Doom

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers playable frame rates in Doom at 1080p and 1440p across all presets, but at 4K only Low and Medium settings clear the 60 FPS threshold. The measured data shows this combo ranks 2281st out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database, yet it still offers a smooth experience at mainstream resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What resolutions and settings can achieve 60 FPS or higher?

A: At 1920x1080, all presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) average above 60 FPS, with Ultra reaching 122 FPS. At 2560x1440, every preset also exceeds 60 FPS, with Ultra at 79 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low (71 FPS) and Medium (62 FPS) average above 60 FPS; High (52) and Ultra (43) fall below.

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

A: The best playable setting at 3840x2160 is Medium, with an average of 62 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains an average above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F and RTX 5050 pairing ranks 2281st out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database.

Q: What are the closest CPU alternatives in performance?

A: The nearest CPU rivals by average benchmark score include the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% difference), Intel Core i5-9500 (0.3% slower), Intel Core 5 120UL (0.7% faster), and Intel Core i7-1250U (1.1% slower). These would be expected to perform similarly.

Q: What are the closest GPU alternatives?

A: For the GPU, the nearest rivals are AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (0.6% faster), AMD Radeon HD 8970M (1% faster), AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (1.6% slower), and NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (1.6% faster). Their average scores are within 1.6% of the RTX 5050.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of these components?

A: The CPU has a launch MSRP of $97, and the GPU has a launch MSRP of 249 USD.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS scaling across resolutions and presets clearly identifies the GPU as the dominant constraint at higher pixel counts. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate ranges from 202 (Low) to 122 (Ultra). At 2560x1440, the range narrows to 131 (Low) to 79 (Ultra). At 3840x2160, it further drops to 71 (Low) and 43 (Ultra). This consistent decline with increasing resolution — across every preset — indicates that the GPU's rendering workload becomes the limiting factor as pixel count grows.

For example, at Low settings, the average FPS steps down from 202 at 1080p to 131 at 1440p and then to 71 at 4K. The GPU must process roughly four times the pixels at 4K compared to 1080p, and the frame rate falls by more than half, underscoring the GPU's pivotal role at high resolutions. At 1080p, however, the CPU has more headroom. The i3-12100F's 4-core/8-thread design and its average benchmark score of 13494 (68th percentile) are sufficient to feed the RTX 5050, whose own average score is 21035 (66th percentile). The fact that even Ultra at 1080p achieves 122 FPS suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at that resolution.

The pattern is also visible within each resolution. At 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS (71 vs 43), while at 1080p the same setting change spans 80 FPS (202 vs 122). The wider spread at lower resolutions implies that the CPU has a greater influence on frame rates when the GPU is less stressed, because the GPU can render frames quickly and the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and manage game logic becomes relatively more important. At 4K, the GPU's raw fill rate and memory bandwidth (320.0 GB/s) are stretched, and the CPU's role diminishes.

In summary, the RTX 5050 is the primary driver of performance at 1440p and 4K, while the i3-12100F provides sufficient compute for smooth 1080p gameplay. The balanced average benchmark percentiles (68 for CPU, 66 for GPU) support this interpretation, but the resolution scaling data is the clearest evidence.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of 3712 tested CPU-GPU combinations for Doom, this pairing ranks 2281st. That places it in the lower-middle tier, meaning a majority of tested systems deliver higher frame rates. However, the rank is consistent with the individual standings of the components: the i3-12100F sits at the 68th percentile among CPUs, and the RTX 5050 at the 66th percentile among GPUs. A combo that is neither at the top nor the bottom of the hardware spectrum would naturally fall near the middle of the overall ranking.

The rank also reflects the game's age and optimization. Doom (released 2016-05-12) is a well-optimized FPS that scales well across a wide range of hardware. The measured FPS values show that even this mid-range combo can exceed 120 FPS at 1080p, so the 2281st position is not a sign of poor performance; rather, it indicates that many higher-end CPUs and GPUs achieve even higher frame rates. For a user targeting 60 FPS or more, this combo is more than adequate at 1080p and 1440p.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide a clear picture of what other hardware would behave similarly in Doom. For the Intel Core i3-12100F, the closest matches by average benchmark score are the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% difference), Intel Core i5-9500 (0.3% slower), Intel Core 5 120UL (0.7% faster), and Intel Core i7-1250U (1.1% slower). These CPUs have average scores within 1.1% of the i3-12100F, so pairing any of them with the RTX 5050 would yield frame rates nearly identical to those measured here.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5050's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (0.6% faster), AMD Radeon HD 8970M (1% faster), AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (1.6% slower), and NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (1.6% faster). The small deltas — all within 1.6% — mean that swapping the RTX 5050 for any of these GPUs would produce very similar FPS in Doom, assuming the CPU remains the same. For instance, a system with an RX 5600 XT would be expected to be about 1.6% slower, which translates to a negligible difference in the measured average FPS.

These alternatives are particularly relevant for users considering upgrades or replacements. The i5-9500, for example, is a common older desktop CPU that offers comparable performance, while the RX 5600 XT is a well-known mid-range GPU from a previous generation. The data suggests that the i3-12100F + RTX 5050 combination sits at a performance level that is easily replicated by several other hardware pairings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists the exact measured average, minimum, and maximum FPS for each resolution and preset combination. Minimum and maximum values are only available for Medium settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 52 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 71 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 62 | 52 | 71 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 43 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 96 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 131 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 114 | 97 | 131 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 79 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 149 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 202 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 176 | 150 | 203 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 122 | — | — |

At 1920x1080, every preset averages at least 122 FPS, with Low hitting 202 FPS. The minimum and maximum values for Medium (150 and 203 FPS) show that even the lower bound exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin. At 2560x1440, the average ranges from 131 (Low) to 79 (Ultra), and the Medium preset's min/max (97/131) remain well above 60. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium clear 60 FPS, with Medium averaging 62 FPS and a minimum of 52 — just below the threshold — while High and Ultra fall to 52 and 43 FPS respectively.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Doom. The verdict by resolution is clear:

• 1920x1080: All presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable, with the best setting being Ultra at an average of 122 FPS.
• 2560x1440: All presets are also playable, and Ultra delivers an average of 79 FPS.
• 3840x2160: Only Low (71 FPS) and Medium (62 FPS) exceed the 60 FPS threshold. High (52) and Ultra (43) do not.

The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and the data shows that this combination is more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with all graphics options maxed out. For 4K, users should select Medium settings to maintain an average above 60 FPS, though the minimum of 52 FPS indicates occasional dips. Overall, the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 offer a solid mid-range experience for Doom, with the caveat that 4K Ultra remains out of reach.