Downfall

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a measured performance profile in Downfall, a 2016 horror title. The CPU has a launch MSRP of $409, and the GPU has a launch MSRP of 499 USD. Benchmark data from 12 resolution/settings combinations shows how this pairing behaves across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS values reveal a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 190.5 FPS at 1920x1080 to 134.2 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 84.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a substantial reduction as resolution increases, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary limiting component at higher pixel counts. The same trend appears across all presets: Low settings yield 279.7 FPS at 1080p, 200.4 FPS at 1440p, and 123 FPS at 4K; Medium settings produce 226.8, 166.4, and 103.5 FPS respectively; Ultra settings drop to 121.1, 86.8, and 49.9 FPS.

The gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution also grows with resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 279.7 versus 121.1 FPS, a spread of 158.6 FPS. At 1440p, the spread is 200.4 versus 86.8 FPS, a difference of 113.6 FPS. At 4K, the spread narrows to 123 versus 49.9 FPS, a difference of 73.1 FPS. This narrowing suggests that at 4K, even the lowest settings cannot fully relieve the GPU load, whereas at 1080p the CPU can push frame rates high enough that the GPU becomes the bottleneck only when settings are raised. The data indicates a shift from CPU-bound behavior at 1080p Low to GPU-bound behavior at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It features 30 MB of shared L3 cache and a 10 nm process node. Its benchmark scores are strong: Cinebench R23 multicore reaches 39000, single-core 5505, and Geekbench multicore 17731. The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 93, placing it in the top tier. Its nearest rivals show it within 0.5% of the Intel Core i7-13700KF (avg score 47334, delta -0.1), AMD EPYC 4364P (47131, delta 0.3), Intel Core i9-12900F (47081, delta 0.4), and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 (47527, delta -0.5). This tight clustering indicates the 13700K is essentially tied with its closest competitors.

In Downfall, the CPU's high single-thread performance is likely a key factor. The game, released in 2016, does not demand extreme core counts, but the 13700K's boost clock of 5.40 GHz and strong single-core Cinebench score of 5505 support high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the measured 279.7 FPS suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond typical display refresh rates. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 121.1 FPS remains high, indicating the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking reinforces that it is a capable partner for this GPU.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 32 chip. It has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The boost clock is 2430 MHz, with a game clock of 2124 MHz. Its benchmark scores include a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 4157, Geekbench OpenCL 139381, and Passmark G3D 24176. The GPU's percentile versus all GPUs is 76, which is lower than the CPU's 93, suggesting the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing. Its nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (avg score 32540, delta 0.2), NVIDIA P104-100 (32747, delta -0.4), NVIDIA T600 Mobile (32849, delta -0.7), and AMD FirePro S10000 (32388, delta 0.7). The RX 7800 XT's average benchmark score of 32619 places it within 0.7% of these competitors.

The GPU's role becomes evident at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 49.9, a level that may be too low for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K Low, the 123 FPS is far below the 279.7 FPS seen at 1080p Low. The 16 GB VRAM is ample for 4K textures, but the compute load of Ultra settings at 4K stresses the GPU's shading units and ROPs. The GPU's lower percentile compared to the CPU indicates that in this combo, the GPU is the more likely bottleneck when resolution and settings are pushed.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p High?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 134.2.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combos?

A: The combo ranks 623 out of 1741 tested combinations.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile versus all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K is in the 93rd percentile.

Q: What is the GPU's memory size?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 4K Low and 4K High?

A: At 3840x2160, Low yields 123 FPS and High yields 84.1 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear basis for choosing presets. At 1920x1080, all settings deliver high frame rates: Low 279.7, Medium 226.8, High 190.5, and Ultra 121.1. Ultra remains above 120 FPS, so it is the recommended preset for 1080p, offering the best visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, High produces 134.2 FPS and Ultra 86.8 FPS. Both are playable, but High provides a higher frame rate with a modest reduction in quality; for users prioritizing frame rate, High is the better choice, while Ultra is acceptable for those who prefer maximum detail. At 3840x2160, High yields 84.1 FPS, while Ultra drops to 49.9 FPS. The Ultra preset is likely too demanding for consistent smoothness, so High is the recommended setting for 4K. Low and Medium at 4K offer 123 and 103.5 FPS respectively, but they sacrifice significant visual fidelity. The data suggests High is the optimal balance for 4K, while Ultra is viable only at 1080p and 1440p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 623 out of 1741 places it in the upper portion of the tested field. The CPU's 93rd percentile and GPU's 76th percentile indicate that the processor is a stronger component than the graphics card. The combination outperforms the majority of tested pairings, though it does not reach the top tier. The CPU's high single-thread and multicore scores, combined with the GPU's solid 16 GB memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth, produce a balanced system that excels at 1080p and 1440p, and remains capable at 4K with adjusted settings. The rank reflects that this pairing is well above average, with the CPU providing a strong foundation and the GPU handling most resolutions effectively.