Downfall

Downfall, a 2016 horror title, pairs surprisingly well with the modern Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The benchmark data reveals a system capable of extreme frame rates, even at 4K, with the CPU and GPU both contributing significantly to the experience. This analysis examines the measured FPS across resolutions and settings to determine the optimal configuration, how the hardware scales, and where the bottleneck lies in this specific combination.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Downfall shows that this combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is overwhelmingly powerful for the game's engine. At all three tested resolutions, the Ultra preset delivers playable, and in most cases, exceptionally high frame rates, making it the clear choice for the best visual experience without sacrificing performance.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 190 FPS. While this is lower than the High preset's 303 FPS, it is still far above the refresh rate of most monitors and provides a significant visual upgrade. The jump from High to Ultra is substantial, but the system has ample headroom. For users with 144Hz or even 240Hz displays, the 190 FPS average on Ultra is still high enough to be fully utilized.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset maintains a strong average of 135 FPS. This is a critical threshold for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming. The data shows a drop from 135 FPS at 1440p Ultra to 84 FPS at 2160p Ultra, indicating that 4K Ultra is the first setting to push the system near the 60 FPS comfort zone, though it remains well above it. Therefore, for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, 1440p Ultra is the recommended sweet spot, delivering a high frame rate with all settings maxed out.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 84 FPS. This is still a very playable frame rate for a single-player horror game, offering a smooth experience on a 4K display. While the Medium preset at 4K achieves a higher average of 164 FPS, the jump to Ultra is substantial in terms of graphical quality. Given that the system easily surpasses 60 FPS at 4K Ultra, there is no reason to compromise on settings. The data suggests that 4K Ultra is entirely viable, but for the absolute smoothest experience, users could consider High settings, which nearly double the frame rate to 135 FPS.

The Ultra preset is the definitive recommendation across all resolutions. The system's performance is so high that the measured data shows no scenario where dropping to a lower preset is necessary for acceptable performance. The only consideration is whether the user prioritizes maximum refresh rate or maximum visual fidelity at 4K, where High setting still provides an excellent 135 FPS average.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Downfall at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 84 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 4K Ultra a fully playable and recommended configuration.

Q: What is the highest frame rate achievable with this hardware?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 452, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This indicates the game is highly CPU-bound at lower resolutions, allowing for extreme frame rates.

Q: How does the CPU's core count affect performance in Downfall?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. While the game is from 2016 and may not use all cores effectively, the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz and strong single-core performance (evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085) are crucial for maintaining high frame rates, especially at 1080p where the CPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 overkill for this game?

A: The data suggests it is extremely powerful. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 190 FPS. The GPU becomes more relevant at 4K, where the frame rate drops to 84 FPS on Ultra, showing a clear scaling with resolution that indicates the GPU is handling the increased pixel load. However, it is not overwhelmed, as it still delivers high frame rates.

Q: What are the frame time consistency results at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured data shows an average FPS of 264, with a minimum of 225 and a maximum of 304. This tight range indicates very consistent frame pacing, with no significant dips.

Q: How does this combo's overall ranking compare to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 56th out of 2928 tested combos for Downfall, placing it in the top 2% of all systems. This indicates it is among the most capable configurations for this game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, highlighting the shifting balance between CPU and GPU load. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, but the absolute numbers remain high, demonstrating the raw power of this combination.

At High settings, the system averages 303 FPS at 1920x1080. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 217 FPS, a decrease of 86 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 135 FPS, another drop of 82 FPS. This shows a consistent reduction of roughly 28% with each resolution step-up. The scaling is very linear, indicating the GPU is the primary driver of performance at these settings, with each doubling of pixel count (from 1080p to 1440p is a 1.78x increase, and from 1440p to 4K is a 2.25x increase) proportionally reducing the frame rate.

The Ultra preset shows a similar pattern but with a more dramatic drop at the highest resolution. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 190 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 135 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 84 FPS. The 51 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K represents a 38% decrease, which is steeper than the 29% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This suggests that the Ultra preset's additional graphical effects, such as higher-quality shadows and textures, place a disproportionately heavy load on the GPU at 4K, pushing it closer to its limits.

The Low preset data is particularly revealing for understanding the CPU's role. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 452 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 323 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 201 FPS. The relative drop from 1080p to 1440p is 129 FPS (28%), and from 1440p to 4K is 122 FPS (38%). The fact that frame rates are incredibly high even at Low settings indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU has very little work to do. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes more involved, and the frame rate scales accordingly.

This data collectively indicates a system that is well-balanced, but with a clear CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions and a GPU bottleneck at 4K Ultra. The RTX 5090 is powerful enough to drive a 4K display with high settings, but the game's engine and the CPU's single-threaded performance cap the maximum achievable frame rate at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested configurations for Downfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 56 out of 2928 tested combos. This places the system in the top 1.9% of all results, a position that underscores its high-end status.

This ranking is a direct result of both components being top-tier performers in their respective categories. The RTX 5090 has a benchmark percentile of 92, meaning it outperforms 92% of all GPUs in the database. Similarly, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has a percentile of 89 among all CPUs. The combination of two components in the 90th percentile of their respective fields results in a synergistic performance that is reflected in the excellent overall combo rank.

The average benchmark scores for the components further confirm their high standing. The GPU's average benchmark score is 79842, while the CPU's is 46062. In the CPU's nearest rivals list, it is nearly identical in performance to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (with a deltaPct of 0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (with a deltaPct of -0.1% lower). This shows that the CPU is a strong performer, though not the absolute fastest, which is expected for a mid-range Ultra 5 part. The GPU, however, is near the top of its class, with its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X, being 1.4% faster, and the other rivals being slower.

The rank of 56 suggests that while this is an exceptionally fast combination, there are a handful of other configurations that can achieve even higher frame rates in Downfall. These are likely systems with even more powerful CPUs, such as flagship Core i9 or Ryzen 9 processors, which could push the frame rate higher at 1080p where the CPU is the bottleneck. However, for practical purposes, the 56th rank out of nearly 3000 systems means that this setup is at the very pinnacle of gaming performance for this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a critical role in this system's performance, particularly in maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. The CPU's specifications from the fact pack provide context for its behavior in Downfall.

This processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, which is an unusual configuration for a desktop part, as it omits Hyper-Threading. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The high boost clock is crucial for gaming, as most games, including a 2016 title like Downfall, rely heavily on single-threaded performance. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and multi-core score of 14769 demonstrate strong performance in both areas.

The benchmark data shows a classic CPU bottleneck at 1080p. When the GPU is not stressed, the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls becomes the limiting factor. This is evident in the minimal difference in frame rates between the Low and High presets at 1080p. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 452, while at 1080p High it is 303, and at 1080p Ultra it is 190. The fact that the frame rate drops significantly from Low to Ultra indicates that the GPU is finally becoming involved, but the high absolute numbers suggest the CPU is keeping up well.

However, the CPU's role becomes less dominant as resolution increases. At 4K, the frame rate is significantly lower, and the GPU is clearly the primary bottleneck. The CPU's performance is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 5090 at 4K, as evidenced by the 84 FPS average on Ultra settings. The data indicates that the CPU is not holding the system back at 4K, as the frame rate is determined by the GPU's rendering capabilities.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and its support for DDR5 memory also contribute to its effectiveness. While not directly measured in the FPS data, these factors ensure that data can be fed to the CPU quickly, preventing stutters and ensuring smooth performance. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for gaming, as it allows for faster access to frequently used data. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 proves to be a capable gaming CPU, providing the necessary single-threaded speed to drive high frame rates in older, less-threaded titles, while its multi-core performance ensures it won't become a liability in more modern, heavily-threaded games.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete measured FPS data for Downfall with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. This data is the sole basis for the analysis in this report.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average FPS 452. This is the highest average FPS recorded in the dataset, showing the extreme headroom at this resolution.
• Medium: Average FPS 370, with a minimum of 314 and a maximum of 425. The frame time data shows excellent consistency.
• High: Average FPS 303. This is a significant drop from Medium, showing the impact of higher-quality textures and effects.
• Ultra: Average FPS 190. This is the most demanding preset, but still delivers a very high frame rate.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average FPS 323. The performance scales down as expected from 1080p.
• Medium: Average FPS 264, with a minimum of 225 and a maximum of 304. The frame pacing remains very stable.
• High: Average FPS 217. This is a solid result for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming.
• Ultra: Average FPS 135. This is the recommended setting for a balance of visual quality and performance at this resolution.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average FPS 201. Even at 4K with the lowest settings, the system delivers over 200 FPS.
• Medium: Average FPS 164, with a minimum of 140 and a maximum of 189. This is the only 4K setting with min/max data, showing a consistent frame rate.
• High: Average FPS 135. This is a very playable frame rate for a horror game at 4K.
• Ultra: Average FPS 84. This is the most demanding scenario, but the system still remains well above the 60 FPS standard.

The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance. The system is capable of exceeding 300 FPS at 1080p on most settings, and even at 4K Ultra, it maintains a playable frame rate. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent, with roughly a 25-30% performance penalty at each resolution step for most presets, except for the Ultra preset, which shows a steeper drop at 4K. This indicates that the RTX 5090 is the dominant component, with the CPU providing ample support to avoid being a bottleneck at any resolution.