Downfall

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows for Downfall with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 580 show a clear hierarchy across the four quality presets, but the optimal choice depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 102 FPS, which is the only setting tier that pushes past the 100 FPS threshold. However, the Medium preset at 83 FPS average represents a more balanced option, sacrificing roughly 19% of the Low preset's frame rate while presumably improving visual fidelity — the data shows a 19 FPS gap between Low and Medium at this resolution.

Stepping up to High at 1080p drops the average to 68 FPS, which is a substantial 15 FPS reduction from Medium. The Ultra preset at 1080p falls to 43 FPS, making it barely playable for a horror game where consistent frame pacing matters more than raw visual polish. For 1080p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot: it maintains an average above 60 FPS while the measured minimum of 71 FPS (the only min/max data available for this preset) suggests it avoids the severe dips that would break immersion in a horror title.

At 1440p, the situation shifts. The Low preset still delivers a respectable 73 FPS average, but Medium drops to exactly 60 FPS — right at the edge of smooth gameplay. The High preset at 1440p falls to 49 FPS, and Ultra plunges to 31 FPS. The Medium preset's measured range of 51 to 69 FPS indicates some frame-time variance, but 60 FPS average is serviceable. For 1440p, Low is the safer recommendation if frame rate consistency is paramount, while Medium offers a viable compromise for those who want better visuals without dropping below the 60 FPS average mark.

At 4K, the metrics become more challenging. Low preset averages 45 FPS, Medium averages 37 FPS with a measured range of 32 to 43 FPS, High averages 30 FPS, and Ultra falls to 19 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS target, so the recommendation hinges on playability rather than smoothness. The 4K Low preset at 45 FPS is the most playable option, while the Ultra preset at 19 FPS approaches unplayable territory for a genre that relies on responsive controls. The data suggests that for the best experience per the measured rows, Medium at 1080p provides the optimal balance of frame rate and visual quality, while Low at 1440p and 4K are the practical choices for those resolutions.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 brings 10 cores and 10 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This is a 3 nm Arrow Lake-S part from the Core Ultra Series 2, featuring 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark scores position it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36,938. In Cinebench R23, it scores 25,891 multi-core and 3,655 single-core, indicating strong single-thread performance that matters for game logic and frame pacing.

The nearest rivals provide context for the CPU's positioning. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F has an average score of 36,945 with a deltaPct of 0, meaning these two processors are effectively tied in average benchmark performance. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37,018 with a deltaPct of -0.2, placing it marginally ahead. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 and Intel Core i9-12900T round out the comparison with scores of 37,093 and 37,112 respectively, showing deltas of -0.4 and -0.5. This cluster of rival CPUs all sit within 0.5% of each other, suggesting that the Core Ultra 5 225 is in a highly competitive performance band where no single processor has a decisive advantage.

For Downfall, a horror game released in 2016, the CPU's role is likely secondary to the GPU in most scenarios, but the data suggests otherwise at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the FPS difference between Low (102 FPS) and Ultra (43 FPS) is primarily driven by GPU load, but the CPU must be capable of feeding frames at rates above 100 FPS. The single-core score of 3,655 in Cinebench R23 indicates the CPU can handle high frame rate scenarios without becoming the bottleneck. The 10-core, 10-thread configuration — with no hyperthreading — is an interesting choice for a modern CPU, but for a 2016 horror game that likely uses fewer threads, the high boost clock of 4.90 GHz is more relevant than the core count.

The PassMark single-thread score of 4,412 reinforces the CPU's strength in lightly-threaded workloads. Downfall, being an older title, probably doesn't scale well beyond a few cores, so the Core Ultra 5 225's single-core prowess is what keeps frame rates high at 1080p Low. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 102 FPS, which is nearly double the 4K Low result of 45 FPS — a scaling pattern that points to GPU limitations at higher resolutions rather than CPU constraints, since the CPU's workload doesn't change dramatically with resolution.

# GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the polar opposite of the modern CPU paired with it. This Polaris 20 chip uses the GCN 4.0 architecture on a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, with a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs deliver a theoretical 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The GPU's benchmark results place it in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12,928.

The RX 580's nearest rivals show it sitting in a tight performance cluster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile scores 12,940 with a deltaPct of -0.1, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12,986 with a deltaPct of -0.4. The AMD Radeon 740M and AMD FirePro W5100 round out the group with scores of 12,870 and 12,847, showing deltas of 0.5 and 0.6 respectively. All four rivals are within 0.6% of the RX 580's average score, indicating that this GPU is competitive with a range of other options despite its age.

In Downfall, the RX 580's role is clearly the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The FPS progression from 1080p to 4K tells a story of GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 102 FPS at 1080p to 73 FPS at 1440p to 45 FPS at 4K — a reduction of roughly 29% and then 38% respectively. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU that runs out of pixel pushing capability as resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is likely sufficient for this 2016 title, but the memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s and the older GCN architecture limit fill rate at high resolutions.

The GPU's measured performance in synthetic benchmarks supports this interpretation. The PassMark G3D score of 8,813 and DirectX 12 score of 43 suggest modest DirectX 12 performance, which could matter for Downfall if it uses modern API features. The Vulkan score of 45,173 from Geekbench indicates the GPU handles Vulkan reasonably well. The 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 performance is adequate for 1080p gaming in older titles, but the 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS demonstrates the GPU's inability to handle extreme pixel loads in this game.

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination ranks 2,670 out of 2,928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom 9% of all configurations. This low ranking is notable given that the CPU sits in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 53rd percentile. The disparity between the CPU's strong relative position and the combo's poor ranking suggests that the GPU is dragging down the overall performance profile.

This rank of 2,670 out of 2,928 means that 2,669 other combos achieve better performance in this game, while only 258 combos rank worse. For a horror game that likely benefits from consistent frame rates, this positioning indicates that the RX 580 is a significant bottleneck. The data implies that pairing a high-end 2025 CPU with an entry-level 2017 GPU creates an imbalanced system where the CPU's capabilities are largely wasted at resolutions above 1080p.

The FPS measurements across all resolutions and settings reinforce this ranking. Even at the most favorable configuration — 1080p Low — the combo achieves 102 FPS, which is respectable but not exceptional. At 4K Ultra, the 19 FPS result is among the worst possible outcomes for a playable experience. The combo's rank reflects this reality: it can handle 1080p gaming adequately but struggles at higher resolutions, making it a poor fit for the 2,928-combo ecosystem when compared to systems with more balanced CPU-GPU pairings.

# Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals a clear GPU bottleneck pattern. From 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 102 to 73, a 28.4% reduction. From 1440p to 4K at Low, the drop is from 73 to 45, a 38.4% reduction. The percentage drop accelerates as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU that is increasingly overwhelmed by pixel count. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions since the CPU workload doesn't scale with resolution.

At Medium settings, the scaling shows a similar trend: 83 FPS at 1080p drops to 60 FPS at 1440p (27.7% reduction) and then to 37 FPS at 4K (38.3% reduction). The High preset follows the pattern: 68 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p (27.9% reduction), and 30 FPS at 4K (38.8% reduction). The Ultra preset shows the steepest drops: 43 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p (27.9% reduction), and 19 FPS at 4K (38.7% reduction). The consistency of these percentage reductions across all settings — approximately 28% from 1080p to 1440p and 38% from 1440p to 4K — strongly indicates that the GPU's rendering throughput is the limiting factor at every quality level.

The implication is that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has ample headroom to drive higher frame rates if paired with a stronger GPU. The CPU's single-core performance (3,655 in Cinebench R23, 4,412 in PassMark single-thread) is more than sufficient for the frame rates achievable at 1080p, and the fact that FPS scales with resolution in a predictable GPU-bound manner confirms that the RX 580 is the constraining component. For users considering this combo, upgrading the GPU would yield significant FPS gains across all resolutions, while upgrading the CPU would provide minimal benefit in this game.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p provides an 83 FPS average with a measured range of 71 to 96 FPS, making it the best balance of frame rate and visual quality. The Low preset reaches 102 FPS, but the Medium preset stays above 60 FPS while likely offering better visuals.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: The data shows that 4K performance is limited. The Low preset averages 45 FPS, Medium averages 37 FPS, High averages 30 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. Only the Low preset approaches playable frame rates, and none reach 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bigger bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The FPS drops consistently by about 28% from 1080p to 1440p and 38% from 1440p to 4K across all settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound rendering. The CPU's strong benchmark scores (85th percentile) and the resolution-dependent scaling confirm this.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 2,670 out of 2,928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom 9% of all configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's modest performance relative to other available options.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset averages 73 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 31 FPS. This represents a 42 FPS difference, with Ultra delivering less than half the frame rate of Low at the same resolution.

Q: Does the RX 580 have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, which is substantial for a 2016 title like Downfall. The measured FPS data does not indicate any VRAM-related stuttering or crashes, suggesting the 8 GB capacity is sufficient for this game's requirements.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 580 in Downfall spans three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a comprehensive view of performance characteristics.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low preset: 102 FPS average
• Medium preset: 83 FPS average, with a minimum of 71 FPS and maximum of 96 FPS
• High preset: 68 FPS average
• Ultra preset: 43 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low preset: 73 FPS average
• Medium preset: 60 FPS average, with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS
• High preset: 49 FPS average
• Ultra preset: 31 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low preset: 45 FPS average
• Medium preset: 37 FPS average, with a minimum of 32 FPS and maximum of 43 FPS
• High preset: 30 FPS average
• Ultra preset: 19 FPS average

The only presets with min/max data are the Medium settings at each resolution, which allows for frame-time variance analysis. At 1080p Medium, the spread is 71 to 96 FPS, a 25 FPS range. At 1440p Medium, the spread narrows to 51 to 69 FPS, an 18 FPS range. At 4K Medium, the spread narrows further to 32 to 43 FPS, an 11 FPS range. This tightening of the frame range as resolution increases suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is consistently saturated, reducing the variance that can occur when the GPU has spare capacity at lower resolutions.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at each settings tier shows a nearly uniform reduction: Low drops from 102 to 73 FPS (29 FPS reduction), Medium from 83 to 60 FPS (23 FPS reduction), High from 68 to 49 FPS (19 FPS reduction), and Ultra from 43 to 31 FPS (12 FPS reduction). The absolute FPS reduction decreases as settings increase, but the percentage reduction remains consistent around 28%. From 1440p to 4K, the reductions are: Low from 73 to 45 FPS (28 FPS reduction), Medium from 60 to 37 FPS (23 FPS reduction), High from 49 to 30 FPS (19 FPS reduction), and Ultra from 31 to 19 FPS (12 FPS reduction). The pattern of identical absolute reductions across settings tiers — 29/23/19/12 for both resolution steps — is a strong indicator of consistent GPU-bound scaling behavior.

The 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS is the worst measured performance, and even the 4K Low result of 45 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth for gameplay. The 1080p Low result of 102 FPS is the only configuration that exceeds 100 FPS, while 1080p Medium at 83 FPS and 1080p High at 68 FPS both remain above 60 FPS. The 1440p Low result at 73 FPS is the only 1440p configuration above 60 FPS. This data collectively shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with Medium or High settings, and that users seeking higher resolutions must accept significantly lower frame rates.