Doom

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Doom at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, all four tested presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, making it the best visual setting while still maintaining playability.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset is the best playable option at 1440p, averaging exactly 60 FPS. Low also clears the threshold at 69 FPS, but High (51 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS line.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: No. At 3840x2160, none of the four presets reach 60 FPS. The best result is Low at 37 FPS, followed by Medium at 33 FPS, High at 28 FPS, and Ultra at 22 FPS. The database records no playable settings at this resolution.

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

A: The Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitors include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% slower), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% slower), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% slower), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% slower). The B390 leads all of them by small margins in average benchmark score.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D rank against other CPUs?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D is in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (0.6% slower), Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (1.3% faster), Intel Xeon 6505P (2% faster), and Intel Core i7-14700F (2.1% faster). These deltas are all within a narrow band, indicating closely matched CPU performance.

Q: What is the combo's overall standing among tested systems for Doom?

A: The combination of AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3300 out of 3712 tested combos for this game, placing it in the lower portion of the database's tested configurations.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the Intel Arc B390. This system is overwhelmingly GPU-limited in Doom, with the CPU's substantial compute headroom (91st percentile, 12 cores, 24 threads) rarely becoming the bottleneck. The Arc B390, sitting in the 9th GPU percentile, constrains frame delivery at every resolution and preset combination.

The scaling pattern from 1080p to 1440p to 4K demonstrates this GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p Low, the system produces 107 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 69 FPS, a 35.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 37 FPS, another 46.4% reduction from 1440p. These steep drops with increasing pixel count are characteristic of a graphics-card-limited configuration. A CPU-bound system would show far less sensitivity to resolution changes.

Preset scaling reinforces the same conclusion. At 1080p, dropping from Ultra to Low raises average FPS from 64 to 107, a 67.2% improvement. At 1440p, the same preset swing goes from 41 to 69 FPS, a 68.3% gain. At 4K, Ultra to Low moves from 22 to 37 FPS, a 68.2% increase. The near-identical percentage gains across all three resolutions point to consistent GPU shader and memory bandwidth limitations rather than any CPU-side constraint.

The Ryzen 9 9900X3D's role in this pairing is to ensure the GPU never waits on the processor. Its multi-threaded scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 47737 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 22884, provide ample headroom for Doom's engine. Even at 1080p Low where the GPU pushes 107 FPS, the CPU's single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core of 6739, 3DMark single-thread of 1269) easily keeps up with frame generation demands.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor. The Arc B390's measured 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it far below mainstream gaming GPUs. The system shared memory architecture, with bandwidth listed as system dependent, further constrains high-resolution texture streaming. The data shows that no amount of CPU headroom can compensate for the GPU's raw throughput deficit at 4K.

The practical takeaway from the scaling data is straightforward: players should target 1080p for the smoothest experience, or 1440p with medium settings. The CPU will not be the reason for frame drops at any tested resolution. The GPU dictates every performance ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D plus Intel Arc B390 pairing ranks 3300 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places the system in the 11th percentile of all tested configurations, a low position driven almost entirely by the GPU's weak 3D performance.

To contextualize this rank, consider the CPU's position. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54762. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, scores 55093 (0.6% higher), while the Intel Core i7-14700F trails by 2.1%. This is top-tier processor performance. The GPU, however, anchors the system. The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th GPU percentile, a massive gap from the CPU's standing.

The combination rank of 3300 reflects this imbalance. In the database's hierarchy, systems with similarly ranked GPUs but weaker CPUs would likely score better overall because the GPU is the dominant factor in Doom's frame rate. The 3300 rank means that out of 3712 tested combinations, only 412 performed worse. The vast majority of tested systems, including those with mid-range GPUs and modest CPUs, outpace this configuration in Doom.

This rank also highlights a practical mismatch. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a high-end processor by any measure, with 12 cores, 24 threads, and a 128 MB L3 cache. Pairing it with a GPU in the 9th percentile creates a system where the CPU's capabilities are largely irrelevant for gaming performance. The recorded data shows that the combo's rank would improve dramatically with a stronger GPU, while a weaker CPU would barely move the needle.

For context on the GPU's standing, the Arc B390's nearest rivals are all legacy low-end NVIDIA parts. The GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, and GeForce GT 710 all score within 2.7% of the B390. These are entry-level GPUs from previous generations, and the B390 sits alongside them in the database's performance hierarchy. The 3300 combo rank is consistent with a GPU of this class.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, the nearest CPU alternatives deliver near-identical compute performance. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF leads with an average score of 55093, just 0.6% above the Ryzen. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 54053 (1.3% lower), the Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701 (2% lower), and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620 (2.1% lower). All four rivals sit within a 2.7% band of the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, meaning any of them would produce virtually identical frame rates in Doom when paired with the same GPU.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B390's nearest rivals are dramatically weaker in absolute terms. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463 (1.3% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% lower). These deltas are small in percentage terms, but the absolute scores are all below 1500 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. A system with any of these GPUs would perform nearly identically to the Arc B390 in Doom.

For a user considering alternative builds, the data suggests that swapping the Ryzen 9 9900X3D for any of its four nearest CPU rivals would not meaningfully change Doom performance. The frame rates at all resolutions and presets would remain within a couple of percent. Conversely, swapping the Arc B390 for any of its four nearest GPU rivals would also produce nearly identical results, with all of them hovering around the 1460 to 1482 score range.

The practical implication is that this combo's performance is defined by its weakest link. A system with a much weaker CPU (say, a mid-range quad-core) and the same Arc B390 would likely achieve the same FPS numbers in Doom, because the GPU cannot exceed roughly 107 FPS even at 1080p Low. On the other hand, replacing the Arc B390 with a GPU that scores even 20% higher in 3DMark would move the system out of the bottom GPU percentile and substantially improve Doom frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

At Low settings, the system averages 107 FPS. Medium averages 93 FPS with a recorded minimum of 79 and maximum of 107. High averages 78 FPS. Ultra averages 64 FPS. All four presets remain above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The gap from Low to Ultra is 43 FPS, a 40.2% reduction in average frame rate.

2560x1440:

Low settings produce an average of 69 FPS. Medium averages exactly 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and maximum of 69. High drops to 51 FPS average. Ultra falls to 41 FPS average. Only Low and Medium clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset's 60 FPS average sits precisely at the playable line, meaning any scene complexity spike could push it below 60.

3840x2160:

Low settings average 37 FPS. Medium averages 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 37. High averages 28 FPS. Ultra averages 22 FPS. No preset at 4K reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best case, Low at 37 FPS, is only 61.7% of the required frame rate.

The resolution scaling follows a consistent pattern. At any given preset, dropping from 1080p to 1440p reduces average FPS by roughly 35% to 40%. Dropping from 1440p to 4K reduces it by another 45% to 50%. For example, High goes from 78 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p to 28 FPS at 4K. Low goes from 107 to 69 to 37. This steep scaling curve confirms the GPU as the limiting component.

The Medium preset data includes both minimum and maximum FPS values, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range spans 79 to 107 FPS, a 28 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 51 to 69 FPS, an 18 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 28 to 37 FPS, a 9 FPS spread. The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests the GPU becomes more consistently saturated, with less headroom for variability.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Arc B390 combination can run Doom, but only at specific resolutions and settings. The verdict by resolution is clear.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable across all settings. The database lists High, Low, Medium, and Ultra as playable, with Ultra being the best visual setting at 64 FPS average. This is the resolution where the combo performs unambiguously well. Players seeking the highest quality experience should use 1080p Ultra, which delivers a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the system is partially playable. Low and Medium both clear 60 FPS, with Medium as the best playable setting at exactly 60 FPS average. High and Ultra fall short at 51 and 41 FPS respectively. Players at this resolution must choose between visual fidelity and smoothness, with Medium representing the balanced sweet spot. The exact 60 FPS average at Medium leaves little margin for demanding scenes, so those sensitive to frame drops might prefer Low's 69 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the system is not playable at any setting. The database records no playable settings for 4K resolution. The best result, Low at 37 FPS, falls far below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra produces just 22 FPS, which is borderline unplayable even for a slow-paced game. Anyone attempting 4K on this combo will experience significant stutter and reduced responsiveness.

The overall verdict is that this PC runs Doom well at 1080p, adequately at 1440p with reduced settings, and poorly at 4K. The GPU is the decisive factor in all cases. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides exceptional processing power, but the Arc B390's 9th percentile GPU performance caps the system's gaming capabilities. For a game like Doom, which rewards high frame rates, the 1080p path is clearly the intended use case for this hardware pairing.