Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER produces a highly capable 1080p and 1440p gaming configuration for Downfall, though the data reveals a sharp drop-off at 4K where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across all resolutions and settings, explaining how the CPU and GPU each contribute to the final frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the system's limits lie. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 212.4 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops that to 152.1 FPS, a reduction of roughly 28%. The jump to 3840x2160 Low yields 91.5 FPS, another 40% decline. This pattern indicates that at lower resolutions and settings, the frame rate is heavily influenced by the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU, as the i5-14400F’s 10 cores and 16 threads (with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz) are sufficient to push high frame rates.

The scaling behavior changes dramatically when settings are increased. At Ultra settings, the frame rates are 85.7 FPS at 1080p, 65 FPS at 1440p, and 36.4 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 24%, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is over 44%. This steeper decline at 4K Ultra suggests that the rendering load—driven by the GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and its 448.0 GB/s bandwidth—is overwhelming the RTX 2070 SUPER. The GPU’s 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is simply not enough to maintain playable frame rates at that extreme resolution with maximum visual fidelity.

Comparing High settings across resolutions reinforces this: 139 FPS at 1080p, 100.4 FPS at 1440p, and 63.1 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is a 37% loss, which is more pronounced than the 28% loss from 1080p to 1440p. This indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as pixel count rises, while the CPU still has headroom. The i5-14400F’s strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914, is not the constraint at higher resolutions; the RTX 2070 SUPER is.

GPU Role

The RTX 2070 SUPER’s specifications directly explain its behavior in Downfall. It features a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with 2560 shading units. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In a horror title like Downfall, which likely relies on heavy texture detail and lighting effects, this memory capacity and bandwidth are critical for higher settings and resolutions.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K. The difference between Low and Ultra at 3840x2160 is stark: 91.5 FPS versus 36.4 FPS. That is a 60% performance loss from simply raising the quality preset. At 1080p, the same comparison shows 212.4 FPS versus 85.7 FPS, a 60% drop as well, but the absolute numbers are far higher. This suggests that while the GPU’s raw compute is challenged by Ultra settings, the CPU can still keep up at 1080p. At 4K, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are exhausted, causing the severe frame rate collapse.

The GPU’s nearest rival data places it in context. The RTX 2070 SUPER’s average benchmark score is 22206, which is 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z (22006) and 2.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 (21670). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile by 2.3% (which scores 22729). This indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is still a relevant performer, but its age (launched in 2019) is showing at 4K. The memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) is sufficient for 1440p gaming, but the 8 GB capacity is becoming a limiting factor for 4K Ultra textures.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At High settings it averages 100.4 FPS, and even at Ultra it maintains 65 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low (91.5 FPS) and Medium (77.9 FPS) clear 60 FPS, while High dips to 63.1 FPS and Ultra falls to 36.4 FPS.

Q: How much of a frame rate drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 100.4 FPS at 2560x1440 to 63.1 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 37% reduction, indicating that the GPU is struggling with the increased pixel count.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F holding back the RTX 2070 SUPER at 1080p?

A: No. The i5-14400F has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz and scores 3723 in Passmark single-thread tests. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 212.4 FPS, and at 1080p Medium it achieves 170.8 FPS. These numbers suggest the CPU has ample headroom and the GPU is the limiting factor even at lower settings.

Q: Which settings preset provides the smoothest experience at 4K?

A: Low settings at 3840x2160 yields 91.5 FPS, which is the highest frame rate at that resolution. Medium settings reduce performance to 77.9 FPS. Ultra is not viable, as it drops to 36.4 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: Its average benchmark score is 22206. It performs 0.9% better than the GTX TITAN Z (22006) and 2.5% better than the RX 5700 (21670), but is 2.3% slower than the RTX 4060 Mobile (22729).

Q: What is the impact of Ultra settings at 1440p compared to High?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 average 65 FPS, while High settings average 100.4 FPS. The 35% performance hit for Ultra is significant, but 65 FPS is still playable for a horror game where frame pacing matters less than visual atmosphere.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination ranks 1060 out of 1741 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is surprising given the strong 1080p and 1440p results. The ranking is likely dragged down by the 4K Ultra performance, which is 36.4 FPS. Many competing combos with newer GPUs or higher-end cards will score better at that extreme resolution.

To put the CPU in context, the i5-14400F’s average benchmark score is 32508, which puts it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-12800H (32513, 0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (32446, 0.2% faster), and the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (32584, -0.2% slower). This indicates the CPU is not the weak link. The GPU, however, sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 22206. Its nearest rivals are close in performance, but none of them are modern high-end cards. The ranking of 1060 out of 1741 suggests that while this combo is perfectly playable at 1440p, it is not a top-tier configuration for Downfall when compared to systems with more powerful GPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates from the FACT PACK provide a complete picture of performance:

1920x1080:

• Low: 212.4 FPS
• Medium: 170.8 FPS
• High: 139 FPS
• Ultra: 85.7 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 152.1 FPS
• Medium: 124.4 FPS
• High: 100.4 FPS
• Ultra: 65 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 91.5 FPS
• Medium: 77.9 FPS
• High: 63.1 FPS
• Ultra: 36.4 FPS

All figures are average FPS with no minimum or maximum values provided. The pattern is consistent: each resolution step down from 1080p to 4K costs roughly 30-40% performance at the same settings. The gap between Low and Ultra widens at higher resolutions. At 1080p, Ultra is 60% slower than Low (85.7 vs 212.4 FPS). At 4K, Ultra is 60% slower than Low (36.4 vs 91.5 FPS). This consistency suggests that the settings presets scale similarly across resolutions, but the absolute frame rates make 4K Ultra unplayable.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience, the data points to clear choices. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings are viable with 85.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. However, for a horror game where immersion matters, High settings at 139 FPS offer a better balance of visual quality and fluidity, and they leave headroom for frame drops. Medium at 170.8 FPS is only for competitive play or if you want to maximize refresh rate on a high-Hz monitor.

At 2560x1440, High settings at 100.4 FPS are the best overall choice. They provide excellent visual fidelity with frame rates well above the 60 FPS target. Ultra at 65 FPS is acceptable, but the 35% performance hit over High is hard to justify unless you absolutely need maximum shadows and textures. Low at 152.1 FPS and Medium at 124.4 FPS are also strong, but they sacrifice visual quality that makes a horror game atmospheric.

At 3840x2160, the options are limited. Low settings at 91.5 FPS are the only way to get a high-refresh experience. Medium at 77.9 FPS is also smooth. High at 63.1 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 36.4 FPS is not playable. If you have a 4K monitor, the recommendation is to set the game to Medium to maintain a playable frame rate without the visual noise of Low. If you prioritize frame rate above all else, Low is the choice. For most users, the ideal experience will be at 1440p High, where the RTX 2070 SUPER and i5-14400F work together to deliver a strong, immersive performance without pushing the GPU to its breaking point.