Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a performance profile in Downfall that is heavily dictated by resolution and preset selection. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, but one that faces a significant demand curve at 4K Ultra. This analysis examines the measured FPS rows to interpret the balance between CPU and GPU load, contextualize the results against other tested configurations, and provide actionable settings guidance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second reveal a classic scaling pattern where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 348 FPS on average. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings reduces this to 248 FPS, a drop of 100 FPS from the 1080p figure. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average falls further to 155 FPS. This represents a 55.6% reduction in performance from 1080p Low to 4K Low, indicating that even at the lowest graphical preset, the higher pixel count places substantial strain on the rendering pipeline.

The scaling behavior changes when the preset is raised. At High settings, the transition from 1080p (233 FPS) to 1440p (167 FPS) results in a 66 FPS decrease, while moving from 1440p to 4K (104 FPS) costs another 63 FPS. The drop from 1080p High to 4K High is 129 FPS, a 55.4% reduction. This consistent percentage decrease across Low and High presets suggests that the limiting component is scaling predictably with pixel output, which points to the RTX 4070 SUPER as the primary constraint at higher resolutions rather than the CPU.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling penalty. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 146. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 104 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the system manages only 65 FPS. The differential between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is 81 FPS, a 55.5% reduction that mirrors the pattern seen in other presets. However, the absolute numbers are lower across the board, indicating that the Ultra preset's additional graphical features—likely including more demanding shadow and lighting calculations—exacerbate the GPU load. The data strongly suggests that the RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth become the decisive factor at 4K, particularly when the preset demands maximum visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 brings 14 cores and 14 threads to the system, operating with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This configuration is positioned in the 89th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% higher average score) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.1% lower), placing the Ultra 5 235 in a tight competitive band where differences are negligible.

In Downfall, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU based on the FPS scaling data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 348 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the CPU must be feeding the GPU efficiently. The 14 threads and 5.00 GHz boost clock provide sufficient single-thread headroom for game logic and draw call processing. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and multi-core score of 14769 indicate strong per-thread performance, which is critical for a horror title that likely relies on consistent frame pacing rather than massive CPU parallelism.

The data shows that even at 4K Low (155 FPS), the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the FPS remains high. The transition from Low to Ultra at the same resolution—from 155 FPS to 65 FPS at 4K—is a GPU-driven change. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth provide ample data throughput for the game's asset streaming requirements. The PassMark single-thread score of 4516 further confirms that the Ultra 5 235 can handle the per-core demands of Downfall without bottlenecking the RTX 4070 SUPER. The conclusion is that the CPU role is to maintain high frame delivery, which it does effectively, while the GPU dictates the final FPS ceiling based on resolution and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 284 FPS, with a minimum of 242 FPS and a maximum of 327 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1440p Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 65, while at 2560x1440 Ultra it is 104 FPS. This represents a 39 FPS decrease, or a 37.5% reduction in average frame rate when moving from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance at 1440p High?

A: Given that the 1440p High average FPS is 167, and the CPU scores in the 89th percentile for all CPUs, the data indicates the RTX 4070 SUPER is the limiting component. The CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085) is sufficient to maintain frame delivery, while the GPU's rendering load at 1440p High determines the final FPS.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The lowest average FPS is 65, achieved at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the most demanding configuration tested and shows a significant drop from the 4K Medium average of 126 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER's performance compare to its nearest rival in the database?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223, which places it 0.1% below the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262) and 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43268). It is 1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (43667).

Q: Does the system achieve a playable frame rate at 4K Medium?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS. This is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and shows that the combo can handle 4K when the preset is moderated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for Downfall with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 348 FPS. The Medium preset produces 284 FPS on average, with a minimum of 242 FPS and a maximum of 327 FPS. The High preset yields 233 FPS on average. The Ultra preset records 146 FPS on average. This resolution shows the highest performance potential, with the Low preset approaching the limits of what a 360 Hz monitor could display.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 248 FPS. The Medium preset averages 203 FPS, with a minimum of 173 FPS and a maximum of 234 FPS. The High preset averages 167 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 104 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a 100 FPS drop at Low settings, a 81 FPS drop at Medium settings, a 66 FPS drop at High settings, and a 42 FPS drop at Ultra settings.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 155 FPS. The Medium preset averages 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 145 FPS. The High preset averages 104 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 65 FPS. This resolution presents the most significant challenge, with the Ultra preset falling below the 70 FPS threshold that many users consider for demanding titles.

The data shows a consistent pattern where each step up in preset costs a measurable amount of performance. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 90 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset's extra visual features have a substantial cost on the RTX 4070 SUPER.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Downfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER holds a rank of 447 out of 2928 total combos. This places it in the top 15.3% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing given the GPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The rank suggests that while the RTX 4070 SUPER is not a top-tier card—its average benchmark score of 43223 places it below the RTX 4090 Mobile by 1%—the combination with the Ultra 5 235 yields competitive results in Downfall. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking helps ensure that the system is not held back by processor limitations. The rank of 447 out of 2928 indicates that the majority of tested combos perform worse, but it also shows that there are 446 configurations that deliver higher average FPS in this game.

The delta between this combo and higher-ranked ones is likely driven by GPUs with more memory bandwidth or higher compute throughput. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 35.48 TFLOPS FP32 performance are solid but not class-leading. The rank reflects a balanced system that excels at 1080p and 1440p but cedes ground to higher-tier GPUs at 4K Ultra, where the 65 FPS average is a limiting factor for the overall ranking.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 146 FPS on average, which is sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset at 284 FPS offers a significant frame rate boost for competitive play, while the High preset at 233 FPS strikes a balance between visual quality and speed.

For 1440p, the High preset provides 167 FPS on average, which is an excellent experience for most users. The Ultra preset at 104 FPS is still playable and offers the best visual fidelity, but the Medium preset at 203 FPS provides a more comfortable margin for frame rate variability. The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot, as it maintains a high average FPS while preserving graphical quality.

For 4K, the recommendations change dramatically. The Ultra preset at 65 FPS is marginal for smooth gameplay, and the High preset at 104 FPS is the minimum recommended for a consistent experience. The Medium preset at 126 FPS is the best choice for 4K, as it offers a high average FPS with a minimum of 107 FPS, ensuring that frame drops are unlikely to be noticeable. The Low preset at 155 FPS is also viable, but the visual trade-off may not be worth the extra frame rate. The data indicates that for 4K, the Medium preset is the best overall experience, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that stays above 100 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary determinant of performance in Downfall at higher resolutions. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for texture streaming and frame buffer operations at 4K. The GPU's base clock of 1980 MHz and boost clock of 2475 MHz, combined with 7168 shading units, deliver the raw compute needed for the game's lighting and shadow effects.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a balanced profile: a PassMark G3D score of 29995 and a PassMark GPU Compute score of 17108. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 indicates strong DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant for a modern title like Downfall. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the upper tier, though not at the absolute top.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 348 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's limit for frame generation. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU's rendering load reduces performance to 65 FPS, showing that the card's compute and memory resources are fully utilized. The 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects, though the game's implementation of these features is not detailed in the data. The GPU's 220 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a power-hungry component, but the performance metrics show that it is well-suited for high-resolution gaming in Downfall when paired with the Ultra 5 235.