Doom

Intel Core i5-12400 paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is a combination that heavily favors the GPU side of the equation for Doom. The data shows this is a staggeringly fast pairing for a 2016 title, with measured results across three resolutions and four quality presets. At no point does the average frame rate dip below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and the lowest recorded minimum frame rate in the entire dataset is 108 FPS at 4K Medium. This is a system built for high-refresh displays, and the benchmark results indicate the CPU, while competent, is essentially a supporting actor to the RTX 5080's raw rendering power.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo is straightforward: performance is excellent everywhere, but the shape of the scaling reveals how the GPU and CPU interact. At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to expose CPU limitations, the averages are extremely high. On Low settings, the combo produces an average of 363 FPS. Moving to Medium drops the average to 345 FPS, with a minimum of 294 FPS and a maximum of 397 FPS. High settings reduce the average to 306 FPS, and Ultra settings still deliver an average of 250 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 113 FPS, which is notable but not massive in relative terms, suggesting the engine is still scaling with GPU load even at these high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the averages remain well above the refresh rates of most monitors. Low settings yield an average of 269 FPS. Medium settings drop that to 235 FPS, with the only recorded min/max values for this resolution being 199 FPS and 270 FPS, respectively. High settings produce an average of 198 FPS, and Ultra settings still clear the 144 Hz mark with an average of 162 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra here is 107 FPS, a similar absolute difference to 1080p, but the percentage drop is slightly steeper as the GPU begins to work harder.

The most demanding resolution, 3840x2160, shows where the RTX 5080 really starts to flex its muscle. Low settings average 146 FPS. Medium settings average 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 146 FPS. High settings average 107 FPS, and Ultra settings average 88 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 58 FPS, which is a much more significant relative drop than at lower resolutions, indicating that the GPU is now the definitive bottleneck. Even the Ultra preset at 4K, with an average of 88 FPS, provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data clearly shows that the RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing for Doom, but the CPU's role shifts depending on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are so high (averaging 250-363 FPS) that the game is likely hitting a point where the i5-12400's six P-cores and 12 threads are being pushed to their limit. The fact that the average FPS drops by about 113 FPS from Low to Ultra at 1080p suggests that while GPU load is increasing, the sheer number of frames being produced means the CPU is still keeping pace. The 3dmark single-thread score of 910 and the passmark single-thread score of 3456 indicate solid single-core performance, which is what Doom's engine heavily relies on for game logic and draw calls.

As the resolution increases to 2560x1440, the gap between the Low and Ultra presets remains similar in absolute terms (107 FPS), but the overall frame rates are lower. This indicates the GPU is starting to take on more of the rendering load, but the CPU is still delivering frames fast enough to avoid becoming the primary limiter. The average FPS at 1440p Ultra (162 FPS) is still far above the 60 FPS threshold, which reinforces that the i5-12400 is not holding this GPU back in any meaningful way at this resolution.

The picture changes at 3840x2160. Here, the frame rates drop significantly across all presets, and the difference between Low (146 FPS) and Ultra (88 FPS) becomes much more pronounced in relative terms. This is classic GPU-bound behavior. The CPU's role diminishes because the GPU is working so hard to fill the 8.3 million pixels. The i5-12400's job is to feed the GPU with draw commands, and at 4K, the GPU's rendering time per frame is long enough that the CPU has ample time to prepare the next frame. The data shows that the scaling between 1440p and 4K is steep, with the 4K Ultra average (88 FPS) being roughly half of the 1440p Ultra average (162 FPS), which is a clear sign of GPU saturation.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Doom at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 88 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The verdict data lists Ultra as playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use at 1440p?

A: The data shows that Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 162 FPS. Since all presets at this resolution clear the playable threshold, choosing Ultra offers the best visual quality without sacrificing high refresh rate performance.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: Comparing the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 363 at 1920x1080 to 146 at 3840x2160, a reduction of about 60%. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 250 FPS to 88 FPS, which is a 65% reduction.

Q: Is the i5-12400 a bottleneck for the RTX 5080 in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is only a potential limiting factor at very high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average of 363 FPS is likely near the practical limit for this processor, but at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The 4K Ultra average of 88 FPS indicates the GPU is doing the heavy lifting.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only min/max values reported in the measured data are for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1920x1080 Medium, the range is 294 to 397 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the range is 199 to 270 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the range is 108 to 146 FPS.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS in all tested scenarios?

A: Yes. Every measured average FPS value exceeds 60 FPS. The lowest average is 88 FPS at 4K Ultra, and the lowest recorded minimum FPS is 108 at 4K Medium. No scene in the dataset drops below the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data lists nearest rivals for both components, which helps contextualize where this pairing sits. For the Intel Core i5-12400, the closest comparable chips in average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 7643 (18697 avg score, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i7-1355U (18730 avg score, -0.3% delta). The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (18811 avg score, -0.7% delta) is also within a percentage point. In practical terms for Doom, any of these CPUs would likely produce very similar frame rates when paired with the RTX 5080, since the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 1440p and 4K. The Intel Core i3-14100F (18519 avg score, 0.9% delta) is the only rival that scores slightly higher, but the difference is under 1%, which is negligible for gaming.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5080's nearest rivals are a mix of AMD cards. The AMD Radeon 8060S (55757 avg score, 0.6% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698 avg score, 0.7% delta) are essentially tied with the RTX 5080 in average benchmark score, though the RTX 5080's avg score of 56083 puts it slightly ahead. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828 avg score, 2.3% delta) is a bit further behind, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (57367 avg score, -2.2% delta) scores higher. For Doom specifically, any of these GPUs would likely deliver very similar FPS at 4K, with the RX 9070 GRE potentially offering a small edge. The practical takeaway is that if you were to swap the RTX 5080 for an RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, you would see nearly identical performance in this title, despite the significant difference in launch MSRP.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Doom, this specific pairing of an Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 211 out of 3712 combos. That places it in the top 5.7% of all tested systems, which is an exceptionally strong showing. The high rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU's performance, as the RTX 5080 sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs with a passmark G3D score of 36565. The i5-12400, by contrast, sits in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 18683. The disparity in percentile ranking underscores that the GPU is the star of this show, but the CPU is more than adequate to avoid dragging the system down. For a game like Doom that is well-optimized and not overly CPU-intensive, this rank makes sense. The top 210 combos likely feature even faster CPUs or more overclocked variants, but the data shows this combo is within striking distance of the very best.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Doom? The answer is unequivocally yes, and it can do so at maximum quality across every resolution tested. The verdict data lists the playable settings for each resolution as High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, meaning every preset produces an average FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average FPS of 250. At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best choice, delivering an average of 162 FPS. Even at 3840x2160, the most demanding scenario, Ultra settings are playable with an average of 88 FPS.

The practical recommendation is simple: if you own a 1080p or 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate (144 Hz or higher), this combo will max out the display in nearly every scenario. At 4K, you can still play on Ultra and enjoy a smooth experience, or you could drop to High for an average of 107 FPS if you prefer extra headroom. The only caveat is that at 1080p with Low settings, the average of 363 FPS is likely CPU-limited, but that is a non-issue for real-world play. This is a high-end pairing that utterly demolishes Doom's system requirements, and the data confirms it is a top-tier choice for this game.