Doom

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) architecture using a 4 nm TSMC process. It operates with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s.

In Doom, the CPU's role is evident when examining the measured frame rates across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combination of this CPU with the RX 7900 XTX produces average frame rates ranging from 217.7 fps at Ultra settings to 366.8 fps at Low settings. These high numbers suggest that at lower resolutions, the CPU is adequately feeding the GPU, allowing it to reach very high frame rates. The single-thread performance of the Ryzen 5 9600X is strong, as indicated by its 3dmark single-thread score of 1253 and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3603. Doom's engine benefits from strong per-core performance, and the data shows that this processor does not become a bottleneck even at 1080p.

The Ryzen 5 9600X ranks in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28246. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13490F (avg score 28173, deltaPct 0.3), the AMD Ryzen 5 230 (avg score 28164, deltaPct 0.3), the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (avg score 28369, deltaPct -0.4), and the Intel Core i5-14500T (avg score 28377, deltaPct -0.5). These small deltas indicate that the 9600X sits in a tight cluster of similar-performing processors, with less than half a percent separating it from its closest competitors. This proximity in synthetic benchmarks suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 9600X will deliver results nearly identical to these rivals.

However, the measured FPS data in Doom shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions. As resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, the average frame rates drop considerably. For example, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 269.5 at 1080p to 176 at 1440p, and further to 93.5 at 4K. This pattern indicates that the GPU becomes the primary constraint as pixel count rises, while the CPU's contribution remains consistent.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 31 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm TSMC process. It features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1929 MHz, a game clock of 2365 MHz, and a boost clock of 2498 MHz. Its memory operates at 2500 MHz with 20 Gbps effective speed. The card includes 6144 shading units, 384 TMUs, 192 ROPs, and 96 RT cores.

The GPU's substantial memory capacity and bandwidth are relevant to Doom's performance, though the game itself is not particularly demanding in terms of VRAM. The RX 7900 XTX ranks in the 85th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44019. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (avg score 44195, deltaPct -0.4), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (avg score 43667, deltaPct 0.8), the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (avg score 43313, deltaPct 1.6), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (avg score 44900, deltaPct -2). The data shows that the 7900 XTX is within 2% of the RTX 4070 Ti in average benchmark score, indicating similar overall compute capability.

In Doom, the GPU's performance scaling with settings is clear. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 80.2 at Ultra settings to 127.2 at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the range is 143.8 to 232.3, and at 1920x1080, it spans 217.7 to 366.8. The gap between Low and Ultra settings is consistent across resolutions: approximately 47 fps at 4K, 88.5 fps at 1440p, and 149.1 fps at 1080p. This scaling suggests that the GPU's raw compute power is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, with settings having a proportionally larger impact at lower resolutions.

The RX 7900 XTX's pixel rate of 479.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 959.2 GTexel/s provide the throughput needed for high-resolution rendering. The FP32 performance of 61.39 TFLOPS supports the compute demands of modern game engines. Doom's id Tech 6 engine is known for its scalability, and the measured data shows that this GPU handles the game effortlessly at all tested settings and resolutions.

# FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1920x1080 delivers the highest average frame rates, ranging from 217.7 fps at Ultra to 366.8 fps at Low. At 2560x1440, the averages drop to between 143.8 and 232.3 fps. At 3840x2160, the averages are between 80.2 and 127.2 fps. The choice depends on the target frame rate and display capability.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 28246, placing it in the 85th percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13490F, scores 28173, a delta of 0.3%. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 also scores 28164, also a 0.3% delta. The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS scores 28369 (delta -0.4%) and the Intel Core i5-14500T scores 28377 (delta -0.5%). These differences are negligible.

Q: What is the GPU's performance relative to the RTX 4070 Ti?

A: The RX 7900 XTX has an average benchmark score of 44019, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti scores 44900, a delta of -2%. This indicates the 7900 XTX trails the RTX 4070 Ti by about 2% in average synthetic benchmarks.

Q: How does the FPS scale when going from Ultra to Low settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS at Ultra is 143.8, at High it is 176, at Medium it is 207, and at Low it is 232.3. This represents a performance uplift of 61.5% from Ultra to Low settings.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average FPS is 269.5. At 3840x2160 High, the average FPS drops to 93.5. This is a reduction of approximately 65% when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for achieving high frame rates in Doom?

A: The data shows that frame rates scale strongly with resolution, indicating the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU enough to reach 366.8 fps at Low settings. At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes as the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience. At 3840x2160, the High preset delivers 93.5 fps, which is above the standard 60 fps target for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 113.7 fps offers additional headroom, while Low at 127.2 fps maximizes frame rate. Ultra at 80.2 fps remains playable but shows the largest performance cost relative to High. For 4K users, High offers the best balance, as it stays above 90 fps while maintaining higher visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, all presets exceed 140 fps. The High preset at 176 fps provides a smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors, while Medium at 207 fps and Low at 232.3 fps are suitable for competitive play. Ultra at 143.8 fps still delivers excellent performance. For 1440p, High is recommended for most users, as it provides a substantial visual improvement over Medium while keeping frame rates well above 144 Hz.

At 1920x1080, the GPU produces extremely high frame rates across all presets. Ultra at 217.7 fps is more than sufficient for any display, while High at 269.5 fps and Medium at 316.4 fps offer additional headroom. Low at 366.8 fps is the maximum achievable. Given that even Ultra exceeds 200 fps, users at 1080p can choose Ultra without sacrificing playability. The data suggests that High is the optimal choice for 1080p, as it delivers nearly 270 fps while maintaining a high level of visual quality.

# How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ranks 229th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the top 13.6% of all combinations in the database. The rank reflects the strong performance of both components working together in this game. The CPU's high single-thread performance and the GPU's substantial compute resources combine to produce frame rates that are among the higher tier of tested systems.

The combo's ranking indicates that there are 228 combinations that achieve higher average frame rates in Doom, likely featuring more powerful GPUs or CPUs that are better optimized for this specific workload. However, the measured data shows that this combo still delivers excellent performance, with even the most demanding preset (4K Ultra) exceeding 80 fps. The percentile ranking of both the CPU and GPU at 85 suggests that this is a well-balanced pairing for this game, with neither component severely limiting the other's potential.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive picture of performance.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are as follows: Low 127.2 fps, Medium 113.7 fps, High 93.5 fps, and Ultra 80.2 fps. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decrease of roughly 20-25 fps per step, with the largest single drop occurring between Medium and High at 20.2 fps.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low 232.3 fps, Medium 207 fps, High 176 fps, and Ultra 143.8 fps. The gap between Medium and High is 31 fps, while the gap between High and Ultra is 32.2 fps, indicating a steeper performance cost at higher settings compared to 4K.

At 1920x1080, the averages are: Low 366.8 fps, Medium 316.4 fps, High 269.5 fps, and Ultra 217.7 fps. The differences between consecutive settings are approximately 50 fps, showing the largest absolute impact of settings changes at this resolution.

Across all resolutions, the relative scaling from Low to Ultra is consistent: approximately 37% drop at 4K, 38% drop at 1440p, and 41% drop at 1080p. This suggests that the GPU's performance is the primary determinant of frame rates, with the CPU providing sufficient support across all tested configurations.