Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT pairing delivers a playable but not overwhelming experience in Doom, with performance that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a combination that ranks in the lower-middle tier of tested configurations, where the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capacity is often held back by the GPU’s age and memory constraints. Benchmark results indicate that this setup is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can hit high refresh rates, while 4K remains a challenge.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, built on a 5 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This CPU features a 32 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the 7700 scores 8,484 in 3DMark’s 16-thread test and 1,049 in the single-thread test, while Cinebench R23 results show 29,302 multi-core and 4,136 single-core scores. These figures place the CPU in the 91st percentile among all tested processors, indicating strong headroom for gaming workloads.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough data to avoid bottlenecking. The 7700’s high boost clock and 16 threads are more than sufficient for the game’s engine, which is largely GPU-bound at most settings. The data suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor here; even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU load is highest relative to the GPU, the measured average FPS of 188.9 shows that the 7700 can push frames well beyond what the RX 5700 XT can render at higher settings. The nearest rivals to the 7700, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H (0.1% higher average score) and the Intel Core i9-13905H (0.6% lower), show that this CPU sits in a competitive performance band, but none of these differences would meaningfully alter Doom’s frame rates given the GPU constraint.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is a RDNA 1.0 architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It has a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz, with a 225 W TDP. The GPU features 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, delivering a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is rated at 9.754 TFLOPS. In benchmark tests, the GPU scores 16,277 in PassMark’s G3D test and 7,650 in the compute test, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs.

In Doom, the RX 5700 XT is the primary performance driver. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows that at 4K, the GPU struggles to maintain smooth frame rates. The nearest rivals to the RX 5700 XT include the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile (0.1% lower average score) and the Intel Arc A350M (0.3% higher), which are close in synthetic benchmarks but may differ in real-world gaming. The GPU’s 1905 MHz boost clock and 448 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for Doom’s fast-paced action, but the architectural age of RDNA 1.0 means it lacks the efficiency of newer designs. The lack of ray tracing hardware is irrelevant here, as Doom does not use it, but the GPU’s raw rasterization power is what determines the measured FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Ryzen 7 7700 and RX 5700 XT ranks 1,269 out of 1,681 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the lower 25% of all configurations, which reflects the GPU’s age more than the CPU’s capability. The data indicates that pairing a high-end 2023 processor with a 2019 mid-range GPU creates a mismatch where the CPU is underutilized. In practical terms, this combo performs worse than many modern pairings that feature newer GPUs with higher VRAM and more efficient architectures. The rank suggests that users with this setup are likely to see frame rates that are playable but not competitive with top-tier systems.

The combo’s position is heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance ceiling. While the CPU ranks in the 91st percentile, the GPU’s 68th percentile ranking pulls the overall result down. This disparity is evident in the measured FPS, where the gap between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution is significant, showing that the GPU is the bottleneck. For context, the combo rank implies that there are 412 other tested configurations that outperform this one, which is a substantial number given the total pool. This is not a pairing that would be recommended for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming, but it remains viable for less demanding scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows the strongest performance for this combo. With Low settings, the average FPS is 188.9, which drops to 167.3 at Medium, 140 at High, and 115 at Ultra. These numbers indicate that the RX 5700 XT can handle 1080p with ease, even at the highest quality presets, providing a smooth experience on standard 60 Hz monitors and competitive on 144 Hz displays. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 39% reduction in frame rate, which is typical for a GPU of this class.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable but begins to show strain. Low settings average 122.8 FPS, Medium drops to 107.5, High to 90.7, and Ultra to 74.7. This resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. The Ultra preset still maintains an average above 60 FPS, which is sufficient for most gamers. The drop from Low to Ultra is 39%, similar to 1080p, indicating consistent scaling.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. Low settings average 63.5 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but Medium drops to 55.7, High to 49.6, and Ultra to 39.7. These figures show that 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, and even then, it is marginal. The Ultra preset at 39.7 FPS is not smooth enough for a fast-paced FPS like Doom, suggesting that users should either lower settings or reduce resolution. The data clearly shows that 4K is beyond the RX 5700 XT’s comfort zone, with the gap between Low and Ultra widening to 37%.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 1440p in Doom?

A: Yes, at 1440p, the average FPS exceeds 60 at all settings, with Low at 122.8, Medium at 107.5, High at 90.7, and Ultra at 74.7.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck, as shown by the significant FPS drops when increasing settings, while the CPU’s high benchmark scores (91st percentile) indicate it has ample headroom.

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

A: The data suggests 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution, offering a good balance between visual quality and performance, with all presets staying above 74 FPS.

Q: How does this combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 39.7, which is not smooth enough for a competitive FPS. Low settings at 4K are needed to reach 63.5 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 24,731, which is 0.1% lower than the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile and 0.3% higher than the Intel Arc A350M, indicating very close performance.

Q: Does the CPU’s 8-core configuration matter for Doom?

A: Yes, the 8 cores and 16 threads ensure that the CPU does not become a limiting factor, allowing the GPU to be the primary determinant of frame rates, as evidenced by the high FPS at 1080p Low settings.