Downfall

The Intel Core i5-14600K pairs a 14-core, 20-thread configuration with a 3.50 GHz base clock and a 5.30 GHz boost clock. This Raptor Lake Refresh part, built on Intel's 10 nm process, sits in the 90th percentile against all CPUs, indicating strong headroom for gaming workloads that rarely tax all cores simultaneously. In this game, the CPU's single-thread performance is likely the primary driver; the high boost clock ensures that the primary game thread has ample speed, while the additional cores handle background tasks and any engine overhead. The data suggests that the i5-14600K is not the bottleneck here, as its nearest rivals—the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (-0.2% delta), AMD EPYC 4345P (+0.3%), Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (+0.7%), and Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (-0.8%)—are all within a single percentage point of its average benchmark score. This tight grouping shows that the 14600K delivers performance right at the expected level for its class, and in a horror title like Downfall, this translates to consistent frame pacing without CPU-induced hitches.

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

The i5-14600K's architecture provides a substantial foundation for Downfall. With 14 cores and 20 threads, the processor has enough parallel resources to handle the game's logic, physics, and any streaming tasks without breaking a sweat. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial, as it keeps frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency. The benchmark data shows that this CPU is a high performer in both single and multi-threaded tasks; its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064 and multi-core score of 24491 place it firmly in the upper echelon. However, for a game like this, the single-core boost clock of 5.30 GHz is the more critical specification. It ensures that the main game loop receives maximum responsiveness, preventing CPU-bound scenarios that could drag down frame rates at higher resolutions.

The fact that the CPU's nearest rivals are all within a 1% delta of its average score is telling. It means that swapping between these processors would yield nearly identical performance in CPU-limited conditions. For Downfall, this indicates that the game is not particularly sensitive to minor differences in CPU compute power. Instead, the processor simply needs to be fast enough to feed the GPU, and the i5-14600K clearly is. The measured FPS data shows a steep drop when moving from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the limiting factor. At 1080p, where the CPU has more relative influence, we see the highest frame rates (e.g., 191 FPS on Low), but even at 4K, the CPU's performance ensures that the GPU is not waiting on data. The PassMark multithread score of 38682 and single-thread score of 4270 further support that this chip has no trouble keeping up with the demands of a modern game engine, even one from 2016.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is the primary driver of visual output in this combo. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1968 MHz, with a game clock of 2359 MHz and a boost clock of 2589 MHz. These clocks are respectable for the RDNA 2 architecture, and the 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Downfall at all tested resolutions, though it might be a limiting factor for texture-heavy mods or future titles. The GPU's benchmark performance places it in the 70th percentile against all GPUs, which is solid for a card in this segment. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (+0.7%), Intel Arc A350M (-0.8%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (+0.8%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (+1.1%). This grouping is interesting because it shows the 6600 XT is performing at a level comparable to much older flagship cards, but with modern feature support like DirectX 12 Ultimate.

In Downfall, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1080p, the card has plenty of headroom, allowing for high frame rates. At 1440p, the workload increases, and at 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The data shows a clear progression: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 36, while at 1080p Low, it hits 191. This spread of 155 FPS between the easiest and hardest settings is directly attributable to the GPU's rendering load. The 6600 XT's 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs are being pushed to their limits at 4K, especially with Ultra settings that likely enable heavy post-processing effects. The card's pixel rate of 165.7 GPixel/s is a fixed hardware limit, and the benchmark results show it hitting that wall. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is not overflowing, but the sheer number of pixels at 3840x2160 is taxing the GPU's compute units.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales with resolution. Starting at 1080p Low, the system achieves 191 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 136 FPS, a 29% reduction. At 4K Low, it falls to 85 FPS, a further 37% drop from 1440p. This pattern is consistent across all settings: High, Medium, and Ultra. For example, at High settings, the frame rates are 128 FPS (1080p), 91 FPS (1440p), and 57 FPS (4K). This scaling behavior is the hallmark of a GPU-bound system. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, we see a steep decline as the pixel count increases, which means the RX 6600 XT is working harder and harder to fill each frame.

The data also reveals that the drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p. At Ultra settings, the frame rate goes from 80 FPS at 1080p to 57 FPS at 1440p (a 29% drop), and then down to 36 FPS at 4K (a 37% drop from 1440p). This non-linear scaling is typical for GPUs that are nearing their memory bandwidth or compute limits. The 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is being saturated at 4K, causing the frame rate to plummet. This is a strong indicator that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while at 1080p, the system is more balanced. The CPU's high core count and boost clock ensure that even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is 191 FPS, the processor is not holding the system back.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1080p (1920x1080): The best performance is at Low settings, where the average FPS is 191. Medium settings yield 156 FPS, with a min of 133 and a max of 180. High settings produce 128 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 80 FPS. This shows that the GPU is capable of high refresh rate gaming at this resolution, but Ultra settings demand a significant performance hit.

1440p (2560x1440): At Low, the average FPS is 136. Medium settings deliver 111 FPS, with a min of 95 and a max of 128. High settings drop to 91 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 57 FPS. The 1440p results are still playable, but the Ultra preset is starting to push the GPU to its limits.

4K (3840x2160): Low settings yield 85 FPS, which is acceptable for a horror game where frame pacing matters more than raw speed. Medium settings average 69 FPS, with a min of 59 and a max of 80. High settings drop to 57 FPS, and Ultra settings are only 36 FPS. At 4K, the RX 6600 XT is clearly struggling to maintain smooth frame rates on higher presets.

The pattern is consistent: each step up in quality costs a predictable amount of performance. For instance, at 1080p, moving from Medium to High costs 28 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 48 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset enables effects that are disproportionately expensive on this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks 2674 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. This places the system in the lower-middle tier of all tested configurations, which makes sense given the GPU's 70th percentile standing. The CPU is performing above average, but the GPU is holding the combo back in the rankings. The rank indicates that while this is a competent setup for 1080p gaming, it is not a top-tier performer when compared to combos with higher-end GPUs.

The delta between the CPU and GPU percentile scores (90th vs 70th) suggests an imbalance. The i5-14600K is capable of driving much faster graphics cards, but the RX 6600 XT limits the overall frame output. In the context of the combo ranking, this means that the system is likely bottlenecked by the GPU in most scenarios, especially at higher resolutions. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor, so users looking to improve performance would need to upgrade the GPU first. The rank of 2674 also implies that there are over 1000 tested combos that perform worse, which means this setup is far from the bottom, but it is not a high-end solution for 4K gaming.

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

For a smooth and visually pleasing experience, the Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot. It delivers an average FPS of 111, with a minimum of 95 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely dips below 60. This combination offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, as the 1440p resolution provides sharp imagery while the Medium settings keep the GPU load manageable. The min FPS of 95 is particularly important for a horror game, where sudden frame drops can ruin the atmosphere.

If you prefer 1080p gaming, the High preset is the best choice. It produces an average of 128 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a fluid experience. The High preset will look noticeably better than Medium, and the GPU has enough headroom to maintain stable frame rates. For those with high-refresh-rate monitors, the Low preset at 1080p is the only option to approach 200 FPS (191 FPS average), but the visual compromise is steep.

At 4K, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for consistent gameplay, with an average of 85 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K (69 FPS) is playable, but the min FPS of 59 is dangerously close to dropping below 60. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they dip to 57 FPS and 36 FPS respectively, which will feel choppy and detract from the horror experience. The Ultra preset across all resolutions is generally not worth the performance cost; the jump from High to Ultra costs nearly 40% of the frame rate at every resolution, and the visual difference in a dark, atmospheric game like Downfall is unlikely to be significant.