Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 delivers a performance profile in Doom that is decisively playable across all tested resolutions, though the margin of comfort varies significantly from 4K down to 1080p. The measured data shows a system that can push well beyond the 60 FPS threshold at lower resolutions, but requires careful settings management at 4K to avoid dropping below it. The combination's rank of 1640 out of 3712 tested combos places it in the 44th percentile of all tested configurations for this specific title, indicating a mid-pack standing that belies its strong absolute performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this combo are characterized by a steep scaling curve tied directly to resolution and preset selection. At 1920x1080, the system exhibits extraordinary headroom, with the Low preset delivering an average of 243 FPS. Stepping up to Medium yields 211 FPS average, with a recorded minimum of 180 FPS and maximum of 243 FPS, showing tight frame pacing. The High preset maintains 179 FPS average, while the most demanding Ultra preset still produces a substantial 146 FPS average. This indicates that at 1080p, the RTX 5060 is rarely the limiting factor, and the i5-14600K's strong single-thread performance keeps frame rates high.

Moving to 2560x1440, the data shows a predictable but moderate decline. The Low preset averages 157 FPS. Medium settings produce 137 FPS average, with the same 116 FPS minimum and 157 FPS maximum spread observed at 1080p Medium, suggesting consistent frame delivery. High settings drop to a 116 FPS average, while Ultra remains comfortably above the playability threshold at 95 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is a 60 FPS drop, which is a 38% reduction, indicating that the GPU's rendering load is becoming more significant but still leaves ample performance for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. The Low preset averages 85 FPS. Medium settings produce a 74 FPS average with a minimum of 63 FPS and maximum of 85 FPS, which is noteworthy because the minimum still clears the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 63 FPS, right at the playable threshold, with no min/max data provided for this preset. The Ultra preset is the outlier, dropping to a 51 FPS average, which falls below the 60 FPS playability standard. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 34 FPS, a 40% reduction, showing that the RTX 5060's 8 GB GDDR7 memory and 128-bit bus are under significant strain at this resolution with maximum settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1640 out of 3712 tested combinations places this system in the 44th percentile for Doom performance. This is a surprisingly modest position given the high absolute frame rates observed, suggesting that many other tested configurations deliver even higher performance in this particular title. The game's 2016 release date and its id Tech 6 engine, which was designed to scale well on a wide range of hardware, likely explains this; many older or mid-range GPUs can achieve high frame rates in Doom, compressing the performance field. The data indicates that while this combo is by no means at the bottom of the pack, it does not crack the top half of tested systems, meaning it faces stiff competition from other CPU-GPU pairings that may offer higher FPS for this specific workload.

The percentileVsAllCpus of 90 for the i5-14600K and percentileVsAllGpus of 72 for the RTX 5060 provide context for this rank. The CPU is in the top 10% of all tested processors, while the GPU is in the top 28%. In Doom, which is known for being CPU-efficient and heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, the GPU's lower relative standing likely pulls the combo rank down. The game's engine favors high memory bandwidth and raw pixel throughput, areas where the RTX 5060's 448 GB/s bandwidth and 48 ROPs are competent but not exceptional compared to higher-tier cards.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K with the High preset?*

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 63 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, which exactly meets the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, it is a borderline result, and the lack of min/max data for this preset means occasional dips below 60 FPS cannot be ruled out.

Q: What is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 95 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution, with Medium showing a minimum of 116 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 5060 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is more of a factor at 1080p, as the Low preset hits 243 FPS average, which is near the limit of many displays. The Ultra preset's 146 FPS average indicates the GPU still has headroom, but the scaling from Low to Ultra is not linear, suggesting a mix of CPU and GPU limits.

Q: How does the 4K Medium preset compare to 4K High in terms of FPS?

A: The Medium preset at 3840x2160 averages 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, while the High preset averages 63 FPS. The Medium preset provides an 11 FPS higher average and a documented floor that stays at the playable threshold, making it a safer choice for 4K.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Doom?*

A: The combination ranks 1640 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the 44th percentile. This is a solid but not elite position, meaning many other configurations deliver higher frame rates in this title.

Q: Does the 4K Ultra preset ever hit 60 FPS?

A: No, the 4K Ultra preset averages 51 FPS, which is 15% below the 60 FPS threshold. There is no min/max data provided, but the average is sufficiently low that it fails the playability standard.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14600K's average benchmark score of 48618 is closely matched by several other processors. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48698, a delta of -0.2%, meaning it is essentially identical in performance. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a 0.3% delta, putting it in the same performance band. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, a 0.7% delta, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, a -0.8% delta. For Doom, any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates, as the game's engine does not heavily stress multi-core performance beyond 8 threads, and the i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5060's average benchmark score of 26331 is closely bracketed by several rivals. The AMD Radeon 860M scores 26401, a -0.3% delta, making it a near-perfect match in synthetic performance. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421, also a -0.3% delta, which is surprising given the MX550's lesser specifications, but the data shows similar average scores. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 26553, a -0.8% delta, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26011, a 1.2% delta. In Doom, these GPUs would deliver very similar FPS at each resolution, with the RX 6750 XT potentially performing slightly better due to its higher score, while the MX550's real-world performance may fall short despite the synthetic parity.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains an average at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves 146 FPS. This is the clear choice for maximum visual quality, as the system has substantial headroom with the next lowest preset (High) at 179 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also qualifies, averaging 95 FPS. This provides an excellent balance of visual fidelity and performance, with all presets remaining playable. At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The High preset averages 63 FPS, which is exactly at the threshold, but the Medium preset offers a more secure experience at 74 FPS with a documented minimum of 63 FPS. The verdict data designates High as the best settings at 4K, but the Medium preset's min FPS data makes it the safer recommendation for consistent frame delivery.

The Verdict

This PC can definitively run Doom at playable frame rates in the vast majority of scenarios. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold with ease, with the lowest (Ultra) averaging 146 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate displays. At 2560x1440, the same is true; even the Ultra preset averages 95 FPS, providing excellent performance. At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The data shows that High, Low, and Medium presets are playable, with High being the designated "best settings" at an average of 63 FPS. However, this is a razor-thin margin, and the Medium preset's average of 74 FPS with a 63 FPS minimum is arguably the more robust choice for 4K gaming. The Ultra preset at 4K is not playable, averaging 51 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS standard. In summary, the system is fully capable of running the game at high settings on 1080p and 1440p, and at medium settings on 4K without any playability concerns.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals distinct scaling patterns that illuminate the respective roles of the i5-14600K and RTX 5060. At 1920x1080, the performance gap between Low (243 FPS) and Ultra (146 FPS) is 97 FPS, a 40% reduction. This relatively moderate drop, combined with the extremely high absolute FPS, suggests that the CPU is a significant contributor to frame rates at this resolution. The i5-14600K's high single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064) is well-suited to Doom's draw call processing, and the GPU is not fully saturated until higher settings are applied.

At 2560x1440, the scaling from Low (157 FPS) to Ultra (95 FPS) shows a 60 FPS drop, which is a 38% reduction. This is remarkably similar to the 1080p scaling, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take on more load, but the CPU still has enough headroom to keep up. The RTX 5060's 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is being utilized more heavily, but the game's engine is not pushing it to its limits.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. The scaling from Low (85 FPS) to Ultra (51 FPS) is a 34 FPS drop, which is a 40% reduction, similar in percentage to lower resolutions. However, the absolute frame rates are much lower, indicating that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck. The RTX 5060's 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus becomes a limiting factor at 4K, particularly with Ultra settings that likely exceed the memory capacity or bandwidth. The CPU's role diminishes at this resolution, as the game becomes increasingly pixel-bound. The data suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the i5-14600K is a strong partner that prevents CPU-induced frame dips, while at 4K, the RTX 5060 is the definitive limiter, and the CPU's performance is largely irrelevant to the final frame rate.