Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In synthetic single-thread tests it scores 836 in 3dmark and 2319 in Cinebench R23, while multi-thread results reach 5411 in 3dmark max-thread and 16429 in Cinebench R23. The GPU pairing here is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, a Turing-based card with 1408 shading units, a 1530 MHz base clock, and a 1785 MHz boost clock. In Doom, a 2016 title built on an engine that scales well across core counts, the CPU’s 12 threads provide ample headroom; however, the benchmark data shows the GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary constraint in most configurations. The GPU’s own scores—12699 in Passmark G3D and 59933 in Geekbench Vulkan—place it at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, reinforcing a pairing where the graphics card limits frame rates more often than the processor. The 6-core design with 16 MB of L3 cache is more than sufficient for Doom’s engine, which rarely demands more than a handful of threads, allowing the CPU to deliver consistent frame pacing without becoming a bottleneck in the measured rows.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows reveal a clear progression across quality presets, with the sweet spot appearing at Medium settings for most resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium yields 128.2 FPS average, which is only 20.5 FPS below the Low preset’s 148.7 FPS but offers substantially better visual fidelity. High settings at 1080p drop to 109.5 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while Ultra falls to 88.7 FPS. The data indicates that Medium provides the best balance between performance and image quality at 1080p, as the gap from Low to Medium is modest (20.5 FPS) compared to the steeper drop from Medium to Ultra (39.5 FPS). At 2560x1440, Medium again stands out with 81.1 FPS average, comfortably above the 60 FPS target, while High drops to 70.9 FPS and Ultra falls to 58.6 FPS, dipping below the ideal threshold. For 4K, the picture changes: Medium produces 45.4 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, while Low reaches 54.5 FPS and High manages 39.3 FPS. Given that Doom rewards responsiveness, the recommended preset is Medium for 1080p and 1440p, as it maintains frame rates above 80 FPS at both resolutions. For 4K, users should consider Low settings to stay closer to 60 FPS, though the 54.5 FPS average at Low is the only 4K preset that approaches playable smoothness.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, revealing a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, average FPS falls from 109.5 at 1080p to 70.9 at 1440p (a 35% reduction) and then to 39.3 at 4K (a 64% reduction from 1080p). At Low settings, the drop is from 148.7 at 1080p to 97.7 at 1440p and 54.5 at 4K, representing a 63% total reduction. This pattern—where 4K performance is roughly half of 1080p performance—indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth become the limiting factor as pixel count rises. The 192-bit memory bus and 48 ROPs are adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the GPU’s fill rate and memory throughput cannot keep pace with the increased workload. The CPU’s role here is minimal; even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 148.7 FPS, the Ryzen 5 5500’s single-thread score of 836 in 3dmark suggests it can handle high frame rates without stuttering. The data shows that resolution scaling is almost entirely dictated by the GPU, with the CPU contributing little to the FPS variance—the 4K-to-1080p ratio remains similar across all presets, a hallmark of a graphics-limited system.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this combination of AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1473 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This low rank is surprising given the CPU’s strong standing (79th percentile among all CPUs) but reflects the GPU’s modest position (55th percentile among all GPUs). The combo’s rank suggests that in Doom, which is not particularly demanding on modern hardware, this pairing is held back by the GTX 1660 SUPER’s age—it was released in late 2019 and is now end-of-life. The CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i5-12500 (average score 20897, deltaPct -0.1%) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE (average score 20900, deltaPct -0.1%), indicating the 5500 is virtually tied with these processors in overall compute. However, the GPU’s nearest rivals—AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (average score 14314, deltaPct -0.2%) and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (average score 14315, deltaPct -0.2%)—are integrated or low-power solutions, underscoring that the GTX 1660 SUPER, while capable, is not a high-end part. The deltaPct values show that the 5500 is within 0.2% of its closest CPU rivals, meaning the processor is not the differentiator in this rank; rather, the GPU’s 12699 Passmark G3D score, which is below the 14352 of the AMD Radeon Vega 11, drags the overall combo down. For users with this pairing, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield a far greater improvement in Doom’s frame rates than any CPU change.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 128.2, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience for Doom’s fast-paced gameplay.

Q: How does this combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 31.5, which is below playable levels for a first-person shooter. This preset is not recommended for this hardware combination.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The Ryzen 5 5500 scores in the 79th percentile among CPUs, while the GTX 1660 SUPER sits in the 55th percentile among GPUs. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent GPU-bound pattern.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce an average FPS of 81.1, which is the highest preset that maintains frame rates above 80 FPS. High settings drop to 70.9 FPS, while Ultra falls to 58.6 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 20875, which is within 0.2% of the Intel Core i5-12500 (20897) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE (20900). This means the 5500 is effectively tied with these processors in compute performance.

Q: Can this combo achieve 144 FPS at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the average FPS reaches 148.7, exceeding 144 FPS. However, at Medium settings the average drops to 128.2, and at High it falls to 109.5, so only the Low preset consistently hits 144 FPS.