Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, and its 125 W TDP places it in the high-performance desktop segment. The chip features 36 MB of shared L3 cache, along with 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303, while its PassMark multithread score is 60860. These results place the processor in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 84003 is within 1.2% of the AMD EPYC 9135, showing that it holds its own against server-class silicon in raw compute throughput.

For a game like Downfall, a horror title with a 2016 release date, the CPU’s role is primarily about maintaining high frame rates in scenes with complex physics or AI-driven enemy behavior. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo delivers 348 FPS average, which is a massive throughput that suggests the processor is not a bottleneck at lower graphical loads. The 24 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for a game of this era, and the high boost clock of 5.80 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which many older game engines rely on heavily. The PassMark single-thread score of 4823 reinforces this, indicating that the chip can handle the per-core demands of Downfall without breaking a sweat. Compared to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, the 290K Plus is only 0.2% faster in average benchmark score, meaning the performance delta is negligible for gaming purposes.

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

The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus brings 24 cores and 24 threads to the table, which is an unusual configuration because there is no hyperthreading, a design choice that favors raw physical core count over logical thread duplication. The base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.80 GHz are the key drivers for gaming performance, especially in a title like Downfall where single-threaded efficiency often dictates frame pacing. The processor’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 is particularly relevant here, as it shows the chip can deliver high instructions-per-clock in lightly threaded workloads. In contrast, the multi-core score of 51731 demonstrates that when the game does spawn multiple simulation threads, such as during complex horror set-pieces with many enemies, the 24 physical cores can marshal substantial parallel processing power.

The data from the measured FPS at 1080p Low settings, where the average is 348 FPS, suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor even at the lowest graphical preset. At 1080p, the GPU has to render fewer pixels, so the CPU’s role becomes more prominent, and the fact that the frame rate exceeds 340 FPS indicates the processor is feeding the GPU with data faster than it can consume it. The PassMark physics score of 3315 also hints at strong computational abilities for game physics, which is a common bottleneck in horror games that rely on dynamic object interactions. When compared to the AMD EPYC 4584PX, which is 1.1% slower in average benchmark score, the 290K Plus demonstrates that consumer desktop parts can match or exceed server-level performance in latency-sensitive tasks. The 36 MB of L3 cache is another asset, as it reduces memory latency by keeping frequently accessed game data closer to the cores, which can improve frame time consistency in Downfall’s darker, more corridor-based environments where level geometry changes rapidly.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process and features 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. Its memory subsystem consists of 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory clocked at 1313 MHz, which translates to 21 Gbps effective. These specifications yield a peak FP32 throughput of 35.48 TFLOPS, and the card is rated for a 220 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4070 SUPER achieves a PassMark G3D score of 29995 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs.

In the context of Downfall, the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM is more than adequate for a game from 2016, even at 4K Ultra settings. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 65 FPS average, which is playable but shows the GPU is under significant load at the highest preset. The drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is stark: 155 FPS at Low versus 65 FPS at Ultra, a reduction of 90 FPS that is almost entirely attributed to the GPU’s rendering workload. The boost clock of 2475 MHz is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in scenes with heavy lighting and shadow effects, typical of horror games that use dynamic light sources to create tension. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores are not specifically utilized by Downfall, as the game predates widespread ray tracing adoption, but they do not hinder performance. Compared to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, the desktop RTX 4070 SUPER is only 1% slower in average benchmark score, which is remarkable given the mobile part’s higher power envelope in some configurations. The 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming at 4K does not cause stutters, and the data shows a minimum FPS of 107 at 4K Medium, indicating that even under load, the frame rate does not collapse.

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 pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves an average of 233 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 167 FPS, a reduction of 66 FPS or approximately 28%. At 4K High, the average falls further to 104 FPS, which is a 55% reduction from the 1080p result. This scaling curve indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, because the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames at lower pixel counts. The Low settings preset shows an even more pronounced effect: 348 FPS at 1080p, 248 FPS at 1440p, and 155 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 193 FPS, which is a 55% decrease, mirroring the High preset’s percentage drop.

This data suggests that Downfall is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s performance at 1080p Low, where the frame rate exceeds 340 FPS, proves that the 290K Plus is not a limiting factor until the GPU is pushed to its absolute limits. The Ultra preset at 4K yields 65 FPS, which is the lowest average in the dataset, and it is clear that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s shading units and memory bandwidth are being saturated. The medium settings provide a middle ground, with 284 FPS at 1080p, 203 FPS at 1440p, and 126 FPS at 4K. The consistency of the FPS drop—roughly 30% from 1080p to 1440p and another 40% from 1440p to 4K—across all presets confirms that the GPU is the dominant component in determining frame rates. The CPU’s role is to maintain a high enough ceiling, and with a PassMark multithread score of 60860, it comfortably does so. The data indicates that for gamers targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the combo is overkill, but for 4K Ultra gaming, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, with the CPU still having ample performance in reserve.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 447th out of 2928 tested combos in Downfall, placing it in the top 15.3% of all tested systems. This ranking is a strong indicator that the combo delivers high performance, but it also reveals that there are many other pairings that achieve higher frame rates. The rank is likely influenced by the RTX 4070 SUPER’s position in the GPU hierarchy, as it sits in the 83rd percentile, whereas the CPU is in the 96th percentile. This mismatch means that the GPU is the limiting factor, and combos with more powerful GPUs, such as those with higher G3D scores, will rank higher. The 447th position out of 2928 suggests that while this combo is well above average, it is not at the absolute top tier for Downfall, which is expected given the GPU’s mid-to-high-end status.

The data shows that the combo achieves 146 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is a very playable frame rate, but combos with higher-end GPUs would likely exceed 200 FPS at the same settings. The rank also reflects the game’s age; Downfall is a 2016 title, so even mid-range modern GPUs can push high frame rates, making the difference between the 447th and top-100 combos less about playability and more about raw FPS bragging rights. The CPU’s high percentile ranking ensures that it does not drag down the combo’s position, and the 0.2% performance delta over the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K means that swapping to a slightly slower CPU would not materially change the rank. The 1.1% delta over the AMD EPYC 4584PX also shows that the 290K Plus is not leaving performance on the table. Overall, the combo rank indicates a balanced system with a slight GPU bottleneck, but one that is more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay across all settings and resolutions tested.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Downfall?

A: The highest average FPS is 348, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K in average benchmark score?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K’s score of 83807.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and size?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s and 12 GB of GDDR6X memory.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo drop below 70 FPS?

A: The combo drops to 65 FPS average at 3840x2160 Ultra settings, which is the only tested configuration below 70 FPS.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in Downfall and how many total combos were tested?

A: The combo ranks 447th out of 2928 tested combos.

Q: What is the boost clock of the GPU?

A: The GPU has a boost clock of 2475 MHz.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo in Downfall is presented across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 348 FPS, which is the highest frame rate in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p yields an average of 284 FPS, with a minimum recorded at 242 FPS and a maximum at 327 FPS. The High preset at 1080p produces an average of 233 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 146 FPS. This shows a clear progression where increasing graphical fidelity reduces frame rate by roughly 50% from Low to Ultra at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 248 FPS, which is exactly 100 FPS lower than the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 203 FPS, with a minimum of 173 FPS and a maximum of 234 FPS. The High preset at 1440p delivers 167 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 104 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at each preset is consistent, showing a reduction of about 30% regardless of settings. At 3840x2160, the Low preset manages 155 FPS, which is still very playable, while the Medium preset averages 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 145 FPS. The High preset at 4K yields 104 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 65 FPS. The 4K results show a more pronounced drop at Ultra settings, indicating that the GPU’s resources are fully saturated at that point. The data also reveals that the Medium preset has the most complete FPS data, with both minimum and maximum values recorded, whereas other presets only have average values. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown shows that the combo is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and remains playable at 4K except for the most demanding Ultra preset.