Downfall

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers a formidable Downfall experience, with the data showing this combo ranks 486th out of 3,716 tested configurations. The measured FPS results across resolutions and settings indicate a system that prioritizes high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, while still maintaining playable performance at 4K. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU contributions, the combo’s standing, and the optimal settings based strictly on the measured data.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, boosting up to 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and features PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the CPU. In synthetic benchmarks, the i7-14700KF scores 44,167 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,235 in single-core, while Geekbench results show 21,462 multi-core and 2,578 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 52,425, with a single-thread score of 4,480. The CPU’s percentile versus all CPUs is 94, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of processors tested.

For Downfall, a horror title from 2016, the CPU’s high single-thread performance is relevant, as many horror games rely on a few heavily loaded threads for AI, physics, and scripting. The 5.60 GHz boost clock provides headroom for these single-thread tasks, while the 20 cores and 28 threads ensure that any background processes or multi-threaded game logic do not bottleneck the GPU. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 366 FPS average, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently even at lower graphical loads where the processor becomes more critical. The PassMark data encryption score of 40,046 and integer math score of 183,056 also indicate strong general-purpose compute, which can help with game logic and decompression tasks.

Comparing to nearest rivals, the i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70,163, placing it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69,996), 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69,875), and 0.9% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69,515). It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (70,879) by 1%. These margins are small, meaning the CPU is not the differentiator in this combo’s ranking; the GPU and game-specific optimizations carry more weight in the measured FPS. The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking confirms it sits near the top of the performance pyramid, but within the context of Downfall’s measured results, the GPU appears to be the primary driver, especially at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 486th out of 3,716 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 13% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing given the game’s age and the hardware’s modern capabilities. The rank reflects the average FPS across all measured settings and resolutions, weighted by the game’s engine demands. The data shows that this combo excels at lower resolutions, where the high CPU clock speeds and the GPU’s raw throughput combine to produce extremely high frame rates, but the rank also accounts for the more demanding 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 68.

To contextualize this rank, consider that the combo sits ahead of 3,230 other combinations, which includes many older or lower-tier CPUs and GPUs. The i7-14700KF’s 94th percentile CPU performance and the RTX 4070 Ti’s 84th percentile GPU performance (based on PassMark G3D score of 31,624 and average benchmark score of 44,795) indicate that both components are in the upper echelon. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (avg score 45,152, 0.8% higher), AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (45,384, 1.3% higher), and Intel Arc A730M (45,592, 1.7% higher), while it leads the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (44,075) by 1.6%. These small deltas suggest the RTX 4070 Ti is competitive with other high-end cards, but the game’s measured FPS is where the combo’s actual standing is determined.

The 486th rank out of 3,716 combos is notable because it places the system in the top decile, meaning that for most users with older or mid-range hardware, this combo will deliver a significantly better experience. However, the presence of 485 combos ahead of it indicates that there are configurations with even higher FPS, likely featuring more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generations, which are not in this data set. The rank also implies that the CPU is not a limiting factor; if it were, the combo would rank lower due to bottlenecks at 1080p. Instead, the data shows a balanced pairing where the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 2560x1440 with High settings delivers 176 FPS average, which is smooth for a horror game, while 1920x1080 with High settings reaches 246 FPS. For 4K, High settings yield 109 FPS, which is still playable, but Ultra at 4K drops to 68 FPS, which may be too low for some players.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance affect Downfall?

A: The i7-14700KF’s single-core score of 6,235 in Cinebench R23 and 4,480 in PassMark single-thread indicates strong per-core performance, which helps in horror games that often rely on single-threaded AI and physics. This is reflected in the 366 FPS at 1080p Low, where the CPU is more likely to be the bottleneck.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti sufficient for 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High, the average FPS is 109, which is above 60 FPS, making it playable. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 68 FPS, which is still above 60 but may feel less smooth. For 4K Medium, the average is 133 FPS, providing a good balance.

Q: What is the combo’s overall ranking compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 486th out of 3,716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 13% of all systems. This means it outperforms the majority of configurations in the database.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in Downfall?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 366 FPS, which is extremely high and indicates the CPU can handle the game’s demands. At 4K Ultra, the GPU’s workload increases significantly, dropping FPS to 68, showing the GPU is the bottleneck there.

Q: How does this combo compare to the CPU’s nearest rivals in terms of overall performance?

A: The i7-14700KF’s average benchmark score of 70,163 is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69,996), 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69,875), and 0.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69,515). It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (70,879) by 1%, but these differences are minimal in real-world gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how this combo performs in Downfall across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers exceptional performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 366, which is the highest of any configuration in the data set. Medium settings yield 300 FPS average, with a minimum of 255 and maximum of 345. High settings drop slightly to 246 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 154 FPS average. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU are both operating at high efficiency, with the GPU not being stressed enough to limit frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected scaling. Low settings average 262 FPS, Medium settings average 214 FPS (min 182, max 246), High settings average 176 FPS, and Ultra settings average 110 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is about 58%, which is consistent with the increased graphical load. The minimum FPS for Medium at 1440p is 182, which is still well above 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience even during demanding scenes. The 110 FPS at Ultra is also respectable, suggesting that players can push the settings without significant stutter.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the combo shows its limits. Low settings average 163 FPS, Medium settings average 133 FPS (min 113, max 153), High settings average 109 FPS, and Ultra settings average 68 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire data set, and while it is above 60 FPS, it is close to the threshold where some players might notice frame drops. The 4K High result of 109 FPS is more comfortable, and 4K Medium at 133 FPS provides a good balance between visual quality and smoothness. The data shows that the combo is capable of 4K gaming, but players seeking the highest settings will need to accept lower frame rates.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: Low settings provide the highest FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is largest at 1080p (366 vs 154 FPS, a 212 FPS difference) and smallest at 4K (163 vs 68 FPS, a 95 FPS difference). This indicates that the GPU becomes more of a bottleneck at higher resolutions, while at 1080p, the CPU’s performance allows the GPU to run at maximum output.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2310 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The RTX 4070 Ti includes 7,680 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units, along with 60 ray tracing cores and 240 tensor cores. Its pixel rate is 208.8 GPixel/s, texture rate is 626.4 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 40.09 TFLOPS. The TDP is 285 W, requiring a 600 W suggested PSU, and it connects via a 16-pin power connector.

In Downfall, the GPU’s role is clearly demonstrated by the FPS scaling with resolution. At 1080p, the GPU is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the 366 FPS at Low settings. The CPU can push more frames, but the GPU’s output is capped by the game’s engine. At 1440p, the GPU begins to show its strength, with the 176 FPS at High settings indicating that the 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s textures and effects. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, especially at Ultra settings where the average FPS drops to 68. This is likely due to the increased pixel count and texture memory requirements, which the 12 GB VRAM can handle but the GPU’s compute units struggle to process at high frame rates.

The RTX 4070 Ti’s benchmark scores further contextualize its performance. The PassMark G3D score of 31,624 places it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44,795. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 5090 Mobile (45,152, 0.8% higher), AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (45,384, 1.3% higher), and Intel Arc A730M (45,592, 1.7% higher), while it outperforms the RTX A6000 (44,075) by 1.6%. These small deltas suggest that the RTX 4070 Ti is a high-performing GPU, but not the absolute fastest, which aligns with its 4K Ultra result of 68 FPS. The GPU’s 12 GB VRAM is adequate for Downfall, as the game’s 2016 release date means it does not require the massive memory pools of modern titles.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user’s resolution and refresh rate preferences. For players with a 1920x1080 monitor, the High preset at 246 FPS average provides an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 154 FPS is also viable, offering higher graphical fidelity while still maintaining frame rates well above 144 FPS. For those with a 144 Hz monitor, Ultra is the best choice, as the 154 FPS average exceeds the refresh rate. If a player prefers maximum smoothness, Low settings at 366 FPS will ensure no frame drops, but the visual compromise is significant.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 176 FPS is the sweet spot for most users, as it delivers high frame rates with good visual quality. The Medium preset at 214 FPS is also excellent, providing even smoother gameplay with a slight reduction in detail. Ultra at 110 FPS is playable and suitable for 60 Hz or 100 Hz monitors, but those with 144 Hz displays may notice the lower frame rate. For competitive or fast-paced sections, Medium is recommended, as the 214 FPS ensures consistent responsiveness.

For 4K gaming at 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 133 FPS is the best overall choice, offering a smooth experience with good visual quality. The High preset at 109 FPS is also viable, especially for players with 120 Hz displays, but the Ultra preset at 68 FPS should be avoided if frame rate stability is a priority, as it is close to the 60 FPS threshold. Low settings at 163 FPS provide the highest performance but sacrifice the visual immersion that horror games often rely on. Given the game’s genre, the Medium preset at 4K is recommended, as it maintains a high frame rate while preserving enough detail for an atmospheric experience.

In summary, the data shows that this combo excels at 1080p and 1440p, where it can deliver high refresh rates even at Ultra settings. At 4K, players should opt for Medium or High settings to maintain a comfortable frame rate. The combo’s ranking of 486th out of 3,716 confirms its strength, and the measured FPS across all resolutions indicates a well-balanced system that can adapt to different player preferences.