Downfall

Downfall, a 2016 horror title, presents an interesting stress profile for the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial power ensures headroom at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics, comparing them against the component's known benchmarks to provide a clear picture of what this pairing offers.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate behavior across resolutions clearly illustrates where the performance limits lie. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 174 FPS, but this drops to 124 FPS at 1440p and further to 77 FPS at 4K. This represents a 29% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a 56% decrease from 1080p to 4K. This substantial drop indicates that while the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, the GPU's rendering workload scales dramatically with pixel count.

The trend is consistent across all settings. For High settings, the average FPS goes from 117 at 1080p to 83 at 1440p (a 29% decrease) and then to 52 at 4K (a 56% decrease from 1080p). The pattern is nearly identical for Medium settings, with averages of 142, 102, and 63 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The consistency of these percentage drops strongly suggests that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the limiting factor as resolution increases, with its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit memory interface becoming increasingly strained.

The data implies that at 1080p, the system is balanced, but the GPU's performance ceiling is hit relatively quickly. The RTX 2060, with a Passmark G3D score of 14111 and a percentile ranking of 58 among all GPUs, is a mid-range performer. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is particularly steep, suggesting that the card's fillrate and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain the same level of performance without a significant frame rate penalty. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU, which sits in the 90th percentile for all CPUs, has ample power to feed frames but is held back by the graphics card's ability to render them.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows an average of 142 FPS, with a minimum of 121 FPS and a maximum of 164 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995. This is 0.8% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K, but 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and 0.4% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G. It is also 0.6% higher than the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has a percentile ranking of 58, meaning it performs better than 58% of all GPUs in the benchmark database.

Q: What is the best average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 174 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank out of all tested combinations?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2306 out of 2928 total combos in the database for Downfall.

Q: Does the CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has ECC memory support enabled.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the defining component in this system for gaming performance. Its specifications, including a boost clock of 1680 MHz and 1920 shading units, are modest by modern standards, and this is reflected in its performance. The GPU's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, while sufficient for many games at 1080p, becomes a limiting factor at 4K resolution, where the demand for texture data and frame buffers increases significantly. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (32 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (73 FPS) highlights this memory and bandwidth constraint.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its gaming behavior. Its Passmark G3D score of 14111 places it in the 58th percentile, and it is closely matched by rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta). This indicates that while it is not a top-tier card, it offers a baseline level of performance that is sufficient for 1080p gaming. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 is best utilized at 1080p, where its 6 GB VRAM is less likely to be a bottleneck, and where its raw compute power (6.451 TFLOPS FP32) can provide playable frame rates in a demanding horror title like Downfall.

The scaling of FPS from Low to Ultra settings at any given resolution shows the GPU's workload increasing. At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 124 on Low to 52 on Ultra, a 58% decrease. This dramatic reduction in performance at higher settings indicates that the GPU is fully engaged and that visual fidelity comes at a high cost. The RTX 2060's 160 W TDP and 1x 8-pin power connector are consistent with its mid-range positioning, and the data confirms it delivers mid-range performance, struggling to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Downfall, this pairing sits in the lower-middle tier. With a rank of 2306 out of 2928 combos, it falls into the 21st percentile of all tested systems. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. While the processor is a high-performance part, the overall gaming experience is dragged down by the RTX 2060, which is an older, end-of-life product.

This rank of 2306 indicates that the majority of tested combos deliver better performance in this game. The data implies that most systems, likely those with more modern or higher-tier graphics cards, are able to achieve higher frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. The combo's ranking is a holistic measure, taking into account all measured FPS data, and it clearly shows that this is not a top-tier gaming configuration for Downfall. The CPU's high percentile rank (90th) is not enough to offset the GPU's 58th percentile rank, resulting in a combined score that is lower than the sum of its parts.

The performance is not poor, but it is unremarkable. The system can play the game, but it will not excel. The ranking suggests that for users seeking a high-refresh-rate experience at 1440p or smooth 4K gameplay, this combo will fall short. It is a balanced pairing in the sense that the CPU is not holding back the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU is definitely holding back the system's potential at higher resolutions, firmly placing the combo in the lower half of the performance spectrum for this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a powerful processor that is largely underutilized in this gaming scenario. With 14 cores and 14 threads, a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, and a robust 24 MB of L3 cache, its capabilities far exceed what is needed to keep up with the RTX 2060. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and Intel Core i5-14600K, have near-identical average benchmark scores, differing by less than 1%.

In the context of Downfall, the CPU's role is to process game logic, physics, and AI, and to prepare draw calls for the GPU. The data suggests that it performs this role flawlessly, as the frame rates at 1080p Low (174 FPS) are high and are likely not limited by the CPU. The fact that the FPS drops so significantly when the resolution is increased points to the GPU being the sole bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not increase significantly with resolution.

The processor's high single-thread performance, evidenced by its Passmark Single Thread score of 4394, is crucial for gaming, as many game engines still rely heavily on a few cores. The Core Ultra 5 245's architecture, Arrow Lake, built on a 3 nm process, provides the efficiency and speed necessary to ensure that the GPU is always fed with data. However, in this specific pairing, the GPU is unable to fully utilize the CPU's potential. The data shows a system where the CPU is ready to deliver far more performance, but it is constrained by the graphics card, making the CPU a silent partner that provides a stable foundation rather than being the star of the show.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's capabilities across various settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance. Low settings yield an average of 174 FPS. Medium settings still deliver a very playable 142 FPS, with a minimum of 121 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 117 FPS. Ultra settings, while visually demanding, still manage an average of 73 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance takes a noticeable hit. Low settings average 124 FPS. Medium settings average 102 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 83 FPS. Ultra settings see a significant reduction, averaging only 52 FPS.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU is heavily strained. Low settings are the only option for a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 77 FPS. Medium settings average 63 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS. High settings drop to 52 FPS, and Ultra settings become difficult to play, with an average of just 32 FPS.

This breakdown shows a clear progression. For a 60 FPS target, the system can achieve it at 1080p with any settings, and at 1440p with Low or Medium settings. For 4K, only Low settings can reliably hit 60 FPS, and even then, it is close. The data suggests that for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1080p is the ideal resolution for this combo, with 1440p being viable for medium to high settings depending on the user's tolerance for frame rate fluctuations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution. The jump from High to Ultra settings at this resolution results in a 38% decrease in average FPS (from 117 to 73), which is a significant cost for potentially marginal visual gains. Therefore, Medium or High settings at 1080p provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with 142 and 117 FPS averages respectively, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the recommendation is to use Medium settings. This setting provides an average of 102 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the minimum of 86 FPS indicates that it will not dip into uncomfortable territory. High settings at 1440p (83 FPS) are also viable, but Medium offers a more comfortable margin. Ultra settings at 1440p (52 FPS) should be avoided if frame rate stability is a priority.

At 4K resolution, the options are limited. The data suggests that Low settings are the only viable choice for a playable experience, with an average of 77 FPS. Medium settings (63 FPS) are borderline, and High (52 FPS) and Ultra (32 FPS) settings will likely result in stuttering and an unenjoyable experience. The system is not well-suited for 4K gaming, and users should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best results. The performance difference between Low and Medium at 4K (a 22% FPS drop) is the trade-off to consider, but for a horror game where smoothness is key to immersion, the higher frame rate of Low settings is preferable.