Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core i7-13700K + Intel Arc B370

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a fundamentally GPU-limited experience in Downfall, with the measured frame rates dropping sharply as resolution increases and settings are pushed higher. The combo ranks 2688th out of 2928 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems for this horror title. The data shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates at 1080p with optimized settings, but struggles significantly at higher resolutions and maximum quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep resolution scaling curve that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 96 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 68 FPS, a reduction of approximately 29%. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls to 43 FPS, representing a 55% decrease from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that has limited rendering resources, as the frame rate drops nearly linearly with the pixel count increase.

The Medium settings preset shows a similar trend. At 1080p, the average is 78 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and maximum of 90 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 56 FPS, with minimum and maximum values of 48 and 64 FPS respectively. At 4K, the average falls to 35 FPS, alongside a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 40 FPS. The minimum frame rates at 4K Medium approach the threshold where gameplay smoothness becomes compromised, suggesting that even the Medium preset at 4K is borderline playable.

High settings exhibit the same pattern but at lower absolute values. The 1080p High average is 64 FPS, which drops to 46 FPS at 1440p and 29 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result of 29 FPS is below the standard 30 FPS playability threshold, indicating that this preset at this resolution is not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Ultra settings produce the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 40 FPS, which is already marginal. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 29 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 18 FPS. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is 22 FPS, a 55% reduction. The Ultra preset at any resolution above 1080p produces frame rates that are not conducive to a playable experience.

The resolution scaling analysis indicates that the limiting component is the GPU. The Intel Core i7-13700K is a high-end 16-core processor with substantial compute capabilities, yet the frame rates collapse as pixel count increases. This behavior is characteristic of a system where the GPU's rendering throughput is exhausted well before the CPU's processing capacity becomes relevant.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K features 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This processor belongs to the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and provides Gen 5 PCIe with 20 CPU lanes.

Benchmark scores for this CPU place it in the 89th percentile among all tested processors. In Cinebench R23, the multicore score is 30745, while the single-core score is 2116. The Geekbench multicore score is 19429, with a single-core score of 2529. The PassMark multithread score is 45887, and the single-thread score is 4333. The 3DMark 16-thread score is 10717, while the max-thread score reaches 12412.

The nearest rivals in CPU performance are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 with an average score of 46971 and a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 with an average score of 47022 and a delta of -0.3%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX with an average score of 46654 and a delta of 0.5%, and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 with an average score of 46653 and a delta of 0.5%. The Core i7-13700K's average benchmark score is 46881, placing it squarely within this competitive group.

In the context of Downfall, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The game is a horror title released in early 2016, and its rendering demands are primarily GPU-bound. The 16-core, 24-thread configuration of the i7-13700K provides ample processing headroom for game logic, physics, and AI tasks. The high single-thread performance, evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2116 and 3DMark single-thread score of 1136, ensures that the game's main thread is well-served.

However, the measured FPS data shows that this CPU headroom is not being utilized to its potential. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 96 FPS, which is respectable, but the CPU could likely support higher frame rates if the GPU were more capable. The fact that the frame rate drops to 43 FPS at 4K Low while the CPU maintains the same processing capacity confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor. The data suggests that the i7-13700K is not constraining performance in any of the tested configurations.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation pipelines, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The memory subsystem is system shared, meaning it uses the host system's memory rather than dedicated VRAM, and the bandwidth is system dependent.

The GPU's pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute throughput is 6.144 TFLOPS, with FP16 performance at 12.29 TFLOPS. The thermal design power is 25 W, and the slot width is IGP (integrated). The API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the Arc B370 scores 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186 and a delta of -0.2%, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with a score of 1190 and a delta of -0.5%, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M with a score of 1192 and a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD FirePro M2000 with a score of 1168 and a delta of 1.4%. The average benchmark score for this GPU is 1184.

The GPU's performance profile explains the measured frame rates in Downfall. With a 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs, the Arc B370 is in the lower tier of graphics solutions. The 1280 shading units and 20 ROPs are modest by modern standards, and the system shared memory architecture introduces additional latency and bandwidth limitations compared to dedicated VRAM.

The measured FPS figures align with this GPU's capabilities. At 1080p Low, the 96 FPS average is achievable because the low settings reduce the rendering load significantly. The boost clock of 2400 MHz helps maintain reasonable performance at lower resolutions, but the fundamental throughput limitations become apparent as resolution increases. The 4K Ultra result of 18 FPS is consistent with a GPU that simply does not have enough pixel processing power for high-resolution, high-detail rendering.

The GPU's FP32 throughput of 6.144 TFLOPS is the key constraint. Downfall's rendering requirements at higher resolutions and settings exceed this compute capacity, resulting in the observed frame rate drops. The system shared memory configuration means that memory bandwidth is dependent on the host system's memory, which further limits performance in memory-intensive scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2688th out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall. This places the system in the bottom 8.2% of all tested configurations, a position that reflects the significant mismatch between the high-end CPU and the low-end integrated GPU.

The CPU alone ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors, indicating that the processor is well above average. In contrast, the GPU ranks in the 5th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it is among the lowest-performing graphics solutions tested. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU produces a system that is heavily unbalanced for gaming purposes.

The combo rank of 2688 out of 2928 suggests that most other tested combinations outperform this setup in Downfall. The data indicates that systems with more balanced CPU-GPU pairings, even with less powerful CPUs, would likely achieve better gaming performance. The 16-core, 24-thread CPU provides no tangible benefit for a game like Downfall when paired with a GPU that cannot keep up with the rendering demands.

The percentile rankings for the individual components underscore the imbalance. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 5th percentile ranking creates a situation where the system's gaming performance is entirely dictated by the GPU. In any of the tested resolutions or settings, the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate drops with increasing resolution.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Downfall at 1080p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows playable frame rates at 1080p with Low settings averaging 96 FPS, Medium averaging 78 FPS, and High averaging 64 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 40 FPS, which is below the preferred 60 FPS threshold but still technically playable.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Downfall?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves playable frame rates across multiple settings presets. At 1440p, only Low and Medium settings produce averages above 50 FPS, while at 4K, all presets fall below 45 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at 1186, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at 1192. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, slightly lower.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Core i7-13700K ranks in the 89th percentile among CPUs, while the Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile among GPUs. The frame rate drops with increasing resolution confirm that the GPU's rendering capacity is exhausted before the CPU's processing power.

Q: What CPU performance level does the i7-13700K provide?

A: The CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. The Geekbench multicore score is 19429, and the PassMark multithread score is 45887. These scores place it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings in Downfall?

A: The measured data shows that Ultra settings produce an average of 40 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. None of these results meet the standard 60 FPS target, and the 4K Ultra result is below the 30 FPS minimum for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference. The data provides clear guidance on which presets deliver acceptable performance at each resolution.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 96 FPS, which provides a smooth experience on a standard 60 Hz display. The Medium preset at 78 FPS also exceeds the 60 FPS threshold and offers better visual quality. The High preset at 64 FPS remains above 60 FPS and is a viable option for users who prioritize visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 40 FPS is below 60 FPS but could be acceptable for users who prefer maximum quality over frame rate.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 68 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset at 56 FPS is slightly below the 60 FPS target but remains smooth enough for most users. The High preset at 46 FPS is playable but may exhibit noticeable stuttering in fast-paced scenes. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 4K, only the Low preset at 43 FPS approaches playability, and it still falls short of the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 35 FPS and High at 29 FPS are below the minimum threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 18 FPS is not viable for playable performance.

The best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings, which provides an average of 78 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and maximum of 90 FPS. This configuration balances visual quality with smooth performance. For users who prefer higher visual fidelity, the High preset at 1080p with 64 FPS average is also a strong choice. The Ultra preset at 1080p with 40 FPS average is the highest quality option that remains technically playable, but the frame rate is below the preferred threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 96 FPS. The Medium preset averages 78 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and maximum of 90 FPS. The High preset averages 64 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 40 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset produces an average of 68 FPS. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and maximum of 64 FPS. The High preset averages 46 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 29 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset produces an average of 43 FPS. The Medium preset averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 40 FPS. The High preset averages 29 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 18 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern of frame rate reduction as both resolution and settings quality increase. The largest single-step drop occurs when moving from 1080p Ultra at 40 FPS to 1440p Ultra at 29 FPS, a reduction of 11 FPS. The smallest drop occurs between 1440p High at 46 FPS and 4K High at 29 FPS, a reduction of 17 FPS, which is notable given the resolution increase.

The minimum and maximum FPS values are only provided for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the range is 67 to 90 FPS, indicating a 23 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 48 to 64 FPS, a 16 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 30 to 40 FPS, a 10 FPS spread. This narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's frame pacing becomes more consistent as it operates closer to its performance limits.