Downfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT delivers a remarkably consistent experience in Downfall, one that is heavily dictated by the graphics card's capabilities rather than the CPU's processing power. The data indicates this combo ranks 953rd out of 1741 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of systems for this title. This ranking is not a condemnation of the hardware, but rather a reflection of the game's engine and the specific demands of a horror title that prioritizes visual atmosphere over raw CPU throughput.

CPU Role

The Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake generation, operating at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It features 9 MB of shared L3 cache and a 65 W TDP. In Downfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the game's physics and AI routines. The benchmark results strongly suggest that this processor is more than sufficient for the task at 1080p and 1440p, as the FPS numbers scale almost linearly with resolution changes, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 228.1 FPS. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor, as it can easily process the game's logic to keep up with the GPU's output. The CPU's single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1125, is adequate for the main game thread. The data shows that the i5-9400 sits at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2305, placing it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10305 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2134. This is a mid-pack performer, but for Downfall, it does not bottleneck the RX 6700 XT until we consider the most demanding settings.

The real test for the CPU comes at 4K with Ultra settings, where the frame rate drops to 40.4 FPS. However, this is far more attributable to the GPU's inability to process the massive pixel count and complex shaders at that quality level. The CPU is not the primary bottleneck; the RX 6700 XT is simply overwhelmed. The processor's 6 threads are sufficient for the game's multithreaded tasks, but the performance ceiling in this title is defined by the graphics card, not the processor.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RX 6700 XT in Downfall?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck at standard resolutions. The FPS scales predictably from 1080p to 1440p, and even to 4K, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads are sufficient to keep the GPU fed.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 953rd out of 1741 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects the overall system performance in Downfall relative to all other CPU+GPU pairings tested.

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

A: The data shows that at 4K with High settings, the combo averages 69.6 FPS. At 1440p with High settings, it jumps to 108.4 FPS, and at 1080p with High settings, it reaches 154 FPS. All of these are above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RX 6700 XT's performance compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The RX 6700 XT has an average benchmark score of 33721, which is 0.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6800 and 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A5000. It is 1% behind the AMD Radeon HD 7950 and the AMD Radeon RX 480.

Q: What is the impact of switching from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 228.1 on Low to 93.9 on Ultra. This is a significant reduction of over 58%, indicating that the Ultra preset places a massive load on the GPU's shader and texture units.

Q: Does the game favor the CPU or GPU more at 4K resolution?

A: The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at the same settings is substantial. For example, High settings drop from 154 FPS at 1080p to 69.6 FPS at 4K. This large delta clearly shows that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern of GPU-bound scaling. When moving from 1080p to 1440p with High settings, the average frame rate drops from 154 FPS to 108.4 FPS, a reduction of roughly 30%. This is a typical scaling factor for a GPU-intensive workload. The transition from 1440p to 4K is equally steep, with the High preset dropping from 108.4 FPS to 69.6 FPS, another 36% reduction.

This consistent scaling across all settings presets confirms that the limiting component is the graphics card. The RX 6700 XT's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed by the increased pixel count. At 4K, the pixel throughput demands are quadruple that of 1080p, and the GPU's 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is simply unable to maintain the same performance levels. The data shows that the CPU's performance is not a factor in this scaling, as the i5-9400's processing power remains constant regardless of resolution. The system is unequivocally GPU-limited.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results provide a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo is exceptionally fast. Low settings produce an average of 228.1 FPS, which is a very high refresh rate experience. Medium settings yield 188.7 FPS, while High settings deliver 154 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, imposes a significant penalty, dropping the average to 93.9 FPS. This still remains well above the 60 FPS target, making 1080p Ultra a playable option.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 163.9 FPS, Medium averages 132.9 FPS, and High averages 108.4 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p produces an average of 68.9 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, but the margin has shrunk considerably. This is the first resolution where the Ultra preset begins to approach the lower bounds of what is considered smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits are apparent. The Low preset still manages an average of 101.2 FPS, and Medium averages 84.2 FPS. The High preset averages 69.6 FPS, which is acceptable for a 4K experience. The Ultra preset, however, is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of just 40.4 FPS. This is the only setting where the combo fails to maintain a consistent high frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 953 out of 1741 tested combinations places it in the 55th percentile of all tested systems for Downfall. This is a solidly mid-pack result. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's overall strength, as the RX 6700 XT sits in the 77th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU, in contrast, is in the 50th percentile.

This discrepancy between the GPU's high percentile and the CPU's mid-pack percentile, combined with the GPU-bound nature of the game, suggests that the i5-9400 is holding back the system's full potential in some synthetic benchmarks, but not in actual gameplay. The rank is likely more representative of the system's capability to run the game at higher resolutions and settings, where the GPU's power is the primary determinant of performance. The system is not a top-tier contender, but it is far from a weak performer.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, the High preset is the clear recommendation across all resolutions. At 1080p, High delivers 154 FPS, which is an excellent experience with no compromise. At 1440p, High yields 108.4 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, High still manages a respectable 69.6 FPS, providing a smooth and immersive experience.

The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p, where it achieves 93.9 FPS. At 1440p, the 68.9 FPS average is playable, but the margin for error is small. At 4K, Ultra is not recommended, as the 40.4 FPS average is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset offers a good fallback if higher frame rates are desired, especially at 4K where it provides 84.2 FPS. Low settings are unnecessary for this combo, as even the High preset provides excellent performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is the dominant component in this pairing. Based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture and the Navi 22 chip, it features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. It operates at a base clock of 2321 MHz and a boost clock of 2581 MHz. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s.

The GPU's role in Downfall is to handle the rendering of the game's horror-themed environments, which likely involve complex lighting and shadow effects. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as the FPS scales dramatically with resolution and settings changes. The 13.21 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial, but the demands of 4K Ultra are too great, as evidenced by the 40.4 FPS result. The GPU's 77th percentile ranking against all other GPUs confirms its strong standing, but it is not a top-tier 4K powerhouse. It is, however, an exceptional 1080p and 1440p performer, capable of delivering high frame rates in this title. The GPU's performance is further contextualized by its 0.7% lead over the RX 6800 and 1.3% lead over the RTX A5000 in average benchmark scores, showing that it is a competitive mid-to-high-end card.