Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a performance profile that is highly dependent on resolution and settings in Doom. The data shows a system capable of excellent frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but it is constrained at 4K, where only the lowest preset maintains a playable experience. Benchmark results indicate a strong overall combination, with the CPU and GPU each taking on different levels of importance as resolution scales.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo handles Doom across three resolutions and four settings presets. The numbers reveal a smooth scaling curve, with performance dropping predictably as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset produces an average of 186 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this combination. The Medium preset averages 162 FPS, with a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 186 FPS. High settings average 137 FPS, while Ultra still delivers a very strong 112 FPS average. Every preset at this resolution is far above the 60 FPS playable threshold, leaving significant headroom for competitive play or high refresh rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show the expected impact of increased pixel count. Low settings average 120 FPS, and Medium averages 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. High settings drop to an 88 FPS average, while Ultra maintains a solid 72 FPS average. All presets at this resolution clear the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring a smooth experience even at maximum detail.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes dramatically. The Ultra preset averages only 39 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. High settings average 48 FPS, still short of 60 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS, which is borderline. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 65 FPS. This resolution demands significant compromise, as the GPU is clearly the limiting factor here.

The data shows that the 1080p and 1440p results are consistently strong, with the 4K results revealing the Arc B580’s limitations under heavy load. The spread between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution is substantial: 74 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K, indicating that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Only with the Low preset. The measured average at 3840x2160 Low is 65 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 57 FPS, High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS, all below playable levels.

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

A: Ultra is fully playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 72 FPS. The verdict data lists all four presets as playable at this resolution, but Ultra provides the highest visual quality while still maintaining a 72 FPS average.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The average frame rates drop by approximately 25-30% depending on the preset. For example, Ultra goes from 112 FPS at 1920x1080 to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, and Low goes from 186 FPS to 120 FPS. The scaling is consistent across presets.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU matter more for this game?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is the primary factor, as evidenced by the large performance differences between settings presets. At 4K, the GPU becomes even more dominant, with the Ultra preset falling to 39 FPS. The CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads provide ample processing power, but the Arc B580’s 12 GB of memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are the key constraints at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum is 89 FPS, with an average of 105 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This shows a stable frame pacing with no severe dips below the playable threshold.

Q: Is the Ultra preset at 1080p the best way to play?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 112 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS threshold. It is the most demanding preset that remains fully playable, and the frame rate is high enough for smooth gameplay on most displays.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data shows a clear division of labor between the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the Intel Arc B580 in Doom. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as evidenced by the wide spread between Low (186 FPS) and Ultra (112 FPS). The CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads are more than sufficient at this resolution, and the system is clearly GPU-bound. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085, ensures it does not bottleneck the frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the GPU’s role becomes even more pronounced. The performance drop from 1080p is consistent across all presets, with Ultra falling from 112 FPS to 72 FPS and Low falling from 186 FPS to 120 FPS. This indicates that the Arc B580’s 2560 shading units and 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are the limiting factor. The CPU still has headroom, as the frame rate scaling aligns with the increased pixel count rather than any CPU limitation.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for the experience. The Ultra preset’s 39 FPS average and the Medium preset’s 57 FPS average show that the Arc B580’s memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s and pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s are insufficient for high-detail 4K rendering. The CPU’s role is reduced to maintaining frame pacing, which it does adequately, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s raw throughput limits. The data suggests that the CPU is never the bottleneck in this game, while the GPU’s performance scales inversely with resolution, as expected.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and Intel Arc B580 can run Doom, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all four presets—Low (186 FPS), Medium (162 FPS), High (137 FPS), and Ultra (112 FPS)—clearing the 60 FPS threshold with ease. This is the sweet spot for this combination, offering high frame rates even at maximum detail.

At 2560x1440, the system remains fully playable across all presets. The Ultra preset averages 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, and High, Medium, and Low all perform well. The verdict data confirms that all four settings at this resolution are playable, making 1440p a viable option for high-quality gaming.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more restrictive. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 65 FPS. The Medium preset’s 57 FPS average is below the threshold, and High (48 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) are unplayable. The data shows that 4K gaming requires the lowest settings to maintain a playable frame rate, and even then, the margin is only 5 FPS above the threshold. This system is not ideal for 4K Doom, but it can manage it with significant graphical compromises.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured FPS data and the verdict by resolution, the best settings are defined as the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 112 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while still delivering a frame rate well above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset at this resolution is the most demanding option that remains fully playable.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 72 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, offering a balanced experience with high detail and smooth performance. The 72 FPS average provides a comfortable margin above the minimum.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Low, with an average of 65 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that clears the 60 FPS threshold. While Low settings reduce visual fidelity, it is the sole playable option, and the 65 FPS average is sufficient for a functional 4K experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2786 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum for this game. The rank reflects the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions, as the data shows strong 1080p and 1440p performance but weak 4K performance.

The CPU’s individual benchmark scores are competitive, with an average benchmark score of 46062, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% higher score), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.1% lower), and the AMD EPYC 4364P (0.2% higher). This indicates the CPU is a strong performer, but the combo rank is dragged down by the GPU.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 23021, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (0.2% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (0.7% lower). The Arc B580’s performance is respectable, but its 12 GB memory and 192-bit bus width limit its ability to handle 4K Ultra settings in Doom, as shown by the 39 FPS average. The combo’s rank of 2786 out of 3712 reflects this mixed performance, with strong results at lower resolutions and clear limitations at 4K.