Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, with performance scaling that reveals a clear balance between the CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings. The measured data shows this combo ranks 1054th out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it comfortably in the upper-middle tier of all possible pairings. This analysis examines the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and what these numbers imply for gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo in Doom shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of decline is not uniform across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 264 at 1920x1080 to 171 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 93 FPS or roughly 35%. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average falls to 93, which is a 54% drop from the 1440p figure and a 65% drop from 1080p. This steep decline indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor, as the pixel count increases dramatically and the RX 7700 XT’s rendering throughput is stretched.

At High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The 1080p average of 194 FPS drops to 126 at 1440p (a 35% reduction) and then to 68 at 4K (a 46% reduction from 1440p and 65% from 1080p). The percentage drops between resolutions are nearly identical to Low settings, suggesting that the relative workload increase from resolution scaling is consistent regardless of the preset. However, the absolute FPS values are lower because High settings add more shading and texture work per pixel.

Medium settings show a slightly different pattern. The 1080p average is 230 FPS, falling to 149 at 1440p (35% drop) and 81 at 4K (46% drop from 1440p). The min FPS values at Medium are also recorded: 196 at 1080p, 127 at 1440p, and 69 at 4K. These min FPS figures are notably lower than the averages, indicating some frame time variance, but they remain above 60 FPS at 4K, which is a key threshold for smooth gameplay.

Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates, as expected. The 1080p average is 159 FPS, dropping to 103 at 1440p (35% drop) and 56 at 4K (46% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra figure of 56 FPS is the only measured average below 60 FPS across all tested configurations. This suggests that at 4K with the highest preset, the GPU is heavily loaded, and the combo may struggle to maintain a locked 60 FPS experience.

The data implies that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU (with its 6 cores and 12 threads) is likely capable of feeding the GPU enough frames, as evidenced by very high FPS counts (up to 264 at Low 1080p). At 4K, the GPU’s rendering load increases so much that the CPU becomes less relevant, and the RX 7700 XT’s raw throughput determines the final FPS. The fact that 4K Ultra yields 56 FPS while 4K Low yields 93 FPS (a 66% increase) highlights the GPU’s sensitivity to settings at this resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture (codename Vermeer) using a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Its L3 cache is 96 MB shared, which is a substantial amount for a 6-core chip. The processor’s benchmark scores show a Passmark single-thread score of 2941 and a multithread score of 20363, with an average benchmark score of 37018. This places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance.

In Doom, which is a fast-paced FPS that can be sensitive to CPU performance at high frame rates, the 5500X3D’s single-thread throughput is critical. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (264 average) and 1080p High (194 average) suggest that the CPU is not the bottleneck at these settings, as the frame rates are far above typical display refresh rates. The boost clock of 4.00 GHz, combined with the large L3 cache, likely helps maintain consistent frame delivery in scenes with many enemies or complex geometry.

The nearest rivals for this CPU, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (deltaPct 0.2), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (deltaPct -0.2), Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (deltaPct 0.2), and Intel Core i9-12900T (deltaPct -0.3). These deltas are all within 0.3% of the 5500X3D’s score, meaning that in terms of raw benchmark performance, this chip is essentially tied with those alternatives. For Doom, this implies that the CPU’s frame rate contribution would be nearly identical to those rivals, and the differences in measured FPS would be negligible.

The CPU’s 105 W TDP and support for DDR4 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s are relevant to system configuration. The memory bandwidth is sufficient for the 6-core design, and the PCIe Gen 4 interface (20 lanes) allows the RX 7700 XT to communicate without bandwidth limitations. The fact that the CPU has no integrated graphics (N/A) means the GPU is solely responsible for rendering, which is expected in a gaming-focused pairing.

When comparing the CPU’s role to the GPU’s, the data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates well above 200 FPS on lower settings, but the GPU’s performance caps the output at higher settings (e.g., 159 FPS at Ultra 1080p). At 4K, the CPU’s influence diminishes further, as the GPU is the clear bottleneck. This is typical for a balanced gaming system, where the CPU provides enough headroom for the GPU to be the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU (codename Wheat Nas) built on a 5 nm process with 28,100 million transistors. It has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The GPU’s clocks are a base of 1435 MHz, a game clock of 2171 MHz, and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. Its memory runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). The GPU has 3456 shading units, 216 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with 54 ray tracing cores. Its FP32 performance is 35.17 TFLOPS.

The GPU’s benchmark scores include a Passmark G3D score of 22547 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 138383. It ranks in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, which is above average but not in the top tier. Its nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile (deltaPct 0.5), RTX 4060 Mobile (deltaPct -0.8), RTX 2080 (deltaPct -1.5), and AMD Radeon RX 5700 (deltaPct 1.7). These deltas indicate the RX 7700 XT is within 1.7% of those cards in average benchmark performance, meaning it trades blows with those GPUs depending on the workload.

In Doom, the GPU’s role is clearly demonstrated by the resolution scaling data. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not fully utilized, as the CPU can generate frames faster than the GPU can render them, resulting in 264 FPS. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU’s pixel and shading throughput becomes the limiting factor. The 4K Ultra average of 56 FPS is a direct reflection of the GPU’s rendering capability under maximum load.

The 12 GB VRAM is ample for Doom at 4K, as the game’s textures are not excessively demanding by modern standards. The memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is also sufficient, as the GPU’s compute performance (35.17 TFLOPS) appears to be the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The boost clock of 2544 MHz is high for a mid-range GPU, which helps maintain frame rates in lighter scenes.

Comparing the GPU’s role to the CPU’s, the data shows that at 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates above 200 FPS on Low settings, but the GPU’s performance at High and Ultra settings (194 and 159 FPS respectively) suggests the GPU is already the bottleneck at those presets. At 4K, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component, as the CPU’s frame delivery is far above the GPU’s rendering capacity. This is a well-balanced pairing for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the GPU’s strengths are fully utilized without the CPU holding it back.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1054th out of 2930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the 64th percentile of all tested pairings. This ranking suggests that while the combo performs well, there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates, likely involving more powerful GPUs or CPUs. However, the rank is not a reflection of poor performance; rather, it reflects the mid-range positioning of both components.

The CPU’s percentile rank of 85th among all CPUs is higher than the GPU’s 67th percentile among all GPUs. This disparity indicates that the CPU is relatively stronger compared to its peers than the GPU is. In Doom, this means that the GPU is more likely to be the bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. This is consistent with the measured FPS data, where 4K Ultra drops to 56 FPS, below the 60 FPS target.

The combo’s rank of 1054 out of 2930 is in the top 36% of all combinations, which is a solid position for a mid-range setup. The nearest rival CPUs (Ryzen 5 5600F, Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, Core Ultra 5 225, Core i9-12900T) all have average benchmark scores within 0.3% of the 5500X3D, so swapping the CPU for any of those would likely yield nearly identical in-game performance. Similarly, the nearest rival GPUs (RTX 5060 Mobile, RTX 4060 Mobile, RTX 2080, RX 5700) are within 1.7% of the RX 7700 XT’s average benchmark score, so those alternatives would also produce similar FPS in Doom.

The rank implies that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers high frame rates across all settings. At 4K, the combo is still playable on Medium settings (81 FPS average) but falls below 60 FPS on Ultra. For a gamer targeting high refresh rates at 1080p or 1440p, this pairing is effective. For 4K enthusiasts, the GPU would need to be upgraded to achieve consistently high frame rates on Ultra settings.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 159 FPS.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K on any settings?

A: Yes, at 4K with Low settings the average FPS is 93, at Medium it is 81, and at High it is 68. At Ultra settings, the average drops to 56 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU benchmark compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 5 5600F, 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, 0.2% lower than the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i9-12900T.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory size and bandwidth?

A: The RX 7700 XT has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1440p High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 126. Given the CPU’s high benchmark percentile (85th) and the GPU’s lower percentile (67th), the GPU is the more likely bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: How many combos does this pairing rank above in Doom?

A: This combo ranks 1054th out of 2930 tested combinations, meaning it performs better than 1876 other combos.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 264 at Low settings down to 159 at Ultra. The Medium preset shows an average of 230 FPS with a min of 196 and a max of 265. The High preset yields 194 FPS average. These numbers indicate that the combo can easily drive high refresh rate monitors at 1080p, with even the most demanding Ultra preset staying above 150 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 171 at Low, 149 at Medium (min 127, max 171), 126 at High, and 103 at Ultra. The 1440p Ultra average of 103 FPS is still very smooth, and the Medium preset’s min of 127 FPS ensures no significant frame drops. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for this combo, offering high frame rates while benefiting from increased resolution over 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 93 at Low, 81 at Medium (min 69, max 93), 68 at High, and 56 at Ultra. The 4K Ultra average of 56 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, which might be noticeable in a fast-paced FPS. However, the High preset at 68 FPS and Medium at 81 FPS provide playable experiences. The min FPS at 4K Medium is 69, which is above 60, indicating that the combo can maintain a playable frame rate at 4K with adjusted settings.

Across all settings, the frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistently around 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is around 46%. This consistent scaling suggests that the GPU’s rendering workload increases predictably with pixel count, and the CPU’s frame delivery is not a factor at higher resolutions. The min FPS values, where recorded, are 196 at 1080p Medium, 127 at 1440p Medium, and 69 at 4K Medium, all of which are within reasonable ranges of the averages.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset delivers 159 FPS average, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors (144Hz or higher). There is no need to lower settings at 1080p, as even the most demanding preset provides a very smooth experience. The High preset at 194 FPS allows for even higher refresh rates, but the visual quality difference between High and Ultra may be worth the slight FPS reduction.

For 1440p, the High preset at 126 FPS is a strong recommendation, as it balances visual fidelity with a frame rate that exceeds most 120Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 103 FPS is also viable for 144Hz monitors, though the lower FPS may be noticeable in fast-paced scenes. The Medium preset at 149 FPS offers the highest frame rates for competitive play, but the visual downgrade from High to Medium might be undesirable for a game like Doom, which has a strong visual identity.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 81 FPS is the best experience per the measured rows, as it maintains a frame rate well above 60 FPS while providing acceptable visual quality. The High preset at 68 FPS is also playable, but the Medium preset’s min FPS of 69 ensures more consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 56 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended for a smooth experience, especially in a game that demands quick reactions.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1080p with Ultra settings (159 FPS), 1440p with High settings (126 FPS), and 4K with Medium settings (81 FPS). These configurations maximize frame rates while maintaining visual quality appropriate for each resolution. The combo is well-suited for high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and it can handle 4K with adjusted settings for a playable experience.