Downfall

Downfall is an older horror title, but the benchmark data for the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combo reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, yet still capable of delivering extremely high frame rates at 1080p. The measured results show a clear scaling pattern: the GPU is the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the powerful 20-core CPU ensures that frame rates remain fluid even in the most demanding settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about where the performance limit lies. At 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 210 FPS, but at 4K Low, the average falls to 94 FPS—a reduction of 116 FPS, or roughly 55%. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is being pushed to its absolute limits at 4K, while the CPU has ample headroom to spare.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings drops the average from 141 FPS to 101 FPS, a 40 FPS loss. The subsequent jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings is even more punishing, with the average falling from 101 FPS to 63 FPS—a 38 FPS loss. This near-linear degradation with resolution strongly suggests that the graphics card's rendering throughput, not the CPU, is the limiting factor.

At Ultra settings, the trend becomes even more pronounced. The combo manages 88 FPS at 1080p Ultra, but this plummets to 63 FPS at 1440p Ultra and then to just 39 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling: it is less than half the frame rate of the 1080p Ultra score. This is a classic GPU-bound scenario where the pixel count overwhelms the TU104 chip's capabilities.

The Low settings data reinforces the GPU-bound conclusion. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 210 FPS, which is likely near the ceiling for what this CPU can feed to the GPU in this title. However, at 4K Low, the frame rate drops to 94 FPS, showing that even with minimal graphical load, the GPU cannot maintain the same performance as at lower resolutions. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and single-core score of 2160 confirm it is not the limiting factor in this scenario.

What is notable is the efficiency of the scaling between Medium and High settings. At 1440p, Medium yields 123 FPS while High yields 101 FPS, a 22 FPS difference. At 4K, the gap narrows to 14 FPS (77 vs 63). This compression at higher resolutions is further evidence that the GPU is saturated, as the additional graphical workload from High settings has less relative impact when the GPU is already struggling with pixel throughput.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the definitive performance ceiling for this combo in Downfall. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and its benchmark results place it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. The data shows that this memory configuration is sufficient for the game's demands, as there is no evidence of a VRAM capacity crash even at 4K Ultra, just a steady frame rate decline.

The GPU's clock behavior is also relevant. With a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, the RTX 2070 SUPER operates within a narrow frequency range. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1651 and a Passmark G3D score of 18169 reflect a mid-range performer that is now several generations old. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, which is 1% slower, and the Intel Arc B570, which is 1.3% faster—indicating that the RTX 2070 SUPER sits in a tightly contested performance band.

The GPU's FP32 compute of 9.062 TFLOPS and texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s are adequate for a 2019-era title like Downfall, but they are clearly not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The measured data confirms this: the 4K Ultra average of 39 FPS is playable but far from smooth, and it is the lowest score recorded for any resolution and settings combination in this test.

Interestingly, the GPU's DirectX 12 benchmark score is only 67 in Passmark, while DirectX 11 scores 151 and DirectX 9 scores 223. This suggests that the GPU performs better under older API workloads, which may explain why the game's performance at High settings is relatively strong compared to what newer titles might show. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is not exceeded in this game, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution rather than showing sudden drops from memory swapping.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 2157 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the 58th percentile of all system configurations. This is a mid-pack ranking that reflects the GPU's age rather than the CPU's strength. The CPU itself is a top-tier performer, scoring in the 94th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 69355, but the GPU's 65th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down.

The CPU's nearest rivals highlight its position: the AMD EPYC 9115 is just 0.1% faster, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.7% faster. This puts the i7-14700K in elite company, but the GPU's nearest rivals—including the Intel Arc B570 at 1.3% faster and the Intel Arc A750 at 1.5% faster—show that the RTX 2070 SUPER is no longer a leader in its class.

The combo's ranking of 2157 out of 3716 suggests that many other pairings, likely those with newer GPUs, achieve better performance in this game. However, the ranking also indicates that this combo is not at the bottom of the pile—it outperforms roughly 42% of tested configurations. The data implies that if the GPU were upgraded to a more modern part, the combo's ranking would improve substantially, as the CPU has significant headroom to support faster graphics cards.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a complete picture of performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the combo delivers excellent results: Low settings produce 210 FPS, Medium produces 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS and maximum of 198 FPS, High produces 141 FPS, and Ultra produces 88 FPS. These numbers indicate that the system is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p, even at the highest settings.

At 1440p, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limitations. Low settings yield 150 FPS, Medium yields 123 FPS with a minimum of 105 FPS and maximum of 141 FPS, High yields 101 FPS, and Ultra yields 63 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result of 63 FPS is exactly the same as the 4K High result, which underscores how much headroom the CPU provides while the GPU becomes the bottleneck.

At 4K, the frame rates become more modest. Low settings produce 94 FPS, Medium produces 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS and maximum of 88 FPS, High produces 63 FPS, and Ultra produces 39 FPS. The 4K Medium minimum of 65 FPS is notable as it is the only recorded minimum above 60 FPS at 4K, suggesting that Medium is the highest setting that maintains a consistent 60 FPS floor.

The gap between settings is also informative. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 122 FPS (210 vs 88), which is a massive range. At 4K, this gap narrows to 55 FPS (94 vs 39), showing that the GPU's performance ceiling compresses the settings range at higher resolutions. The Medium settings provide the best balance of performance and visual quality, with the 1080p Medium result of 172 FPS being particularly impressive.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Downfall at 4K 60 FPS?

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves 94 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS, which is playable but not consistently above 60. High settings average 63 FPS, and Ultra averages just 39 FPS.

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

A: The data shows 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the combo delivers 101 FPS, and at 1440p Medium it delivers 123 FPS. This provides a high frame rate without the resolution limitations of 1080p or the GPU strain of 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck at higher resolutions. The i7-14700K has a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and a single-core score of 2160, placing it in the 94th percentile of CPUs. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking and the steep frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K confirm the GPU limits performance.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in this test?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 20282. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M is 1% slower, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is 1.2% slower, the Intel Arc B570 is 1.3% faster, and the Intel Arc A750 is 1.5% faster. This places the RTX 2070 SUPER in a tightly contested mid-range band.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for Downfall?

A: Yes, the measured data shows no signs of VRAM-related performance collapse. Frame rates scale predictably with resolution, and the 4K Ultra result of 39 FPS is consistent with GPU compute limits rather than memory constraints.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with this combo?

A: At 1080p, the combo delivers 210 FPS on Low, 172 FPS on Medium, 141 FPS on High, and 88 FPS on Ultra. All settings provide a smooth experience, with even Ultra exceeding 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data points to Medium settings as the optimal choice for this combo in Downfall, particularly for players targeting high refresh rates. At 1080p Medium, the system delivers 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS, which is ideal for 144Hz monitors. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 123 FPS with a minimum of 105 FPS, still comfortably above 100 FPS for smooth gameplay.

For players prioritizing visual fidelity over raw frame rate, High settings are a viable option. At 1080p High, the combo produces 141 FPS, and at 1440p High it produces 101 FPS. The 4K High result of 63 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, making it playable but not ideal for competitive play. Ultra settings should be avoided at 4K, where the 39 FPS average will feel sluggish; at 1440p Ultra, the 63 FPS result is acceptable for slower-paced horror gameplay, but 1080p Ultra at 88 FPS is the only Ultra configuration that feels consistently smooth.

Low settings are only recommended for players who prioritize maximum frame rates above all else. The 210 FPS at 1080p Low is exceptional, but the visual downgrade may not be worth the performance gain in a horror game where atmosphere matters. The measured data shows that Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with the 4K Medium minimum of 65 FPS being the only 4K configuration that maintains a 60 FPS floor.