Downfall

This benchmark analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile in the 2016 horror title, Downfall. The data presents a clear picture of a system capable of extreme frame rates, with the primary bottleneck shifting between the CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings. The following sections break down the measured FPS across all tested configurations, interpreting what the numbers reveal about the hardware's behavior in this specific game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and significant impact from resolution scaling, but the degree of that impact varies heavily based on the selected graphics preset. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 314 FPS at 1920x1080 to 140 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 55%. This indicates that even at 4K, the system is not being pushed to its absolute limit, as the frame rate remains well above the refresh rate of most displays. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings yields 224 FPS, and the step up to 4K cuts that down to 140 FPS, suggesting that the workload is scaling in a linear fashion with pixel count.

For Medium settings, the scaling pattern is similar but with a tighter range. The average FPS goes from 257 at 1080p to 184 at 1440p, and finally to 114 at 4K. This represents a 55% drop from 1080p to 4K, mirroring the Low preset's percentage loss. The minimum FPS data for Medium at 4K is 97, which is still a very playable number, while the maximum reaches 131. This suggests that the GPU is handling the increased resolution without any dramatic stutters or frame time spikes.

The High preset shows an interesting deviation. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, going from 211 FPS to 150 FPS, a 29% decrease. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K is less severe, moving from 150 FPS to 94 FPS, a 37% decrease. This pattern suggests that at 1440p, the system is still capable of a very high output, but the transition to 4K begins to expose the GPU's limitations more clearly. The 4K High result of 94 FPS is still a strong showing for a demanding title.

Ultra settings present the most dramatic scaling and the clearest indication of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the system achieves 132 FPS, which is a respectable number for a maxed-out preset. But 1440p drops that to 94 FPS, and 4K plummets to 59 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is a 55% decrease from the 1080p Ultra result. This demonstrates that the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity places a massive load on the RTX 4090 Mobile, making it the definitive limiting factor. The data shows a system that can deliver high refresh rate experiences at 1080p and 1440p on any preset, but 4K gaming is only truly smooth on lower settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor from the Panther Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28221 and a single-core score of 3984. This puts it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the Intel Core 7 253PE, which is only 0.1% ahead in average score. The CPU's performance is clearly not a bottleneck in Downfall, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at low resolutions.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 314 FPS. This extremely high frame rate indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to saturate its output at lower resolutions. The processor's high single-core performance, as shown by its Passmark single-thread score of 4005, is critical for games like Downfall, which often rely heavily on a single main thread for game logic. The 16 cores also ensure that any background tasks or multi-threaded game systems are handled without impacting performance.

As resolution increases, the CPU's role diminishes relative to the GPU, but its capability remains a constant foundation. The fact that the frame rate drops by a similar percentage across all settings when moving from 1080p to 4K suggests that the CPU is not introducing any unexpected frame rate ceilings. A weaker processor would likely show a smaller frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p, as it would become the limiting factor at the lower resolution. Here, the data shows a smooth scaling curve, which is a sign of a well-balanced system.

The processor's memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s, while not directly a core or clock specification, also plays a role in feeding the GPU. The L3 cache of 18 MB shared across the cores is ample for a game of Downfall's age. The benchmark results, including a Passmark multi-thread score of 32956, reinforce that this CPU is a high-end mobile part. Even when compared to rivals, the deltaPct is minimal, with the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H only 0.2% behind, indicating the Core Ultra X7 368H is at the top of its class for this game's CPU demands.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the undisputed powerhouse in this combination. Its specifications are formidable: 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth, 9728 shading units, and a boost clock of 1695 MHz. This hardware is responsible for the dramatic scaling seen when moving from Low to Ultra settings. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 27212 places it in the 84th percentile, with its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000, being only 0.8% ahead. This data confirms that it is a top-tier mobile GPU.

The game's performance at 4K Ultra, yielding 59 FPS, is a clear indicator of GPU saturation. The RTX 4090 Mobile is working at its maximum capacity to render the highest fidelity settings at that resolution. The drop from 94 FPS at 4K High to 59 FPS at 4K Ultra is a 37% performance hit, which is a substantial cost for the visual upgrade of the Ultra preset. This shows how demanding the Ultra settings are on the GPU's pixel and texture processing capabilities.

At 1080p, the GPU has much less work to do, and the results show it. The leap from 211 FPS at High to 314 FPS at Low demonstrates that the GPU is no longer the primary constraint at the lowest settings. The CPU is able to push frame rates beyond what the GPU can render at higher settings. The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this 2016 title, even at 4K with Ultra textures, so the bottleneck is purely computational, not memory capacity.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 32.98 TFLOPS is a massive amount of compute power, but Downfall's engine is old enough that it may not be able to utilize all of it efficiently. This is a common scenario where a modern, high-end GPU is limited by the game's draw calls and rendering pipeline rather than its own raw power. The result is that while the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, it is not necessarily being used to its full potential. The data shows a GPU that can easily handle 1080p and 1440p at maximum settings, but only just manages playable frame rates at 4K with the most demanding preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend entirely on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, all settings are viable, but the High preset at 211 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a massive performance headroom over Ultra's 132 FPS while providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium's 257 FPS. The jump from 257 FPS to 211 FPS is a 18% reduction for a notable improvement in visual quality, making High the best balance for smooth, high-fidelity gameplay. Ultra at 1080p is only recommended for those with 120Hz or 144Hz displays who prioritize maximum image quality.

At 1440p, the High preset again emerges as the best choice, delivering 150 FPS. This is a 60% improvement over the 94 FPS achieved on Ultra. The Medium preset offers 184 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High is usually more impactful than the difference between High and Ultra. The data shows that High is the highest preset that maintains a frame rate above 144 FPS, making it ideal for high refresh rate monitors. Ultra at 1440p is still very playable at 94 FPS, but for competitive or fast-paced action, High provides a smoother experience.

For 4K, the recommendations shift. The Low preset at 140 FPS is the only option that guarantees a high refresh rate experience. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is a strong choice for those who want a better visual quality while still staying above 100 FPS. The High preset at 94 FPS is perfectly playable and offers a good balance for a 4K display. The Ultra preset at 59 FPS is not recommended for general use, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which can lead to a less fluid experience. For 4K, choosing between Low, Medium, and High is a matter of whether the user prioritizes refresh rate or visual fidelity, with High being the best for a cinematic, single-player experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations for Downfall, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is ranked 826 out of 3716 total combos. This puts it in the top 22% of all systems tested for this game. The ranking reflects the fact that while this is an exceptionally powerful setup, there are other combinations with even more capable desktop-grade components that can achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K Ultra.

The combo's rank is a function of its absolute performance, which is limited by the mobile nature of both the CPU and GPU. The RTX 4090 Mobile is a top-tier mobile part, but it is not as powerful as a full desktop RTX 4090. Similarly, the Core Ultra X7 368H is a high-end mobile CPU, but it does not have the same sustained power delivery as a desktop processor. Consequently, while this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, it does not reach the very top of the rankings where desktop parts dominate.

The data suggests that the system is well-balanced for its class, as the rank is not dragged down by a single weak component. The frame rates are consistently high across all resolutions, and the scaling is smooth. The 826th rank out of 3716 means that a user with this specific laptop can expect a top-quartile performance in Downfall. It is a result that confirms the hardware's capability, but also highlights that for absolute maximum performance, a desktop system would be necessary.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS for 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra preset is 59 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 314 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 132 FPS. This makes the Low preset 138% faster in this comparison.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data shows the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, as the extremely high frame rate of 314 FPS is more indicative of CPU capability, while the GPU is not being fully stressed.

Q: What is the best preset for a 1440p monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 150 FPS, which is above the 144Hz threshold, making it the ideal choice for this scenario.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 yields 94 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 59 FPS. The Ultra preset is 37% slower than High at this resolution.

Q: Does this combo rank in the top half of all tested systems for Downfall?

A: Yes, the combo ranks 826 out of 3716 tested combos, placing it in the top 22% of all systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measured for each resolution and settings combination. Minimum and maximum FPS are only provided where the data was captured for the Medium preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Minimum FPS | Maximum FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 3840x2160 | High | 94 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 140 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 114 | 97 | 131 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 59 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 150 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 224 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 184 | 156 | 211 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 94 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 211 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 314 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 257 | 218 | 295 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 132 | - | - |