Doom

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a robust experience in Doom, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and presets. At 1080p, the combination is overwhelmingly powerful, pushing frame rates well beyond the 60 FPS threshold even at maximum settings. Moving to 1440p, the system maintains high performance, though the GPU begins to carry more weight. At 4K, the limits of the RTX 4060 become apparent, with only Low and Medium presets clearing the playable threshold. The data indicates a capable pairing for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring settings compromises.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this configuration shows a clear hierarchy based on resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, the system is never challenged. With Low settings, the average frame rate hits 229.8 FPS, which is the highest recorded for this combo. Medium settings still deliver a commanding 198.2 FPS average, while High settings produce 168.9 FPS. Even at Ultra, the average remains at a very high 140 FPS, indicating that the CPU and GPU have substantial headroom for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected drop from 1080p. The Low preset averages 145 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth. Medium settings follow closely at 125.3 FPS, and High settings manage 107.1 FPS. The Ultra preset, which likely introduces more demanding effects, still averages 86.4 FPS. This resolution is clearly within the comfortable operating range for this hardware, with all presets providing a fluid experience well above 60 FPS.

The 3840x2160 results reveal the RTX 4060's 8 GB memory buffer and 128-bit bus becoming a limiting factor. At Low settings, the average FPS is 80.9, which is playable. Medium settings drop to 66.4 FPS, still above the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, High settings fall to 56.4 FPS, and Ultra drops further to 49.7 FPS. These lower figures indicate that while the game is technically runnable at 4K, the visual quality must be significantly reduced to maintain smooth gameplay. The performance delta between Low and Ultra at 4K is approximately 31 FPS, showing a steep cost for higher fidelity.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware might perform similarly. For the Intel Core i7-13700K, the closest comparable processors based on average benchmark scores are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46971, a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, also within 0.3%. On the other side, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654, a 0.5% difference, and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 scores 46653, also 0.5% away. These deltas are so small that a user would see virtually identical CPU-bound performance in Doom with any of these four processors.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060's nearest rivals are interesting. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17666, a 0.2% difference, which is surprising given the generational gap. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, a 0.3% difference, indicating the integrated graphics solution is close in raw compute benchmarks. The AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17551, a 0.5% difference, and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 scores 17509, a 0.7% difference. These scores suggest that in synthetic benchmarks, these GPUs are closely matched, though real-world gaming performance may vary due to driver support and feature sets. In practice, a system with any of these GPUs would likely produce similar frame rates in Doom, with the RTX 4060 holding a slight edge in modern API workloads.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a shifting balance between CPU and GPU influence depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with the Ultra preset hitting 140 FPS and Low hitting 229.8 FPS. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU is doing more of the work, as the GPU has less pixel-pushing burden. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 89.8 FPS drop, indicating that the GPU is still heavily involved in rendering effects, but the high absolute numbers suggest the CPU is keeping up without bottlenecking.

At 2560x1440, the GPU becomes more prominent. The frame rate difference between Low (145 FPS) and Ultra (86.4 FPS) is 58.6 FPS, a smaller absolute drop than at 1080p. This indicates that the GPU is starting to hit its limits with higher settings, as the increased pixel count demands more from the renderer. The CPU is still providing enough throughput to avoid being a limiting factor, but the GPU's workload is clearly increasing.

The 3840x2160 results show the GPU taking the dominant role. The difference between Low (80.9 FPS) and Ultra (49.7 FPS) is 31.2 FPS, and even at Low, the frame rate is only slightly above the 60 FPS threshold. Here, the CPU is likely idle waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame. The RTX 4060's 8 GB memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely strained by the 4K resolution. The data shows that lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 4K yields a 62.8% improvement in frame rate, highlighting that the GPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Doom is answered clearly by the measured data. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 140 FPS. This is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh monitors. At 2560x1440, the system also clears the threshold on all presets, with Ultra averaging 86.4 FPS. This resolution offers a great balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The data shows that only Low (80.9 FPS) and Medium (66.4 FPS) settings are playable, meaning they stay above 60 FPS. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, which provides an average of 66.4 FPS. High (56.4 FPS) and Ultra (49.7 FPS) fall below the playable threshold, so users aiming for 4K must be willing to sacrifice visual quality. In summary, this PC can run Doom at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings for a highly fluid experience, while 4K requires Medium settings for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks at position 2051 out of 3712 combos. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is reasonable given the GPU's mid-range positioning. The CPU is a high-end desktop part with a strong 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, but the RTX 4060 sits at the 61st percentile among all GPUs. The combination's overall rank reflects the GPU as the limiting factor; had a more powerful GPU been paired with the i7-13700K, the rank would likely be much higher. The data indicates that this is a balanced pairing for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not designed for high-end 4K performance.

FAQ

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

A: At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Medium, which achieves an average frame rate of 66.4 FPS. High and Ultra presets fall below the 60 FPS playable threshold at 56.4 FPS and 49.7 FPS, respectively.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the system averages 86.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets at this resolution also exceed 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with a score of 17666, a 0.2% difference. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, a 0.3% difference.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 229.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 140 FPS. This represents a 89.8 FPS drop when moving to the highest settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops significantly with higher settings, and even the Low preset only achieves 80.9 FPS, suggesting the CPU has ample headroom.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Doom?*

A: This specific combination ranks 2051 out of 3712 tested combos. The CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, indicating the GPU is the bottleneck for higher rankings.