Downfall

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a peculiar combination for Downfall, a horror title from 2016. Benchmark data shows this pairing is heavily constrained by the graphics side, yet the CPU provides a solid foundation for the game’s older engine. This analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the measured frame rates, how the combo ranks against other tested systems, and what settings offer the best playable experience.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It runs at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosts up to 4.40 GHz. This chip communicates with the rest of the system via an Intel Socket 1700 interface, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus. The cache layout includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB L3 cache. The CPU’s thermal design power is 65 W, and it was released with a launch MSRP of $174.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400F demonstrates strong single-threaded and multi-threaded capabilities. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 12380, while the single-core score is 1680. Geekbench results show 9472 in multi-core and 1964 in single-core. The 3DMark tests are more granular: it scores 909 in single-thread, 1699 in 2-threads, 3067 in 4-threads, 4779 in 8-threads, and 5912 in max-threads. This scaling from 2 to 8 threads indicates that the processor’s performance grows steadily as more cores are utilized, which is typical for a modern 6-core design. The Passmark multi-thread score is 19433, with a single-thread score of 3481.

For Downfall, which is a horror game released in 2016, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The game is not new, but the data shows that the i5-12400F is more than capable of keeping up. The processor’s percentile ranking versus all CPUs is 73, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with an average score of 19047 and a delta of 0%, the Intel Core 3 201E at 19056 with a -0.1% delta, the Intel Core i5-1335U at 18982 with a 0.3% delta, and the AMD EPYC 7773X at 18979 with a 0.3% delta. These rivals have nearly identical average benchmark scores, so the i5-12400F sits in a very crowded performance tier.

Given that the measured FPS in Downfall at 1080p Low reaches 96 FPS, the CPU is clearly not the bottleneck at lower settings. Even at 1080p Ultra, the game hits 40 FPS, which is more likely a GPU limitation given the Arc B370’s weak standing. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for a horror game from this era, as such titles rarely utilize more than a few threads effectively. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded game logic runs smoothly. In summary, the i5-12400F provides ample headroom for Downfall, and any frame rate drops observed are not attributable to this processor.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The GPU also includes 10 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The memory configuration is entirely system-shared, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM; the GPU uses the system’s main memory, and the memory bus width and bandwidth are system-dependent. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance is rated at 6.144 TFLOPS for FP32 and 12.29 TFLOPS for FP16 (2:1). The TDP is a modest 25 W, and it is an IGP with no power connectors. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

This GPU’s benchmark presence is minimal. The only recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184. Its percentile versus all GPUs is 5, which is extremely low, indicating that it performs worse than 95% of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186 and a -0.2% delta, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190 with a -0.5% delta, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at 1192 with a -0.7% delta, and the AMD FirePro M2000 at 1168 with a 1.4% delta. These are all older or low-end parts, confirming that the Arc B370 is not a gaming powerhouse.

In Downfall, the GPU’s limitations become evident across all resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 96, which is playable, but at 1080p Medium it drops to 78, and at 1080p High it falls to 64. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS collapses to 40. This trend continues at higher resolutions. At 1440p, Low yields 68 FPS, Medium 56 FPS, High 46 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS. At 4K, the numbers are even lower: Low 43 FPS, Medium 35 FPS, High 29 FPS, and Ultra 18 FPS.

The system-shared memory means that the GPU must compete with the CPU for bandwidth, which can cause stuttering in demanding scenes. The low pixel and texture rates relative to modern discrete GPUs mean that higher settings quickly overwhelm the renderer. The data indicates that the Arc B370 is the primary bottleneck in this combo. The CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates, but the GPU cannot sustain them at higher settings. The 25 W TDP suggests that this is an integrated part intended for low-power devices, not for gaming at high fidelity. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 places it far below any modern discrete graphics card, and the 5th percentile ranking underscores its weak position. For Downfall, the GPU’s role is limited to handling the game’s rendering at lower settings, and even then, the frame rates are modest.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2688 out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the bottom 10% of all tested systems, which is expected given the GPU’s low benchmark scores. The combo rank reflects the overall FPS performance across all resolutions and settings measured. The i5-12400F is a capable CPU, but the Arc B370 drags the system down significantly.

To understand this rank, consider the CPU’s position among its peers. The i5-12400F’s average benchmark score is 19039, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. The CPU alone is not the issue. The GPU, however, has an average benchmark score of only 1184, which is comparable to GPUs from over a decade ago. When paired together, the system’s performance is limited by the GPU’s inability to render frames quickly. The combo rank of 2688 out of 2928 means that only 240 combos perform worse. This is a clear indication that the Arc B370 is the weak link.

The measured FPS data supports this. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 96 FPS, which is decent, but as settings increase, the frame rate drops sharply. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 40, which is barely playable. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 18, which is unplayable. These numbers are consistent with a GPU that has a 5th percentile ranking. The CPU’s high single-thread score (1680 in Cinebench R23) and multi-thread score (12380) do not translate into higher FPS because the GPU cannot process the frames fast enough.

In comparison to other combos, this pairing is clearly not optimized for gaming. The rank of 2688 out of 2928 is a stark warning to anyone considering this hardware for Downfall. The CPU is overqualified for the GPU, and the GPU is underqualified for the game’s demands at higher settings. The data shows that if you want to play Downfall at 1080p with medium settings, this combo will deliver around 78 FPS, but anything above that will result in a significant performance hit. The rank is a reflection of the GPU’s limitations, not the CPU’s capabilities.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Downfall?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 96 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At this resolution and setting, the combo delivers its best performance.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047, 0% delta), Intel Core 3 201E (19056, -0.1% delta), Intel Core i5-1335U (18982, 0.3% delta), and AMD EPYC 7773X (18979, 0.3% delta). These scores are nearly identical, so the CPU’s performance is on par with its peers.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking, and what does it mean?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has a percentile ranking of 5 versus all GPUs. This means it performs better than only 5% of GPUs in the database, indicating it is a very low-end graphics solution.

Q: What is the best average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 56, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 64.

Q: Does the combo perform better at 1080p High or 1440p Low?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 64. At 1440p Low, the average FPS is 68. Therefore, the combo performs slightly better at 1440p Low than at 1080p High.

Q: How many ray tracing cores does the Intel Arc B370 have?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has 10 ray tracing cores. However, the measured FPS data in Downfall does not indicate whether ray tracing is enabled, and the game is from 2016, before ray tracing became common.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 96. Moving to 1440p Low, the average FPS drops to 68, a reduction of 28 FPS. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 43, which is 53 FPS lower than at 1080p Low. This scaling is consistent across all settings. For Medium settings, 1080p yields 78 FPS, 1440p yields 56 FPS, and 4K yields 35 FPS. For High settings, 1080p yields 64 FPS, 1440p yields 46 FPS, and 4K yields 29 FPS. For Ultra settings, 1080p yields 40 FPS, 1440p yields 29 FPS, and 4K yields 18 FPS.

The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is significant. At Low settings, the drop from 96 FPS to 43 FPS is a 55% reduction. At Medium, the drop from 78 to 35 is a 55% reduction. At High, the drop from 64 to 29 is a 55% reduction. At Ultra, the drop from 40 to 18 is a 55% reduction. The consistency of this percentage drop across all settings indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would not drop as much with resolution, because the CPU’s workload remains similar regardless of resolution. Instead, the GPU’s pixel and texture processing load increases with resolution, and the Arc B370 cannot handle it.

The GPU’s system-shared memory also plays a role. As resolution increases, the amount of memory needed for frame buffers grows, and the shared memory system may become a bottleneck. The GPU’s low pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s means that at 4K, it has to process four times as many pixels as at 1080p, but its fill rate is not sufficient. The data shows that the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the FPS scales inversely with resolution in a predictable manner. The CPU’s performance, as measured by its benchmarks, is not affected by resolution, so the FPS drops are entirely attributable to the GPU.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 96 FPS, which is smooth and playable. The Medium preset drops to 78 FPS, which is still very playable for a horror game. The High preset yields 64 FPS, which is acceptable but begins to feel less fluid. The Ultra preset drops to 40 FPS, which is borderline playable but may cause issues in fast-paced scenes. For 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and frame rate, as it provides a 78 FPS average with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 68 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset drops to 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 64. The High preset yields 46 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a horror game. The Ultra preset drops to 29 FPS, which is not recommended. For 1440p, the Low preset is the best choice if you prioritize frame rate, as it maintains an average above 60 FPS. The Medium preset is also viable if you want better visuals, but the 56 FPS average may feel less smooth.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers an average of 43 FPS, which is barely playable. The Medium preset drops to 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 40. The High preset yields 29 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 18 FPS. For 4K, no preset provides a fully smooth experience, but Low is the only option that stays above 40 FPS. The Medium preset is not recommended due to the 30 FPS minimum, which can cause noticeable stuttering.

The data indicates that the best overall experience is at 1080p with Medium settings, which provides an average FPS of 78 and a minimum of 67. This combination ensures that the frame rate rarely dips below 60, which is the threshold for smooth gameplay in a horror title. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is simply too weak for a satisfactory experience, with even Low settings struggling to maintain 45 FPS. The measured rows show that the Arc B370 is best suited for 1080p gaming at low to medium settings, and the i5-12400F provides enough CPU headroom to avoid becoming a limiting factor.