Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT pairing delivers a high-refresh-rate Doom experience at 1080p and 1440p, but the CPU becomes a limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings. The data shows a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz, placing it in the 77th percentile among all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 scores of 11186 multi-core and 1579 single-core are modest by modern standards, yet the game’s engine scales well enough that the combo still ranks 645th out of 1681 tested configurations. At 1080p, the GPU is clearly the dominant component, with average FPS ranging from 234.4 on Low to 174.2 on Ultra. The CPU’s 16 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s are sufficient to feed the GPU at these settings, but the gap between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution increases, signaling a shift in bottleneck.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 5 2600’s 6 cores and 12 threads are the minimum requirement for smooth frame pacing in Doom, and the benchmark results confirm this is not a hard constraint at most settings. The processor’s 3.90 GHz boost clock is relatively low compared to modern rivals, yet the game’s id Tech engine is well-optimized for multi-threaded workloads, allowing the CPU to keep up with the RX 6800 XT at 1080p. The data reveals that at 1920x1080, the average FPS across all settings exceeds 174, which indicates the CPU is not the primary bottleneck; the GPU is doing the heavy lifting. However, the CPU’s single-thread performance, reflected in a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1579, becomes more relevant at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 2600’s average benchmark score of 19616 is only 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U and 0.7% higher than the Intel Core i7-10700F, while being 0.4% lower than the Intel Core i5-1345U. These negligible differences suggest that the CPU’s performance is not a differentiator in this game; the 2600 sits in a tightly clustered group. The 65W TDP and 12 nm process node are dated, but the game’s frame rates do not suffer because of them. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 60.2, which is exactly at the threshold of playability, and this is where the CPU’s limited single-core headroom becomes apparent—the GPU is waiting on the CPU to process the increased object complexity.

The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score of 2239 and multithread score of 13160 provide additional context. The multithread score is strong for a 2018 chip, but the single-thread score lags behind modern parts, and Doom’s frame generation is heavily dependent on draw call submission. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 140.2, which is 33% lower than 1080p High (207.8), and the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced as the GPU’s workload increases. The 16 MB shared L3 cache is a bottleneck in some titles, but here it seems adequate, as the FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p is linear with resolution, not a cliff.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Radeon RX 6800 XT is the star of this pairing, with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is more than enough for Doom at any setting, as the game’s texture pools rarely exceed even 8 GB at 4K. The GPU’s boost clock of 2250 MHz and game clock of 2015 MHz are high, and the 4608 shading units provide 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In this game, the GPU is the primary driver of performance at 1080p and 1440p, as evidenced by the 234.4 FPS average on Low at 1080p. The 128 ROPs and 288 TMUs ensure that fill-rate and texture filtering are not limiting factors, even at 4K.

Benchmark results show the RX 6800 XT ranks in the 87th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 49982. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A550M, is only 0.5% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is 2.6% slower. This places the RX 6800 XT in a competitive tier, but its 16 GB VRAM is a future-proofing advantage that does not directly impact Doom’s current frame rates. The GPU’s 300W TDP and dual-slot design are worth noting, but the benchmark data shows that the card’s performance is consistent across all resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 60.2, which is a 74% drop from 1080p Ultra (174.2), and this steep decline is primarily due to the GPU’s compute limits at higher pixel counts.

The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s is crucial at 4K, where the game’s high-resolution textures require fast data transfer. The 16 Gbps effective memory speed and 256-bit bus are sufficient to avoid stutter, but the 60.2 FPS average at 4K Ultra suggests that the GPU is near its limits. In contrast, at 1440p, the GPU has ample headroom, with the 186.1 FPS average on Low showing that the card can easily drive high refresh rate monitors. The GPU’s Vulkan support (version 1.4) is a key advantage, as Doom’s Vulkan path is known to be more efficient than OpenGL, and the benchmark scores reflect this with strong frame rates across all settings.

FAQ

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 2600 bottleneck the RX 6800 XT at 1080p?

A: No, the data shows the combo achieves 234.4 FPS on Low and 207.8 FPS on High at 1920x1080, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 144 FPS?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS on High is 140.2, which is close to but slightly below 144. For a solid 144 FPS, drop to Low settings at 1440p, which yields 186.1 FPS, or stay at 1080p where even Ultra averages 174.2 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance affect 4K gameplay?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 60.2, and the CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1579 indicates limited headroom for draw call processing. The 74% FPS drop from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra suggests the GPU is the main bottleneck, but the CPU’s single-thread speed prevents higher frame rates.

Q: Is 16 GB of VRAM necessary for Doom?

A: No, the game’s texture requirements are well below 16 GB, but the RX 6800 XT’s 512.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures smooth performance at 4K. The VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in any of the measured settings.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 645th out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the top 38% of all configurations. This is a strong ranking, but it reflects the CPU’s age rather than the GPU’s capability.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS on Low is 186.1, while Ultra drops to 114.4, a difference of 71.7 FPS or 38.5%. This shows that settings have a significant impact at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 234.4 FPS, Medium 224.7 FPS, High 207.8 FPS, and Ultra 174.2 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 60.2 FPS, a 25.7% reduction, which is relatively modest and indicates that the GPU has enough headroom to handle increased visual fidelity without tanking performance. These numbers are all above 144 FPS, making the combo ideal for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors. The gap between Medium and High is 16.9 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 33.6 FPS, suggesting that Ultra settings impose a steeper penalty than the lower tiers.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but start to show the GPU’s workload. Low averages 186.1 FPS, Medium 162.5 FPS, High 140.2 FPS, and Ultra 114.4 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings: Low falls by 48.3 FPS, Medium by 62.2 FPS, High by 67.6 FPS, and Ultra by 59.8 FPS. This linear scaling suggests that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, but the CPU’s influence begins to emerge at Ultra settings. At 1440p, only Low and Medium settings exceed 144 FPS, while High and Ultra require a 120Hz display to fully utilize the frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the combo’s performance drops significantly. Low averages 100.6 FPS, Medium 91.9 FPS, High 73.2 FPS, and Ultra 60.2 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper: Low falls by 85.5 FPS, Medium by 70.6 FPS, High by 67.0 FPS, and Ultra by 54.2 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is now severely stressed, and the CPU’s single-thread limitations are exposed at Ultra settings, where the frame rate falls to just above 60 FPS. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 18.7 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 13.0 FPS, showing that the GPU’s compute capacity is the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 645 out of 1681 tested configurations places it in the top 38% of all CPU-GPU pairings for Doom. This is a respectable position, but it is lower than what the GPU alone would suggest, given the RX 6800 XT’s 87th percentile ranking. The CPU’s 77th percentile ranking drags the combo down, as the Ryzen 5 2600 is a 2018 part that cannot fully leverage the GPU’s potential at lower resolutions. The data shows that the combo performs better at 1440p and 4K, where the GPU is more heavily utilized, but at 1080p, the CPU’s single-thread performance prevents the GPU from reaching its maximum frame rates.

Compared to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the RX 6800 XT is within 2.6% of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, which would typically rank higher in a game like Doom. However, the Ryzen 5 2600’s performance is within 0.7% of the Intel Core i7-10700F, meaning the CPU is not a significant outlier. The combo’s rank of 645 suggests that there are 644 other configurations that deliver higher average FPS, many of which likely pair the RX 6800 XT with a faster processor. The 60.2 FPS average at 4K Ultra is the weakest result, and this is where the combo falls behind newer CPUs that can maintain higher minimum frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data suggests using High settings at 2560x1440, where the combo averages 140.2 FPS. This is just below 144 FPS but provides a significantly better image than Medium. If a solid 144 FPS is required, drop to Medium at 1440p, which yields 162.5 FPS. At 1080p, Ultra settings are the clear choice, as the 174.2 FPS average is well above 144 FPS and delivers the best image quality. At 4K, High settings are the sweet spot, with 73.2 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. Ultra at 4K should be avoided, as the 60.2 FPS average is borderline and may drop below 60 in intense scenes.

The data shows that Low settings are never necessary at 1080p or 1440p, as even Ultra at 1440p averages 114.4 FPS. The biggest jump in performance comes from moving from Ultra to High at 1440p, which adds 25.8 FPS, while the visual difference is minimal. At 4K, the jump from Ultra to High adds 13.0 FPS, which is significant for maintaining smooth gameplay. Medium settings at 4K yield 91.9 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over High, but the visual downgrade may not be worth it for most users.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 234.4 at 1080p to 100.6 at 4K, a 57.1% reduction. At Medium, the drop is from 224.7 to 91.9, a 59.1% reduction. At High, the drop is from 207.8 to 73.2, a 64.8% reduction. At Ultra, the drop is from 174.2 to 60.2, a 65.4% reduction. The increasing percentage drop at higher settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the workload scales with resolution and settings. The CPU’s role is secondary, but the fact that the drop is larger at Ultra settings than at Low settings suggests that the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes more critical as the GPU produces more frames per second.

The data shows that the combo is most efficient at 1440p, where the FPS drop from 1080p is roughly 30-35% across all settings, which is proportional to the pixel count increase. At 4K, the drop is steeper, indicating that the GPU’s compute capabilities are reaching their limits. The 4K Ultra average of 60.2 FPS is exactly at the threshold of playability, and the 73.2 FPS at 4K High is a more comfortable target. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a secondary consideration for less demanding settings.