Doom

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a striking performance profile in Doom, one that clearly delineates the strengths and bottlenecks of each component. At 4K, the combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates, while at 1080p, the data reveals a significant shift in system dynamics. This analysis examines the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the combo's standing among thousands of tested configurations, and breaks down the specific contributions of the CPU and GPU to these results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates demonstrate a classic resolution scaling curve, but with an unusual starting point of immense performance. At 1080p, the combo is largely CPU-bound, with the RTX 5090 D's immense rendering power being held back by the Ryzen 5 8400F's processing limits. The data shows that at 1920x1080, the average frame rates are extremely high, ranging from 292 FPS on Ultra to 386 FPS on Low. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is compressed, with a difference of only 94 FPS between the two extremes. This suggests that the CPU is the primary limiter here; the GPU is capable of generating far more frames, but the processor cannot feed it data fast enough to do so.

Moving to 2560x1440, the bottleneck begins to shift. The average frame rates drop significantly, with High settings yielding 231 FPS and Low settings reaching 314 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution expands to 125 FPS, indicating that the GPU is starting to take on a more substantial role in determining performance. The system is becoming more balanced, though the CPU still exerts a noticeable influence on the upper limits of frame generation.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive limiting factor. The average frame rates drop to 170 FPS on Low and 125 FPS on High, with Ultra settings producing 102 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra now shows a 68 FPS spread, but the absolute numbers are still remarkably high for 4K. This indicates that while the GPU is now the primary constraint, its sheer power (with a 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs) ensures that even the most demanding settings remain highly playable. The transition from 1080p to 4K shows a performance drop of roughly 55-60% depending on the settings, which aligns with the massive increase in pixel count that the GPU must process.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of 2,930 tested combos for Doom, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D holds the 40th position. This ranking is exceptionally high, placing the system in the top 1.4% of all tested configurations for this game. The data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of alternatives, proof of the RTX 5090 D's dominance in this title.

The CPU's individual performance, however, is more modest. The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25,005, which places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are closely matched: the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F scores 24,964 (a 0.2% difference), the Intel Core i7-11850H scores 24,935 (0.3% difference), and the Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24,911 (0.4% difference). The AMD EPYC 9474F scores slightly higher at 25,103, a -0.4% delta. This shows the CPU is a solid mid-to-high-range performer, but it is not the reason for the top-40 ranking.

The GPU is the clear star. The RTX 5090 D's average benchmark score is 77,712, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904, a 1.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940, a -1.6% delta). The fact that this desktop-class GPU is being compared to mobile and older workstation parts in its nearest rivals list highlights its extraordinary performance level. The combination of a top-tier GPU with a competent, though not top-tier, CPU results in a combo ranking that is far higher than what either part would achieve on its own, demonstrating that the GPU is the dominant driver of Doom's performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo at 4K?

A: The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 170 FPS, which is achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 40th out of 2,930 tested combos, placing it in the top 1.4% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates are extremely high (ranging from 292 to 386 FPS), but the relatively small difference between settings presets indicates the processor is limiting the GPU's output.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 102 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F's performance compare to its closest rival, the Ryzen 5 7500F?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25,005, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F's score of 24,964.

Q: What is the median frame rate range for the Medium settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium settings preset at 2560x1440 shows an average of 273 FPS, with a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets. For players seeking the absolute maximum frame rate, the Low preset at 1920x1080 delivers an average of 386 FPS. This is the highest number in the entire dataset. However, at higher resolutions, Low settings become less necessary due to the GPU's immense power.

At 4K, the choice of settings is more nuanced. The Ultra preset produces an average of 102 FPS, which is still well above the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K yields 125 FPS, a 23 FPS improvement over Ultra. The Medium preset offers 148 FPS, and the Low preset achieves 170 FPS. Given that all of these settings produce playable frame rates at 4K, the optimal choice for visual fidelity would be the High preset, as it offers a substantial upgrade in graphical quality over Medium and Low while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds what most displays can show. The Ultra preset is viable for those who prioritize image quality above all else, but the 102 FPS average is the only measurement in the dataset that falls below the 125 FPS threshold of High, making it the least optimal for high-refresh-rate displays.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset at 231 FPS presents the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 273 FPS is also excellent, and the difference between the two is significant enough that players with high-refresh-rate monitors might prefer it. The Low preset at 314 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality. The Ultra preset at 189 FPS is still a very strong option for those who want maximum detail without dropping below 144 FPS. Ultimately, the data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot at 1440p, providing a massive performance buffer while maintaining high visual standards.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset for this combo reveals a consistent pattern of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 386 FPS (Low), 368 FPS (Medium), 347 FPS (High), and 292 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 313 FPS and a maximum of 423 FPS, indicating some variance but a consistently high floor.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates drop to 314 FPS (Low), 273 FPS (Medium), 231 FPS (High), and 189 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset at 1440p records a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS. This represents a significant step down from 1080p but still an incredibly high level of performance.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 170 FPS (Low), 148 FPS (Medium), 125 FPS (High), and 102 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 170 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern of diminishing returns, with the largest percentage drop occurring between Medium and High settings. The data confirms that this combo can handle 4K gaming with high settings comfortably, and even Ultra settings remain playable.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

In Doom, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions. The benchmark data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high but the scaling between settings is compressed. This is a classic sign of a CPU bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 8400F's single-threaded performance, as indicated by its 3DMark single-thread score of 951 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,943, is strong enough to drive high frame rates, but it cannot keep up with the RTX 5090 D's potential at lower resolutions.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are solid for a 6-core part, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20,851 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 24,389. While Doom is not a heavily multi-threaded game, the 12 threads ensure that background tasks and game logic do not become a limiting factor. The 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs shows that this processor is a competent performer, but in this specific pairing, it is the component that holds back the system from reaching even higher frame rates at 1080p. The data suggests that at 4K, the CPU's role diminishes significantly, and the GPU takes over as the primary performance driver.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a behemoth of a graphics card, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and a 5 nm process. It features 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 render output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. It is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a staggering 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth.

The GPU's raw compute power is immense, with an FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS. This is reflected in its benchmark scores, where it achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and a Passmark G3D score of 44,065. Its 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its position as one of the fastest graphics cards available.

In Doom, the GPU's role is to render the game's graphics. At 4K resolution, the data shows that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck. The frame rates at 4K are significantly lower than at 1440p or 1080p, but they remain exceptionally high. The fact that the combo achieves an average of 125 FPS at 4K High settings reflects the GPU's power. The 32 GB of VRAM is far more than Doom requires, ensuring that memory capacity is never a limiting factor. The GPU's high boost clock and massive memory bandwidth allow it to handle the game's texture and geometry workloads with ease. The RTX 5090 D is clearly the dominant component in this pairing, and its performance is the primary reason for the combo's top-40 ranking overall.