Downfall

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a CPU-bound configuration in Downfall, particularly at lower resolutions. The i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread Coffee Lake processor with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its multi-core performance, as measured by Cinebench R23, is 6629 points, while its single-core score is 935 points. These figures are modest by modern standards, and the data suggests the processor is the limiting factor when trying to push frame rates beyond certain thresholds. The processor’s 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 42.7 GB/s are sufficient for the game’s engine, but the lack of hyper-threading means the 6 threads must handle all background tasks and game logic simultaneously. Benchmark results indicate this becomes noticeable at 1080p, where the GPU is capable of far higher output but is held back by the CPU’s frame generation ceiling. The i5-9400’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-10710U (0.3% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (0.4% ahead), show that it sits in a tightly contested performance band, with no significant headroom over comparable parts. In Downfall, a horror title that does not heavily utilize multi-threaded workloads, the CPU’s single-core strength is more relevant, but the 4.10 GHz boost clock is not exceptional, leading to a scenario where the processor’s architecture, not the GPU, dictates the upper FPS envelope.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400’s specifications directly explain the FPS patterns observed in Downfall. With 6 cores and 6 threads, the processor lacks the parallel processing headroom of higher-tier chips, but the game’s engine appears optimized for this thread count, as the measured frame rates are consistently high. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves 235 FPS, while at 4K High, it drops to 144 FPS. This drop is not purely a GPU limitation; the CPU’s boost clock of 4.10 GHz is the primary driver of single-threaded performance, which Downfall relies upon for physics and AI calculations. The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 392 and multi-core score of 2784 indicate that the processor’s performance is adequate for the game, but the 47th percentile ranking versus all CPUs suggests it is a mid-pack component. The data shows that as resolution increases, the FPS drop is less severe than expected, which implies the CPU is holding back performance at 1080p, where the GPU is not the bottleneck. For instance, 1080p Ultra yields 196 FPS, but 1440p Ultra yields 144 FPS, a 52 FPS drop, while 1440p High yields 210 FPS, a 25 FPS drop from 1080p High. This scaling pattern indicates that the CPU’s 6 threads are being saturated at lower resolutions, preventing the RTX 5090 D from reaching its full potential. The processor’s 14 nm process node and 65 W TDP are modest, but they do not directly impact gaming performance; rather, the architectural limits of Coffee Lake are evident in the frame rate ceilings. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the i5-9400 is nearly identical in average benchmark score (2254) to the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, -0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, 0.3% delta), confirming that it is not a performance outlier. Therefore, the CPU role in this combo is to provide a stable but unremarkable baseline, with the data indicating that the processor is the limiting factor in high-FPS scenarios.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a formidable GPU that, in isolation, would dominate Downfall, but its performance is constrained by the CPU. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, which is more than sufficient for the game’s textures and effects at any resolution. The boost clock of 2407 MHz and the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with 21,760 shading units deliver massive computational power, as evidenced by its 92nd percentile ranking versus all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 77712. In the measured results, the GPU’s capabilities are only fully utilized at 4K, where the FPS drops to 144 at High settings, a figure that still represents excellent performance. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (-1.6% delta) and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (-2.4% delta), are all significantly slower, confirming that the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier part. However, the data reveals that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 271 FPS, which is only 64 FPS higher than 4K Low (207 FPS), a smaller gain than expected given the GPU’s raw power. This suggests that the GPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p; instead, the CPU’s frame generation cap is the constraint. The 32 GB VRAM is never a concern, as even at 4K Ultra, the game only requires a fraction of it, and the GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance ensures that pixel and texture rates are not bottlenecks. The RTX 5090 D’s role is to provide headroom for future titles and higher settings, but in Downfall, the GPU is often idle waiting for the CPU to feed it data. The measured FPS at 4K Medium (175 FPS) versus 4K High (144 FPS) shows a 31 FPS drop, which is a GPU-driven change, but the 4K Ultra (90 FPS) versus 4K High (144 FPS) drop of 54 FPS indicates that the GPU is finally being stressed at the highest settings. Overall, the GPU is overqualified for this pairing, and its performance is artificially capped by the i5-9400 at resolutions below 4K.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions in Downfall reveals a classic CPU-bound scenario at lower settings and a GPU-bound scenario at higher settings. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 271 at 1080p to 242 at 1440p (a 10.7% drop) and then to 207 at 4K (a 14.5% drop from 1440p). This relatively small drop indicates that the CPU is the primary bottleneck, as the GPU is capable of much higher frame rates but is limited by the processor’s ability to issue draw calls. At Medium settings, the FPS drops from 252 at 1080p to 225 at 1440p (a 10.7% drop) and then to 175 at 4K (a 22.2% drop from 1440p). The larger drop from 1440p to 4K suggests the GPU is beginning to become more involved, but the CPU still plays a significant role. At High settings, the FPS drops from 235 at 1080p to 210 at 1440p (a 10.6% drop) and then to 144 at 4K (a 31.4% drop from 1440p). This pattern shows that as settings increase, the GPU workload grows, and the CPU’s limitation becomes less pronounced. Finally, at Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 196 at 1080p to 144 at 1440p (a 26.5% drop) and then to 90 at 4K (a 37.5% drop from 1440p). The Ultra settings represent the only configuration where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the 4K Ultra FPS of 90 is significantly lower than the CPU’s potential ceiling. The data indicates that the i5-9400 can sustain roughly 270 FPS at best, while the RTX 5090 D can deliver over 300 FPS at 1080p Low if not constrained. Therefore, resolution scaling in this combo shows that the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p for Low through High settings, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck at 4K Ultra. This is a typical imbalance, where the CPU’s 6 threads cannot keep up with the GPU’s raw power, leading to diminishing returns when lowering resolution. The 4K Medium FPS of 175 is particularly telling, as it is only 31 FPS higher than 4K High, showing that the GPU is not the primary constraint at these settings. In summary, the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is linear for Low settings but becomes steeper for higher settings, confirming that the CPU is the limiting component in most scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D in Downfall?

A: Yes, the data indicates the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p and 1440p for Low through High settings, as the FPS at 1080p Low (271) is only slightly higher than 4K Low (207), showing the CPU caps performance around 270 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB VRAM affect Downfall performance?

A: The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game, as even at 4K Ultra, the game does not appear to be VRAM-limited, and the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s ensures smooth texture streaming at all settings.

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo to balance CPU and GPU load?

A: The data suggests 1440p Ultra (144 FPS) is a balanced point, as it is identical to 4K High (144 FPS), but 4K High provides better visual quality at the same frame rate, indicating the GPU is more utilized at 4K.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, -0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, 0.3% delta), showing it performs on par with these parts.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D’s performance in Downfall match its overall benchmark percentile?

A: No, the GPU is in the 92nd percentile versus all GPUs, but its performance in Downfall is limited by the CPU, as seen in the 1080p Low FPS of 271, which is not significantly higher than 4K Low FPS of 207.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, 1080p yields 196 FPS, while 4K yields 90 FPS, a drop of 106 FPS, which is the largest absolute drop across all settings, indicating the GPU is heavily stressed at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 261st out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 8.9% of all configurations. This ranking is surprisingly high given the CPU’s mid-tier status, which suggests that the game is more GPU-dependent than CPU-dependent at the settings tested. However, the ranking also reflects the fact that many other combos use weaker GPUs, and the RTX 5090 D’s raw power compensates for the i5-9400’s limitations. The combo’s rank is likely driven by the 4K results, where the GPU is the primary factor, as 4K High (144 FPS) and 4K Medium (175 FPS) are excellent scores. At lower resolutions, the combo’s rank would be lower if isolated, as the CPU caps performance, but the overall ranking benefits from the GPU’s dominance. Compared to the CPU’s 47th percentile and the GPU’s 92nd percentile, the combo’s rank is closer to the GPU’s percentile, indicating that the GPU has a larger influence on the final ranking. The 261st rank out of 2928 combos means that 2667 other configurations perform worse, which is a strong result, but the top 260 combos likely use faster CPUs, such as current-generation i7 or Ryzen 7 parts, which allow the RTX 5090 D to reach its full potential. If the CPU were upgraded, the combo would likely rank much higher, as the GPU has significant untapped headroom. The data shows that this pairing is a "GPU-first" build, where the CPU is a secondary consideration, and the ranking reflects that the GPU can carry the system to a top 10% position despite the CPU’s mediocrity. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (90 FPS) is a weak point, but the average FPS across all settings is high, contributing to the overall rank. In summary, the combo ranks well due to the GPU’s strength, but the CPU prevents it from reaching the top 1% of configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Downfall with the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is as follows:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 271 FPS average
• Medium: 252 FPS average (min 214, max 290)
• High: 235 FPS average
• Ultra: 196 FPS average

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 242 FPS average
• Medium: 225 FPS average (min 191, max 259)
• High: 210 FPS average
• Ultra: 144 FPS average

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 207 FPS average
• Medium: 175 FPS average (min 149, max 202)
• High: 144 FPS average
• Ultra: 90 FPS average

The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the FPS ranges from 196 to 271, with the CPU limiting the maximum to around 271 FPS. The Medium settings at 1080p have a min FPS of 214 and max FPS of 290, indicating some frame time variance, but the average is stable. At 1440p, the FPS ranges from 144 to 242, and the Medium settings have a min of 191 and max of 259, showing a similar variance to 1080p. At 4K, the FPS ranges from 90 to 207, with the Medium settings having a min of 149 and max of 202, which is a tighter range than at lower resolutions, suggesting the GPU is more consistently loaded. The 4K Ultra FPS of 90 is the lowest average, but it is still playable. The 1080p Low FPS of 271 is the highest average, but it is only 64 FPS higher than 4K Low, which is 207 FPS. This 64 FPS difference is less than the 100+ FPS difference that would be expected if the GPU were the only factor, confirming the CPU bottleneck. The 1440p High FPS of 210 is exactly 100 FPS higher than 4K High (144 FPS), but the 1080p High FPS of 235 is only 25 FPS higher than 1440p High, showing diminishing returns at lower resolutions. The Ultra settings show a more linear scaling, with 196 FPS at 1080p, 144 FPS at 1440p, and 90 FPS at 4K, which is a 52 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 54 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K. This suggests that at Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, as the CPU’s limitation is less pronounced. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance, with the CPU limiting at lower resolutions and the GPU taking over at 4K Ultra.