Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 produces a combination that is fundamentally constrained by its graphics card in the horror title Downfall. The data shows a processor with immense headroom and a GPU that dictates playability, resulting in a combo rank of 3395 out of 3716 tested configurations. This pairing is viable for 1080p gaming at medium settings, but struggles to maintain smooth framerates at higher resolutions or demanding presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, which can boost up to 5.30 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. This processor is a high-end desktop part, ranking in the 90th percentile among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests are the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.2% lower score) and the AMD EPYC 4345P (0.3% higher score), indicating it sits in a performance tier well above what a game like Downfall requires for physics or AI calculations.

In this specific game, the CPU's role is largely ancillary. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where the GPU workload is lightest, the average framerate is 102 FPS. This is a clear indicator that the i5-14600K is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The processor's high single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2491, ensures that the game's primary thread has ample processing power. The multi-core capabilities, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a Passmark multithread score of 38682, are vastly overqualified for this title, meaning the CPU will never bottleneck the GPU in Downfall. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide rapid data access, but the game's demands are simple enough that this advantage is not fully utilized. Essentially, the i5-14600K is a silent, powerful partner that waits for the GPU to finish its work.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the decisive component in this pairing. Built on the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, this GPU is from an older generation and ranks in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its performance is closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.1% lower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.4% lower). The RX 580 features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is adequate for 1080p but becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The GPU's clock speeds are modest by modern standards, with a base of 1257 MHz and a boost of 1340 MHz. Its compute capabilities include 2304 shading units and a FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS. In Downfall, the RX 580 is the primary arbiter of performance. The data shows a stark contrast between CPU and GPU-bound scenarios. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 102 FPS, but this drops to 68 FPS at High settings and plummets to 43 FPS at Ultra. This scaling is a direct result of the GPU's pixel and texture processing limits, with a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures, but the raw processing power is insufficient for high-detail presets. The GPU's DirectX 12 score of 43 in Passmark underscores its age, as it struggles with modern API overhead, even though it officially supports DirectX 12 (12_0).

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are severe and clearly demonstrate that the RX 580 is the limiting component. At Medium settings, the average framerate falls from 83 FPS at 1920x1080 to 60 FPS at 2560x1440, and then to 37 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 55% reduction in FPS from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the framerate drops from 102 FPS at 1080p to 73 FPS at 1440p and 45 FPS at 4K. At High settings, the drop is from 68 FPS to 49 FPS to 30 FPS.

This scaling behavior is classic for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's performance is constant, but the GPU's workload increases exponentially with resolution. The data shows that at 1080p, the system can often exceed 60 FPS, but at 1440p, only the Low and Medium presets manage to stay above 60 FPS. At 4K, every preset falls below 45 FPS, with Ultra being unplayable at 19 FPS. The 4K Medium results include a minimum FPS of 32 and a maximum of 43, indicating significant frametime variance. This suggests that the RX 580's 256-bit memory bus and 8 GB VRAM are being saturated, leading to stutter and inconsistent frame pacing. The conclusion is clear: this combo is a 1080p gaming solution, and even then, only at lower-to-mid settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 3395 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom 8.6% of all configurations. This low rank is entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is a top-tier performer. The data suggests that the i5-14600K is being held back by a GPU that is several generations old. The GPU's percentile rank of 53% is much lower than the CPU's 90% percentile, creating a massive imbalance.

This rank means that most other tested combinations, even those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, will outperform this setup in Downfall. The 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS and the 1440p Ultra result of 31 FPS are among the lowest in the database. The combo only achieves playable framerates at 1080p, where it can hit 68 FPS on High. However, the i5-14600K's high benchmark scores ensure that this pairing is not a complete failure; it simply needs a more powerful graphics card to unlock its potential. The rank is a reflection of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K bottlenecking the AMD Radeon RX 580 in Downfall?*

A: No. The data shows that FPS scales inversely with resolution and settings in a pattern that indicates GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the system hits 102 FPS, which is a high framerate that would be impossible if the CPU were a bottleneck. The i5-14600K's high benchmark scores (90th percentile) confirm it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo at 1920x1080?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p provides a balanced experience with an average of 83 FPS and a minimum of 71 FPS. While Low achieves 102 FPS, Medium offers a significant visual upgrade for a modest FPS cost. High is also playable at 68 FPS, but Ultra drops to 43 FPS, which may feel less smooth.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Downfall?*

A: No, not at acceptable performance levels. At 3840x2160, the highest average framerate is 45 FPS on Low settings. Medium drops to 37 FPS, High to 30 FPS, and Ultra to 19 FPS. These framerates are below the threshold for a comfortable gaming experience.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 580's average benchmark score is 12928. It is 0.1% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940) and 0.4% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (12986). It is 0.5% faster than the AMD Radeon 740M (12870).

*Q: Is the CPU's performance in Downfall consistent with its other benchmark results?*

A: Yes. The CPU's high single-core and multi-core scores (e.g., 2064 in Cinebench R23 single-core) suggest it can handle any game logic. The fact that FPS drops are solely tied to resolution and settings changes confirms the CPU is not the performance ceiling.

Q: What is the primary reason for the combo's low rank of 3395?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the limiting factor. Its GPU percentile rank is 53%, while the CPU is in the 90th percentile. The GPU's age and modest compute power (6.175 TFLOPS FP32) restrict framerates at higher resolutions and settings, dragging the overall combo rank down significantly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average, minimum, and maximum FPS measured for this combination in Downfall.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 30 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 45 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 37 | 32 | 43 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 19 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 49 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 73 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 60 | 51 | 69 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 31 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 68 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 102 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 83 | 71 | 96 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 43 | - | - |

The data reveals a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, the combo is capable of smooth gameplay on Medium (83 FPS) and High (68 FPS) presets. The 1440p resolution is only viable on Low (73 FPS) and Medium (60 FPS) settings. At 4K, the system fails to maintain 60 FPS on any preset, with the best result being 45 FPS on Low. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep across all settings, confirming the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration.