Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT combination delivers a robust Doom experience, with the data indicating a system that is heavily balanced toward GPU limitation at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across settings and resolutions, placing the combo within the broader benchmark database context.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, utilizing a 7 nm process from TSMC. The processor's defining feature for gaming is its large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is substantial compared to its L1 and L2 caches of 64 KB and 512 KB per core, respectively. This cache configuration is particularly effective for gaming workloads that benefit from high-speed data access.

In the context of Doom, a title from 2016, the CPU's raw throughput is more than sufficient. The benchmark results for this processor show a multi-threaded score of 24,063 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 3,397 in the same test. The 3DMark results further illustrate its scaling, with a 2-thread score of 1,746 climbing to a max-thread score of 7,285. This indicates that while the CPU has significant headroom for multi-threaded tasks, its single-thread performance is the key driver for frame generation in a fast-paced FPS like Doom.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 199 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate across all configurations. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a performance ceiling that persists across different resolutions. Instead, the frame rates scale significantly with resolution, indicating that the CPU is delivering frames faster than the GPU can process at lower resolutions. The processor's percentile ranking of 83 against all CPUs reinforces its position as a high-performing part, though its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-11900K and AMD Ryzen 5 7600, show very similar average benchmark scores with deltas of 0.1% and -0.2% respectively, suggesting that any of these CPUs would yield comparable results in this game.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Examining the measured FPS data, the relationship between settings and performance is clear and consistent across all resolutions. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 199 FPS on Low to 172.1 FPS on Medium, a decrease of 26.9 FPS. Moving to High sees a further reduction to 150.2 FPS, and finally, Ultra settings produce 117.7 FPS. This pattern holds true at 1440p and 4K, where each step up in quality reduces the average frame rate.

For the best experience, the High preset offers a compelling balance. At 1080p, it delivers 150.2 FPS, which is well above the threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, the High preset maintains a smooth 97.6 FPS, and even at 4K, it achieves a playable 51.5 FPS. While the Ultra preset provides the highest visual fidelity, the performance cost is substantial. The drop from High to Ultra at 1080p is 32.5 FPS, a 21.7% reduction, which is a significant sacrifice for marginal visual gains in a fast-paced game where frame rate is paramount.

The Low and Medium presets are less optimal for this hardware. While they offer higher frame rates, the visual compromise is likely too great for a modern system. The data indicates that the Ultra preset, while the most demanding, is not the best choice for competitive play. The High preset, therefore, stands out as the recommended choice, providing a high frame rate that remains fluid and responsive while retaining a high level of graphical detail. The gap between Medium and High is 21.9 FPS at 1080p, making High a clear upgrade, while the gap between High and Ultra is a larger 32.5 FPS, making Ultra a less efficient choice for performance.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The frame rate scaling across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system's bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 150.2 at 1080p to 97.6 at 1440p, a reduction of 52.6 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate falls further to 51.5 FPS, a drop of 46.1 FPS. This pattern of diminishing returns with increasing resolution is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario.

The same trend is evident at other settings. At Low settings, performance falls from 199 FPS at 1080p to 127.3 FPS at 1440p, and then to 68.6 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is significant across all presets, with the Ultra preset showing the steepest decline from 117.7 FPS to 39.8 FPS. This consistent behavior demonstrates that the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the limiting component when resolution increases.

The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data at 1080p, as evidenced by the high frame rates. However, as the resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows due to the increased pixel count, and its performance becomes the constraining factor. The data shows that the GPU's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, particularly on the Ultra preset where the average drops to 39.8 FPS. This indicates that for 4K gaming, the user would need to significantly lower settings or consider a more powerful GPU, while at 1080p and 1440p, the combo performs admirably.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT holds a rank of 1092 out of 1681 total combos for Doom. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems. The rank reflects the average performance across all measured configurations, and it is heavily influenced by the GPU's capabilities.

The combo's ranking is a direct result of the GPU's standing among its peers. The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT has an average benchmark score of 29,024 and sits in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6800M and AMD Radeon RX 470, have nearly identical average scores, with a delta of 0% and 0.1% respectively. This suggests that the GPU is a mid-range part that performs consistently, but it does not have the raw power to compete with higher-tier cards in this game.

The CPU's high percentile ranking of 83 does not boost the combo's overall position, underscoring that the GPU is the performance limiter in this pairing. The CPU contributes to the system's capability to reach high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the combo's rank is capped by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions and settings. A system with a more powerful GPU paired with this CPU would likely rank significantly higher, as the CPU's performance is not a hindrance in this title.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 23 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2055 MHz, a game clock of 2410 MHz, and a boost clock of 2635 MHz. Its compute capabilities include 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, which translate to a pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s.

The GPU's role in Doom is critical, as it is the primary driver of frame rate at higher resolutions. The data shows that the GPU's performance scales predictably with the workload. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully saturated, allowing the CPU to push frame rates up to 199 FPS on Low settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's pixel processing and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors.

The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this title, even at 4K, as the game is from 2016 and does not require the larger frame buffers of modern titles. The GPU's performance at 4K on High settings, achieving 51.5 FPS, indicates that it is being pushed to its limits. The drop from High to Ultra at 4K is 11.7 FPS, from 51.5 to 39.8, which shows that the Ultra preset's increased shading and texture demands heavily tax the GPU. The GPU's average benchmark score of 29,024 and its 72nd percentile ranking among all GPUs confirm that it is a capable mid-range part, but its performance in Doom at high resolutions is limited by its intrinsic hardware specifications. The data suggests that users targeting 1440p with High settings will have an excellent experience, while 4K gaming will require compromises in settings to maintain playable frame rates.