Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a remarkably consistent performance profile in Doom, one that prioritizes high refresh rates at standard resolutions and remains surprisingly capable at 4K. The data shows that this combination is fundamentally GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the CPU's six cores and twelve threads provide a sufficient foundation for the game's engine, ensuring that frame rates scale predictably with graphical settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 features 6 cores and 12 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. This Zen-based architecture, built on a 12 nm process, provides a solid multi-threaded foundation for modern game engines. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186 and a single-core score of 1579, indicating that its per-thread performance is adequate for driving a mid-range GPU without becoming a significant bottleneck.

The benchmark results in Doom support this assessment. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 227.2 FPS average, a figure that is nearly 36% higher than the 167.6 FPS seen at High settings. This significant scaling with settings at 1080p indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to keep it fully utilized, even when the graphical load is low. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 2239 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 19616 is within 0.7% of the Intel Core i7-10700F, a competitor with a higher boost clock. This confirms that the Ryzen 5 2600 has enough processing power to avoid limiting the RTX 4060 in most scenarios within this game.

The architecture’s 16 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s) help maintain smooth frame pacing. While the CPU is not the star of the show, its role is critical: it ensures that the GPU is not starved of instructions, allowing the RTX 4060 to reach its full potential. The data shows that even at 1440p, the frame rate drops by roughly 35% from 1080p at High settings (from 167.6 to 108.7 FPS), a pattern that suggests the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor, but the CPU is still keeping pace without introducing stutter or major frame dips.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For players targeting the smoothest experience on a high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor, the Medium preset is the clear sweet spot. It delivers an average of 196.9 FPS, which is only 13% lower than the Low preset's 227.2 FPS but offers a substantial visual upgrade. The jump to High yields 167.6 FPS, which is still excellent, but the relative performance cost of moving from Medium to High (a 15% drop) is more significant than the visual gain for most users. Ultra is the most demanding, producing 135.4 FPS at 1080p; this is still highly playable, but the performance gap to High (a 19% drop) suggests that Ultra should be reserved for those who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rates.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. The High preset provides an average of 108.7 FPS, which is ideal for 144Hz monitors, as it stays comfortably above the 100 FPS threshold. The Medium preset is also viable at 125.5 FPS, but High offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance. Ultra at 1440p drops to 90.5 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, but the gains over High are marginal. For 4K gaming, the situation is more nuanced. The High preset averages 56.3 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 72.2 FPS is the best choice for a smoother 4K experience, as it provides a 28% performance increase over High while maintaining reasonable visual quality. The Low preset at 81.6 FPS is the only option that consistently exceeds 75 FPS at 4K, but the visual compromise is significant. The data suggests that players with a 4K display should opt for Medium settings to achieve a balanced experience.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 a bottleneck for the RTX 4060 in Doom?

A: No, the CPU is not a significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 227.2 FPS, and the frame rate scales consistently with settings. The CPU's performance is sufficient to keep the GPU utilized, as evidenced by the 36% drop in performance when moving from Low to High at 1080p, which is attributable to the GPU's workload increasing.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144Hz 1080p monitor?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 196.9 FPS, which is well above 144 FPS, and provides a noticeable visual upgrade over the Low preset (227.2 FPS) without the significant performance cost of High (167.6 FPS).

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K, the High preset averages 56.3 FPS, which is playable. However, the Medium preset provides a much better experience at 72.2 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 81.6 FPS for those who prioritize frame rate above all else.

Q: How does the RTX 4060's performance compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321) and 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23338). It is 0.7% faster than the Intel Arc B580 (23021) and 0.8% faster than the AMD Radeon 760M (22999).

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

A: The Low preset at 1440p averages 146.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 90.5 FPS. This represents a 38% performance drop when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the RTX 4060's VRAM capacity affect performance in this game?

A: The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 128-bit bus and a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The data shows consistent performance scaling across settings, with no anomalies that would suggest VRAM capacity is a limiting factor at any tested resolution or preset.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 976th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the 42nd percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it performs better than a majority of the database's configurations but is not near the top tier. This ranking is consistent with the hardware's mid-range positioning: the CPU sits in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. The combo's ranking suggests that while the individual components are not top-of-the-line, their pairing is well-balanced for this specific game.

The performance data supports this mid-pack ranking. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 167.6 FPS, which is a strong result, but it is far from the top scores achieved by high-end CPUs and GPUs. The ranking also reflects the fact that the system is capable of 4K gaming, but only at lower settings, which is a trait of mid-range hardware. The 976th rank out of 1681 combos is a reasonable outcome for a system that offers a good balance of price and performance, though the data does not include specific price comparisons. The system's performance is consistent, and it does not exhibit any significant weaknesses that would cause it to fall below its expected position.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the primary driver of performance in this pairing. With a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, it offers a substantial performance envelope. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for the textures and effects in Doom at the tested settings. The GPU's 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs are responsible for the raw pixel-pushing power, and its 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance is a strong indicator of its ability to handle the game's rendering load.

The benchmark data clearly shows the GPU's influence. At 1080p, the transition from Low to Ultra settings results in a 40% performance drop (from 227.2 to 135.4 FPS), demonstrating that the GPU is the limiting factor when the CPU has ample headroom. At 4K, the GPU's workload increases dramatically, and the frame rates reflect this: High settings produce 56.3 FPS, while Ultra drops to 46.4 FPS. This shows that the RTX 4060 is capable of handling 4K, but it requires significant settings adjustments to maintain playable frame rates. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 23181 is within 0.8% of its nearest rivals, confirming its position as a solid mid-range performer.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 227.2 FPS, which is exceptionally high. The Medium preset follows at 196.9 FPS, High at 167.6 FPS, and Ultra at 135.4 FPS. This represents a clear and consistent scaling pattern, with each settings tier costing roughly 14-19% performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a noticeable drop. The Low preset averages 146.5 FPS, Medium at 125.5 FPS, High at 108.7 FPS, and Ultra at 90.5 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Medium is 14%, while the gap between High and Ultra is 17%, indicating that the GPU is starting to feel the load of the higher resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system's performance is more constrained. The Low preset averages 81.6 FPS, which is the only setting that exceeds 75 FPS. Medium averages 72.2 FPS, High averages 56.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 46.4 FPS. This shows that 4K gaming is possible, but it requires a significant compromise in visual quality to maintain a smooth experience. The data shows that the system is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can easily achieve high refresh rates.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data reveals a clear story about the system's bottleneck. From 1080p to 1440p, the frame rate at High settings drops from 167.6 FPS to 108.7 FPS, a 35% decrease. This is a significant drop, but it is consistent with the GPU having to render 78% more pixels. The fact that the frame rate does not drop by the full 78% suggests that the CPU is still providing enough headroom to partially mask the GPU's load increase.

From 1440p to 4K, the High settings frame rate drops from 108.7 FPS to 56.3 FPS, a 48% decrease. This is a more substantial drop, and it is proportional to the 2.25x increase in pixel count. This indicates that the GPU is now the sole limiting factor. The CPU is no longer able to compensate for the GPU's workload, and the frame rate scales directly with the GPU's rendering capacity.

This analysis shows that the system's limiting component changes with resolution. At 1080p, the CPU and GPU are more balanced, with the CPU having enough power to keep the GPU fed. At 1440p, the GPU begins to dominate, but the CPU still has some influence. At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the bottleneck, as the frame rate drops are almost exactly proportional to the pixel count increase. This is a classic pattern for a mid-range CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, where the balance of power shifts towards the GPU as the rendering load increases.