Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The pairing of an Intel Core i5-9400 with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in Downfall produces an unusual result: measured frame rates that climb well past 200 FPS at lower settings, yet drop to 74 FPS at 4K Ultra, revealing a system where the GPU is rarely the bottleneck but the CPU’s six threads can still assert themselves at high resolutions. The data set includes 12 measured FPS rows across three resolutions and four settings presets, all captured with this exact combination. This analysis interprets those numbers, compares them against the nearest rivals for both components, and explains what the results imply for anyone considering this configuration for a horror title that rewards smooth, high-refresh-rate play.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Low settings in Downfall?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 271 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate recorded across the entire data set, indicating that the RTX 4080 is far from strained at this resolution and preset.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54,247, while its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54,209 — a delta of only 0.1% in favor of the SUPER. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, putting it 1.1% ahead of the RTX 4080 in average synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among tested configurations in Downfall?

A: This combination of Intel Core i5-9400 and RTX 4080 ranks 600th out of 3,716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 16% of all configurations measured for this game.

Q: Does the Core i5-9400 support multi-threading?

A: No. The Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning each core handles exactly one thread. This is a notable limitation for modern games that can utilize more than six threads, though the benchmark data shows the CPU still delivers playable frame rates.

Q: What is the measured FPS at 1440p Ultra settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 120. This is exactly half of the 1080p Low result, highlighting how the Ultra preset and higher resolution combine to increase GPU load significantly.

Q: Which settings preset yields the highest average FPS at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low settings preset produces an average FPS of 178, which is the highest among all 4K presets. The Medium preset averages 145 FPS, High averages 119 FPS, and Ultra drops to 74 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain why Downfall runs so quickly. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. That memory capacity and bandwidth are substantial for a horror game released in 2016, where texture sizes and scene complexity are far below what modern titles demand. The RTX 4080’s 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are also present, though Downfall’s age means ray tracing and DLSS features are unlikely to be heavily utilized — the game predates those technologies.

Clock speeds are equally telling. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2205 MHz and boosts to 2505 MHz, which are high figures that contribute to the measured FPS results. The GPU’s pixel rate is 280.6 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 761.5 GTexel/s, both of which are more than sufficient to handle Downfall’s rendering workload at any resolution. The FP32 throughput of 48.74 TFLOPS further underscores the GPU’s raw compute capability. In the benchmark database, the RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,247. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 4080 SUPER (score 54,209, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (score 54,828, delta -1.1%). These deltas are small, meaning the RTX 4080 performs essentially on par with its closest competitors in synthetic tests.

In Downfall specifically, the GPU’s role is to push frame rates high enough that the CPU becomes the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 271 suggests the GPU is nowhere near saturation. The RTX 4080 is a triple-slot card with a 320 W TDP, requiring a 700 W suggested PSU, and its dimensions (310 mm length, 140 mm height, 61 mm width) make it a physically imposing component. But for this game, those specifications translate into headroom that is never fully exploited at 1080p. The GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM is particularly relevant at 4K Ultra, where the 74 FPS result still indicates the card is handling the load — the drop is more attributable to the CPU’s six threads being saturated by the combination of high resolution and Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, average FPS drops, but the magnitude of that drop varies significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the progression is 271 FPS at 1080p, 242 FPS at 1440p, and 178 FPS at 4K. That represents a 10.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 26.4% drop from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the numbers are 235 FPS at 1080p, 191 FPS at 1440p, and 119 FPS at 4K — a 18.7% drop to 1440p, then a 37.7% drop to 4K. The Ultra preset shows the steepest scaling: 168 FPS at 1080p, 120 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K, with a 28.6% drop to 1440p and a 38.3% drop to 4K.

These numbers reveal that the limiting component shifts depending on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU is the primary constraint, since even the most demanding preset (Ultra) achieves 168 FPS — a figure that remains high but is still far below the 271 FPS at Low. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 103 FPS, which is larger than the gap at 1440p (122 FPS difference) and at 4K (104 FPS difference). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU’s six threads are being tasked with feeding the GPU, and the Ultra preset’s additional CPU overhead (more draw calls, more physics, more AI) reduces the frame rate more than the GPU load alone would dictate.

At 4K, the GPU becomes more relevant, but the CPU still plays a role. The Low preset at 4K achieves 178 FPS, which is only 10 FPS lower than the Ultra preset at 1080p (168 FPS). This indicates that the GPU can handle 4K rendering when the CPU is not overloaded by Ultra settings. However, the Ultra preset at 4K drops to 74 FPS — a 58.4% reduction from the Low 4K result. This dramatic falloff suggests that the combination of 4K resolution and Ultra settings creates a workload where both the CPU and GPU are pushed, and the six-thread Core i5-9400 cannot maintain the high frame rates seen at lower settings.

The measured data also includes min and max FPS for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the range is 214 to 290 FPS, with an average of 252. At 1440p Medium, the range is 191 to 259 FPS, with an average of 225. At 4K Medium, the range is 123 to 167 FPS, with an average of 145. These ranges show that frame pacing is consistent at lower resolutions, but the 4K Medium range (44 FPS spread) is tighter than the 1080p Medium range (76 FPS spread), suggesting that the GPU’s frame time variance is lower when it is more fully utilized.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for this Intel Core i5-9400 + RTX 4080 pairing in Downfall is 600 out of 3,716 tested combinations. This places the configuration in the top 16.2% of all tested combos, which is a strong result but not exceptional given the GPU’s high-end positioning. The rank reflects the reality that the RTX 4080 is a top-tier GPU, but the Core i5-9400 is a mid-range CPU from an older generation, and this mismatch prevents the combo from reaching the upper echelons of the ranking.

To contextualize the CPU’s contribution, the Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2,254, placing it at the 47th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (score 2,259, delta -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-10710U (score 2,248, delta 0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (score 2,246, delta 0.4%). These deltas are all within 0.4% of the i5-9400’s score, meaning the CPU’s synthetic performance is essentially average for its class. The i5-9400’s 6 cores and 6 threads are a key limitation, as many modern games can use more than six threads, but Downfall, released in 2016, was designed for the 4-core/8-thread era. This means the i5-9400’s six threads are likely sufficient for the game’s CPU demands, which explains why the combo ranks as well as it does.

The GPU’s percentile ranking is significantly higher. The RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,247. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% faster), the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (1.1% faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (2.6% faster). These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4080 is near the top of the GPU hierarchy, and in Downfall, it is the primary driver of the combo’s high rank. The 600th position out of 3,716 is likely constrained by the CPU’s lower percentile — if the i5-9400 were replaced with a stronger CPU, the combo rank would likely improve, but the measured data only covers this specific pairing.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data allows for clear settings recommendations based on the target frame rate and resolution. For 1080p, all four presets deliver playable frame rates: Low (271 FPS), Medium (252 FPS), High (235 FPS), and Ultra (168 FPS). The Ultra preset’s 168 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play, and for a horror game where atmosphere and detail matter, Ultra at 1080p is the best choice if the display supports high refresh rates. The Medium preset’s min FPS of 214 FPS also ensures no noticeable stutter.

At 1440p, the High preset (191 FPS) offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset (120 FPS) is also viable, and its 120 FPS average is exactly the refresh rate of many gaming monitors, making it a natural target. The Low preset (242 FPS) is unnecessary unless the user prioritizes maximum frame rates over visual fidelity. The Medium preset (225 FPS) is a middle ground, but the High preset’s 34 FPS advantage over Ultra suggests that High is the sweet spot for 1440p.

At 4K, the recommendation shifts. The Low preset (178 FPS) is the only preset that delivers a high-refresh-rate experience, but Low settings may compromise the visual atmosphere that horror games rely on. The Medium preset (145 FPS) is a strong choice for 4K, as it provides a balance between detail and performance, and its min FPS of 123 FPS ensures no significant drops. The High preset (119 FPS) is also acceptable, but the drop to Ultra (74 FPS) is substantial — a 37.8% reduction from High. For 4K, the Medium preset is the best recommendation, as it maintains an average FPS above 144 while preserving more visual detail than Low. If the user has a 60 Hz 4K display, Ultra’s 74 FPS is still playable, but the 51 FPS gap between Medium and Ultra suggests that the CPU is limiting the Ultra preset’s performance at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full measured FPS data for this combo in Downfall is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: average 271 FPS
• Medium: average 252 FPS, min 214 FPS, max 290 FPS
• High: average 235 FPS
• Ultra: average 168 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: average 242 FPS
• Medium: average 225 FPS, min 191 FPS, max 259 FPS
• High: average 191 FPS
• Ultra: average 120 FPS

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: average 178 FPS
• Medium: average 145 FPS, min 123 FPS, max 167 FPS
• High: average 119 FPS
• Ultra: average 74 FPS

These numbers show a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the Low-to-Ultra gap is 103 FPS (271 to 168). At 1440p, it is 122 FPS (242 to 120). At 4K, it is 104 FPS (178 to 74). The 1440p gap is the largest, suggesting that the CPU is most strained at this resolution when moving from Low to Ultra. At 4K, the GPU becomes more of a factor, but the Ultra preset’s 74 FPS is still surprisingly low compared to the Medium preset’s 145 FPS — a 71 FPS difference, which is the largest single-preset jump in the entire data set.

The Medium preset’s min and max FPS values provide additional insight. At 1080p, the min is 214 FPS and the max is 290 FPS, a 76 FPS spread. At 1440p, the min is 191 FPS and the max is 259 FPS, a 68 FPS spread. At 4K, the min is 123 FPS and the max is 167 FPS, a 44 FPS spread. The narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates more consistent frame pacing, likely because the GPU is more fully utilized and the CPU has less headroom to cause frame time spikes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its 65 W TDP and 14 nm process node are modest by modern standards, but for Downfall, the CPU’s capabilities are sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck at most settings. The CPU’s L3 cache is 9 MB shared, with 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. It supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, and its PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The i5-9400 has no multi-threading, meaning its 6 threads are the maximum it can handle.

The CPU’s benchmark scores provide context. In Cinebench R23, the multicore score is 6,629 and the single-core score is 935. In Geekbench, the multicore score is 5,141 and the single-core score is 1,389. These scores place the i5-9400 at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2,254. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of this score, indicating that the CPU’s performance is tightly clustered with other mid-range processors.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role is most apparent at 1080p, where the frame rates are highest. The 271 FPS at 1080p Low is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame output for this game, as the GPU is not stressed at that resolution. The fact that the Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves 168 FPS suggests that the CPU can handle the extra workload, but the 103 FPS difference between Low and Ultra shows that the Ultra preset adds significant CPU overhead. At 4K, the CPU’s limitations become more visible: the Ultra preset drops to 74 FPS, which is a 56% reduction from the Low preset at the same resolution. This indicates that at 4K Ultra, the CPU’s six threads are saturated, and the GPU cannot compensate for the CPU’s inability to feed it enough draw calls and game logic updates.

The i5-9400’s lack of multi-threading is a notable factor. Downfall, released in 2016, was designed for CPUs with 4 cores and 8 threads, so 6 threads are sufficient. However, the 4.10 GHz boost clock is relatively low compared to modern CPUs, and the 2.90 GHz base clock means sustained loads may see lower clocks. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s is also modest, but for this game, it does not appear to be a limiting factor, as the frame rates remain high across most settings. Overall, the Core i5-9400 acts as a capable but not exceptional partner for the RTX 4080 in Downfall, with its six threads providing enough performance for high frame rates at lower resolutions, but constraining the Ultra preset at 4K.