Downfall

# Downfall — Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

Downfall is a 2016 horror title that behaves predictably under varying resolution loads, and the data for this combination of an Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT shows a clear pattern: the GPU becomes the dominant constraint as resolution climbs, while the CPU's substantial thread count ensures headroom even at 1080p. The measured frames per second across three resolutions and four settings tiers provide a complete picture of how this pairing scales, with the 8 GB Radeon RX 5700 XT and the 24-core Arrow Lake Refresh processor interacting in ways that favor lower resolutions and medium presets.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating that the Radeon RX 5700 XT is the limiting component at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 187 FPS at 1920x1080 to 133 FPS at 2560x1440, then to 83 FPS at 3840x2160 — a cumulative decline of roughly 56% from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is typical for a GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, as the pixel throughput demand at 4K outstrips what the Navi 10 chip can deliver.

The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory, with averages of 153 FPS at 1080p, 109 FPS at 1440p, and 68 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 44 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 41 FPS, demonstrating that the performance penalty is nearly linear as pixel count increases. At High settings, the pattern holds: 125 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which demands the most from the GPU, shows the most dramatic scaling — 78 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and just 35 FPS at 4K.

The 4K Ultra result of 35 FPS is particularly telling. It is the lowest recorded average in the entire dataset, and the gap between 4K Ultra and 4K High (35 vs. 56 FPS) suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy additional load on the Radeon RX 5700 XT's 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs. The 1440p to 4K drop at Ultra is 21 FPS, which is proportionally similar to the other presets, but the absolute numbers are low enough that smooth gameplay at 4K Ultra is out of reach.

The resolution scaling data indicates that this combination is best suited to 1080p or 1440p gaming. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset delivers 78 FPS, which is playable. At 1440p, the Medium preset hits 109 FPS, and High hits 89 FPS, both acceptable for a horror title where atmospheric tension matters more than competitive frame rates. The 4K results, however, are marginal — only Low settings (83 FPS) and Medium settings (68 FPS) approach playability, while High (56 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) fall short of smooth performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.80 GHz, combined with 36 MB of shared L3 cache, position it as a high-end desktop CPU. The benchmark data confirms its strength: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303 place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003.

In Downfall, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to avoid bottlenecking, and the data suggests it does so effectively at all tested resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 187 FPS is the highest in the dataset, and it is unlikely that the CPU is the limiting factor at that point — the Radeon RX 5700 XT is still able to push nearly 200 frames. The fact that the 1080p Ultra result (78 FPS) is more than double the 4K Ultra result (35 FPS) reinforces that the GPU, not the CPU, is the constraint at higher settings.

The CPU's 24 threads may be overkill for a 2016 horror title, but they ensure that even at 1080p with Low settings, there is no CPU-bound frame rate ceiling. The nearest rivals to this CPU in average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (0.2% lower), the AMD EPYC 4584PX (1.1% lower), and the AMD EPYC 9135 (1.2% lower), while the AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 1.3% higher. These deltas are small, indicating that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is among the fastest processors available, and its performance in Downfall is consistent with that positioning.

The processor's memory support for DDR5 with a dual-channel interface and 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provides ample data throughput for the GPU. The 17,800 million transistors and 243 mm² die size suggest a complex silicon design, but for a game like Downfall, the key takeaway is that the CPU does not appear in any of the measured FPS results as a bottleneck. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is smooth and uniform, which is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the clear performance limiter in this pairing. Built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture with a Navi 10 chip, it features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1605 MHz, with a boost clock of 1905 MHz and a game clock of 1755 MHz, and it offers 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Its FP32 performance is 9.754 TFLOPS, and it holds the 59th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 16361.

The measured FPS data shows that the RX 5700 XT's capabilities are stretched at 4K. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 35 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in most titles. The 8 GB memory capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the combination of higher pixel count and Ultra settings likely pushes memory usage to its limits, contributing to the low frame rates. The 4K Medium result of 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and maximum of 78 FPS, shows that the GPU can handle 4K if settings are moderated.

The GPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (0.1% higher), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (0.3% lower), the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (0.3% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 (0.9% lower). These deltas are negligible, suggesting that the RX 5700 XT sits in a tight performance cluster, but its 8 GB VRAM and RDNA 1.0 architecture are dated compared to newer options.

In Downfall, the GPU's role is dominant. The FPS differences between settings at the same resolution are substantial: at 1080p, Low delivers 187 FPS while Ultra delivers 78 FPS, a 109 FPS spread. At 1440p, the spread is 77 FPS (133 Low vs. 56 Ultra), and at 4K, it is 48 FPS (83 Low vs. 35 Ultra). This consistent gap across resolutions indicates that the GPU's shading and memory subsystems are fully engaged, and the CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303) is not a constraining factor.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 delivers the highest frame rates across all settings, with a maximum average of 187 FPS at Low and a minimum of 78 FPS at Ultra. At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 133 at Low to 56 at Ultra, while 3840x2160 ranges from 83 at Low to 35 at Ultra. For smooth gameplay, 1080p or 1440p are recommended, with 4K only viable at Low or Medium settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting component. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with 24 cores and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, ranks in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The Radeon RX 5700 XT, ranking in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, shows a consistent FPS drop as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: How does the Radeon RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (16351, 0.1% lower), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (16408, 0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (16415, 0.3% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 (16504, 0.9% higher). These differences are minimal.

Q: What is the FPS range at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured average FPS is 109, with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 126 FPS. This is the only settings tier at 1440p that includes min and max values in the dataset.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores 83807 (0.2% lower), the AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090 (1.1% lower), the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980 (1.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85072 (1.3% higher).

Q: Is the 4K Ultra setting playable with this combination?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 35 FPS. This is below the typical 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, and the data suggests that 4K Ultra is not a viable setting for this GPU. Medium settings at 4K, with an average of 68 FPS, are more playable.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 2169 out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the bottom half of the database. Given that the CPU is a top-tier processor (96th percentile) and the GPU is mid-range (59th percentile), the low rank is attributable to the GPU's limited performance in this title, particularly at higher resolutions.

The rank of 2169 out of 2928 means that approximately 74% of tested combinations outperform this one in Downfall. This is not surprising, as the RX 5700 XT, despite its decent average benchmark score of 16361, is an older RDNA 1.0 GPU with 8 GB of VRAM. The combination's performance is more competitive at 1080p, where the CPU's strength can help maintain high frame rates, but at 4K, the GPU's limitations drag the overall rank down.

The data indicates that the combo's rank is driven by the GPU rather than the CPU. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 36 MB of L3 cache, is more than capable of handling Downfall's demands, but the RX 5700 XT's 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is not sufficient for high-end 4K gaming. The rank reflects this imbalance, and users seeking better performance in Downfall would need to pair the CPU with a more powerful GPU.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combination. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Low at 187 FPS, Medium at 153 FPS, High at 125 FPS, and Ultra at 78 FPS. For a horror game where visual atmosphere matters, the High preset at 1080p offers a good balance, delivering 125 FPS while maintaining higher graphical fidelity than Medium or Low.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, with an average of 109 FPS and a minimum of 93 FPS. The High preset at 89 FPS is also acceptable, but Ultra at 56 FPS is borderline. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, with 68 FPS, while Low at 83 FPS is also playable. High at 56 FPS and Ultra at 35 FPS are not recommended due to the risk of frame rate drops below 60 FPS.

The best overall experience is at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which provides 125 FPS average. This setting leverages the CPU's strength while avoiding the GPU bottleneck that occurs at 4K. For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, offering 109 FPS with a minimum of 93 FPS, ensuring consistent performance during intense horror sequences.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for Downfall with this combination is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low settings preset delivers an average of 187 FPS, the Medium preset delivers 153 FPS with a minimum of 130 FPS and a maximum of 176 FPS, the High preset delivers 125 FPS, and the Ultra preset delivers 78 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression, with each higher settings tier reducing performance by roughly 25-30 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 133 FPS, the Medium preset averages 109 FPS with a minimum of 93 and a maximum of 126, the High preset averages 89 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 56 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, ranging from 54 FPS at Low to 22 FPS at Ultra, indicating that the GPU's pixel processing capabilities are increasingly taxed.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 83 FPS, the Medium preset averages 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 78, the High preset averages 56 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 35 FPS. The 4K results are the lowest in the dataset, with the Ultra preset falling below 40 FPS, which is unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K, with a minimum of 58 FPS, is the only 4K option that maintains acceptable frame rates, and even that is marginal.

The data reveals that the RX 5700 XT's performance degrades sharply at 4K, particularly at Ultra settings, where the average FPS is less than half of the 1080p High result. The 1440p results are more balanced, with Medium and High presets offering playable frame rates, while the 1080p results are strong across all settings. This breakdown confirms that the combination is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, with 4K reserved for Low or Medium settings only.