Doom

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is an exceptionally strong combination for running Doom, delivering playable frame rates at every tested resolution and preset. The data shows that this combo not only meets but far exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold across the board, making it a capable setup for high-refresh-rate monitors and demanding visual settings. Benchmark results indicate that the most demanding preset—Ultra—remains comfortably above 60 FPS even at 4K, which is a significant achievement for a game of this era.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 64.8 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and the data confirms it holds above the playable threshold. While the margin above 60 FPS is not enormous, it is sufficient for a smooth experience in most scenarios. The High preset at 4K delivers 80.2 FPS on average, providing more headroom, but Ultra remains viable for those prioritizing visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 118 FPS. This is a substantial improvement over the 4K figure, showing that the resolution scaling heavily favors this combo. The 118 FPS average at Ultra settings means that even the most demanding preset is not just playable but actually ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p displays.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 183.1 FPS. This is a stellar result, indicating that the CPU and GPU combination is not bottlenecked at this resolution. The frame rate is high enough to fully utilize a 144Hz or even a 165Hz monitor, and the Ultra preset provides the best visual experience without any compromise.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear pattern in how the CPU and GPU share the workload across resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS at Ultra is 183.1, while at 1440p it drops to 118, and at 4K it falls further to 64.8. This scaling shows that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises, since the pixel count grows and places more strain on the rendering hardware.

At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the GPU is likely the limiting factor, but the CPU still plays a crucial role in feeding it. The Core i9-14900K, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, has a strong single-core performance as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5, which helps maintain high frame rates in a fast-paced FPS like Doom. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 302.6 vs 183.1 FPS, a drop of about 40%, which indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder by the higher preset.

At 1440p, the gap between Low (194.5 FPS) and Ultra (118 FPS) narrows slightly in percentage terms, but the absolute numbers remain high. This suggests the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, but the CPU is not falling behind. At 4K, the difference between Low (104.9 FPS) and Ultra (64.8 FPS) is a drop of about 38%, which is similar to the 1080p scaling, reinforcing that the GPU's workload scales consistently with resolution.

The CPU's importance is most evident at lower resolutions and lower presets, where it must keep up with the high frame rates. The i9-14900K's Passmark single-thread score of 4697 and Geekbench single-core score of 2655 place it in the top percentile of processors, ensuring it does not become a limiting factor. However, the data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences between presets, as the FPS drops are consistent with increased GPU load.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 104.9 FPS, Medium settings produce 93.5 FPS, High settings produce 80.2 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 64.8 FPS. All presets stay above the 60 FPS threshold, but Ultra is the closest to it. The step-down from Low to Ultra is a reduction of 40.1 FPS, which shows a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low settings yield 194.5 FPS, Medium settings yield 169.2 FPS, High settings yield 142.4 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 118 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 76.5 FPS, which is a more significant drop than at 4K, but the absolute numbers are much higher. This resolution offers a sweet spot for high refresh rates, as even Ultra stays well above 100 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the performance is outstanding: Low settings produce 302.6 FPS, Medium settings produce 260.8 FPS, High settings produce 221.2 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 183.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 119.5 FPS, which is the largest absolute drop across all resolutions, but the lowest value is still extremely high. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU are working in harmony to deliver frame rates that are far beyond what most monitors can display.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i9-14900KF has an average benchmark score of 79371, which is nearly identical to the Core i9-14900K's score of 79097, with a delta of -0.3%. This means that in Doom, the performance would be practically indistinguishable, as the KF variant lacks integrated graphics but has the same core architecture and clock speeds. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus has a score of 79574 with a delta of -0.6%, indicating it is also very close in performance. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041 with a delta of -1.2%, which is slightly higher on average, but this is a server-class chip and may not have the same gaming optimizations. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740 with a delta of 1.7%, meaning the i9-14900K is about 1.7% faster than this rival.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are all within a small margin of the RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249 with a delta of -0.3%, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23250 with a delta of -0.3%, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23273 with a delta of -0.4%, and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23276 with a delta of -0.4%. These deltas are all negative, meaning the RTX 3080 is slightly faster than each of these rivals, but the differences are minimal. In practical terms, these GPUs would deliver very similar frame rates in Doom, though the RTX 3080 has a slight edge.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination ranks 1041 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the top 28% of all configurations, which is a strong showing given the breadth of hardware tested. The percentile rank for the CPU alone is 95 (meaning it is in the top 5% of all CPUs), and the GPU's percentile is 68 (top 32% of all GPUs). The combo rank is lower than the CPU's percentile, which indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing, but the overall result is still very high.

The data suggests that this combo is well-balanced for Doom, with the CPU providing ample headroom and the GPU delivering solid frame rates. The rank of 1041 out of 3712 means there are many combos that perform better, likely those with newer or higher-end GPUs, but this combination is far above average. For a game like Doom, which is well-optimized, this rank reflects the ability to run all presets at all resolutions above 60 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 64.8 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest FPS this combo can achieve in Doom?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 302.6 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At the Ultra preset, the highest is 183.1 FPS at the same resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA P106-100?

A: The RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 23172, while the P106-100 scores 23249, giving a delta of -0.3%. This means the RTX 3080 is slightly faster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Doom at 1440p?

A: The data shows a drop from 194.5 FPS at Low to 118 FPS at Ultra, a reduction of 76.5 FPS, which indicates the GPU is the primary factor at this resolution, as the workload scales with preset quality.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1041 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the top 28% of all configurations tested for Doom.

Q: Does the i9-14900K outperform the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395?

A: Yes, the i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097, while the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, giving a delta of 1.7% in favor of the Intel chip.