Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combination ranks 1472nd out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the lower-mid tier of the database. This is a pairing where the GPU is the clear performance limiter, as the CPU has ample headroom for this 2016 title. The data shows a system that can deliver smooth, high-refresh-rate gameplay at 1080p with adjusted settings, but struggles to maintain playable framerates at 4K Ultra. It is a pragmatic, no-nonsense build for competitive or fast-paced play, provided expectations are set correctly for resolution and visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 1681 tested processor and graphics card combinations in Doom, this pairing sits at rank 1472. That places it in the bottom 12% of all combos tested, which reflects the GTX 1660 SUPER's position as a mid-range card from a previous generation. The data indicates that while the CPU is not the bottleneck, the overall combo is held back by the GPU's raw throughput. In practical terms, this rank means the system is far from the top-tier experience but is not at the very bottom either; it occupies a niche where 1080p gaming is viable, and 1440p is possible with compromises.

The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance percentile of 55 against all GPUs, which is a middling score. When compared to its nearest rivals, the GTX 1660 SUPER's average benchmark score of 14286 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314, a -0.2% difference) and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14315, -0.2% difference). This tells us that in Doom, the GTX 1660 SUPER delivers a level of performance that is on par with those integrated and low-end discrete solutions, which explains the low overall combo rank. The CPU, by contrast, is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 26214, which is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i9-11900KF and 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT. This disparity between CPU and GPU strength is the defining characteristic of this combo.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip, featuring 1408 shading units. Its memory configuration is a key asset: 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The base clock is 1530 MHz, with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and the memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). These specifications provide a theoretical FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS. In Doom, this translates to a GPU that can handle the game's fast-paced action well at lower resolutions, but its 6 GB VRAM and older architecture become limiting factors at higher settings.

The data shows that in Doom, the GPU's performance is the primary driver of the framerate differences across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GTX 1660 SUPER can push framerates well above 100 FPS on Medium settings, but at 3840x2160, it drops below 50 FPS even on Low settings. The GPU's percentile rank of 55 places it in the middle of the pack, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, is only 0.7% faster in average benchmark score. This indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is not a high-end part, but it is also not an entry-level one. Its 6 GB memory is sufficient for Doom at 1080p, but the game's texture and shadow settings at Ultra can stress the memory bus and shading units, leading to the significant performance drop seen at higher settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It has 32 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. With a TDP of 65 W, it is an efficient part, and its benchmark scores are strong: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22620 and a single-core score of 3193. Its percentile rank of 83 against all CPUs shows that it is a high-performing processor, and its average benchmark score of 26214 is almost exactly the same as the Intel Core i9-11900KF.

In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The data shows that the Ryzen 7 5700X is more than capable of doing this, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores. The game is not heavily multithreaded, but the 8 cores and 16 threads ensure that there is no bottleneck from the CPU side. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU's single-thread performance, which is crucial for older games like Doom, is excellent. The single-core score of 3193 in Cinebench R23 is particularly strong. This means that the framerate limitations seen in the measured FPS data are almost entirely due to the GPU's capabilities, not the CPU. The CPU is effectively a non-factor in determining the final FPS numbers for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is very playable: on Low settings, it averages 148.4 FPS, on Medium it averages 130.3 FPS, and on High it averages 111.7 FPS. Even on Ultra, it maintains an average of 87.2 FPS. This resolution is where the combo shines, offering a smooth experience on any preset. The difference between Low and Ultra is substantial, with a drop of 61.2 FPS, but even the lowest number is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still acceptable but requires more careful settings management. On Low, the average is 98.6 FPS, which is excellent. On Medium, it drops to 81 FPS, still solid. High settings yield 69.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 55.9 FPS. The step from High to Ultra is a significant 13.2 FPS drop, indicating that the Ultra preset is too demanding for this GPU at 1440p. At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings produce an average of 50.9 FPS, Medium drops to 46.8 FPS, High is 40.8 FPS, and Ultra falls to 33.7 FPS. None of these are ideal for a fast-paced FPS, and the Ultra preset is not playable. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a clear pattern: the GPU is the limiting factor, and the performance penalty for higher resolutions is severe.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured data shows an average of 33.7 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at Low settings, the average is only 50.9 FPS.

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

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At this resolution, even Ultra settings produce an average of 87.2 FPS, while High settings yield 111.7 FPS, and Low settings reach 148.4 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 14286. It is 0.2% slower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314) and 0.5% slower than the AMD Radeon Vega 11 (14352), but only 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (14389).

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in Doom?

A: No. The Ryzen 7 5700X has a high average benchmark score of 26214, which is 0.1% faster than the Intel Core i9-11900KF. Its strong single-thread and multicore performance ensure it does not limit the GPU's output in this game.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 98.6 FPS, while Ultra settings average 55.9 FPS. This is a difference of 42.7 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset demands significantly more from the GPU.

Q: Does the combo's rank suggest it is a good pair for this game?

A: The rank of 1472 out of 1681 combos is low, but this is due to the GPU's mid-range performance. The CPU is a high performer, so the combo is balanced for 1080p gaming, but it is not competitive for high-resolution, high-settings play.

Settings Recommendations

The data shows that the best experience with this combo is at 1920x1080, where the system can maintain high framerates across all presets. For a balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers an average of 111.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target and leaves headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset offers a slight performance boost with 130.3 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable in a fast-paced FPS. Ultra at 1080p is playable at 87.2 FPS, but the drop from High is significant enough that it may not be worth the graphical gains unless the player prioritizes visual fidelity over a higher framerate.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, with an average of 81 FPS. This provides a smooth experience while still offering a substantial upgrade in resolution over 1080p. High settings at 1440p are also viable, with an average of 69.1 FPS, but the margin for error is smaller. Ultra settings at 1440p should be avoided, as the 55.9 FPS average is too close to the 60 FPS threshold for comfortable play. At 3840x2160, the system is not well-suited for gaming. The Low preset gives an average of 50.9 FPS, which is the only playable option, but even that is below 60 FPS. For the best overall experience, stick to 1080p with High or Medium settings; for a sharper image, 1440p with Medium is the most practical choice.