Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER delivers a playable but constrained experience in Downfall, a horror title that clearly scales with both CPU and GPU resources. The data shows a wide swing in performance across resolutions and settings, with the combo ranking near the bottom of the tested field. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, component roles, and settings recommendations based solely on the recorded benchmarks.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Downfall?*

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 offers the most consistent results. At Low settings the combo reaches 147 FPS average, while High settings deliver 99 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the average drops to 105 FPS on Low and 71 FPS on High. The 3840x2160 results are significantly lower, with only the Low preset achieving 65 FPS average.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER’s VRAM affect performance at higher resolutions?

A: The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset falls to 27 FPS average, while High manages 44 FPS. The drop suggests that the 6 GB capacity becomes a limiting factor at 4K with higher settings, as the Medium preset at 3840x2160 yields 54 FPS average but with a minimum of 45 FPS.

Q: Which settings preset provides the smoothest experience at 2560x1440?

A: The Low preset at 2560x1440 produces 105 FPS average, making it the only setting at this resolution that exceeds 100 FPS. Medium drops to 86 FPS average with a minimum of 73 FPS, while High sits at 71 FPS. Ultra falls to 44 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a horror title.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 14769, and it ranks in the 89th percentile among all CPUs. The data indicates the CPU is not the primary constraint; at 1920x1080 Low, the combo reaches 147 FPS, suggesting the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

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

A: The combo ranks 2505 out of 2928 tested combinations in Downfall. This places it in the lower percentile of tested systems, consistent with the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking does not compensate for the GPU’s mid-range position in this title.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only measured minimum FPS values are for the Medium preset. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 102 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 73 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 45 FPS. No minimum FPS data is available for Low, High, or Ultra presets in the measured results.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU built on a 12 nm process with 6,600 million transistors. Its base clock is 1530 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and it features 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The memory subsystem consists of 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration produces a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 5.027 TFLOPS.

In Downfall, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1920x1080, the GPU has enough headroom to push high frame rates: Low settings achieve 147 FPS average, Medium 120 FPS, and High 99 FPS. The jump to 2560x1440 shows a proportional decline, with Low at 105 FPS, Medium at 86 FPS, and High at 71 FPS. At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles more severely; Low settings produce 65 FPS, Medium 54 FPS, and High only 44 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K collapses to 27 FPS, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB VRAM and bandwidth are insufficient for the highest quality settings at that resolution.

The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective speed. This bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes a bottleneck at 4K, especially when texture quality increases. The measured FPS data supports this interpretation: the gap between Low and High settings at 3840x2160 is 21 FPS (65 vs 44), while at 1920x1080 the gap is 48 FPS (147 vs 99). The relative performance penalty at 4K suggests that VRAM capacity and bandwidth constraints amplify as resolution scales.

The GPU’s 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs reflects its mid-range position. Its average benchmark score is 12986, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (avg score 12940, deltaPct 0.4) and the AMD Radeon RX 580 (avg score 12928, deltaPct 0.4). The GTX 1660 SUPER sits within 1% of these competitors, indicating that its performance in Downfall is representative of its class. For a horror game like Downfall, which likely relies on atmospheric effects and lighting, the GPU’s DirectX 12 support (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility ensure modern API features are available, though the 12 nm process limits efficiency compared to newer GPUs.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience with this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 147 FPS average, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. Medium settings reduce the average to 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, maintaining a fluid experience while improving visual quality. High settings drop to 99 FPS average, still acceptable for most players. The Ultra preset at 1080p falls to 62 FPS average, which may introduce noticeable stutter in a horror title that benefits from consistent frame pacing.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that exceeds 100 FPS, achieving 105 FPS average. Medium settings provide 86 FPS average with a minimum of 73 FPS, which is playable but less headroom for demanding scenes. High settings at 71 FPS average are borderline, while Ultra at 44 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS of 73 at Medium suggests that even this preset can dip below the refresh rate of common 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the data shows severe limitations. Low settings achieve 65 FPS average, which is the only preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium drops to 54 FPS average with a minimum of 45 FPS, indicating that frame drops will be noticeable. High settings at 44 FPS and Ultra at 27 FPS are not viable for a horror title where responsiveness matters. The best experience at 4K is the Low preset, but even then, the 65 FPS average provides minimal margin.

The optimal balance between visual quality and performance is the Medium preset at 1920x1080. This configuration yields 120 FPS average with a minimum of 102 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely drops below the 100 FPS threshold. The jump from Low to Medium improves visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (86 FPS average, 73 FPS minimum) is the recommended choice for players who prioritize resolution over maximum frame rates, as it maintains playable performance while offering better graphics than Low. For 4K, Low settings are the only practical option, though the 65 FPS average leaves little room for complex scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 2505 out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall. This places the system in the bottom 15% of tested configurations, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range status rather than the CPU’s strengths. The CPU alone ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (avg score 46030, deltaPct 0.1) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (avg score 46098, deltaPct -0.1), showing that the Ultra 5 235 sits at the top of its performance class.

The GPU, however, ranks in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 12986. Its nearest rivals—the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940, deltaPct 0.4), RX 580 (12928, deltaPct 0.4), Tesla M2090 (13075, deltaPct -0.7), and Radeon 740M (12870, deltaPct 0.9)—are all within 1% of its score. This tight cluster indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is a median performer, and in Downfall, that median performance translates to a low combo rank because the game likely favors GPUs with more VRAM and bandwidth.

The combo rank of 2505 out of 2928 means that 423 tested combinations performed worse, while 2504 performed better. This places the system below the median but not at the very bottom. The data suggests that the CPU’s high percentile ranking (89th) does not compensate for the GPU’s lower percentile (53rd) in this title. In a game like Downfall, which is a horror title from 2016, the GPU’s 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads, with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, are more than adequate for the game’s demands, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture using a 3 nm process from TSMC. It features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It utilizes the Intel Socket 1851 and has a TDP of 65 W.

In benchmark tests, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085. Its PassMark multi-thread score is 37816, with a single-thread score of 4516. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 46062, placing it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (avg score 46030, deltaPct 0.1) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (avg score 46098, deltaPct -0.1), indicating that the Ultra 5 235 performs within 0.2% of these high-end parts.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain frame rates. The measured FPS at 1920x1080 Low (147 FPS) and Medium (120 FPS) suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at these settings. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz provides strong single-thread performance, which is important for games that rely on a primary thread for game logic. The 14 cores and 14 threads handle background tasks and physics calculations, though the game’s 2016 release date means it likely uses fewer threads than modern titles.

The CPU’s 65 W TDP allows for sustained boost clocks without thermal throttling in most systems. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache reduces memory latency, which is beneficial for game performance. However, the data shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset (65 FPS) is well below the 1080p Low result (147 FPS), indicating that the GPU’s rendering capabilities, not the CPU’s processing power, determine the frame rate at 4K.

The CPU’s integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU) are not used in this configuration, as the system relies on the discrete GTX 1660 SUPER. The CPU’s PCIe Gen 5 support with 20 lanes provides ample bandwidth for the GPU, though the GTX 1660 SUPER uses PCIe 3.0 x16. This backward compatibility ensures no performance penalty from the interface. Overall, the CPU’s role in Downfall is to provide high single-thread performance and sufficient multi-thread capacity, both of which are present, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of frame rates at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance.

1920x1080: At Low settings, the combo achieves 147 FPS average. Medium settings produce 120 FPS average with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS. High settings drop to 99 FPS average. Ultra settings yield 62 FPS average. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steep decline, with the Ultra preset being 58% slower than Low.

2560x1440: Low settings deliver 105 FPS average. Medium settings produce 86 FPS average with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS. High settings achieve 71 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 44 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra is 61 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity are strained at this resolution.

3840x2160: Low settings achieve 65 FPS average. Medium settings produce 54 FPS average with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. High settings drop to 44 FPS average. Ultra settings collapse to 27 FPS average. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst-performing configuration in the entire dataset, with a frame rate that is below playable standards for a horror game.

The data shows that the combo is most effective at 1920x1080, where even High settings maintain 99 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium presets stay above 80 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low settings approach 60 FPS. The minimum FPS values for Medium presets are 102 FPS (1080p), 73 FPS (1440p), and 45 FPS (4K), illustrating the increasing frame time variance as resolution grows.

These results indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming at medium settings, but insufficient for 4K at higher quality presets. The 336.0 GB/s memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at 4K, where the pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s is challenged by the higher resolution. The CPU’s contribution remains consistent, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low, but it cannot overcome the GPU’s architectural limitations at higher resolutions. For players using this combo, the measured data suggests that 1920x1080 with Medium settings offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with 120 FPS average and a minimum above 100 FPS.