Downfall

# Downfall with Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a playable experience across most resolution and settings combinations in Downfall, a 2016 horror title. The measured frame rates show a clear pattern: the system handles 1080p and 1440p with high refresh rates, while 4K Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, comparative ranking, component roles, and optimal settings based solely on the measured data.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, revealing where the bottleneck sits in this combination. At High settings, the average FPS moves from 135 at 1920x1080 to 97 at 2560x1440, then down to 60 at 3840x2160. That represents a 28% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 38% drop when moving to 4K. The pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the RTX 4060's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus width become limiting factors.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The system achieves 202 FPS at 1080p, 144 FPS at 1440p, and 90 FPS at 4K. The 1080p-to-1440p drop is 29%, while the 1440p-to-4K drop is 37.5%. This suggests that even at the lowest graphical preset, the GPU is the primary constraint as pixel count increases. The fact that 1080p Low hits 202 FPS indicates the CPU, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, is not holding the system back at lower resolutions.

Medium settings show the same trend with slightly different magnitudes. The average FPS goes from 165 at 1080p to 118 at 1440p (a 28% drop) and then to 73 at 4K (a 38% drop from 1440p). The minimum FPS at Medium settings also scales predictably: 140 at 1080p, 100 at 1440p, and 62 at 4K. These minimums indicate that even during demanding scenes, the system maintains smooth frame delivery at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K Medium dips closer to the edge of comfort.

Ultra settings tell a different story. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 85 FPS, which drops to 60 at 1440p and 38 at 4K. The 1440p-to-4K reduction of 37% is similar to other settings, but the absolute values are much lower. This suggests that Ultra presets amplify the GPU workload disproportionately, likely due to additional effects and texture detail that strain the 8 GB VRAM capacity at higher resolutions.

The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component for this game. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028, is more than sufficient for the horror genre's typical demands. As resolution increases, the GPU's rendering workload grows faster than the CPU's, making the frame rate scaling nearly linear with pixel count.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 2270 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. This places it in the 39th percentile of all system pairings, which is modest given the individual components' benchmark standings. The CPU sits in the 83rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile among all graphics cards. The gap between these percentile rankings suggests the GPU is the weaker link in this pairing for this particular game.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Core i5-14600T has an average benchmark score of 32707, which is essentially identical to the Core Ultra 7 155H's 32697 (a 0% delta). The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 scores 32662, just 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is 0.2% higher at 32750, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H leads the group at 32812, a 0.4% advantage. These tiny deltas mean the CPU choice has negligible impact on overall system performance in this context.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are older or integrated parts. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17666, just 0.2% above the RTX 4060's 17639 average benchmark score. The AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics comes within 0.3% at 17588, while the AMD Radeon Pro 560 and Pro 460 are 0.5% and 0.7% lower respectively. This clustering of scores around the RTX 4060 suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the discrete GPU's advantage over some integrated solutions is surprisingly thin, though real-world gaming performance in Downfall shows clear benefits at higher resolutions.

Given the combo rank of 2270 out of 3716, the system sits in the lower middle of tested configurations. This is consistent with a mobile CPU paired with a mainstream desktop GPU. The 61st percentile GPU ranking and 83rd percentile CPU ranking imply that many other combos feature either stronger GPUs or more balanced pairings, which pushes this combination down the overall list.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process at TSMC. The chip, designated AD107, contains 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and boosts to 2460 MHz, with memory clocked at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). The 8 GB GDDR6 memory runs on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Downfall, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is likely a determining factor at 4K resolution. The frame rate drops from 60 FPS at 4K High to 38 FPS at 4K Ultra suggest that the Ultra preset's additional texture and effect demands exceed what the memory subsystem can efficiently handle. The 128-bit bus width, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p, becomes a constraint at 4K where the higher pixel count requires more memory transactions per frame.

The RTX 4060's compute capabilities include 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines. The 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for ray tracing and AI features, though Downfall, as a 2016 game, likely does not utilize these modern features. The pure rasterization performance, measured at 15.11 TFLOPS for FP32, is what drives the frame rates in this title.

The GPU's passmark G3D score of 19545 and passmark GPU compute score of 9213 place it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. The directX 11 score of 175 is particularly relevant for Downfall, given its release year. The performance scaling across resolutions in the measured data directly reflects the GPU's bandwidth and compute limitations as pixel workload increases.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The average FPS of 118 with a minimum of 100 and maximum of 136 provides a smooth experience that stays well above common 60 FPS thresholds. The 1440p Medium settings also maintain a comfortable margin above the 4K Medium results, which average 73 FPS with a 62 FPS minimum.

For users with 1080p displays, the High preset at 135 FPS average is excellent, though Medium at 165 FPS provides additional headroom for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves 85 FPS average, which is playable, but the jump from High to Ultra costs 50 FPS, making High the more efficient choice. The Low preset at 1080p reaches 202 FPS, which exceeds most display refresh rates and offers no practical benefit over Medium.

At 4K resolution, the choices are more constrained. The High preset at 60 FPS average is the highest playable option, while Medium at 73 FPS offers a small improvement with lower visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 38 FPS falls below acceptable playability for most users, and the Low preset at 90 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality for the frame rate gain. The Medium preset at 4K, with its 62 FPS minimum, provides the most consistent experience for users who demand 4K output.

The data shows that the Medium preset provides the most consistent minimum frame rates across all resolutions: 140 at 1080p, 100 at 1440p, and 62 at 4K. This consistency makes Medium the recommended preset for users who prioritize smooth frame delivery over maximum visual detail. For users with high refresh rate monitors at 1080p, the High preset at 135 FPS is the recommended starting point, with the ability to drop to Medium for additional headroom.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination capable of running Downfall at 4K?

A: Yes, at Medium settings the system averages 73 FPS with a 62 FPS minimum at 3840x2160. High settings also reach 60 FPS average, though the Ultra preset drops to 38 FPS, which is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system in Downfall?

A: The 2560x1440 Medium preset, averaging 118 FPS with a 100 FPS minimum, offers the best combination of visual quality and performance. The 1080p High preset at 135 FPS is also excellent for users with high refresh rate displays.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 scores 17639 on average, which is 0.2% below the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666), 0.3% above the AMD Radeon 780M (17588), 0.5% above the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551), and 0.7% above the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (17509).

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The Core Ultra 7 155H's strong multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028, allows the RTX 4060 to reach high frame rates at 1080p Low (202 FPS) without CPU limitation.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations?

A: This system ranks 2270 out of 3716 tested combos in Downfall. The CPU ranks in the 83rd percentile of all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, indicating the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 60 FPS, which is playable but offers no performance margin. The Medium preset at the same resolution provides 118 FPS average with a 100 FPS minimum, making it the better choice for consistent performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a mobile processor from the Core Ultra Series 1, built on the Meteor Lake architecture using Intel's 7 nm process. It features 16 cores and 22 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's 28 W TDP reflects its mobile design, though it uses the Intel BGA 2049 socket and supports PCIe Gen 5 with 8 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Core Ultra 7 155H demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and single-core score of 1743 indicate balanced capabilities. The PassMark multi-thread score of 24873 and single-thread score of 3468 further confirm this. The CPU's average benchmark score of 32697 places it in the 83rd percentile of all processors, with its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, scoring 32707 (a 0% delta).

For Downfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 202 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls without becoming a bottleneck. The 16 cores and 22 threads provide ample parallel processing for the horror game's AI, physics, and scene management. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, though the game's 2016 release date means it likely does not fully utilize modern multi-core processors.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5 is sufficient for the game's requirements. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG 128EU graphics, while present, is not used when the discrete RTX 4060 is active. The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking versus the GPU's 61st percentile ranking confirms that the processor is not the limiting factor in this system's Downfall performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 202 FPS, the Medium preset averages 165 FPS with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 190, the High preset averages 135 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 85 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 117 FPS, demonstrating how much performance is traded for visual fidelity at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected reduction. The Low preset averages 144 FPS, the Medium preset averages 118 FPS with a minimum of 100 and maximum of 136, the High preset averages 97 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 60 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset's 100 FPS minimum is particularly notable for maintaining smooth gameplay during intense scenes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. The Low preset averages 90 FPS, the Medium preset averages 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84, the High preset averages 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 38 FPS. The 4K Medium preset's 62 FPS minimum is the lowest acceptable threshold, while the Ultra preset's 38 FPS average is below playable standards for most users.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data, with minimum and maximum frame rates recorded at all three resolutions. This allows for the most accurate assessment of performance consistency. The 1080p Medium range of 140-190 FPS, 1440p Medium range of 100-136 FPS, and 4K Medium range of 62-84 FPS all show acceptable variance for a horror game, where sudden frame drops during jump scares can be jarring. The data confirms that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance stability across all tested resolutions in Downfall.