Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core i7-14700KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

This combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers the top measured performance in Downfall, ranking 1st out of 2,928 tested combos. The data shows a system capable of exceptional frame rates across all settings and resolutions, with the CPU providing a strong foundation and the GPU enabling extreme 4K performance.

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 from the Core 14th Gen series, built on Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The processor features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache, supporting both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Benchmark results place this CPU in the 94th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70,163. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (avg score 69,996, delta 0.2%), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69,875, delta 0.4%), and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avg score 69,515, delta 0.9%), while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70,879 (delta -1%). This puts the i7-14700KF essentially at parity with these competitors, with differences of less than 1% in either direction.

In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 44,167 in multi-core and 6,235 in single-core tests. Geekbench results show 21,462 multi-core and 2,578 single-core scores. PassMark multithread score is 52,425, with single-thread at 4,480. These scores indicate strong multi-threaded capability, which matters for games that leverage multiple cores for physics, AI, and streaming.

For Downfall, a horror game, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame delivery. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 482 FPS on average, which is a scenario where CPU overhead becomes more visible. The 5.60 GHz boost clock helps single-threaded performance, crucial for game logic and frame pacing. The 28 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game engine threads, ensuring that CPU bottlenecks are minimized even at high frame rates.

The processor's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration contributes to overall system responsiveness. The 33 MB L3 cache is shared across all cores, which helps reduce latency when accessing frequently used data. In a game like Downfall, where horror elements often involve sudden scene changes and complex scripting, this cache hierarchy helps maintain stable frame times.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a flagship GPU based on the GB202 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. Its base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost of 2407 MHz, while memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective).

The GPU's benchmark results place it in the 92nd percentile versus all GPUs, with an average score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (avg score 76,904, delta 1.1%), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (avg score 78,940, delta -1.6%), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (avg score 79,396, delta -2.1%), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (avg score 79,605, delta -2.4%). These deltas are small, but they indicate the 5090 D sits between these mobile and data-center GPUs in synthetic tests.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the GPU scores 14,326. Geekbench OpenCL score is 310,674, and Vulkan score is 376,915. PassMark G3D score is 44,065, with GPU compute at 28,396. These numbers show strong raw compute capability, which translates to high frame rates in games.

For Downfall, the 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for any texture quality setting at any resolution. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets do not cause stutters. At 4K Ultra settings, the GPU maintains 90 FPS on average, which shows the memory bandwidth and processing power are well-matched to the game's demands.

The GPU's pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s are critical for rendering detailed horror environments. The 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance provides substantial compute headroom for any modern rendering techniques. With a 575 W TDP and dual-slot design, this is a high-power component, but the performance data justifies the power draw in Downfall's demanding scenes.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-14700KF compare to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F?

A: The i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70,163, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F's 69,996. This is a negligible difference, indicating the two CPUs perform at essentially the same level in general benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is in the 92nd percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. This places it in the upper tier of graphics cards tested.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 144 FPS. This is identical to the 4K High setting average, showing the GPU's capability at high resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 482 FPS on average. This very high frame rate suggests the CPU is providing enough single-thread performance with its 5.60 GHz boost clock, though the GPU remains capable of exceeding this.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 324, while at 4K High, it drops to 144 FPS. This represents a 55.6% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Downfall?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 1st out of 2,928 tested combos in Downfall, making it the top-performing combination in this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves the top rank in Downfall, placing 1st out of 2,928 tested combos. This is the highest possible ranking, indicating that no other CPU-GPU pairing in the database delivers higher frame rates in this game.

This top ranking is consistent across all settings and resolutions in the measured data. At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 90 FPS average, which is a demanding scenario where lesser GPUs would struggle. The 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth of the RTX 5090 D provide ample resources for the game's highest quality textures and effects.

The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 92nd percentile ranking combine to form a balanced high-end system. In Downfall, this balance results in no obvious bottleneck at any tested resolution. The 1st place ranking suggests that even the most powerful alternative combos tested do not exceed this system's performance.

The data shows that this combo outperforms combos featuring CPUs with similar benchmark scores, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.2% lower CPU score) or the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (1% higher CPU score). This indicates that the GPU choice is a significant factor in Downfall's performance, and the RTX 5090 D's capabilities are fully utilized.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows clear scaling from 1080p to 4K across all settings. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 324 at 1920x1080 to 231 at 2560x1440, then to 144 at 3840x2160. This represents a 28.7% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 37.7% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 55.6%.

At Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic. The system achieves 482 FPS at 1080p, 345 FPS at 1440p, and 214 FPS at 4K. This shows a 28.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 38.0% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 55.6%, which is consistent with the High settings scaling.

Medium settings show similar proportional scaling, with 395 FPS at 1080p, 282 FPS at 1440p, and 175 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates, with 202 FPS at 1080p, 144 FPS at 1440p, and 90 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is 55.4%.

These scaling patterns indicate that the system is not purely GPU-limited. If it were, the frame rate would typically halve when pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K. Instead, the decreases are around 55-56%, suggesting some CPU involvement even at 4K. The high frame rates at 1080p (482 FPS at Low) indicate the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently, but the 5.60 GHz boost clock and 28 threads are likely the limiting factor at those extreme frame rates.

The consistent ~55% reduction from 1080p to 4K across all settings suggests that the game's rendering load scales predictably with resolution, and the GPU has sufficient headroom to maintain playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra (90 FPS). This makes the system well-suited for high-refresh-rate 4K monitors in Downfall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo covers three resolutions and four settings, providing a comprehensive view of performance.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low settings: 482 FPS average
• Medium settings: 395 FPS average, with a minimum of 335 FPS and maximum of 454 FPS
• High settings: 324 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 202 FPS average

At 1080p, the system delivers extreme frame rates, exceeding 300 FPS on all settings except Ultra. The Medium settings data shows a min-max range of 335 to 454 FPS, indicating a consistent frame delivery with a spread of 119 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low settings: 345 FPS average
• Medium settings: 282 FPS average, with a minimum of 240 FPS and maximum of 324 FPS
• High settings: 231 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 144 FPS average

At 1440p, frame rates remain very high. The Medium settings range is 240 to 324 FPS, a spread of 84 FPS. Even at Ultra settings, the 144 FPS average is sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low settings: 214 FPS average
• Medium settings: 175 FPS average, with a minimum of 149 FPS and maximum of 202 FPS
• High settings: 144 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 90 FPS average

At 4K, the system maintains excellent playability across all settings. The Medium settings range is 149 to 202 FPS, showing a 53 FPS spread. Even at Ultra settings, the 90 FPS average is smooth, and the Low settings 214 FPS is exceptional for 4K.

The data reveals that at each resolution, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial. At 1080p, the gap is 280 FPS (482 to 202); at 1440p, it is 201 FPS (345 to 144); and at 4K, it is 124 FPS (214 to 90). These differences indicate that the GPU has significant headroom even at the highest settings, and users can prioritize visual quality without sacrificing playability.

The Medium settings data, which includes min and max FPS values, shows that the system maintains stable frame delivery at all three resolutions. The narrowest range is at 4K (149 to 202 FPS), while the widest is at 1080p (335 to 454 FPS). This suggests that at higher resolutions, the workload is more consistent, reducing frame time variance.