Downfall

Downfall, a horror title from 2016, presents an interesting performance profile when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which also shows signs of CPU limitation at lower settings. The benchmark results indicate a wide performance envelope, from 328 FPS at the lowest tested configuration to 61 FPS at the most demanding, illustrating how the game scales with both resolution and graphical presets.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS progression from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates the scaling behavior of this hardware combination. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 220 FPS at 1920x1080 to 157 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 63 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 98 FPS. This pattern indicates that the RTX 5090, with its substantial rendering capabilities, is the primary driver of performance at these settings, with the increasing pixel count directly impacting the workload.

The scaling behavior is even more pronounced at the Low preset. The average FPS at 1920x1080 is 328, which drops to 234 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 146 FPS at 3840x2160. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 28.7%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is about 37.6%. This non-linear scaling suggests that while the GPU is still a significant factor, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less saturated, potentially limiting the maximum achievable frame rate.

At the Ultra preset, the performance curve is steeper. The average FPS at 1920x1080 is 138, dropping to 98 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 61 FPS at 3840x2160. The 4K result is particularly telling, as it represents the most demanding scenario tested. These results indicate that the RTX 5090 is the limiting component in most scenarios, as the frame rate scales consistently with the rendering resolution. The data suggests that the combination is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K gaming is viable at High settings but becomes more taxing at Ultra.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores show a balanced profile, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11875.5 and a single-core score of 1700. The processor's percentile ranking places it at 81% compared to all CPUs, indicating solid mid-range performance. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which scores 29123 on average, a delta of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i5-13500HX, which scores 29270, a delta of -0.6%.

In the context of Downfall, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 328 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU sufficiently at this resolution. However, the lack of a minimum FPS reading for the Low and High presets makes it difficult to assess frame time consistency. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum FPS of 228, which is notably lower than the average of 269 FPS, suggesting potential CPU-related hitches or frame pacing issues in certain scenes.

The processor's boost clock of 4.60 GHz and base clock of 3.60 GHz provide adequate single-thread performance for older game engines. The 18 threads ensure that background tasks and game logic do not create bottlenecks. The data implies that the CPU is not the primary constraint in most tested configurations, as the FPS scales predictably with resolution changes. However, the gap between the Low and High presets at 1080p (328 vs 220 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the main performance limiter, as lowering graphical settings yields a substantial FPS increase.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and a 512-bit memory bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its compute capabilities are extensive, with 21760 shading units and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. The GPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a PassMark G3D score of 39650 and a GeekBench Vulkan score of 376728. Its percentile ranking is 92% compared to all GPUs, placing it in the top tier. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which scores 79605 on average, a delta of 0.3%.

In Downfall, the GPU's massive memory bandwidth and compute power are evident in the high frame rates. At 1080p Medium, the RTX 5090 achieves an average of 269 FPS, with a minimum of 228 FPS and a maximum of 309 FPS. This wide range suggests that the GPU is capable of handling the game's rendering demands, but there may be occasional spikes in complexity. The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this 2016 title, eliminating any concerns about memory capacity at any resolution.

The GPU's performance scaling with settings is significant. At 4K, the average FPS drops from 146 at Low to 119 at Medium, then to 98 at High, and finally to 61 at Ultra. This represents a 58.2% reduction from Low to Ultra. This scaling indicates that the Ultra preset introduces effects that are particularly demanding on the GPU, likely including advanced lighting and shadow techniques. The RTX 5090's raw power ensures that even the demanding Ultra preset remains playable at 61 FPS, but the data suggests that High settings offer a better balance for smoother gameplay at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset provides an average of 220 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at this resolution yields 138 FPS, which is still very smooth and offers the best visual quality. The Low preset achieves 328 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a horror game where atmosphere matters.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 157 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset at 192 FPS is also viable, but the High preset's improvements in textures and effects are likely noticeable. The Ultra preset at 98 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced sequences. The data indicates that the High preset is the sweet spot for 1440p gaming.

For 3840x2160, the High preset is the clear recommendation, with an average of 98 FPS. This provides a smooth experience without the significant performance hit of the Ultra preset, which averages only 61 FPS. The Medium preset at 119 FPS is also an option, but the High preset offers a better visual experience at a modest performance cost. The Low preset at 146 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as the visual downgrade is likely too severe for a horror game. Overall, the data suggests that the High preset is the best experience across all resolutions, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium with a manageable FPS reduction.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 2560x1440 with the High preset?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with the High preset is 157.

Q: How does the Ultra preset at 4K compare to the High preset at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 61 FPS, while the High preset at the same resolution yields an average of 98 FPS. This represents a 37 FPS difference, making High the more performant option.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Downfall?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as FPS scales consistently with resolution changes. The CPU's role becomes more apparent at 1080p Low, where the average FPS reaches 328, but the GPU still dictates performance at higher settings.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset is 228, with an average of 269 FPS and a maximum of 309 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H compare to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H has an average benchmark score of 29093, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has an average score of 29123, resulting in a delta of -0.1%.

Q: What is the RTX 5090's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 has a percentile ranking of 92% compared to all GPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 328 FPS, the Medium preset averages 269 FPS with a range of 228 to 309, the High preset averages 220 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 138 FPS. This shows a clear progression of performance cost as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 234 FPS, the Medium preset averages 192 FPS with a range of 163 to 221, the High preset averages 157 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 98 FPS. The relative performance differences are consistent with the 1080p results, though the absolute numbers are lower due to the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 146 FPS, the Medium preset averages 119 FPS with a range of 101 to 137, the High preset averages 98 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS. The 4K results show the most significant impact on performance, with the Ultra preset dropping below 60 FPS territory, though the average remains at 61. The Medium preset at 4K offers the only recorded minimum and maximum FPS values for this resolution, indicating a frame range of 101 to 137.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 576th out of 2928 tested combos for Downfall. This places it in the top 19.7% of all tested configurations, indicating a strong overall performance level. Given the GPU's high percentile ranking of 92%, this rank is likely driven by the GPU's capabilities, while the CPU's 81st percentile ranking provides adequate support.

The combo's rank relative to other tested systems suggests that while the CPU is not the fastest available, the GPU's exceptional performance compensates for any potential CPU limitations. The data shows that the system is capable of delivering high frame rates at all tested resolutions, with the only notable compromise being the 4K Ultra preset at 61 FPS. The rank of 576 out of 2928 reflects a well-balanced system that excels in most scenarios, with the GPU acting as the primary performance driver. This ranking indicates that users can expect a high level of performance in Downfall, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, where the system delivers consistently high frame rates across all settings.