Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core i5-13400F + Intel Arc B570

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a compelling mid-range combination for playing Downfall, a 2016 horror title that remains demanding at higher settings. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering smooth experiences at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings adjustments. This analysis breaks down the performance data across resolutions and presets, examines the CPU and GPU contributions, and provides practical recommendations for optimizing the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080 paints a clear picture of how this combo scales with resolution. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 109 FPS at 1080p to 78 FPS at 1440p—a 28% reduction—and then further to 49 FPS at 4K, representing a 55% drop from 1080p and a 37% drop from 1440p. This steep decline as resolution increases is a classic indicator that the Intel Arc B570 becomes the limiting factor, as the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are strained by the increasing number of pixels.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more revealing. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 163 FPS average, which drops to 116 FPS at 1440p (a 29% decrease) and then to 72 FPS at 4K (a further 38% decrease from 1440p). The fact that even at Low settings the 4K frame rate falls below the 60 FPS threshold suggests that the GPU is struggling with raw pixel count regardless of visual complexity. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less dramatic FPS drops when increasing resolution, but the data consistently shows the opposite.

The Medium preset offers the most complete dataset, including minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 133 FPS with a range of 113 to 153 FPS. Moving to 1440p Medium drops the average to 95 FPS (29% lower) with a range of 81 to 110 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 59 FPS with a range of 50 to 68 FPS. The minimum FPS values at each resolution—113, 81, and 50 respectively—show that the worst-case frame times scale similarly to the averages, indicating consistent GPU-limited behavior rather than occasional CPU-related stutters.

Ultra settings demonstrate the most punishing scaling. The 1080p Ultra average of 68 FPS drops to 49 FPS at 1440p (28% reduction) and then to 30 FPS at 4K (39% reduction from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of just 30 FPS average makes that configuration essentially unplayable for a smooth experience, and even 1440p Ultra hovers near the edge of acceptable performance. The data suggests that the Arc B570's 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for up to 1440p High settings, but 4K pushes the GPU beyond its comfortable operating range.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the most comfortable performance across all settings, with averages ranging from 68 FPS at Ultra to 163 FPS at Low. At 1440p, High and Medium settings remain playable at 78 and 95 FPS respectively, but Ultra drops to 49 FPS. At 4K, only Low (72 FPS) and Medium (59 FPS) approach playable frame rates.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at the same resolution?

A: At every resolution, Ultra costs approximately 38-39% of the average FPS compared to High. Specifically, at 1080p, Ultra delivers 68 FPS versus 109 FPS for High; at 1440p, 49 FPS versus 78 FPS; and at 4K, 30 FPS versus 49 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is performance-expensive.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, average FPS drops by roughly 55-57% across all settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios. The CPU's performance headroom is evidenced by the very high frame rates at 1080p Low (163 FPS), where the workload is lighter.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured data shows an average of 95 FPS, with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. This makes 1440p Medium one of the most balanced configurations for this hardware, offering a solid margin above 60 FPS even in the worst case.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2988 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall, placing it in the lower half of all systems tested. This ranking reflects the Arc B570's mid-range positioning rather than any specific deficiency, as the frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are generally playable.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: Technically yes, but only at Low settings (72 FPS average) or Medium settings (59 FPS average). At High settings, the 49 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra settings produce just 30 FPS. The 4K experience is viable only with reduced visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F + Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2988 out of 3716 tested combos for Downfall, placing it in the 20th percentile of all systems tested for this specific game. This rank reflects the overall performance envelope of the hardware, with the GPU's mid-range positioning being the primary determinant. The 728-combo gap between this system and the top performers indicates that while Downfall is playable, there are many systems that deliver higher frame rates.

Examining the individual components' benchmark standings provides context. The CPU has a percentileVsAllCpus of 77, meaning it outperforms 77% of all tested CPUs in general benchmarks. Its average benchmark score of 25292 places it nearly exactly at parity with its nearest rivals: the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta), Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3% delta), AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365, -0.3% delta), and AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25201, 0.4% delta). This cluster within 0.4% of each other demonstrates that the 13400F delivers competitive CPU performance for its class.

The GPU, meanwhile, has a percentileVsAllGpus of 65, outperforming 65% of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 20556 is similarly tight against its nearest rivals: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, 0.1% delta), Intel Arc A750 (20582, -0.1% delta), NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, 0.4% delta), and AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20662, -0.5% delta). The Arc B570's performance is virtually indistinguishable from these competitors in aggregate benchmarks, yet the in-game ranking suggests that Downfall specifically may not be optimally optimized for Intel's architecture.

The gap between the component-level percentiles (CPU at 77, GPU at 65) and the in-game combo rank (around the 20th percentile of 3716) highlights that game-specific performance can diverge significantly from synthetic benchmarks. Downfall, released in 2016, may not fully utilize the Arc B570's modern feature set, contributing to a lower in-game standing than the hardware's raw capabilities would suggest.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce an average of 163 FPS, making the experience exceptionally smooth. Medium settings reduce the average to 133 FPS, with a documented range of 113 to 153 FPS, ensuring that even the minimum frame rate stays well above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings yield 109 FPS average, still maintaining excellent fluidity. Ultra settings drop to 68 FPS average, which remains playable but shows a significant 38% reduction from High settings. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p spans 95 FPS, from 163 down to 68, demonstrating a wide performance envelope.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain respectable but the impact of increased pixel count becomes evident. Low settings average 116 FPS, a 29% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 95 FPS, with a range of 81 to 110 FPS, keeping the minimum above 80 FPS. High settings average 78 FPS, which is still comfortably above 60 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS average, dipping below the 60 FPS threshold for the first time. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 67 FPS, narrower than at 1080p due to the GPU becoming more constrained.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more marginal. Low settings average 72 FPS, which is playable but represents a 38% reduction from 1440p Low. Medium settings average 59 FPS, with a range of 50 to 68 FPS, meaning the minimum frame rate could occasionally dip below 60 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS, falling short of smooth gameplay standards. Ultra settings plummet to 30 FPS average, which is nearly unplayable for a horror game requiring responsive controls. The 4K results clearly indicate that this resolution is only viable with Low or Medium settings.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions. This reveals that the frame time consistency scales proportionally with resolution: at 1080p the 40 FPS spread (113 to 153) represents a 30% variation from the average, at 1440p the 29 FPS spread (81 to 110) represents a 31% variation, and at 4K the 18 FPS spread (50 to 68) represents a 31% variation. This consistency suggests stable performance characteristics without anomalous stutters or spikes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded capability for a desktop processor.

In Downfall, the CPU's role appears to be largely secondary to the GPU, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 163 FPS average, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently at high frame rates. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 7314 and 3dmark_max_threads score of 7307 indicate strong multi-threaded performance, while the 3dmark_single_thread score of 960 and cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 3191 show respectable single-thread capability.

The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25292. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta) and Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3% delta), showing that the 13400F is competitive with other processors in its performance class. The cinebench_r23_multicore score of 22604 highlights its ability to handle heavily threaded workloads, though Downfall may not fully utilize all 16 threads given its 2016 release date.

The passmark_multithread score of 25032 and passmark_single_thread score of 3634 further confirm the processor's balanced capabilities. For Downfall specifically, the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads provide ample headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU's workload dominates. The fact that frame rates drop consistently with resolution increases points to the GPU being the limiting factor, allowing the CPU to operate well within its capabilities.

The 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make this a power-efficient and accessible choice for a gaming system. The DDR4 and DDR5 memory support with dual-channel configuration ensures flexible system building options. The lack of integrated graphics means a discrete GPU is mandatory, which is appropriate given the Arc B570 in this configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players prioritizing smooth gameplay, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers the best balance, delivering 133 FPS average with a minimum of 113 FPS. This ensures consistently fluid performance even in intense horror sequences where frame drops are most noticeable.

At 2560x1440, High settings provide an excellent experience with 78 FPS average, maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Players with 1440p monitors who want higher frame rates can drop to Medium settings for 95 FPS average with an 81 FPS minimum, which remains highly responsive. Ultra settings at 1440p (49 FPS) are not recommended due to the sub-60 FPS average, while Low settings (116 FPS) sacrifice too much visual quality for marginal gains over Medium.

For 4K displays, the choices are more constrained. Medium settings at 3840x2160 deliver 59 FPS average with a 50 FPS minimum, which is borderline for smooth gameplay but workable for a slower-paced horror title. Low settings at 4K achieve 72 FPS average, providing a more comfortable margin. High settings at 4K (49 FPS) and Ultra settings at 4K (30 FPS) should be avoided due to insufficient frame rates.

Considering the genre of Downfall as a horror game, frame rate consistency is arguably more important than absolute maximum FPS, as stutters can break immersion and affect gameplay timing. The Medium preset across all resolutions offers the most consistent frame times, as evidenced by the complete min/max data available for this setting. At 1080p Medium, the 113 FPS minimum ensures no perceptible hitches; at 1440p Medium, the 81 FPS minimum stays well above 60; and at 4K Medium, the 50 FPS minimum is acceptable for the genre.

The recommended configurations are therefore: 1080p with High or Ultra settings for maximum visual fidelity (109 or 68 FPS respectively), 1440p with High settings for the best quality-to-performance ratio (78 FPS), and 4K with Medium settings if resolution is paramount (59 FPS). The Low preset is only necessary at 4K for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, while the Ultra preset should be reserved exclusively for 1080p gaming.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process with 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output pipelines, along with 18 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2500 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus provides 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Downfall, the GPU's role is clearly dominant, as the resolution scaling demonstrates. The 55% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings (109 to 49 FPS) directly correlates with the fourfold increase in pixel count. The GPU's 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 360.0 GTexel/s texture rate are pushed to their limits at higher resolutions, particularly with Ultra settings that likely increase texture detail and shading complexity.

The GPU's benchmark performance places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rivals—the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, 0.1% delta), Intel Arc A750 (20582, -0.1% delta), NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, 0.4% delta), and AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20662, -0.5% delta)—show that the Arc B570 performs in line with these comparable products. The 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 2649 and geekbench_vulkan score of 96844 indicate strong DirectX 12 and Vulkan performance, though Downfall's age may limit optimization.

The 10 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Downfall at all tested settings, as evidenced by the consistent performance without signs of memory-related stuttering. The 380.0 GB/s bandwidth provides ample throughput for the game's textures and geometry at 1080p and 1440p, though 4K Ultra settings may approach the limits of what the memory subsystem can efficiently handle. The 150 W TDP with a suggested 450 W PSU and 1x 8-pin power connector make the Arc B570 a straightforward installation in most systems.

The GPU's 65th percentile ranking versus the CPU's 77th percentile confirms that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing for Downfall. The frame rate data consistently shows GPU-bound behavior, meaning that any performance improvements would require either lowering resolution, reducing settings, or upgrading to a more powerful GPU. The Arc B570's 11.52 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 23.04 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1) provide solid compute capabilities, but the game's demands at 4K exceed what this mid-range GPU can comfortably deliver.