Downfall

Downfall pairs the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, and the measured results show a combination that is heavily skewed toward high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K demands compromises. The data indicates a system where the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, but the CPU provides enough headroom to push very high frame rates when the graphical load is lightened. This analysis breaks down the benchmark numbers to explain what each component contributes and how to get the best experience in this horror title.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and can boost up to 5.10 GHz, which provides substantial single-thread performance for game logic and physics. The processor has a 45 W TDP and uses the Intel BGA 2049 socket. Its cache configuration includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 1810.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 17984.5 in multi-core, while Geekbench shows 1794 single-core and 11657 multi-core. This places the processor at the 85th percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of installed processors.

Looking at its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 9 185H’s average benchmark score of 35670 is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, which scores 35719 with a delta of -0.1%. It is also nearly identical to the Intel Core 7 250H (35728, -0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, -0.4%). The gap to the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is still small at -0.7%. This indicates that for gaming, the 185H is not a performance outlier in either direction; it sits in a competitive mid-pack where no single rival has a decisive advantage. The single-core score of 1810.5 in Cinebench R23 is particularly relevant for Downfall, a horror game that likely relies on consistent frame pacing rather than massive multi-threaded workloads.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s capability becomes evident at 1080p with Low settings, where the system hits 202 FPS average. This high frame rate is only achievable if the CPU can feed the GPU with enough draw calls and game state updates. The fact that the average FPS scales from 202 at 1080p Low down to 135 at 1080p High suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at these settings; the GPU is still handling most of the work as settings increase. The CPU’s multi-threaded headroom, shown by its 17984.5 Cinebench R23 score, ensures that background tasks or streaming won’t cause stutters, but the game itself appears to be more dependent on the GPU. The 16 cores and 22 threads are more than sufficient for Downfall, which was released in 2016 and would not stress a modern 16-core processor. The data shows that CPU performance is a non-issue; it never limits the average FPS in any of the tested configurations.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). It includes 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines, along with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores. The GPU’s theoretical performance is 15.11 TFLOPS for FP32, and it has a TDP of 115 W. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

In the benchmark data, the RTX 4060 scores 19545 in Passmark G3D and 95057 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it at the 61st percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 17639 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666 with a delta of -0.2%. The RTX 4060 also edges out the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, +0.3%) and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, +0.5%). This positioning shows that the RTX 4060 is a solid mainstream performer, but it is not a high-end part. For Downfall, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is adequate for the game’s era, but the 128-bit bus width and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth become limiting factors at higher resolutions.

The measured FPS data directly reflects the GPU’s role. At 1080p, the GPU is capable of delivering 202 FPS on Low settings, but this drops to 85 FPS on Ultra, showing a clear scaling with graphical load. At 1440p, the same pattern holds: 144 FPS on Low down to 60 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the GPU struggles more visibly, with the average FPS falling to 90 on Low and only 38 on Ultra. The 8 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for Downfall at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the combination of higher resolution and demanding settings begins to tax the memory bandwidth, resulting in the low 38 FPS average. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz helps maintain performance, but the data shows that the RTX 4060 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant settings reductions to remain playable.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern. Starting with High settings, the average FPS is 135 at 1080p, 97 at 1440p, and 60 at 4K. This represents a 28% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 56% drop from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is consistent with a GPU that is becoming the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the numbers are 202 FPS at 1080p, 144 at 1440p, and 90 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 29%, and to 4K is 55%, which is nearly identical to the High settings scaling. This consistency indicates that the GPU’s performance is scaling linearly with resolution, and the CPU is not introducing a bottleneck even at the highest frame rates.

The Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 85 FPS at 1080p, 60 at 1440p, and 38 at 4K. The drop to 4K is 55%, which is similar to the other settings. However, the absolute numbers are lower, meaning the GPU is working harder at Ultra settings, and the frame rate suffers accordingly. The Medium settings provide a middle ground with 165 FPS at 1080p, 118 at 1440p, and 73 at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is 28%, and to 4K is 56%. This pattern across all settings strongly suggests that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K, while the CPU has ample headroom.

The data indicates that the Core Ultra 9 185H is not the bottleneck in any scenario. If it were, we would see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed, but the numbers continue to rise significantly from 1440p to 1080p. For example, at Low settings, the jump from 144 FPS at 1440p to 202 FPS at 1080p shows the GPU is still capable of delivering more frames when the pixel load decreases. This is a clear sign that the system is GPU-limited in Downfall at all tested settings, with the CPU providing more than enough performance to keep up. Players with this combination should focus on GPU settings to improve frame rates, as the CPU will not hold them back.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H fast enough for Downfall at high frame rates?

A: Yes. The CPU scores 1810.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core and sits at the 85th percentile among all CPUs. The measured data shows the system achieving 202 FPS at 1080p Low settings, proving the CPU is not a bottleneck in this game.

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

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, -0.2%). It is also slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, +0.3%) and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, +0.5%).

Q: Can the RTX 4060 handle 4K gaming in Downfall?

A: At 4K, the RTX 4060 delivers 60 FPS on High settings and 73 FPS on Medium settings, but only 38 FPS on Ultra. This shows that 4K is playable with reduced settings, but the GPU is clearly stressed at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination?

A: The data shows the strongest performance at 1080p, where the system achieves 135 FPS on High and 202 FPS on Low. At 1440p, it still delivers 97 FPS on High, making it a strong option for high refresh rate monitors.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: On High settings, the average FPS drops from 135 at 1080p to 60 at 4K, a 56% reduction. On Low settings, it drops from 202 to 90, a 55% reduction. This consistent scaling indicates a GPU-bound workload.

Q: Does the CPU’s multi-threading help in Downfall?

A: The Core Ultra 9 185H has 16 cores and 22 threads, scoring 17984.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. However, Downfall’s performance is primarily GPU-limited, as shown by the linear FPS scaling with resolution, so the CPU’s multi-threading is not a decisive factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience balances visual quality with a stable, high frame rate. For 1080p, the High preset delivers 135 FPS average, which is excellent for a horror game that benefits from smooth motion. The Medium preset offers 165 FPS, but the visual jump to High is often worth the 30 FPS loss. The Ultra preset drops to 85 FPS, which is still playable, but the performance hit is significant for marginal visual gains. The recommended choice is High settings at 1080p, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while maintaining good graphical fidelity.

At 1440p, the High preset yields 97 FPS, which is ideal for a 144 Hz monitor. The Medium preset achieves 118 FPS, but the drop from High to Medium might be noticeable in texture quality and shadow detail. The Ultra preset at 1440p produces 60 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a smooth experience. The best recommendation is High settings at 1440p, as it offers a strong balance of performance and visuals without dropping below the 60 FPS threshold. If a player prefers maximum frame rates, the Medium preset is a viable alternative, but High is the sweet spot.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. The High preset gives 60 FPS exactly, which is the minimum for a smooth experience, but any dips could become noticeable. The Medium preset provides 73 FPS, offering more headroom, while the Low preset reaches 90 FPS. The Ultra preset is not recommended at 4K because it drops to 38 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most players. The recommended setting for 4K is Medium, as it delivers 73 FPS with better visuals than Low and maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. This configuration ensures that the RTX 4060 is not overburdened, providing a stable experience in Downfall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS table for the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination in Downfall.

1920x1080:

• Low settings: 202 FPS average
• Medium settings: 165 FPS average, with a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 190 FPS
• High settings: 135 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 85 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low settings: 144 FPS average
• Medium settings: 118 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 136 FPS
• High settings: 97 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 60 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low settings: 90 FPS average
• Medium settings: 73 FPS average, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS
• High settings: 60 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 38 FPS average

The data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, the average FPS decreases across all settings. The Medium settings are the only ones with reported minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a range of 50 FPS at 1080p (140 to 190), 36 FPS at 1440p (100 to 136), and 22 FPS at 4K (62 to 84). This indicates that the frame time variance increases at lower resolutions, but the overall experience remains smooth. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 62 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a safe choice for consistent performance. The Ultra settings at 4K are the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, with an average of 38 FPS, which is not recommended for a playable experience. The combination of CPU and GPU in this system is clearly optimized for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring settings compromises to maintain acceptable frame rates.