Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a mixed bag of results in Doom. This is a classic case of a strong six-core processor being held back by a graphics solution that is clearly the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The recorded data shows that this combination is perfectly viable at 1080p, competitive at 1440p, and simply not equipped for 4K gaming. The Intel Arc B390, with its integrated-class design and low benchmark percentile, is the primary obstacle to achieving higher frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a clear picture of its performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the system starts at a playable level. With Low settings, the average FPS is a smooth 107. Moving up to Medium, the average drops to 93 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 79 and a maximum of 107. High settings yield an average of 78 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still maintains an average of 64 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the combo has enough headroom to handle even the most demanding settings in this game.

At 2560x1440, performance takes a significant step back. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, which is still fluid. Medium settings average exactly 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69. However, High settings drop the average to 51 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS. This indicates that the 1440p resolution is where the Intel Arc B390 starts to struggle with the heavier presets.

The 3840x2160 results are consistently below the playable threshold. The best average FPS at this resolution is 37 FPS on Low settings. Medium settings average 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 and a maximum of 37. High settings average 28 FPS, and Ultra manages only 22 FPS. None of these averages meet the 60 FPS playable threshold, making 4K gaming unviable with this hardware combination in Doom.

How This Combo Ranks

The database places this specific CPU and GPU combination at rank 3300 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's low performance. The Intel Arc B390's benchmark scores are near the very bottom of the database. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low ranking, and it means that in most gaming scenarios, this GPU will be the bottleneck.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, in contrast, is a much stronger component. It sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37018. This disparity in percentile rankings between the CPU and GPU is the defining characteristic of this system. The CPU is more than capable of feeding frames to the GPU, but the GPU cannot keep up, especially as resolution and settings increase. The overall combo rank reflects the weakest link, which is the graphics card.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the recorded data, the best playable settings for each resolution are determined by the most demanding preset that still maintains an average of at least 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The best settings are Ultra, which achieves an average of 64 FPS. This allows the user to experience the game with maximum visual quality while staying above the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the playable settings are Low and Medium. The best settings are Medium, which achieves an average of exactly 60 FPS. This is the highest quality preset that can maintain a playable frame rate at this resolution. It is a borderline case, as the minimum FPS recorded is 51, but the average meets the target.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The data shows that every preset, from Low to Ultra, fails to reach an average of 60 FPS. The best possible average is 37 FPS on Low, which is far below the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for both components helps to contextualize the performance of this specific combo. The CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, has an average benchmark score of 37018. Its nearest rivals in the database are all within a very tight performance band. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is 0.2% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is also 0.2% slower. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i9-12900T is 0.3% faster. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming. A system using any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Doom when paired with the same GPU.

The Intel Arc B390's performance is far more isolated. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX is 1.3% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M is 1.5% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM is 2.5% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% faster. These are all extremely low-performance parts. This indicates that the Arc B390's gaming performance is comparable to a very basic, entry-level graphics solution. Users with any of these GPUs would see similar frame rates, with the Arc B390 having a slight edge over the GT 625 OEM and GT 710.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor in this system for Doom. The evidence lies in the scaling of performance across resolutions. When lowering the resolution from 2560x1440 to 1920x1080, the average FPS on Medium settings increases from 60 to 93, a substantial jump of 55%. This significant increase in frame rate when the rendering load is reduced is the classic signature of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain relatively static across these resolution changes.

The CPU's role becomes more prominent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 107. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of handling a significant amount of work, but it is still constrained by the GPU's output. The CPU's high percentile ranking (85th) and strong multi-threaded performance (a PassMark multithread score of 20363) mean it is not a source of stutter or frame drops in this game. The frame rates are consistently smooth, with no data suggesting CPU-related hitches.

At 4K, the GPU is completely overwhelmed. The difference in performance between 1440p Low (69 FPS) and 4K Low (37 FPS) is a 46% drop, further confirming that the rendering resolution is the primary driver of performance. The CPU has to do less work at higher resolutions, not more, so the performance drop is entirely attributable to the GPU's inability to render the increased pixel count.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K resolution?

A: No. The recorded data shows that no settings preset at 3840x2160 achieves the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest average FPS is 37 on Low settings, which is not playable.

Q: What are the best settings for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: The best settings at 2560x1440 are Medium, which achieves an average of 60 FPS. Lowering to Low settings increases the average to 69 FPS, but Medium is the highest preset that meets the playable threshold.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D or the Intel Arc B390 the bottleneck?

A: The benchmark data indicates the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck. The GPU sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 85th percentile. The large gains in FPS from lowering resolution also point to the GPU as the limiting factor.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 performs within 2.7% of several low-end NVIDIA GPUs. It is 1.3% slower than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% slower than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710.

Q: What average frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset, the system achieves an average of 64 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it a viable option.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5500X3D a strong gaming CPU compared to its alternatives?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores within 0.3% of its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, Intel Core Ultra 5 225, and Intel Core i9-12900T. In gaming, these differences are practically imperceptible.