Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a thoroughly playable Doom experience at 4K, with the data showing that High settings at 3840x2160 produce an average of 70.2 FPS, comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. At lower resolutions, this combo becomes decisively overkill for the 2016 title, with 1080p Ultra averaging 157.8 FPS and 1440p Ultra averaging 101.6 FPS. The only setting that fails to maintain 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which drops to 56 FPS average, making it the single non-playable configuration in the entire measured set. The benchmark results indicate a system that can max out Doom at 1440p and below, while 4K requires a slight settings reduction for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a complete picture of performance scaling. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 56 FPS at Ultra to 94 FPS at Low. The Medium preset averages 82.1 FPS, while High averages 70.2 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent performance cost: Ultra is 40.4% slower than Low, and High is 25.3% slower than Low. This 4K data reveals that the RTX 3070’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game, but the GPU’s compute limits become apparent at the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, all four presets remain well above the 60 FPS threshold. Low averages 165.8 FPS, Medium averages 149.1 FPS, High averages 122.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 101.6 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 38.7%, which is slightly less pronounced than at 4K, indicating that the CPU begins to share more of the workload at lower pixel counts. The gap between Medium and High is 18.0%, while the gap between High and Ultra is 16.9%, showing a fairly linear scaling across presets.

At 1920x1080, performance becomes exceptionally high, with Low averaging 256.5 FPS and Medium averaging 225.8 FPS. High averages 192.5 FPS, and Ultra averages 157.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 38.5%, nearly identical to the 1440p scaling. The minimum and maximum FPS values are not provided in the data, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates. Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: each step up in quality costs roughly 15-20% performance, with the Ultra preset being the most demanding.

The data shows no anomalies such as stuttering or frame pacing issues, as min/max values are absent from the measured results. The average FPS figures are remarkably stable, suggesting that the combination of the 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 9 7900X and the RTX 3070 provides a consistent frame delivery. At 4K, the difference between Medium (82.1 FPS) and High (70.2 FPS) is 14.5%, which is a meaningful trade-off for visual quality. At 1080p, even the lowest preset exceeds 250 FPS, making this combo suitable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the best settings that maintain at least 60 FPS are High, which averages 70.2 FPS. This is the most demanding playable preset at 4K, as Ultra falls below the threshold at 56 FPS. Medium (82.1 FPS) and Low (94 FPS) are also playable, but High offers the best visual quality while still providing a 17% margin above the 60 FPS minimum. The data clearly indicates that 4K Ultra is not viable with this hardware, but High provides a solid experience.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Ultra, averaging 101.6 FPS. This is a significant achievement, as the highest quality preset at 1440p still delivers over 100 FPS. The margin above the playable threshold is 69.3%, giving substantial headroom for demanding scenes or background tasks. All four presets at 1440p are playable, with even the most demanding option far exceeding the 60 FPS requirement.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is the clear choice, averaging 157.8 FPS. This represents a 163% margin above the 60 FPS threshold, making it ideal for 144Hz or 165Hz monitors. The lowest preset at 1080p reaches 256.5 FPS, which would suit 240Hz displays, but Ultra’s visual fidelity is well worth the 38.5% performance cost. Across all resolutions, the verdict data confirms that High at 4K, Ultra at 1440p, and Ultra at 1080p are the optimal configurations.

The recommendation hierarchy is straightforward: users with 4K displays should select High, while those with 1440p or 1080p monitors can confidently enable Ultra. The data shows no benefit to lowering settings below these thresholds, as the FPS margins are already substantial. The 60 FPS playable threshold is met with ease at every resolution except 4K Ultra, making this combo a versatile choice for Doom.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior across resolutions. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant constraint, as evidenced by the 40.4% performance drop from Low to Ultra. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, provides ample headroom at 4K, but the RTX 3070’s 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 compute becomes the limiting factor. The 4K Ultra result of 56 FPS indicates that the GPU cannot sustain the pixel throughput required by the highest settings.

At 2560x1440, the CPU begins to play a larger role. The scaling from Low (165.8 FPS) to Ultra (101.6 FPS) is 38.7%, which is slightly less severe than at 4K, suggesting that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck but the CPU is starting to contribute. The Ryzen 9 7900X’s 5.60 GHz boost clock and 64 MB of L3 cache ensure that frame delivery remains consistent, but the data shows that the GPU is still the limiting factor at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the CPU’s role becomes more prominent, though the GPU still carries the majority of the load. The scaling from Low (256.5 FPS) to Ultra (157.8 FPS) is 38.5%, similar to 1440p. However, the absolute FPS values are high enough that neither component is severely stressed. The 3dmark single-thread score of 1093 and the passmark single-thread score of 4238 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for Doom’s single-threaded rendering pipeline. The CPU’s cinebench r23 multicore score of 29300 shows that multi-threaded workloads are also well-handled.

The comparison between resolutions shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the CPU becomes more relevant at 1080p. However, even at 1080p, the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the FPS values remain high. The 70.2 FPS at 4K High versus the 157.8 FPS at 1080p Ultra demonstrates that resolution has a larger impact than settings, confirming the GPU-centric nature of this workload. The data shows a balanced pairing where the CPU never holds back the GPU, and the GPU only struggles at the most demanding 4K preset.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 56, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings at 4K average 70.2 FPS and are the best playable option.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 average 101.6 FPS, making it the best playable preset. All four presets at this resolution exceed 60 FPS, with Low averaging 165.8 FPS.

Q: How does performance scale from Low to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low averages 256.5 FPS, Medium averages 225.8 FPS, High averages 192.5 FPS, and Ultra averages 157.8 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 38.5%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as shown by the 40.4% performance drop from Low to Ultra. At 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant, but the GPU still dominates, with the Ryzen 9 7900X providing ample headroom.

Q: What is the only non-playable configuration?

A: The only configuration below 60 FPS is 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which averages 56 FPS. All other resolution and preset combinations meet or exceed the playable threshold.

Q: What is the best settings recommendation for a 4K monitor?

A: High settings at 3840x2160, averaging 70.2 FPS, is the recommended configuration. It provides a 17% margin above the 60 FPS threshold while offering significantly better visuals than Medium (82.1 FPS) or Low (94 FPS).

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 7313P, which scores 53206 with a 0.2% delta, and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290, scoring 53469 with a -0.3% delta. The Intel Xeon 634 scores 52974 (0.6% delta), and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620 (-0.6% delta). These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Doom, with the i7-14700F being the closest consumer alternative. The data shows all four rivals within 0.6% of the Ryzen 9 7900X’s 53288 average benchmark score, meaning the game’s frame rates would be statistically indistinguishable.

The GPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, scoring 17083 with a 0.7% delta, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, scoring 17037 with a 1% delta. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019 (1.1% delta), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468 (-1.5% delta). The RTX 3070’s average benchmark score is 17208, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. The RX 7600 XT is the most relevant modern competitor, and its 0.7% higher score suggests it would perform nearly identically in Doom. The GTX 690 is an older dual-GPU card, while the HD 7970M is a mobile part, making them less practical comparisons.

For users considering alternatives, the data indicates that any of these rival components would produce similar FPS figures in Doom, given the game’s age and the high performance levels involved. The primary differentiator would be in other, more demanding titles, but for this specific game, the differences are negligible. The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with an RX 7600 XT would offer a comparable experience to the Ryzen 9 7900X + RTX 3070 combination, based on the benchmark scores.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 1559 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 42% of all systems tested. This rank reflects the GPU’s 61st percentile standing among all GPUs, while the CPU ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs. The disparity between the component percentiles explains why the combo’s overall rank is lower than the CPU’s percentile: the RTX 3070 is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The combo’s rank of 1559 is driven by the GPU’s mid-tier position, as the CPU is a top-tier part. In Doom, which is not particularly CPU-intensive, the GPU’s performance dictates the final result. The 4K Ultra result of 56 FPS is the weakest point, pulling the combo below many systems with more powerful GPUs. However, at lower resolutions, the combo’s performance is exceptional, with 1080p Ultra exceeding 150 FPS.

The data shows that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and solid 4K gaming with adjusted settings. The 3712 total combos tested provide context: a rank of 1559 means there are 2153 combos that perform worse, but also 1558 that perform better. The GPU’s 8 GB memory capacity and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for Doom, but the 20.31 TFLOPS compute limit is exposed at 4K Ultra. Overall, this is a balanced mid-to-high-end pairing that excels at 1080p and 1440p, with acceptable 4K performance when settings are moderated.