Doom

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces results that consistently fall below the playable threshold. The highest average recorded at this resolution is 37 FPS on Low settings, with Medium settings delivering 33 FPS on average and a minimum of 28 FPS, maximum of 37 FPS. High settings drop to 28 FPS average, while Ultra settings bottom out at 22 FPS average. None of these figures approach the 60 FPS playability mark, and the gap is substantial across every preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the situation improves considerably. Low settings achieve an average of 69 FPS, which clears the playable threshold with a modest margin. Medium settings land exactly at 60 FPS average, with a recorded minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS. High settings fall to 51 FPS average, missing the 60 FPS target, and Ultra settings drop further to 41 FPS average. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1440p, only the two lowest presets remain viable for smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080, the combination performs strongly across the board. Low settings deliver 107 FPS average, Medium settings produce 93 FPS average with a minimum of 79 FPS and maximum of 107 FPS, High settings reach 78 FPS average, and Ultra settings hold at 64 FPS average. Every preset at 1080p exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold, with Ultra maintaining a 4 FPS cushion above the target. The scaling from 4K to 1080p is steep, reflecting the GPU's limitations at higher pixel counts.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The processor in this configuration ranks near several other CPUs in the database. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 0.2% lower on average, placing it as the closest CPU rival. The AMD EPYC 4345P sits 0.3% higher, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX trails by 0.7%. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% weaker in average benchmark score. These deltas are minimal, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame pacing in Doom, provided the GPU remains the same.

On the graphics side, the Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, a low position that indicates limited headroom. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts. The GeForce GT 520MX scores 1.3% higher, the GeForce 800M is 1.5% ahead, the GeForce GT 625 OEM leads by 2.5%, and the GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% faster. These differences are small enough that swapping the Arc B390 for any of these GPUs would yield broadly similar frame rates in Doom, though the measured data here applies specifically to the Arc B390.

Because the GPU's nearest rivals are all older, low-end parts, the user should expect comparable performance characteristics: playable at 1080p on most presets, marginal at 1440p on low to medium settings, and unplayable at 4K. The CPU's nearest rivals are all modern server or desktop processors, so CPU-side bottlenecks are unlikely to emerge in this title. The data suggests the GPU is the constraining factor at higher resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS average. The database records no playable settings for this resolution, and the best available average is 37 FPS on Low. Since the verdict list for 4K is empty, there is no recommended preset that meets the playability bar.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an exact average of 60 FPS. This is the highest quality setting that remains playable, and it does so right at the threshold. Low settings also qualify at 69 FPS, but Medium is the better visual choice given it still clears the target.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings deliver 64 FPS average, making it the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. This is the optimal choice for maximum visual quality at this resolution. All four presets, Low at 107 FPS, Medium at 93 FPS, High at 78 FPS, and Ultra at 64 FPS, clear the threshold, so users can select based on visual preference without sacrificing playability.

The Verdict

This PC can run Doom, but only under specific resolution and preset combinations. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160, no settings achieve 60 FPS, so 4K is not playable. At 2560x1440, Low and Medium settings clear the threshold, with Medium averaging exactly 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, all four presets, High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, are playable, with Ultra holding 64 FPS average.

The 1080p experience is the strong point of this configuration. Users targeting 60 FPS or higher can run the game at maximum settings with a small buffer above the threshold. At 1440p, Medium is the ceiling, and it sits precisely at 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, meaning occasional dips below the target are possible. At 4K, the system falls well short, with the best case being 37 FPS on Low, which is roughly 38% below the playability mark.

For a smooth experience, the recommended path is 1080p Ultra. For those willing to accept visual compromises, 1440p Medium is the highest playable option. 4K should be avoided unless the user accepts frame rates in the 22 to 37 FPS range, which would be noticeably stuttery for a fast-paced FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in this game. The Intel Core i5-14600K is a high-end desktop processor with 14 cores, 20 threads, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, placing it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and single-core score of 2064 indicate ample processing headroom for a game like Doom, which is not particularly CPU-intensive by modern standards.

The Intel Arc B390, conversely, is a low-power integrated graphics solution with a 3 nm process, 1536 shading units, and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, a very low standing. The GPU's nearest rivals are all entry-level discrete parts from a decade ago, confirming its limited capability.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant constraint. The frame rate drops from 37 FPS on Low to 22 FPS on Ultra, a reduction of 15 FPS or roughly 41% when moving from the least to most demanding preset. This sensitivity to settings indicates the GPU is fully saturated at 4K. The CPU has no trouble feeding the GPU at this resolution, as even the lowest preset cannot reach 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the GPU remains the primary factor, but the margin narrows. Low settings hit 69 FPS, while Ultra drops to 41 FPS, a spread of 28 FPS. The fact that Low exceeds 60 FPS while High falls short suggests the GPU's fillrate and shading capacity are the limiting factors, not the CPU.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes more visible. The frame rates scale from 107 FPS on Low to 64 FPS on Ultra, a difference of 43 FPS. The fact that all presets clear 60 FPS indicates the GPU has enough headroom at this resolution, and the CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2491, helps maintain high frame rates even at Low settings where the GPU workload is lighter. The scaling between resolutions, from 107 FPS at 1080p Low to 37 FPS at 4K Low, is a 70 FPS drop, underscoring the GPU's limited ability to handle increased pixel counts.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 37 on Low settings, and the playable threshold is 60 FPS. No preset at 4K meets this requirement.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 achieve exactly 60 FPS average, making it the most demanding preset that stays at or above the playable threshold. Low also qualifies at 69 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600K compare to nearby CPUs in the database?

A: The i5-14600K scores within 0.8% of its nearest rivals. The AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.3% higher, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is 0.7% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% lower. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 0.2% lower.

Q: What GPU performance class does the Intel Arc B390 belong to?

A: The Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its closest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, and GeForce GT 710, with score differences ranging from 1.3% to 2.7%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Doom at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the GPU has enough headroom to clear 60 FPS on all presets, with Ultra at 64 FPS. The CPU's strong single-thread performance helps maintain high frame rates on lower presets, such as 107 FPS on Low, indicating both components contribute, but the GPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160, Medium settings record a minimum of 28 FPS. At 2560x1440, Medium records a minimum of 51 FPS. At 1920x1080, Medium records a minimum of 79 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3300 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places the system in the lower 11% of all configurations in the database, a position consistent with the GPU's low performance percentile of 9. The CPU's high percentile of 90 does little to boost the overall ranking because the game's frame rate is primarily limited by the graphics solution at most resolutions.

The ranking reflects the GPU's inability to handle higher resolutions. At 1080p, the system performs adequately, but the vast majority of tested combos likely feature more capable discrete GPUs that can sustain higher frame rates at 1440p or 4K. The 3300th position out of 3712 combos indicates that roughly 89% of tested systems outperform this configuration in Doom.

For users considering this combination, the ranking serves as a clear indicator: the system is suitable for 1080p gaming in this title, marginal at 1440p with specific presets, and unsuitable for 4K. The CPU is competitive with modern server and desktop parts, but the GPU's low standing drags the overall experience down. Upgrading the graphics solution would be the most effective way to improve the ranking, as the CPU already provides strong benchmark scores across multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.