Doom

# Doom Performance Analysis: AMD Ryzen 5 5600F + AMD Radeon RX 7600

This combo ranks 1,991st out of 2,930 tested configurations in Doom, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing where neither component dramatically boosts the other; instead, the system delivers consistent, playable performance across most settings, with the GPU emerging as the primary constraint at higher resolutions and quality presets. The data indicates this is a competent 1080p-oriented setup that can handle 1440p with adjustments, but 4K pushes it to the edge of playability.

How This Combo Ranks

The 1,991st position out of 2,930 combos places this pairing in the 32nd percentile of all tested configurations for Doom. This is a modest standing, reflecting the mid-range nature of both components. The Ryzen 5 5600F sits at the 85th percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the RX 7600 ranks at the 57th percentile among all GPUs. The gap between these percentile positions hints that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing, dragging the overall combo ranking below what the CPU alone would suggest.

Benchmark results confirm this interpretation. The CPU's average benchmark score of 36,945 places it within 0.2% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36,938) and 0.4% below the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37,093). The GPU's average score of 15,171 sits within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15,199) and 0.6% above the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (15,082). In Doom specifically, the measured FPS numbers show the system delivering smooth 1080p performance but struggling to maintain high frame rates at 4K, consistent with a GPU-bound scenario.

The RAM and storage configuration also factor into the ranking, though the data shows the CPU's strong single-thread performance (2,872 in PassMark) helps the game maintain acceptable minimums even when average FPS dips. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 116 FPS average, which is respectable for a mid-range combo. The ranking percentile suggests that while this isn't a top-tier setup, it outperforms a significant portion of the database, particularly those with older or lower-end GPUs.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on optimal settings per resolution. At 1080p, all presets deliver playable frame rates. The Low preset achieves 193 FPS average, Medium hits 168 FPS, High reaches 142 FPS, and Ultra still manages 116 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh displays, Low or Medium offers the headroom needed for consistent 144+ FPS. For visual quality, Ultra at 116 FPS remains smooth and is the recommended choice for most users at this resolution.

At 1440p, the system shows its limits. Low produces 125 FPS average, Medium drops to 109 FPS, High falls to 92 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 75 FPS. The Medium preset at 109 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, maintaining smooth gameplay while providing meaningful quality improvements over Low. High at 92 FPS is still acceptable for most players, but the step to Ultra costs 17 FPS for marginal visual gains.

At 4K, the situation becomes more constrained. Low yields 68 FPS, Medium 59 FPS, High 50 FPS, and Ultra drops to 41 FPS. Only Low and Medium maintain frame rates above 60 FPS, and even Medium falls slightly short. For 4K, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice. Medium at 59 FPS is borderline playable but may exhibit occasional stutter on displays with strict refresh timing. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

The data suggests that Medium settings provide the most balanced experience across all resolutions, with the 1080p Medium hitting 168 FPS, 1440p Medium at 109 FPS, and 4K Medium at 59 FPS. Users prioritizing frame rate should drop to Low, while those with 1080p displays can safely use Ultra without sacrificing playability.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this configuration. At High settings, the transition from 1080p (142 FPS) to 1440p (92 FPS) represents a 35.2% drop, while the jump from 1440p to 4K (50 FPS) shows a 45.7% decline. This accelerating degradation with resolution is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario, where pixel throughput becomes the bottleneck.

At Low settings, the pattern shifts slightly. From 1080p (193 FPS) to 1440p (125 FPS) is a 35.2% reduction, and from 1440p to 4K (68 FPS) is a 45.6% drop. The near-identical percentage drops across Low and High settings indicate that the GPU is consistently the limiting factor regardless of quality preset. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect smaller FPS differences between resolutions at lower settings, as the CPU work per frame remains similar.

The Medium preset shows the same trend: 1080p at 168 FPS, 1440p at 109 FPS (35.1% drop), and 4K at 59 FPS (45.9% drop from 1440p). The consistent scaling pattern across all presets strongly suggests that the RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are the primary constraints at higher resolutions, particularly at 4K where the 288.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes insufficient for the increased pixel workload.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal, as evidenced by the robust 1080p performance. The Ryzen 5 5600F's 6 cores and 12 threads, with boost clocks up to 4.00 GHz, provide ample single-thread performance for Doom's engine, which is not heavily multi-threaded. The data implies that even a stronger GPU would yield diminishing returns at 1080p, as the CPU would then become the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. The Low preset averages 193 FPS, with Medium at 168 FPS (min 143, max 193), High at 142 FPS, and Ultra at 116 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 77 FPS, representing a 39.9% reduction in performance when maxing out settings. The minimum FPS recorded at Medium (143 FPS) still exceeds the average FPS of High, indicating consistent frame pacing at lower presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop noticeably. Low achieves 125 FPS, Medium 109 FPS (min 92, max 125), High 92 FPS, and Ultra 75 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra is 50 FPS, a 40% reduction. Notably, the Medium preset's minimum of 92 FPS equals the High preset's average, showing that the frame time variance increases with resolution. At 1440p, the system still provides smooth gameplay across all presets, but the margin for error narrows.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes marginal. Low averages 68 FPS, Medium 59 FPS (min 50, max 68), High 50 FPS, and Ultra 41 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 27 FPS, or 39.7%. The Medium preset's minimum of 50 FPS indicates that frame drops below 60 FPS are common, which may be noticeable to users with high-refresh displays. At 4K, only Low maintains an average above 60 FPS, and even that preset shows significant frame time variability.

The data pattern across resolutions and settings reveals that the system's performance scales predictably with both parameters. The consistent 39-40% reduction from Low to Ultra at each resolution suggests that the quality presets impose similar relative costs regardless of pixel count. This behavior is typical of a GPU with fixed compute resources, where each setting tier adds a proportional workload.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Doom?

A: 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, with all presets exceeding 116 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, High (92 FPS) and Ultra (75 FPS) remain playable, but 3840x2160 only offers acceptable performance at Low settings (68 FPS).

Q: How does this combo compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU scores 36,945, essentially tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36,938, 0% delta) and slightly below the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37,018, -0.2% delta). The GPU scores 15,171, performing within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15,199) and 0.6% above the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (15,082).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Doom?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. Evidence includes the consistent FPS scaling patterns across settings and the fact that the GPU ranks at the 57th percentile while the CPU sits at the 85th percentile. At 1080p Low, the CPU's strong single-thread score (2,872) enables 193 FPS, but the GPU limits performance as resolution increases.

Q: What settings should I use for 1440p gaming?

A: Medium settings at 109 FPS average provide the best experience, offering a balance between visual quality and frame rate. High at 92 FPS is also acceptable, but Ultra at 75 FPS may feel less responsive for fast-paced gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle 4K at all?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which average 68 FPS. Medium drops to 59 FPS, High to 50 FPS, and Ultra to 41 FPS. For consistent 60+ FPS at 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, and even then, minimum frame rates may dip below 60.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to all tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 1,991st out of 2,930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the lower-middle third of the database. The ranking reflects the GPU's mid-tier position rather than the CPU's stronger relative performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer), manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process. It features base and boost clocks of 3.00 GHz and 4.00 GHz respectively, with a 65 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, plus a shared 32 MB L3 cache. This configuration provides strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by the PassMark single-thread score of 2,872.

In Doom, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The game's id Tech 6 engine is known for efficient multi-threading, but it still benefits significantly from high single-thread performance. The 5600F's 4.00 GHz boost clock and Zen 3 architecture deliver the per-core throughput needed to maintain high frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the GPU can process frames quickly.

The CPU's PassMark multi-thread score of 19,236 indicates that the 12 threads provide ample parallel processing capability. However, Doom's workload does not scale perfectly across all cores, meaning the single-thread performance is more critical. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all processors suggests it outperforms the majority of CPUs in the database, which helps explain why the system maintains playable frame rates even at 4K where the GPU is clearly stressed.

The 32 MB L3 cache is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads, as it reduces memory latency and improves data locality. This is evident in the CPU's PassMark physics score of 1,043 and floating-point math score of 34,548, both of which indicate strong computational throughput. In practical terms, these characteristics help the system maintain stable frame pacing, as the CPU can quickly process game logic and physics without bottlenecking the GPU.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture (codenamed Hotpink Bonefish) using TSMC's 6 nm process, featuring 13,300 million transistors on a 204 mm² die. It operates with a base clock of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) across a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The GPU's 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs provide the raw compute power for Doom's rendering. The 32 ray accelerators support hardware-accelerated ray tracing, though Doom's original release does not heavily utilize this feature. The 21.75 TFLOPS FP32 performance is substantial for this class of GPU, but the 128-bit memory bus limits bandwidth-intensive workloads at high resolutions.

In Doom, the GPU's performance is strongest at 1080p, where it delivers 116-193 FPS depending on settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the memory capacity and bandwidth become limiting factors. The measured 4K performance (41-68 FPS) shows that the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates when pixel throughput demands exceed its capabilities.

The GPU's 57th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the mid-range segment. Its PassMark G3D score of 16,634 and DirectX 12 score of 58 indicate solid DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant since Doom supports Vulkan and DirectX 12 APIs. The 165 W TDP and 450 W suggested PSU rating make it a relatively power-efficient option, though the data shows that its performance ceiling is reached at 1440p with medium settings.