Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a mixed performance profile in Doom, heavily dependent on resolution and quality settings. The CPU is a top-tier part, ranking in the 95th percentile among all processors, but the GPU is a much older, mid-range part ranking in the 58th percentile. This pairing creates a significant bottleneck at lower resolutions, where the RTX 2060 simply cannot keep up with the frame generation capabilities of the CPU. At 1080p and 1440p, this combo is generally a strong performer, but at 4K, the GPU's limitations become the defining factor, making smooth play impossible at higher presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides a clear picture of how this system scales across the three main resolutions and four quality presets. All figures are average FPS, as the database did not record minimum or maximum frame times for this configuration.

1920x1080 (1080p): This is the strongest resolution for this combo, with all presets clearing the 60 FPS threshold comfortably. At Low settings, the system reaches 176.9 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 151.4 FPS, a drop of 25.5 FPS. High settings yield 127.5 FPS, and the most demanding Ultra preset still holds an average of 103.8 FPS. The scaling is smooth and linear, indicating the GPU is the primary limiter here, but it has enough headroom to handle the load at this resolution.

2560x1440 (1440p): The system remains highly playable at 1440p, though the performance gap between presets widens. Low settings average 114.8 FPS, which is still a very high refresh rate experience. Medium settings drop the average to 99.3 FPS. High settings average 85.6 FPS, a significant step down from Medium. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, but it still manages to stay above the 60 FPS line with an average of 65.9 FPS. The data shows that the GPU is starting to work harder, and the cost of Ultra settings is now more apparent.

3840x2160 (4K): This is where the RTX 2060 hits a wall. The 4K resolution demands far more from the GPU, and the average frame rates reflect this. At Low settings, the system averages 63.1 FPS, which is barely playable. Medium settings drop the average to 50.3 FPS, and High settings fall to 43.1 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with an average of just 34.9 FPS. The delta between Low to Medium to High to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 13 FPS per step. This resolution is only suitable for the very lowest quality setting, and even then, the system is right at the edge of the playable threshold.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Doom at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 103.8 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution with the Ultra preset. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it a very smooth experience at 1080p.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 4K resolution?

A: The only preset that remains playable at 3840x2160 is Low settings. The system achieves an average of 63.1 FPS at this setting, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below this line.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU being fully utilized in this system?

A: The database shows the CPU ranks in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, but it is paired with a GPU from the 58th percentile. At 1080p, the system's average FPS is 176.9 FPS on Low, but the Ultra preset only reaches 103.8 FPS. The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

Q: What kind of frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The system averages 85.6 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a very playable experience, offering a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, with rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and AMD Radeon 680M having scores of 15283 and 15270, respectively. The data indicates that performance is very close among these parts, with deltas of 0.1% or less.

Q: Is the system capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p the system achieves 176.9 FPS on Low settings, 151.4 FPS on Medium, and 127.5 FPS on High settings. All of these figures are far above the 60 FPS mark, allowing for a very high refresh rate experience at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

The following presets represent the maximum quality preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at each resolution. These are the recommended settings for a smooth gameplay experience.

1920x1080: Ultra (103.6 FPS)

At 1080p, the system can handle the most demanding preset without issue. The average FPS is 103.6, well above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the best choice for high visual fidelity and smooth performance.

2560x1440: Ultra (65.9 FPS)

At 1440p, the Ultra preset is the most demanding, but it still holds an average of 65.9 FPS. This is a playable experience with a small margin above the 60 FPS line. It is the recommended setting for this resolution.

3840x2160: Low (63.1 FPS (60 FPS Playable (63.1 FPS)))

At 4K, the Ultra, High, Medium presets all fall below 60 FPS. The only playable setting is Low, which averages 63.1 FPS. This is the only way to achieve a smooth 4K experience with this hardware.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The components in other tested combos can offer a reference point for expected performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU has an average benchmark score of 75779. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 has an average score of 75738, a delta of 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D has an average score of 75716, also a 0.1% delta. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488, which is 0.4% lower. For a user, this means that a system with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285 CPU would behave almost identically to a system with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D in terms of CPU-bound tasks, as indicated by the negligible score differences between them.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU has an average score of 15290. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and AMD Radeon 680M are extremely close, with scores of 15283 and 15270 and deltas of 0% and 0.1%, respectively. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is also a close match, with a 0.6% difference. This indicates that these GPUs will perform at a very similar level in graphics-bound tasks, meaning the overall FPS at a given resolution and settings will be very close to what is recorded for the RTX 2060.

A combo featuring the AMD Radeon RX 7600 would be a very similar performer. With an average score of 15171 and a delta of 0.8% from the RTX 2060, users can expect similar FPS at the same settings. The data suggests that swapping between these cards would result in a very similar experience, with the main difference being in the range of 1% in performance.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Doom effectively, but with a major caveat. The system is entirely playable at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, and it also runs at 4K, with limitations. The recorded data shows that at 1080p, all presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, from the 176.9 FPS on Low to the 103.8 FPS on Ultra settings. At 1440p, the Ultra preset is also playable at 65.9 FPS. The 4K resolution is the catch. The High, Medium, and Ultra presets all fail to reach 60 FPS, but the Low preset is playable with an average of 63.1 FPS. The data shows that the 4K experience is possible, but it is limited to the Low preset and is just above the 60 FPS line.

The system will require users to compromise at 4K, sacrificing visual fidelity for playable frame rates. The RTX 2060 is the limiting factor in this pairing. Its performance in the 58th percentile is significantly lower than the CPU's 95th percentile ranking. The database indicates that a similar CPU, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285, or a similar GPU, like the Radeon RX 7600, would behave similarly. For a 1080p or 1440p gaming PC, this is an excellent performer. For a 4K gaming PC, it is only playable at the lowest settings.

The combo's rank in the database is 2965th out of 3712 tested combinations. This puts it in the lower half of all tested systems. This ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's age and its position relative to other, more modern parts. While the CPU is a top-tier component, the GPU is not, and the overall ranking reflects the performance ceiling set by the RTX 2060. The data shows that while there are many combos that perform worse, there are also many that perform better, and the user should have a clear idea of what to expect from this specific pairing.

In essence, this system is a great choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with Ultra presets available at both resolutions. At 4K, it is a system with only one playable setting, Low, which barely clears the 60 FPS threshold. The performance is a clear indicator of the bottleneck of the GPU, and the overall ranking of the combo is a reflection of the GPU's age.

**This system is a strong performer at 1080p and 1440p with all settings playable. At 4K, it is playable only at Low settings. The data shows that the RTX 2060 GPU is the limiting factor, and this pairing is a good match for a 1080p or 1440p gaming setup. The 4K experience is not recommended for high settings, and this is a clear limitation of the hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, ranks 2965th out of 2965 out of 3712 total tested combos in the database. This places it in the lower half of tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, it does not do so at a level that outperforms most other modern setups. The CPU is in the 95th percentile, but the GPU is in the 58th percentile, a large gap that prevents the system from reaching its full potential. The rank is a direct consequence of this GPU limitation, and the frame rates reflect it. The system is a playable one, but the data shows that its overall performance is behind a significant number of other tested combinations. The ranking emphasizes that the GPU is the defining factor in the system's overall performance.