Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2580th out of 2930 tested combinations in Doom, placing it in the lower 12% of all tested hardware pairings. This low ranking is primarily driven by the graphics card, which sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs in the database. The combination is fundamentally imbalanced: the CPU is a capable mid-range processor, but the GPU holds the system back to the point where even modest resolutions require significant settings compromises. The data indicates that this pairing is not competitive for smooth 4K play, and only achieves acceptable frame rates at 1080p with lower presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2580 out of 2930 places this system in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations for Doom. This is a very poor result for a game that is known for being well-optimized and scalable across a wide range of hardware. The ranking is almost entirely explained by the GPU’s performance tier, as the Arc B390’s average benchmark score of 1482 places it below 91% of all other graphics cards in the database. In direct contrast, the Ryzen 7 5700X holds a respectable 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27578.

The gap between the two components is stark. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-12600K (average score 27578, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (average score 27636, -0.2% delta), show that the 5700X is a well-matched peer to those popular mid-range processors. However, the GPU’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (average score 1463, 1.3% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (average score 1460, 1.5% delta), which are entry-level mobile parts from over a decade ago. This contrast illustrates a massive performance bottleneck; the CPU is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver, making the system’s overall rank a direct reflection of the graphics card’s limitations.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 7 5700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates on the AMD Socket AM4 platform and is built on a 7 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, which can boost up to 4.60 GHz under load. The CPU has a 65 W TDP, which is relatively modest for an 8-core part, and supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

For a game like Doom, which is an FPS title released in 2016, the CPU’s multi-threaded performance is more than sufficient. Benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13184 and a single-core score of 1499, while Geekbench reports a multi-core score of 10779 and a single-core score of 2016. The 3DMark tests further demonstrate strong scaling: the 8-thread score is 5768, while the max-thread score reaches 6850. This indicates that the CPU can handle the game’s threading demands without becoming a limiting factor.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the reason for the low frame rates in Doom. Even at 1080p, where CPU overhead is typically highest, the system’s frame rates are constrained by the GPU. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 16 threads provide ample headroom for the game’s engine. The bottleneck lies entirely on the graphics side, as the CPU’s performance class is vastly superior to the GPU’s. In any scenario where the GPU is the limiting factor, the 5700X is essentially idle, waiting for the Arc B390 to catch up.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, part of the Panther Lake chip. It is manufactured on Intel’s 3 nm process and features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. It also has 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and can boost up to 2500 MHz. Its theoretical performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS for FP16.

The most critical limitation of this GPU is its memory configuration. The Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system’s main RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means performance can vary significantly based on the system’s memory speed and configuration. In this case, paired with the Ryzen 7 5700X’s dual-channel DDR4 setup, the GPU’s memory bandwidth is likely a major constraining factor, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demand increases.

The GPU’s benchmark results are extremely weak. Its only recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it at the 9th percentile. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (average score 1443, 2.7% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (average score 1446, 2.5% delta). These are decades-old entry-level desktop cards. The Arc B390’s performance in Doom reflects this low tier, as it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 1440p and above, and even at 1080p, it requires lower settings to hit smooth framerates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system achieves its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 107. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 107. High settings yield an average of 78 FPS, while Ultra settings bring the average down to 64 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system is capable of playable frame rates on all presets, though the jump from High to Ultra costs 14 FPS.

At 1440p, the performance degrades significantly. Low settings produce an average of 69 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium settings average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69. High settings average 51 FPS, which is borderline for a fast-paced FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 41 FPS, which becomes difficult to play smoothly. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings costs 38 FPS, illustrating the GPU’s sensitivity to resolution increases.

At 4K, the system is largely unplayable. Low settings average 37 FPS, Medium averages 33 FPS (with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 37), High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. None of these averages reach the 60 FPS target, and even the fastest preset, Low, fails to provide a consistently smooth experience. The data shows that the Arc B390 is simply not equipped to handle 4K gaming in Doom, regardless of the settings chosen. The system’s performance at 4K is below the threshold for acceptable gameplay, with the best case scenario being 37 FPS on Low.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this hardware combo?

A: According to the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can consistently achieve high frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 64 on Ultra to 107 on Low, making it the only viable resolution for smooth gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS recorded is 37 on Low settings. All other presets at 4K fall below 33 FPS, which is not sufficient for a responsive FPS experience.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 5700X has an average benchmark score of 27578, which is identical to the Intel Core i5-12600K (27578, 0% delta) and 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (27535). It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (27636).

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it performs better than only 9% of the graphics cards in the database.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings average 51 FPS, while Ultra settings average 41 FPS. This represents a 10 FPS drop, which is a significant reduction for a single settings tier increase.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 79th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The frame rates are consistently low across all resolutions, which indicates the GPU is unable to keep up with the CPU’s processing power.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this system depend entirely on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, delivering an average of 78 FPS. While Low settings achieve 107 FPS, the jump to High only costs 29 FPS and provides a substantially better visual experience. Ultra settings at 1080p are playable at 64 FPS, but the 14 FPS drop from High is a noticeable sacrifice for marginal visual gains.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It averages 60 FPS, which is the standard target for smooth gameplay. Low settings provide a higher frame rate at 69 FPS, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. High settings at 1440p drop to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may feel less responsive. Ultra is not recommended at this resolution, as the 41 FPS average is too low for a fast-paced shooter.

At 4K, there are no good settings recommendations. The data shows that even Low settings only average 37 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Users should avoid 4K entirely with this combination. The system is not capable of providing a satisfactory experience at this resolution, and dropping to 1440p with Medium settings is the best compromise for both performance and visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates the GPU’s limitations. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 107 at 1080p to 69 at 1440p (a 35.5% decrease), and then further to 37 at 4K (a 65.4% decrease from 1080p). This steep decline indicates that the system is heavily GPU-bound, as the rendering load increases with pixel count.

The same pattern holds across other settings. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 78 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p (a 34.6% decrease) and then to 28 at 4K (a 64.1% decrease). The scaling is relatively consistent, suggesting that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and processing power are the primary constraints. The "System Shared" memory configuration likely exacerbates the issue at higher resolutions, as the GPU must contend with system memory bandwidth limitations.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this scaling. The Ryzen 7 5700X’s performance is more than adequate to handle the game’s logic at all resolutions, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores. The bottleneck is entirely on the GPU side, and the frame rate drops are a direct consequence of the Arc B390’s inability to process the increased pixel workload. For users seeking higher resolutions, the only solution is a more powerful dedicated graphics card, as the current IGP cannot be improved through settings adjustments.