Doom

Can Intel Core i5-11400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 run Doom? The short answer is yes, provided you choose the right resolution and quality settings. The recorded data shows a system that is clearly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 4K with higher presets. Below is a detailed breakdown of how this specific CPU and GPU pairing behaves in Doom, based on measured FPS data and synthetic benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this PC in Doom?

A: According to the measured data, the best playable experience is at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, delivering an average of 105 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings also clear the 60 FPS threshold with an average of 69.2 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, averaging 62.5 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only with Low settings. The data shows an average of 62.5 FPS at 3840x2160 on Low. Medium settings drop to 55.5 FPS, High to 43.3 FPS, and Ultra to 37.7 FPS, all of which fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120), 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17074), and 0.4% and 0.6% behind the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239) and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17278), respectively.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290. It performs nearly identically to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0% delta), and is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon 680M (15270), 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199), and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171).

Q: What is the playable threshold for this game?

A: The playable threshold in the database is set to 60 FPS. Any settings combination that produces an average FPS at or above 60 is considered playable. The verdict data indicates that 1080p and 1440p all settings are playable, while 4K only Low is playable.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F is in the 71st percentile among all CPUs in the database. This indicates it outperforms roughly 71% of all tested processors, placing it well above the mainstream average for gaming workloads.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals how the balance of CPU and GPU load shifts across resolutions in Doom. At 1920x1080, the system is likely CPU-bound at lower settings. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows an average FPS drop from 173.3 to 105.0, a 39% reduction. This wide spread suggests the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU even at Low, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as quality increases.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU load increases significantly. The average FPS at Low is 111.5, which drops to 69.2 at Ultra, a 38% reduction. The scaling here is similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower. This indicates the GPU is now the primary bottleneck across all presets, as the resolution increase directly taxes the rasterization and shading units of the RTX 2060.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily saturated. The average FPS at Low is 62.5, falling to 37.7 at Ultra, a 40% reduction. The CPU's role diminishes further at this resolution, as the GPU is clearly struggling to maintain frame rates. The data suggests that the i5-11400F is sufficient to keep up with the RTX 2060 at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the GPU becomes the sole determinant of performance. The scaling between presets is consistent across all resolutions, indicating a well-balanced pairing where neither component severely bottlenecks the other until the GPU is overwhelmed at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded FPS data for this combination in Doom is as follows:

1920x1080

• Low: Average 173.3 FPS
• Medium: Average 153.7 FPS
• High: Average 127.9 FPS
• Ultra: Average 105.0 FPS

At 1080p, the system delivers exceptional performance. Even at Ultra, the average FPS is 105, which is 75% higher than the 60 FPS playable threshold. The spread from Low to Ultra is 68.3 FPS, showing a clear performance curve as the GPU takes on more work.

2560x1440

• Low: Average 111.5 FPS
• Medium: Average 98.1 FPS
• High: Average 84.9 FPS
• Ultra: Average 69.2 FPS

At 1440p, the system remains comfortable. Ultra settings still average 69.2 FPS, which is 9.2 FPS above the playable threshold. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is 35.8 FPS, a 34% reduction, which is expected given the 78% increase in pixel count.

3840x2160

• Low: Average 62.5 FPS
• Medium: Average 55.5 FPS
• High: Average 43.3 FPS
• Ultra: Average 37.7 FPS

At 4K, the system barely clears the threshold on Low. The 62.5 FPS average is just 2.5 FPS above the playable mark. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra delivering only 37.7 FPS, which is 37% below the threshold. The data shows a steep decline from 1440p to 4K, with the Ultra preset losing 31.5 FPS (45% reduction).

The measured data does not include min or max FPS values, so the analysis relies solely on average FPS. The absence of frame time variance data means we cannot assess stuttering, but the consistent average scores suggest a stable experience within each preset.

The Verdict

Based on the verdictByResolution data, this PC can run Doom at playable frame rates in the following scenarios:

• 1920x1080: All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable. The best settings are Ultra, which achieves an average of 105 FPS.
• 2560x1440: All four presets are playable. The best settings are Ultra, which achieves an average of 69.2 FPS.
• 3840x2160: Only Low settings are playable, with an average of 62.5 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

For the best visual experience, the data clearly points to 2560x1440 Ultra as the sweet spot. It provides a substantial upgrade in image quality over 1080p while maintaining an average FPS of 69.2, which is comfortably above the playable threshold. At 1080p, the system is extremely powerful, delivering over 100 FPS at the highest settings. At 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, and users should stick to Low settings for a smooth experience. Attempting Medium or higher at 4K will result in sub-60 FPS averages, which the database considers unplayable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU in this combination provide context for what other hardware would behave similarly in Doom.

For the Intel Core i5-11400F, the closest scoring CPUs in the database are:

• AMD EPYC 7H12: Average score 17120, 0.3% slower. This server-class processor would offer nearly identical multi-threaded performance in gaming, though its power characteristics differ.
• Intel Core i5-12450H: Average score 17239, 0.4% faster. This mobile chip performs within a negligible margin of the desktop i5-11400F.
• AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G: Average score 17278, 0.6% faster. A more modern desktop APU that would provide similar CPU-bound frame rates.
• Intel Core Ultra 7 164U: Average score 17074, 0.6% slower. A low-power mobile processor that still matches the i5-11400F in synthetic tests.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, the closest scoring GPUs are:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580: Average score 15283, 0% difference. A much older card that, despite its age, scores nearly identically in the database's aggregate metrics.
• AMD Radeon 680M: Average score 15270, 0.1% slower. An integrated GPU that surprisingly matches the RTX 2060's average score, though real-world gaming performance may differ.
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM: Average score 15199, 0.6% slower. A direct modern successor that is statistically tied with the RTX 2060.
• AMD Radeon RX 7600: Average score 15171, 0.8% slower. A current-generation discrete GPU that performs within 1% of the RTX 2060 in the database's benchmarks.

Users with these alternative components should expect very similar FPS numbers in Doom, as the synthetic scores are nearly identical. The practical difference between any of these rivals and the tested hardware is within measurement error, so the gameplay experience would be effectively the same.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2924 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the 21st percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 21% of the database's recorded configurations for this specific game.

This ranking may seem low, but it must be interpreted with context. The database includes many high-end combinations with newer GPUs and CPUs that are specifically designed for 4K gaming. For a mid-range pairing from 2021, the rank reflects that the RTX 2060 is now several generations old. However, the measured FPS data shows this combo is highly capable at 1080p and 1440p, which is the resolution range most users with this hardware would target.

The combo's rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's 58th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU sits in the 71st percentile. The GPU is the weaker link in this pairing, and it drags the overall rank down when compared to combos featuring RTX 30-series or RX 6000-series cards. Nevertheless, for Doom specifically, the game's optimization allows this older GPU to still deliver a smooth experience at mainstream resolutions. The data indicates that this combo is a solid choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the caveat that 4K requires significant settings compromises.