Downfall

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a benchmark profile that is as revealing about the game’s engine as it is about the hardware. In Downfall, a horror title from 2016, this combination produces remarkably high frame rates that scale predictably with resolution and settings. The data, drawn from measured FPS rows, shows a system that is rarely stressed at 1080p, but begins to show its architectural strengths and bottlenecks as the pixel count climbs. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes the component roles, and interprets the rankings without venturing beyond the provided facts.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of resolution-dependent scaling. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 400 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops that to 285 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 178 FPS. This represents a 55.5% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 37.5% further reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, suggesting that the GPU’s shading and memory bandwidth become more significant factors as resolution increases.

The High settings row tells a similar story. At 1080p High, the average is 268 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 191 FPS, and at 4K High, it lands at 119 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K here is 55.6%, nearly identical to the Low settings path. This consistency implies that the limiting component shifts from the CPU at lower resolutions to the GPU at higher ones, but the game’s engine maintains a steady workload scaling curve.

Ultra settings amplify the trend. The 1080p Ultra average is 168 FPS, 1440p Ultra is 120 FPS, and 4K Ultra is 74 FPS. The delta between 1080p and 4K Ultra is 56%, again matching the other presets. The data indicates that Downfall is not heavily CPU-bound even at 1080p, as the frame rates remain high enough that the GPU is likely still the primary driver. The closer gap between 1440p and 4K on Ultra (from 120 to 74 FPS, a 38.3% drop) suggests that the RTX 4080’s pixel throughput is the decisive factor in the most demanding configuration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications align with the measured results. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is ample for Downfall’s textures, even at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 74. The 22.4 Gbps effective memory clock and 1400 MHz base memory clock provide the data throughput necessary to sustain the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions.

The RTX 4080’s compute resources are substantial: 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The boost clock of 2505 MHz and base clock of 2205 MHz allow the card to reach 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In Downfall, a horror game that likely relies on lighting and shadow effects, the 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are present but may not be fully utilized, as the measured FPS suggests a traditional rasterization workload. The GPU’s 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its Passmark G3D score of 34457 indicate it is a high-tier part, but the nearest rivals show it is not alone at the top: the RTX 4080 SUPER is only 0.1% ahead in average benchmark score, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X trails by 1.1%.

The 4K Ultra result of 74 FPS is the only measured row that dips below the 100 FPS threshold, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck in that scenario. The texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s explain why the card can handle 1440p Ultra at 120 FPS but struggles to maintain that pace at 4K. The data shows a GPU that is underutilized at 1080p Low (400 FPS) but fully engaged at 4K Ultra, where the 320 W TDP is likely justified.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K provides a formidable foundation, with 24 cores and 32 threads capable of boosting to 6.00 GHz. The 125 W TDP and Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node are designed for high single-thread performance, which is crucial for game logic and draw calls. In Downfall, the CPU’s role is evident in the 1080p results: at Low settings, the 400 FPS average suggests the CPU can feed the GPU faster than it can render, but the frame rate is still limited by the GPU’s output.

The CPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39399.5 and singlecore score of 2262.5 are top-tier figures. The Geekbench multicore score of 21697 and singlecore of 2655 further confirm its strength. The Passmark single-thread score of 4697 is particularly relevant for gaming, as Downfall likely benefits from high per-core performance. The 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs places it above most rivals, with the nearest competitor, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, being only 0.3% slower in average score.

At higher resolutions, the CPU’s influence wanes. The 4K results show a consistent frame rate drop that aligns with GPU load, not CPU capacity. The 24 cores and 32 threads are more than sufficient for Downfall’s threading model, which likely uses fewer threads. The L3 cache of 36 MB shared and L2 cache of 2 MB per core provide fast access to frequently used data, reducing latency in frame rendering. The CPU’s 6.00 GHz boost clock is a highlight; it ensures that even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is not saturated, the CPU does not become a limiting factor, as evidenced by the 400 FPS ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 holds a combo rank of 230 out of 3716 combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 6.2% of all tested systems, a strong showing that reflects the high-end nature of both components. The rank is not the absolute top, which suggests that other configurations with more powerful GPUs or newer CPUs can achieve higher frame rates, but this combo is clearly in the upper echelon.

The ranking context is important: with 3716 combos tested, being at 230 means there are 3486 configurations that perform worse. The GPU’s percentile of 86 and CPU’s percentile of 95 indicate that the CPU is relatively stronger compared to its peers than the GPU is. This imbalance is reflected in the measured FPS, where the CPU’s headroom is never fully taxed, while the GPU is pushed harder at 4K. The nearest rival GPUs, such as the RTX 4080 SUPER, might close the gap slightly, but the data does not include direct comparisons in this game.

The combo rank also implies that the system is balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, where the 191 FPS High average is excellent. At 4K, the rank would likely be lower due to the GPU’s limitations, but the overall rank of 230 suggests that the system excels across a range of resolutions. The data shows a combo that is optimized for frame rate, not just resolution, making it a versatile choice for Downfall players.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings balance depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, all presets deliver playable frame rates, with Low at 400 FPS, Medium at 327 FPS, High at 268 FPS, and Ultra at 168 FPS. For a 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitor, High is the best choice, as it exceeds the refresh rate while providing better visual fidelity than Medium. Ultra is also viable if the player prefers maximum quality, as it still maintains 168 FPS, which is above typical high-refresh thresholds.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. Low at 285 FPS and Medium at 233 FPS are overkill for most displays, but High at 191 FPS is ideal for 144 Hz panels, offering a balance of quality and speed. Ultra at 120 FPS is suitable for 120 Hz screens, but the drop from High to Ultra (a 37.2% reduction) may not justify the visual gains in a horror game where atmosphere matters more than texture detail. The data suggests High is the sweet spot for 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. High at 119 FPS is playable for 120 Hz displays, but Ultra at 74 FPS is only suitable for 60 Hz panels. Low at 178 FPS and Medium at 145 FPS provide higher frame rates but sacrifice visual quality. For a 4K gaming experience, High is recommended, as it balances the 119 FPS average with the game’s intended visuals. Ultra, while visually superior, drops below the 100 FPS threshold, which may cause noticeable frame pacing issues in a fast-paced horror game.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Downfall?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 400, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080’s nearest rival is the RTX 4080 SUPER, which has an average benchmark score 0.1% higher. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% lower.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations in Downfall?*

A: This combo ranks 230 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 6.2% of all tested systems.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best experience at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings with an average of 191 FPS is the best recommendation, as it exceeds most high-refresh-rate displays while maintaining quality.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 74, while the CPU has ample headroom with its 24 cores and 32 threads.

Q: What is the maximum boost clock of the Intel Core i9-14900K?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has a maximum boost clock of 6.00 GHz, which is the highest among its specifications.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo is presented across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 400 FPS, Medium averages 327 FPS with a minimum of 278 and maximum of 376, High averages 268 FPS, and Ultra averages 168 FPS. These figures demonstrate the GPU’s ability to render at high speed when pixel count is low.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 285 FPS for Low, 233 FPS for Medium (with a minimum of 198 and maximum of 268), 191 FPS for High, and 120 FPS for Ultra. The medium preset shows a narrower range between minimum and maximum, indicating consistent frame times. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across presets, averaging around 30% reduction.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 178 FPS for Low, 145 FPS for Medium (with a minimum of 123 and maximum of 167), 119 FPS for High, and 74 FPS for Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire dataset, highlighting the GPU’s limitations at maximum settings. The medium preset at 4K shows a wider variance between minimum and maximum, suggesting occasional frame drops. The data across all resolutions and settings paints a clear picture: this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring settings compromises to maintain high frame rates.