increases, the FPS drops significantly, pointing to the GPU as the primary constraint. The i5-12400’s 65W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it a practical choice, but its processing power is largely untapped in this configuration because the GPU cannot keep up.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the clear bottleneck in this system. With 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus and 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth, it is a modest card by any modern standard. Its PassMark G3D score of 7880 and average benchmark score of 8713 place it in the 43rd percentile, which is below the median. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746, delta -0.4%) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 (8761, delta -0.5%), showing that the desktop GTX 1650 is slightly weaker than these mobile and workstation parts. The GPU’s 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 93.24 GTexel/s texture rate explain its struggles with higher settings.

In Downfall, the GPU’s limitations are stark. At 1080p Ultra, the system only manages 36.3 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 19.9 FPS. The card’s 4 GB VRAM is likely a significant issue at higher resolutions, as the data shows a severe drop in performance when moving from Medium to High and Ultra settings. The GTX 1650’s 75W TDP and lack of power connectors make it an efficient card, but efficiency does not translate to performance here. Its DirectX 12 score of 35 and Vulkan score of 35966 (Geekbench) are mixed, but the PassMark DirectX 11 score of 58 suggests it is better suited to older APIs. The data clearly indicates that this GPU is the limiting component, with the CPU waiting idle while the GPU struggles to render frames.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p, the system achieves playable frame rates: 90.5 FPS on Low, 78.1 on Medium, 59.3 on High, and 36.3 on Ultra. Moving to 1440p, these numbers drop to 65.1, 54.2, 46.9, and 27.6 respectively. At 4K, the system collapses: 43.8 FPS on Low, 35.6 on Medium, 24.4 on High, and 19.9 on Ultra. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial across all settings, with the Low preset falling from 90.5 to 43.8 FPS, a reduction of over 50%. This is a classic sign of a GPU that lacks the memory bandwidth and processing power for high-resolution rendering.

The scaling behavior also indicates that the CPU is not a factor in these drops. If the i5-12400 were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively consistent across resolutions, as the CPU load does not increase with resolution. Instead, the FPS falls proportionally with the number of pixels, which is the hallmark of a GPU-limited system. The 4 GB VRAM is particularly problematic at 4K, where the card likely exceeds its memory capacity, causing severe performance degradation. For a horror game like Downfall, which relies on atmosphere and tension, the frame rate drops at higher resolutions make the experience less immersive and potentially unplayable at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination in Downfall?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves playable frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system averages 90.5 FPS, and even on High it manages 59.3 FPS. At 1440p, the frame rates drop significantly, and at 4K, they fall below 44 FPS even on Low settings.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 8713. It trails the AMD Radeon 550X (8749) by 0.4% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746) by 0.4%. It is slightly ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8671) by 0.5%, placing it in the middle of this narrow performance band.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck in this system?

A: No, the benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the limiting factor. The i5-12400’s average score of 19850 is virtually identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831) and slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771). The FPS drops across resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU processing constraints.

Q: What settings should be avoided at 1080p?

A: Ultra settings should be avoided at 1080p, as the system only achieves 36.3 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold and will likely result in noticeable stuttering. High settings at 59.3 FPS are borderline, while Medium at 78.1 FPS is the safest choice for a smooth experience.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with the Low preset?

A: At 4K Low, the system averages 43.8 FPS, which is technically playable but not ideal for a horror game that benefits from smooth motion. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 19.9 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking compared to all GPUs?

A: The GTX 1650 is in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs, meaning it performs better than 43% of the tested graphics cards. This places it in the lower half of the performance spectrum, consistent with its entry-level positioning.

Settings Recommendations

For this combination, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is the Medium preset at 1080p. The data shows 78.1 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a smooth experience for a horror title. The Low preset offers 90.5 FPS, but the visual downgrade is significant. High settings at 1080p yield 59.3 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold and may cause occasional dips in demanding scenes. Ultra settings are not recommended, as the 36.3 FPS average is too low for a game that relies on atmosphere and timing.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the only viable option, producing 54.2 FPS. This is playable but not ideal. High settings at 1440p drop to 46.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 27.6 FPS, both of which are too inconsistent for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 65.1 FPS, but the visual sacrifice is substantial. At 4K, no settings are recommended. Even the Low preset only manages 43.8 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 35.6 FPS. The GPU’s 4 GB VRAM and limited bandwidth make 4K unviable for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 90.5 FPS, the Medium preset averages 78.1 FPS, and the High preset averages 59.3 FPS. The Ultra preset drops significantly to 36.3 FPS, showing a steep penalty for maxing out settings. The transition from Low to Medium costs 12.4 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs 18.8 FPS. The leap from High to Ultra costs 23 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset is disproportionately demanding on the GTX 1650.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades across the board. The Low preset averages 65.1 FPS, which is a 28% drop from 1080p Low. The Medium preset averages 54.2 FPS, a 30% drop from its 1080p counterpart. The High preset averages 46.9 FPS, a 21% drop, and the Ultra preset averages 27.6 FPS, a 24% drop. The relative consistency of these percentage drops confirms that the GPU is scaling predictably with pixel count, but the absolute numbers are too low for comfortable gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 43.8 FPS, which is the only configuration above 40 FPS. The Medium preset averages 35.6 FPS, the High preset averages 24.4 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 19.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is effectively unplayable, and even the Low preset is marginal. The data shows that this combination is strictly for 1080p gaming, with 1440p as a stretch goal and 4K out of the question. The measured FPS values across all settings and resolutions demonstrate a clear hierarchy: 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, 1080p High is acceptable, and everything else is a compromise.