Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B390 combination produces playable frame rates at 1080p, but the system is profoundly constrained by the graphics processor, as evidenced by the dramatic performance scaling across resolutions. The data places this combo at rank 2580 out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 12% of all tested pairings for this title.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 3000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture (codename Matisse) using a 7 nm process from TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor features a 32 MB shared L3 cache, with 512 KB L2 and 64 KB L1 per core. This configuration, released in July 2019, provides substantial multi-threaded capability that is more than sufficient for a 2016-era FPS title like Doom.

In terms of synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 3600 demonstrates balanced performance across thread counts. Its 3DMark scores scale from 696 in single-thread to 4605 in 16-thread tests, and 4603 in max-thread tests. Cinebench R23 results show 2124 points single-core and 15045 multi-core. The Geekbench multicore score stands at 7372, with a single-core score of 1536. PassMark multithread testing yields 17700 points, with a single-thread score of 2562. The processor's average benchmark score is 17035, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the Intel Core i7-1260P with an average score of 17007 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i5-11400 at 17067 (0.2% higher), and the AMD EPYC 7573X and EPYC 7742, both scoring within 0.2% of the Ryzen 5 3600. This tight clustering indicates that the 3600 delivers performance squarely in the mainstream desktop range, with no significant advantage or disadvantage relative to its closest competitors.

For Doom specifically, the CPU's 12 threads and boost clock of 4.20 GHz provide ample headroom for the game's engine. The data shows that the processor is not the bottleneck in this configuration: at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 107 FPS, which is a substantial frame rate that would require active CPU involvement. The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 696 in 3DMark and 2562 in PassMark single-thread, is more than adequate for a game from 2016. The bottleneck lies elsewhere, as the resolution scaling analysis will demonstrate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2580 out of 2930 tested combinations for Doom. This places the system in the bottom 12% of all tested pairings, a position that reflects the graphics processor's limitations rather than the CPU's capability. The rank indicates that 350 other combinations performed worse, while 2579 combinations delivered better results.

The ranking is particularly telling given the CPU's strong benchmark position. The Ryzen 5 3600 sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, yet this combo lands in the 12th percentile of game-specific combinations. This discrepancy highlights the severe imbalance between the processor and the graphics solution. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a more capable GPU would yield dramatically better results, as the processor has demonstrated it can handle demanding workloads in synthetic tests.

The GPU's percentile ranking reinforces this interpretation. The Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% lower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% lower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% lower), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% lower). This positions the B390 at the very bottom of the GPU performance hierarchy, explaining why the combo ranks poorly despite the CPU's respectable standing.

The rank of 2580, when compared to the CPU's 71st percentile and GPU's 9th percentile, paints a clear picture: the system's overall standing is dragged down by the graphics component. The CPU has enough performance to support far better frame rates, but the GPU cannot deliver them.

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

The resolution scaling data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 produces consistent frame rate drops that align with the increased pixel count, indicating that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component at every resolution tested.

At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 78 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 27 FPS (approximately 35%). Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate falls further to 28 FPS, a drop of 23 FPS (approximately 45%). The scaling from 1080p to 4K represents a total reduction of 50 FPS, meaning the system loses roughly 64% of its 1080p performance when moving to 4K. This magnitude of decline is consistent with a GPU that is overwhelmed by the pixel throughput requirements of 4K rendering.

Low settings show a similar pattern: 107 FPS at 1080p, 69 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 38 FPS (approximately 36%), and from 1440p to 4K is 32 FPS (approximately 46%). The proportional losses are nearly identical across settings, which is a hallmark of GPU-bound performance — the CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at all resolutions, and the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities determine the final frame rate.

Ultra settings exhibit the most severe scaling: 64 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 22 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is 23 FPS (36%), and 1440p to 4K is 19 FPS (46%). The consistent ~35-36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~45-46% drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings confirms that the GPU is the sole performance limiter.

The data shows no evidence of CPU limitation. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate differences between resolutions would be much smaller, as the same CPU work would be required regardless of resolution. Instead, the frame rates scale inversely with pixel count, which is the definitive signature of a GPU-constrained system.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality settings.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 107 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium settings average 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and maximum of 107 FPS. High settings average 78 FPS. Ultra settings bring the average down to 64 FPS. This range of 64-107 FPS at 1080p demonstrates that the system is capable of smooth gameplay at lower quality presets, but Ultra settings push the GPU to its limits while still remaining playable.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. Low settings average 69 FPS, Medium averages 60 FPS (with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS), High averages 51 FPS, and Ultra averages 41 FPS. The Medium setting's minimum of 51 FPS indicates that frame pacing may become inconsistent under load, though the averages remain above the 30 FPS threshold for playability. Ultra settings at 1440p produce an average of 41 FPS, which is below what most players would consider smooth for a fast-paced FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 37 FPS, which is marginally above the 30 FPS playability threshold. Medium settings average 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 FPS and maximum of 37 FPS. High settings drop to 28 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of just 22 FPS. The Medium setting's minimum of 28 FPS falls below the 30 FPS threshold, indicating that 4K gameplay would involve noticeable stuttering, particularly in intense combat sequences.

The data across all resolutions and settings reveals a clear pattern: the system is only truly comfortable at 1080p with Low through High settings. At 1440p, only Low and Medium settings maintain averages above 60 FPS. At 4K, no setting achieves an average above 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces an unplayable 22 FPS average.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) built on the Xe3-LPG architecture, specifically from the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. It uses a 3 nm process from Intel and features a base clock of 300 MHz with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). The TDP is 80 W, and it uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

The GPU's memory configuration is notable for its absence of dedicated VRAM. The memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," meaning the graphics processor relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated graphics memory. This architecture typically results in lower memory bandwidth compared to discrete GPUs, which directly impacts performance in memory-intensive scenarios. The "System Dependent" bandwidth figure confirms that the GPU's memory performance is tied to the host system's memory configuration.

In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482 points. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it performs worse than approximately 91% of all tested graphics processors. Its nearest rivals are all significantly older NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% lower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% lower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% lower), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% lower). The fact that this modern Intel part is competing with decade-old entry-level GPUs underscores its limited gaming capability.

The GPU's performance in Doom aligns with its benchmark position. The boost clock of 2500 MHz and 1536 shading units are insufficient to handle the rendering demands of the game at higher resolutions and quality settings. The 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 rating, while not negligible, is hampered by the shared memory architecture and the lack of dedicated VRAM. The system's 4K performance, averaging between 22 and 37 FPS depending on settings, reflects the GPU's inability to process the pixel throughput required at that resolution.

The GPU's 9th percentile ranking directly explains the combo's 2580th place ranking. The CPU is capable of supporting far higher frame rates, as evidenced by its 71st percentile standing, but the GPU's performance ceiling limits the entire system to frame rates appropriate for its low-tier classification.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Doom?

A: The data shows that 1080p with Low settings produces the highest average frame rate at 107 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p High settings at 78 FPS average is the best option. At 1440p, only Low (69 FPS) and Medium (60 FPS) settings maintain averages at or above 60 FPS.

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

A: 4K performance is marginal at best. Low settings average 37 FPS, Medium averages 33 FPS with a minimum of 28 FPS, High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. Only Low settings at 4K stay above the 30 FPS playability threshold, and even then, the margin is thin.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The GPU is definitively the limiting factor. The resolution scaling data shows consistent frame rate drops proportional to pixel count increases, which is the signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking versus the GPU's 9th percentile ranking confirms that the graphics processor is holding back the system.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% lower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% lower), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% lower), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% lower). All rivals score within 3% of the Arc B390.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among all tested systems for Doom?

A: This combination ranks 2580 out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems. This ranking is consistent with the GPU's low percentile standing and reflects the graphics processor's limited gaming capability.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 3600's performance match its position in the combo ranking?

A: No, the CPU significantly outperforms the combo's ranking. The Ryzen 5 3600 sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 17035, while the combo ranks in the 12th percentile. This disparity indicates that the CPU has substantial untapped potential that the GPU cannot utilize.