Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination delivers a highly capable Doom experience across all tested resolutions and settings. The measured frame rates place this pairing in the 669th position out of 2,930 tested combos, indicating a top-quartile result. The data shows a system that excels at high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, while maintaining solid playability at 4K. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, answers common questions, and provides detailed performance metrics.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, built on the Raphael codename using a 5 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock is 4.00 GHz with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The processor draws 65 W TDP and fits the AMD Socket AM5. It features a large L3 cache of 96 MB shared across all cores, which is a notable asset for gaming workloads that benefit from high cache capacity. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core, and L2 cache is 1 MB per core. Memory support includes DDR5 with dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, and ECC memory is supported.

In the context of Doom, a fast-paced FPS from 2016, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. The processor’s single-thread performance is strong, as indicated by a Passmark single-thread score of 3,494. This score places it in the 89th percentile versus all CPUs. The multi-threaded score is 25,047, which shows balanced scaling across its 12 threads. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 44,573, placing it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13950HX. It trails the Intel Core i5-14600 by 0.7%. These close margins suggest that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D is competitively positioned against top mobile and desktop processors.

For Doom, the CPU’s high boost clock of 4.50 GHz and large L3 cache help maintain high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where CPU overhead becomes more apparent. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 314, which is a result of the CPU’s ability to process frames quickly without bottlenecking the GPU. Even at 1440p Low, the average FPS is 203, indicating that the CPU can sustain high throughput. The data shows that at 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial—314 FPS versus 189 FPS—which suggests that the GPU becomes more involved as settings increase, but the CPU still holds its own. At 4K, the CPU’s influence diminishes as the GPU becomes the primary limiter, but the 7500X3D’s strong single-thread performance ensures that frame times remain consistent.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a high-end graphics card from the Radeon RX 9000 series, built on the Navi 48 chip with RDNA 4.0 architecture. It uses a 4 nm process at TSMC, with 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die. The card has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The base clock is 1660 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz and a boost clock of 2970 MHz. The memory runs at 2518 MHz, which translates to 20.1 Gbps effective. The GPU has 4,096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 render output units, along with 64 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 380.2 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 760.3 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 48.66 TFLOPS, with FP16 also at 48.66 TFLOPS. The card has a TDP of 304 W and requires a 700 W suggested PSU.

The RX 9070 XT’s average benchmark score is 13,543, placing it in the 55th percentile versus all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7770M with a score of 13,536 (0.1% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 at 13,515 (0.2% behind), and the NVIDIA P106-090 at 13,470 (0.5% behind). The AMD Radeon Pro 555 trails by 1% with a score of 13,407. These comparisons are based on the average benchmark score, which may not fully reflect gaming performance, but the data indicates that the RX 9070 XT is well above average.

In Doom, the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game’s textures, even at 4K Ultra settings. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 66 FPS average, which is playable but not high-refresh-rate territory. The GPU’s high boost clock of 2970 MHz and 644.6 GB/s memory bandwidth contribute to strong performance at 1440p and 1080p. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 149, and at 1080p High, it jumps to 231. The GPU’s compute capabilities, reflected in the 48.66 TFLOPS FP32, allow for efficient rendering of Doom’s Vulkan-based engine. The card’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility ensure modern API features are available, though Doom’s original release predates some of these. The GPU’s 55th percentile ranking suggests that while it is not in the top tier of all GPUs, it performs admirably in this specific game, as evidenced by the measured FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 66 FPS. This is the lowest average among the tested settings at this resolution, but it remains smooth for a single-player FPS.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D has an average benchmark score of 44,573. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13950HX, and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385. The Intel Core i5-14600 is 0.7% ahead of the Ryzen 5 7500X3D.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and how does it affect performance?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, which is delivered via 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. This high bandwidth supports high-resolution textures and smooth frame delivery, as seen in the 149 FPS average at 1440p High settings.

Q: Is the RX 9070 XT’s VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming?

A: Yes, the 16 GB VRAM is ample for Doom at 4K. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 66 FPS, and at 4K High it is 81 FPS. The VRAM capacity does not appear to be a limiting factor in this game.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 669th out of 2,930 tested combinations. This places it in the top 23% of all combos, indicating strong overall performance.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread score relate to gaming performance?

A: The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score is 3,494, which is in the 89th percentile versus all CPUs. This strong single-thread performance is crucial for Doom, as it allows the CPU to handle game logic and draw calls efficiently, contributing to high frame rates like 314 FPS at 1080p Low.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT achieves a rank of 669 out of 2,930 tested combos in Doom. This ranking places the pairing in the upper echelon of tested systems, with only about 23% of combinations performing better. The rank reflects the balance between CPU and GPU capabilities. The CPU’s 89th percentile standing among all CPUs and the GPU’s 55th percentile among all GPUs combine to produce a system that excels in this game. The data shows that the CPU is relatively stronger than the GPU in percentile terms, but the GPU’s raw performance is sufficient to push high frame rates.

The measured FPS at 1080p High is 231 FPS, which is a strong result for a game like Doom, known for its optimized engine. At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is 122, which is still well above 60 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 66 FPS is the only setting where the system dips below 80 FPS. This suggests that the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can fully utilize high-refresh-rate monitors. The rank of 669 indicates that while there are faster combos, this system delivers a premium experience without compromise at most settings.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores are older or lower-tier cards, which highlights that the RX 9070 XT’s average benchmark score of 13,543 may not fully capture its gaming prowess. In Doom, the GPU’s performance is clearly superior to those rivals, as evidenced by the high frame rates. The CPU’s rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13950HX, are close in score, but the Ryzen 5 7500X3D’s larger cache and higher boost clock likely contribute to better gaming performance in this specific title. Overall, the combo rank reflects the synergy between these two components.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the resolution and refresh rate of the display. For 1080p users, the Medium settings provide an average FPS of 273, with a minimum of 232 and maximum of 314. This is an excellent balance, offering high visual fidelity while maintaining frame rates well above 240 FPS for most of the time. The Low setting at 1080p reaches 314 FPS average, but the visual quality drop may not be worth the extra frames for most players. The High setting at 1080p yields 231 FPS, which is also excellent, but Medium offers a slight edge in frame consistency. The Ultra setting at 1080p averages 189 FPS, which is still smooth, but the jump from Medium to Ultra costs 84 FPS on average.

For 1440p, the Medium setting provides an average FPS of 177, with a minimum of 150 and maximum of 203. This is the recommended preset for 1440p, as it delivers a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors (typically 144 Hz or 165 Hz). The High setting at 1440p averages 149 FPS, which is also playable, but Medium offers a 28 FPS advantage. The Low setting at 1440p hits 203 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but the visual compromise is significant. The Ultra setting at 1440p averages 122 FPS, which is above 60 FPS but may not saturate a 144 Hz display.

For 4K, the High setting provides an average FPS of 81, which is the best balance for a smooth experience on a 60 Hz display. The Medium setting at 4K averages 96 FPS, but the High setting offers better visual quality with only a 15 FPS penalty. The Low setting at 4K averages 110 FPS, which is playable but sacrifices too much visual detail. The Ultra setting at 4K averages 66 FPS, which is borderline for 60 Hz, but the visual improvement over High is noticeable. For 4K, the High preset is recommended as it maintains an average above 80 FPS, ensuring minimal stutter and a responsive feel.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low setting achieves an average FPS of 314, with Medium at 273 (min 232, max 314), High at 231, and Ultra at 189. The spread from Low to Ultra is 125 FPS, showing that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution, but the CPU’s strong single-thread performance allows the Low setting to reach very high frame rates. The Medium setting’s minimum of 232 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the system stays above 230 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low setting averages 203 FPS, Medium averages 177 (min 150, max 203), High averages 149, and Ultra averages 122. The difference between Low and Ultra is 81 FPS. The Medium setting’s minimum of 150 FPS ensures that the experience remains smooth on 144 Hz monitors. The High setting at 149 FPS is just below the 150 FPS minimum of Medium, suggesting that High is still viable for 144 Hz displays. The Ultra setting at 122 FPS is suitable for 120 Hz monitors.

At 3840x2160, the Low setting averages 110 FPS, Medium averages 96 (min 81, max 110), High averages 81, and Ultra averages 66. The gap between Low and Ultra is 44 FPS. The Medium setting’s minimum of 81 FPS is the same as the High average, indicating that Medium provides a more consistent frame rate. The High setting at 81 FPS is ideal for 60 Hz displays, while the Ultra setting at 66 FPS is still above 60 FPS but with less headroom. The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the CPU’s performance is less impactful.

The measurements also reveal that the Medium setting at each resolution has a defined minimum and maximum, providing a fuller picture of frame time variability. For instance, at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 232 FPS and maximum is 314 FPS, matching the Low average. This suggests that Medium can occasionally match Low in performance, but the average is lower due to increased GPU load. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 150 FPS and maximum is 203 FPS, which mirrors the Low average. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 81 FPS and maximum is 110 FPS, with the maximum matching the Low average. These patterns indicate that the Medium preset scales well with resolution, maintaining a consistent relationship to Low.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and reveals the limiting component in this system. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 314. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 203 FPS, which is a 35.4% decrease. At 4K Low, the average is 110 FPS, a 65.0% drop from 1440p and a 65.0% drop from 1080p. This scaling shows that the GPU’s workload increases dramatically with resolution, and the RX 9070 XT struggles to maintain the same frame rates at higher pixel counts.

For Medium settings, the scaling is similar. At 1080p, the average is 273 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 177 FPS, a 35.2% decrease. At 4K, the average is 96 FPS, a 45.8% drop from 1440p and a 64.8% drop from 1080p. The percentage decrease from 1080p to 4K is nearly identical for Low and Medium, indicating that the GPU’s fill rate and shader performance are the main limiting factors.

For High settings, the average at 1080p is 231 FPS. At 1440p, it is 149 FPS, a 35.5% decrease. At 4K, it is 81 FPS, a 45.6% drop from 1440p and a 64.9% drop from 1080p. The High setting’s scaling is consistent with Low and Medium, further confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

For Ultra settings, the average at 1080p is 189 FPS. At 1440p, it is 122 FPS, a 35.4% decrease. At 4K, it is 66 FPS, a 45.9% drop from 1440p and a 65.1% drop from 1080p. The Ultra setting follows the same pattern, with roughly a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 65% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings.

This consistent scaling indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would plateau or drop less steeply as resolution increases, because the GPU would be waiting on the CPU. Instead, the frame rate drops proportionally to the increase in pixel count, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D’s strong single-thread score of 3,494 ensures that it can keep up with the GPU even at 1080p, where the CPU load is highest. At 4K, the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the sheer pixel throughput required for 3840x2160 limits the frame rate to 66 FPS at Ultra. The data shows that for this combo, 1440p is the sweet spot, offering a 149 FPS average at High settings with a 35% performance cost over 1080p, while 4K demands a significant compromise in settings to maintain high frame rates.