Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 lands at rank 2035 out of 3716 tested combinations for Downfall. That places this combo in the 54.8th percentile of all systems tested, meaning slightly more than half of the tested configurations deliver higher frame rates in this title. The position is not dominant, but it is far from the bottom, and the measured data shows a setup with substantial headroom at lower resolutions while struggling to maintain high refresh rates at 4K Ultra. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing where neither component is an obvious bottleneck; instead, the results show a system that behaves predictably across the settings spectrum in this horror title.

The RTX 4070’s role in Downfall is defined by its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1920 MHz and boosts to 2475 MHz, with memory clocked at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These specifications translate into a Passmark G3D score of 26927 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 174152, with the GPU sitting at the 81st percentile among all graphics cards. The nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (0.1% higher average score), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (1.3% lower). The RTX 4070’s 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 46 RT cores suggest it has ample compute for a horror game like Downfall, which is not typically a high-end graphics showcase given its 2016 release date. The 12 GB frame buffer is more than enough for the textures and lighting effects this game throws at it, even at 4K, but the measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s raw throughput, not memory capacity, becomes the limiting factor at the highest settings.

The measured FPS across resolutions tells a clear story about where the RTX 4070 excels and where it runs out of steam. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 226 FPS, which is a massive figure that any 60 Hz or 144 Hz display can easily handle. Moving to 1080p Medium drops to 185 FPS, and High settings yield 152 FPS. The 1080p Ultra setting cuts the frame rate to 95 FPS, which is still playable but shows a significant penalty for the highest quality presets. At 1440p, the pattern repeats with lower absolute numbers: Low hits 162 FPS, Medium averages 132 FPS, High sits at 108 FPS, and Ultra drops to 68 FPS. The 4K results are where the GPU starts to show its limits. At 4K Low, the system manages 101 FPS, which is respectable for a high-resolution horror experience. Medium drops to 82 FPS, High falls to 67 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 42 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 59 FPS, a 141% difference that highlights how much headroom the GPU has at lower settings but also how quickly it saturates when the quality sliders go to maximum.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2035 out of 3716 tested combinations places this system in the middle of the pack for Downfall. The data indicates that 54.8% of tested combos outperform it, while 45.2% fall below. This is not a top-tier configuration for this game, but it is also not a laggard. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance at 4K Ultra, where the 42 FPS average drags down the overall standing. At lower resolutions, the combo would rank much higher, but the aggregate score treats all measured points equally. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX contributes to the ranking through its own benchmark pedigree, with an average benchmark score of 63173 and a 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs. The nearest CPU rivals include the Intel Core i7-13790F (0.1% higher average score), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G (0.2% lower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185 (0.5% higher). This CPU is a strong performer, but in a game like Downfall, the GPU is typically the primary driver of frame rates, and the RTX 4070’s mid-pack standing at high settings pulls the combo’s overall rank down.

The rank also reflects the game’s age and optimization profile. Downfall, released in 2016, does not push modern hardware as hard as newer titles, which means even mid-range GPUs can hit high frame rates at 1080p. The RTX 4070’s 81st percentile GPU ranking is solid, but the combo’s 54.8th percentile position in-game suggests that the game’s engine has diminishing returns beyond a certain hardware threshold. The data shows that the system is overkill for 1080p Low (226 FPS) but underpowered for 4K Ultra (42 FPS). This bimodal behavior is typical of horror games with variable scene complexity, where dark environments and scripted events can cause sudden frame rate swings. The min FPS values recorded only for Medium settings (157 FPS at 1080p, 112 FPS at 1440p, 70 FPS at 4K) give a glimpse into the worst-case scenarios, and those numbers are still solidly playable. The ranking might improve if the game had better multi-threaded CPU utilization, but the Core Ultra 7 265HX’s 20 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for this workload.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070’s memory subsystem is a key part of its performance profile in Downfall. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for a game that does not require massive texture streaming. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) is standard for the Ada Lovelace architecture, and the 192-bit bus width limits peak bandwidth compared to higher-end cards with wider buses. However, for a horror game with relatively static environments, the bandwidth is not a bottleneck. The GPU’s 5888 shading units and 184 texture mapping units handle the pixel and texture workloads efficiently, as evidenced by the 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate and 455.4 GTexel/s texture rate. The 64 ROPs are sufficient for the resolutions tested, though the 4K Ultra results suggest they become a limiting factor at the highest settings.

The GPU’s clock behavior is also relevant. The boost clock of 2475 MHz is 29% higher than the base clock, and the measured frame rates show that the GPU can sustain high boost clocks under load, at least at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 226 FPS average implies the GPU is not thermally or power constrained, allowing it to run at maximum boost. At 4K Ultra, the 42 FPS average suggests the GPU is heavily loaded and likely running at lower effective clocks due to power limits. The 200 W TDP is modest for a desktop-class RTX 4070, and the single 16-pin power connector with a 550 W suggested PSU provides adequate headroom. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 26927 places it 0.1% ahead of the Tesla P4 and 0.4% ahead of the RX Vega 56, but 1.3% behind the RTX 4080 Mobile. These deltas are small, indicating that the RTX 4070 is in a tightly contested performance band. In Downfall, the GPU’s role is to provide smooth frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, which it does admirably, while 4K gaming requires dropping to Medium settings to stay above 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the limiting component clearly. At Low settings, the system delivers 226 FPS at 1080p, 162 FPS at 1440p, and 101 FPS at 4K. That is a 55% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial scaling curve. At Medium settings, the numbers are 185 FPS, 132 FPS, and 82 FPS, a 56% drop. High settings show 152 FPS, 108 FPS, and 67 FPS, a 56% reduction. Ultra settings are the most punishing: 95 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p, and 42 FPS at 4K, a 56% decline. The consistency of the percentage drop across settings (55-56%) indicates that the scaling is resolution-bound rather than settings-bound. The GPU is the limiting factor at all settings, but the CPU still has plenty of headroom, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low. The 20-core, 20-thread Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX with a 5.30 GHz boost clock is not the bottleneck; if it were, the FPS would plateau at 1080p and not scale with resolution reductions.

The resolution scaling data also shows that the game is not heavily CPU-dependent. From 1080p Low to 4K Low, the FPS drops by 125 FPS, which is a massive difference that can only be explained by GPU load. The Core Ultra 7 265HX’s single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5737, is more than adequate for Downfall’s physics and AI calculations. The CPU’s multi-thread score of 40642 in Cinebench R23 suggests it could handle even more demanding games, but Downfall does not utilize that headroom. The resolution scaling indicates that the RTX 4070 is the primary determinant of frame rates, and its 12 GB memory buffer is not a factor at any resolution, as the game’s texture sizes are modest by modern standards. The 4K Medium result of 82 FPS is the sweet spot for high-resolution play, while 4K Ultra’s 42 FPS is the worst-case scenario, showing that the GPU’s 64 ROPs and 29.15 TFLOPS are insufficient for maxed-out 4K in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear hierarchy of settings for this combo. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset at 95 FPS is the best choice if the user has a 144 Hz display, as it stays above 60 FPS and delivers the highest visual quality. However, the Medium preset at 185 FPS offers a 95% improvement over Ultra, and for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, this is the better option. The High preset at 152 FPS is a balanced middle ground, offering a 60% increase over Ultra with only a modest visual downgrade. For 1440p, the High preset at 108 FPS is the recommended sweet spot, as it provides smooth gameplay and good visuals. The Medium preset at 132 FPS is also viable for users who prioritize frame rate over fidelity, but the Ultra preset at 68 FPS is borderline, dipping near the 60 FPS threshold during demanding scenes. The Low preset at 162 FPS is excessive for most monitors and sacrifices too much visual quality for a game that thrives on atmosphere.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Medium preset at 82 FPS is the clear winner, offering a 95% improvement over Ultra’s 42 FPS while still maintaining decent visual quality. The High preset at 67 FPS is also playable, but the margin over 60 FPS is slim, and scene complexity could cause dips below that threshold. The Low preset at 101 FPS is the best for high refresh rate 4K displays, but the visual downgrade is severe for a horror game that relies on lighting and shadows. The Ultra preset at 42 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as it falls below the standard 60 FPS target and will feel stuttery during fast camera movements. The data suggests that the combo is best utilized at 1440p High or 4K Medium, where the RTX 4070 can maintain frame rates above 60 FPS without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. For 1080p users, the High preset at 152 FPS offers the best balance, as it provides a substantial frame rate cushion while retaining the game’s atmospheric effects.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The exact measured values show a consistent pattern across all settings and resolutions. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 101 FPS, Medium averages 82 FPS with a min of 70 FPS and a max of 95 FPS, High averages 67 FPS, and Ultra averages 42 FPS. The Medium setting is the only one at 4K with recorded min and max values, indicating that the other presets did not have sufficient frame time variance to warrant logging. The 28 FPS gap between Medium and High at 4K is significant, representing a 34% reduction in frame rate for one step up in quality. The gap between High and Ultra is even larger at 25 FPS, a 37% reduction, showing that the Ultra preset includes effects that heavily tax the GPU. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 162 FPS, Medium averages 132 FPS with a min of 112 FPS and a max of 152 FPS, High averages 108 FPS, and Ultra averages 68 FPS. The delta between Medium and High at 1440p is 24 FPS, an 18% reduction, while the delta between High and Ultra is 40 FPS, a 37% reduction. The Ultra preset at 1440p is the most demanding step, similar to the 4K pattern.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 226 FPS, Medium averages 185 FPS with a min of 157 FPS and a max of 213 FPS, High averages 152 FPS, and Ultra averages 95 FPS. The Medium min of 157 FPS is still far above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the system never drops below playable levels at 1080p. The gap between Medium and High at 1080p is 33 FPS, an 18% reduction, while the gap between High and Ultra is 57 FPS, a 38% reduction. The Ultra preset at 1080p is the only one that dips below 100 FPS, and its 95 FPS average is still respectable. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently shows the smallest performance penalty relative to Low, while the Ultra preset shows the largest penalty. The min FPS values for Medium settings (70 FPS at 4K, 112 FPS at 1440p, 157 FPS at 1080p) indicate that even in the most demanding scenes, the system stays well above playable levels, except for 4K Ultra where no min was recorded but the average of 42 FPS suggests occasional dips into the 30s.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm TSMC process. It has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a TDP of 55 W. The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory support is DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for feeding the RTX 4070’s 504.2 GB/s of graphics memory bandwidth. The CPU’s benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40642 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 47985. Single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5737 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4500. The 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms that this is a high-end mobile processor.

In Downfall, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, enemy AI, and physics calculations. The 20 cores and 20 threads provide massive parallel processing capability, but the game, released in 2016, is unlikely to utilize more than a handful of threads. The measured frame rates support this, as the FPS scales almost entirely with GPU load. At 1080p Low, the 226 FPS average is likely near the engine’s frame rate ceiling, but it is not CPU-limited; the Core Ultra 7 265HX’s single-core boost of 5.30 GHz ensures that even legacy games with poor multi-threading can run at high frame rates. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13790F (0.1% higher average score), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G (0.2% lower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185 (0.5% higher). These deltas are negligible, meaning the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo’s performance. The 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die with a 3 nm process node give it excellent efficiency, but that efficiency does not translate into higher frame rates in Downfall beyond what the GPU can deliver.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s is another factor that could theoretically limit performance in CPU-bound scenes, but the data shows no such limitation. The 30 MB of L3 cache is generous for a mobile processor, and the 20 threads handle any background tasks without contention. The Passmark data compression score of 511817 and data encryption score of 39472 indicate strong integer performance, which is relevant for game logic but not directly visible in the FPS numbers. The CPU’s integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is not used in this configuration, as the discrete RTX 4070 handles all rendering. The multiplier unlocked feature allows for overclocking, but in a mobile platform, thermal constraints would likely limit any manual tuning. Overall, the CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 4070, providing enough single-thread and multi-thread performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck in Downfall, even at the highest frame rates recorded.