Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combination delivers a high-performance experience in Downfall, with frame rates that remain fluid even at demanding 4K resolutions. The data shows a configuration where the GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-threaded capabilities ensure that even at 1080p, the system avoids becoming the bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the results against rival components, and explains the roles each part plays in this specific horror title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and clearly indicates a GPU-bound scenario as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 195 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces that to 139 FPS, a 29% decrease. At 4K, the average FPS falls further to 87, which is a 55% reduction from the 1080p High result. This steep decline is classic evidence that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT’s rendering workload is the limiting factor as pixel count multiplies.

The pattern holds across all settings. With Low settings, the system jumps from 291 FPS at 1080p to 207 FPS at 1440p and finally 129 FPS at 4K. The relative drops are consistent, showing that the scaling behavior is stable regardless of the quality preset. The gap between 1440p and 4K is particularly telling: at High settings, you lose 52 FPS, while the jump from 1080p to 1440p costs 56 FPS. This suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are being saturated at 4K, as the 512.0 GB/s bandwidth and 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are pushed to their limits.

At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with the Low preset hitting 291 FPS. This indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 4.90 GHz boost clock, is more than capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution. The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score of 4412 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, which supports the notion that it is not the limiting component here. The benchmark results suggest that if you were to pair this CPU with a faster GPU, you would likely see even higher frame rates at 1080p, as the CPU headroom appears substantial.

The 4K Ultra preset is where the system struggles, with an average of only 54 FPS. This is a 72% drop from the 1080p Ultra result of 122 FPS. The data indicates that Ultra settings at 4K are too demanding for this GPU, as the 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128 ROPs are insufficient to maintain high frame rates with all visual features enabled. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is less than half of what you get at 1440p Ultra (87 FPS), highlighting the exponential cost of combining maximum quality with 4K resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers an average of 238 FPS with a minimum of 202 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of typical gaming monitors. At 1440p, Medium produces 170 FPS average with a 144 FPS minimum, making it perfectly suited for high-refresh-rate displays. Even at 4K, Medium maintains a playable 106 FPS average with a 90 FPS minimum, which is smooth for a horror title.

The High preset is a viable alternative for those prioritizing visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. At 1080p, High achieves 195 FPS, and at 1440p it drops to 139 FPS, which is still respectable. However, at 4K, High falls to 87 FPS, which is borderline for fast-paced gameplay but likely acceptable for a slower-paced horror experience. The step from Medium to High costs roughly 20% of performance at each resolution, while the visual difference may not be as dramatic.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for this combination. At 1440p, Ultra yields 87 FPS, which is equal to the 4K High result, indicating that the settings are doing more harm than good at this resolution. At 4K, Ultra’s 54 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that Ultra settings are intended for future hardware or lower resolutions, and that Medium or High provides a far better experience on this system.

For players with 1080p or 1440p displays, the High preset is a strong choice if you want to push visual quality, as the frame rates remain high enough to avoid any noticeable stutter. For 4K users, the Medium preset is the clear winner, as it is the only setting that consistently stays above 90 FPS. The Low preset, while delivering the highest frame rates (291 FPS at 1080p), sacrifices too much visual detail for a game that relies on atmosphere and lighting, making it less ideal for the intended experience.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in Downfall?*

A: The data shows that 1440p with Medium or High settings offers the best experience, with 170 FPS and 139 FPS averages respectively. At 4K, the system is still capable, but the frame rates drop significantly, especially at Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RX 6800 XT perform at 4K in this game?

A: At 4K, the RX 6800 XT delivers 129 FPS on Low, 106 FPS on Medium, 87 FPS on High, and 54 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset is the recommended choice for 4K as it maintains a playable frame rate without sacrificing too much visual quality.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the system achieves 291 FPS on Low settings. The CPU’s single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 3655, is sufficient to keep up with the GPU at this resolution.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This combination ranks 855th out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 30% of all systems. The rank reflects the GPU’s strong 85th percentile performance among all GPUs, while the CPU also sits at the 85th percentile.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured data shows a minimum FPS of 144 and a maximum of 195 at 1440p Medium, with an average of 170 FPS. This tight range indicates consistent frame pacing, which is important for a smooth horror experience.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset in this game?

A: The data suggests avoiding Ultra on this hardware. At 1440p, Ultra produces 87 FPS, which is the same as 4K High, and at 4K, Ultra drops to 54 FPS. The Medium or High presets offer significantly better performance with minimal visual trade-offs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 291 FPS, while Medium averages 238 FPS with a minimum of 202 FPS and a maximum of 273 FPS. High settings reduce the average to 195 FPS, and Ultra drops to 122 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the GPU has ample headroom, and even the most demanding preset remains above 120 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales downward predictably. Low settings average 207 FPS, which is still exceptionally high. Medium averages 170 FPS with a minimum of 144 FPS and a maximum of 195 FPS, providing a smooth experience on 144 Hz monitors. High settings average 139 FPS, which is just below the 144 Hz threshold but still very playable. Ultra settings drop to 87 FPS, which is a significant step down from the other presets.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings average 129 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. Medium averages 106 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS, making it the most balanced 4K option. High settings average 87 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. Ultra settings average 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard and indicates that this preset is not suitable for 4K on this hardware.

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is for maximum frame rates, 1440p is the sweet spot for high-refresh gaming, and 4K is best reserved for Medium settings. The minimum FPS values, available only for the Medium preset, show that at 1080p the frame rate never drops below 202 FPS, at 1440p it holds at 144 FPS, and at 4K it stays above 90 FPS. This consistency is a strong indicator of stable performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the dominant component in this system for Downfall. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU has a bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s, which is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and effects in a modern horror game. The 4608 shading units and 128 ROPs provide the raw compute power needed to maintain high frame rates, as evidenced by the 87 FPS average at 4K High.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also a factor. The base clock of 1825 MHz and boost clock of 2250 MHz, with a game clock of 2015 MHz, show that the card is designed to sustain high frequencies under load. This is reflected in the benchmark results, where the GPU scores 24980 in PassMark G3D, placing it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, scores 47743 in the average benchmark, which is 1.5% lower than the RX 6800 XT’s 48477 average.

The GPU’s VRAM capacity of 16 GB is generous for Downfall, as the game’s release date of 2016 suggests it was not designed to use more than 8 GB. This means the RX 6800 XT has significant headroom, preventing any potential VRAM-related stuttering at 4K. The memory is clocked at 2000 MHz with a 16 Gbps effective rate, which helps maintain the high bandwidth necessary for 4K rendering.

The 300 W TDP of the GPU is substantial, but it is justified by the performance on offer. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the frame rates drop by more than half when moving from 1080p to 4K. This is expected for a high-resolution workload, and the RX 6800 XT handles it admirably, delivering 87 FPS at 4K High, which is better than many other GPUs in its class.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 plays a supporting role in this configuration, providing enough processing power to avoid bottlenecking the GPU. With 10 cores and 10 threads, the CPU is well-suited for modern games that may use multiple threads. The base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensure that single-threaded performance is strong, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy, with 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache, helps reduce memory latency and improve game performance. This is particularly important in a horror game where scripted events and AI interactions can cause CPU spikes. The PassMark multi-thread score of 30459 indicates that the CPU can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, which is beneficial for background processes while gaming.

The benchmark data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution in Downfall. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 291 FPS, which is well above what most displays can show. This suggests that the CPU can push even higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful GPU. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 36938 puts it in the 85th percentile, and its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, a delta of 0%, indicating they are statistically tied.

The memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, provided by dual-channel DDR5, is sufficient for the CPU’s needs. The 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU allow for a high-bandwidth connection to the GPU, which is PCIe 4.0 x16, ensuring that data transfer is not a limiting factor. The CPU’s 65 W TDP is low, meaning it runs cool and quiet, allowing the GPU to be the primary source of system heat.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 855th out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the top 29% of all configurations, which is a solid result given the hardware’s ages. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, with both components performing at the 85th percentile of their respective categories.

The GPU’s ranking is particularly strong, as its 85th percentile performance places it ahead of many newer cards. The RX 6800 XT’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, is 1.5% slower in average benchmark scores, while the Intel Arc A550M is 2.5% faster. This shows that the RX 6800 XT is still competitive, despite being released in 2020 and now marked as end-of-life.

The CPU’s ranking is similarly strong, with its average benchmark score of 36938 being nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F’s 36945. The Intel Core i9-12900T is only 0.5% faster, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is 0.2% slower. This indicates that the Ultra 5 225 is a well-rounded processor that holds its own against both older and newer rivals.

The combo rank of 855 suggests that while this system is not at the top of the leaderboard, it offers a high level of performance that is suitable for demanding games like Downfall. The measured FPS data supports this, as the system can handle 4K at medium settings and 1440p at high settings with ease. For players looking for a high-refresh-rate 1080p experience, this combo is more than sufficient, delivering over 200 FPS on medium settings. The rank also indicates that there is room for improvement, but for the price point of the components, the performance is commendable.