Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core i7-14700KF + Intel Arc B370

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a peculiar performance profile in Downfall, a horror title from 2016. The CPU is a top-tier desktop part with 20 cores and a 5.60 GHz boost clock, while the GPU sits near the bottom of the benchmark database at the 5th percentile. The measured frame rates reflect this imbalance: playable at 1080p, marginal at 1440p, and largely untenable at 4K. The data shows a system where the processor is never the bottleneck, but the graphics solution consistently limits output, with results ranging from 96 FPS at 1080p Low down to 18 FPS at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: Based on measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the average frame rate stays above 40 FPS across all settings. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset reaches 68 FPS, while Ultra drops to 29 FPS. At 3840x2160, even Low yields just 43 FPS, and Ultra falls to 18 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitor is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at 1186 (0.2% faster), followed by the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190 (0.5% faster). The AMD FirePro M2000 is 1.4% slower at 1168.

Q: Is the Core i7-14700KF a strong CPU relative to other processors?

A: Yes. The CPU sits at the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70163. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K at 70879, which is 1% faster. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F trails by 0.2% at 69996, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.9% behind at 69515.

Q: What are the frame time characteristics at Medium settings?

A: The data includes min and max FPS only for Medium presets. At 1080p Medium, the average is 78 FPS with a range of 67 to 90 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 56 FPS with a range of 48 to 64 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 35 FPS with a range of 30 to 40 FPS.

Q: Does the Arc B370 have dedicated VRAM?

A: No. The GPU uses system shared memory, with the memory type, bus width, and size all listed as "System Shared." Memory bandwidth is "System Dependent," and the memory clock is also "System Shared." This means performance in Downfall is partly contingent on the host system's memory configuration.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance like?

A: The Core i7-14700KF delivers strong multi-core results, scoring 44167 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 18550 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. In Passmark multithread testing, it scores 52425, and its Geekbench multi-core score is 21462. These figures place it well ahead of most desktop processors.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data across three resolutions and four quality presets reveals a clear hierarchy for this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 96 FPS on average, which is the highest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium drops to 78 FPS, High to 64 FPS, and Ultra to 40 FPS. For players prioritizing smooth frame pacing, 1080p Low or Medium offers the best experience, with Medium providing a more visually acceptable compromise at 78 FPS while still maintaining a comfortable margin above 60.

At 2560x1440, the situation tightens considerably. Low yields 68 FPS, which is playable, but Medium falls to 56 FPS and High to 46 FPS. Ultra is marginal at 29 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p Low is the only preset that keeps frame rates consistently above 60 FPS, while Medium may be acceptable for those tolerant of occasional dips. The min FPS at 1440p Medium is 48, indicating noticeable frame drops during demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets achieve 60 FPS. Low produces 43 FPS, Medium 35 FPS, High 29 FPS, and Ultra 18 FPS. The 4K Medium row includes a min of 30 FPS and a max of 40 FPS, showing significant variance. For a horror title where atmosphere relies on consistent motion, 4K is not recommended with this GPU. The best experience overall is 1080p Medium, balancing visual fidelity with a 78 FPS average and a min of 67 FPS that keeps the experience fluid.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a desktop part designed for Socket 1700, supporting both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration.

In Downfall, a horror game released in 2016, the CPU's role is largely to feed the GPU without becoming a constraint. The game's age means it does not leverage 20 cores extensively, but the high boost clock ensures strong single-thread performance. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235 and Geekbench single-core score of 2578 indicate excellent per-thread throughput, which matters for the game's main thread. The Passmark single-thread score of 4480 reinforces this.

The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all processors means it outperforms the vast majority of installed CPUs, including its nearest rivals. It is 1% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, and 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. For Downfall, this headroom means the processor is never the limiting factor in the measured frame rates; the GPU is. The data shows no scenario where CPU performance would explain the FPS differences between presets.

The 33 MB of L3 cache is substantial and helps with game asset streaming, but the actual frame rates are dictated by the Arc B370's rendering capabilities. At 1080p Low, the CPU can push 96 FPS, but the GPU's fill rate limits higher settings. The CPU's 5.60 GHz boost clock is far above what a 2016 horror title requires, so users should expect CPU utilization to be moderate while the GPU operates at its ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2688 out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom 8% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's limitations rather than the CPU's capabilities, as the processor is a high-end part with a 94th percentile standing. The combo's position indicates that most other pairings tested in this game deliver higher average frame rates.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU rankings is stark. The processor sits near the top of the database, while the graphics card sits at the 5th percentile. This creates a system where the CPU contributes negligible performance bottlenecks, but the GPU drags the overall ranking down. The measured FPS data corroborates this: even at 1080p Low, the combo achieves only 96 FPS, which is respectable but far from the triple-digit figures that more balanced pairings would produce.

Compared to other combos in the database, this configuration is likely outmatched by systems with mid-range GPUs paired with weaker CPUs, because Downfall is not a CPU-intensive title. The 2928 total combos include many with older or lower-tier processors, but the Arc B370's 5th percentile GPU ranking ensures this combo sits in the lower quartile. Users seeking higher rankings would need to prioritize GPU upgrades, as the CPU has ample headroom.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz with a boost clock of 2400 MHz, and the TDP is just 25 W. The GPU uses system shared memory rather than dedicated VRAM, with memory bandwidth that is system dependent.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest: 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 12.29 TFLOPS of FP16 performance. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 1184, placing it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are legacy parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

In Downfall, the GPU's role is the primary determinant of frame rates. The measured data shows a consistent pattern where each resolution and preset step changes FPS in line with the GPU's fill rate and bandwidth constraints. At 1080p, the GPU can produce 96 FPS at Low settings, but this drops to 40 FPS at Ultra, a 58% reduction. At 1440p, the same settings range from 68 FPS down to 29 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, with Low producing 43 FPS and Ultra just 18 FPS.

The lack of dedicated VRAM means the GPU relies on system memory, which can introduce latency and bandwidth bottlenecks in demanding scenes. This is likely a factor in the low frame rates at higher resolutions, where memory pressure increases. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is relatively high for an integrated solution, but the 20 ROPs and 40 TMUs limit pixel and texture throughput, respectively. For a 2016 horror game, the Arc B370 can handle 1080p at lower presets but struggles beyond that.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 96 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all resolutions and settings. Medium averages 78 FPS with a min of 67 FPS and a max of 90 FPS, providing a stable experience. High averages 64 FPS, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 56 FPS, indicating that the GPU's performance scales significantly with preset complexity.

At 2560x1440, frame rates fall noticeably. Low averages 68 FPS, which remains playable, but Medium drops to 56 FPS with a min of 48 FPS and a max of 64 FPS. High averages 46 FPS, and Ultra falls to 29 FPS. The step from Low to Medium costs 12 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs 17 FPS. The min FPS at Medium (48) shows that the GPU can stutter under load, which may be noticeable in a horror game with sudden scene changes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly out of its depth. Low averages 43 FPS, Medium averages 35 FPS with a min of 30 FPS and a max of 40 FPS, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. No preset reaches 60 FPS, and the Ultra result is below 20 FPS, which would be a poor experience for any game. The 4K Medium range of 30 to 40 FPS shows that even the mid preset has wide variance, likely due to system shared memory bandwidth constraints.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: the Arc B370's performance degrades rapidly with increased resolution and settings. The CPU's high boost clock and 20 cores provide no benefit at higher resolutions because the GPU is always the bottleneck. The measured data suggests that users should target 1080p for a playable experience, with 1440p Low as an alternative for those with lower refresh rate monitors. The 4K results are only suitable for static scenes or screenshots, not active gameplay.