Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and Radeon RX 7700 combo delivers a highly playable Doom experience across all tested resolutions, but the performance scaling reveals a clear shift in the bottleneck as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the system is largely CPU-bound at lower settings, while at 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive limiting factor. The data shows a mature, well-balanced pairing for this 2016 title, with the RX 7700’s 16 GB frame buffer providing ample headroom even at Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, but the rate of decline varies significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 241 FPS at 1080p to 156 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 85 FPS at 4K, a further 46% reduction from 1440p. This steep drop at 4K indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU’s rendering load becomes the primary constraint, overshadowing the CPU’s ability to feed frames.

Conversely, at Ultra settings, the scaling is less severe in relative terms. The average FPS falls from 145 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p (a 35% drop) and then to 51 at 4K (a 46% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that the RX 7700’s architecture handles the increased pixel count uniformly, regardless of the graphical complexity. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 96 FPS (241 vs 145), but at 4K, this gap narrows to just 34 FPS (85 vs 51). This compression of performance at higher resolutions is classic evidence of a GPU-limited scenario, where the difference in pixel shading workload dwarfs the difference in settings-related effects.

The data strongly implies that at 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5600’s six cores and 12 threads are sufficient to keep the GPU fed, especially at Low and Medium settings where the frame rates exceed 200 FPS. However, the 59% performance gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p (241 vs 145) suggests that the GPU is still doing significant work. At 4K, the system is unequivocally GPU-bound; the CPU’s role diminishes, and the frame rate is dictated almost entirely by the RX 7700’s fill rate and shading power.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600, a Zen 3 (Vermeer) part on the AMD Socket AM4 platform, brings six cores and 12 threads with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. For a game like Doom, which is known for its id Tech engine efficiency, this processor’s single-thread performance is critical. The benchmark data shows a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2584 and a multi-core score of 18309, indicating a strong per-core capability that allows the CPU to handle the game’s main game logic and draw call submission without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

The 3DMark benchmark scores further illustrate the CPU’s scaling characteristics. The single-thread score of 882 jumps to 1737 for 2 threads, and then to 3313 for 4 threads. However, the scaling from 8 threads (4798) to max threads (5659) is modest, suggesting diminishing returns beyond 8 threads. This is typical for a game like Doom, which may not fully utilize all 12 threads of the Ryzen 5 5600, but the multi-threaded headroom ensures that background tasks and shader compilation do not cause micro-stutters. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 20468 places it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, scoring 20454, a delta of just 0.1%. This indicates that the 5600’s processing power is highly competitive for its class.

The PassMark single-thread score of 3256 and physics score of 1285 suggest that the CPU can handle the game’s physics calculations and entity updates without issue. Since Doom’s fast-paced action involves numerous enemy AI and projectile interactions, this processing headroom is beneficial. At 1080p Low, the 241 FPS average is a direct result of the CPU’s ability to push frame rates beyond what the GPU can render at higher settings, confirming that the 5600 is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. However, the data suggests that even with this capable CPU, the RX 7700 is the primary driver of performance differences across settings at 1440p and 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, is the dominant force in this pairing. With a boost clock of 2459 MHz and a game clock of 2041 MHz, the GPU’s raw compute power is substantial, delivering 25.18 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for Doom’s textures and geometry at any resolution. The GPU’s 2560 shading units and 96 ROPs handle the pixel processing efficiently, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra average of 51 FPS.

The GPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, scores 15862, a delta of -0.1%, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, a delta of -1.7%. This indicates that the RX 7700 is a solid mid-range performer, but it is not a top-tier card. In Doom, the GPU’s role is most apparent at 4K, where the average frame rate at High settings drops to 62 FPS, and at Ultra settings, it falls to 51 FPS. The 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset here, as it ensures that texture streaming does not cause frame drops, even with the game’s highest quality assets.

The data shows a clear correlation between GPU workload and frame rate. At 1080p Low, the GPU has minimal work, allowing the CPU to push 241 FPS. As settings increase, the GPU’s shading units and ROPs become more engaged, reducing the frame rate to 145 FPS at Ultra. This 40% reduction from Low to Ultra at 1080p is consistent with the GPU’s compute capabilities. At 4K, the GPU is fully saturated, and the difference between Low (85 FPS) and Ultra (51 FPS) is a 40% reduction as well, indicating that the GPU’s performance ceiling is the hard limit, regardless of the CPU’s readiness. The RX 7700’s 40 RT cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are present, but Doom’s 2016 engine primarily relies on traditional rasterization, making the FP32 throughput and memory bandwidth the key determinants of performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of the system’s capabilities across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system excels, starting with a 241 FPS average at Low settings. The Medium preset yields 210 FPS with a minimum of 179 and a maximum of 242, showing tight frame pacing. High settings reduce the average to 178 FPS, while Ultra settings drop it to 145 FPS. This range demonstrates that the system can drive high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors even at maximum quality.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains robust. Low settings produce a 156 FPS average, while Medium delivers 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 156. High settings average 115 FPS, and Ultra settings settle at 94 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the RX 7700 is well-suited for this resolution, providing a smooth experience for most gamers, though the Ultra preset’s 94 FPS average suggests that a 144Hz monitor would be best paired with High settings or lower.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limits become apparent. Low settings achieve an 85 FPS average, which is playable, but Medium settings drop to 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 85. High settings average 62 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 51 FPS. The 4K data shows that this combo is only viable for 60 FPS gaming at Medium settings or lower, and even then, the minimum FPS of 63 at Medium suggests there may be occasional dips below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS line for gaming, making it a borderline choice for smooth play.

The combo’s rank in the database is 1314 out of 2930 combinations, placing it in the top half of tested pairings. The data is measured, not estimated, adding confidence to the results. The min and max FPS values are only provided for the Medium settings at each resolution, which show a consistent range of approximately 20% around the average, indicating stable frame times without severe spikes.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with smooth frame rates?

A: At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 85 at Low settings to 51 at Ultra settings. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, Medium settings are recommended, as they deliver a 74 FPS average with a 63 FPS minimum, though this minimum is close to the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the best resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: At 1080p, the system achieves an average of 210 FPS at Medium settings and 178 FPS at High, making it ideal for 144Hz or 240Hz monitors. At 1440p, the High preset’s 115 FPS average is suitable for 120Hz displays, but not for 144Hz.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600 has an average benchmark score of 20468, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V’s 20454 and 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G’s 20425. Its performance is effectively on par with these alternatives.

Q: Is the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM necessary for Doom?

A: While Doom’s 2016 engine may not require 16 GB, the memory capacity ensures no texture swapping issues at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate is 51 FPS. The bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s is the more critical factor for performance.

Q: What settings should be avoided for competitive play?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset’s 145 FPS average is still high, but the Low preset’s 241 FPS provides a significant advantage in frame latency. At 4K, the Ultra preset’s 51 FPS average is too low for competitive play.

Q: How stable are the frame times?

A: The data for Medium settings at each resolution shows a minimum FPS that is about 14-17% lower than the average, and a maximum that is 15-18% higher. This indicates stable frame pacing with no major stutters.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset at 2560x1440 is the standout choice. The 115 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the visual uplift over Medium is noticeable. This configuration leverages the CPU’s strong single-thread performance and the GPU’s 16 GB memory without pushing the GPU into a lower frame rate territory. For gamers prioritizing frame rate over visuals, the Medium preset at 1080p, with its 210 FPS average, offers an exceptional experience, though the Low preset’s 241 FPS is the maximum achievable.

At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced. The Medium preset, with its 74 FPS average and 63 FPS minimum, is the only configuration that reliably hits 60 FPS, making it the default choice for 4K displays. The High preset at 62 FPS is playable but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes, as the minimum FPS is not reported for it. The Ultra preset at 51 FPS should be avoided for action-oriented gameplay, as the lower frame rate can impact responsiveness. For the absolute best visual fidelity at 4K, the Ultra preset is usable for slower exploration, but the data suggests that Medium or High provides a more consistent experience. Ultimately, the measured data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it can comfortably exceed 100 FPS at High settings, providing a smooth and visually rich experience.