Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a telling performance profile in Doom, one that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution. The data reveals a system where the CPU’s substantial processing power is largely held in check by the integrated GPU, resulting in a playable but far from high-refresh experience. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings paint a clear picture of a bottleneck that shifts depending on how the game is configured.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a steep performance cliff, indicating that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 78 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p, a significant reduction, and then plummets to 28 FPS at 4K. This pattern shows a nearly linear scaling with pixel count, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The rendering pipeline is saturated, and the graphics processor cannot keep up with the increasing pixel throughput demands.

This trend is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 107 at 1080p to 69 at 1440p, and finally to 37 at 4K. The gap between resolutions remains substantial, reinforcing that the GPU’s raw compute and memory bandwidth are the deciding factors. The data suggests that the CPU is not the constraint here; if it were, the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K would be far less pronounced, as the workload per frame would not increase as dramatically.

What is particularly telling is the performance hit from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the drop is from 51 FPS to 28 FPS, a 45% decrease. This is a more severe relative drop than the 35% decrease seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling at the highest resolution points to the GPU running out of memory bandwidth or shader throughput, as the demands of 4K exceed its capabilities by a wide margin. The Arc B390, with its system-shared memory, is likely struggling to manage the large texture and geometry datasets required at 4K.

The implication is clear: for a smooth experience, users must target lower resolutions. The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the system can consistently deliver frame rates above 60 FPS, and even then, only on lower settings presets. The 4K results, with averages ranging from 22 to 37 FPS, are generally unplayable for a fast-paced FPS like Doom, where fluid motion is critical for gameplay.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is a 3 nm integrated graphics processor with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 render output units (ROPs). Its performance in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark is a score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This low percentile is a strong indicator of its limited performance class, and the measured FPS in Doom reflects this reality.

The GPU’s memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the same DDR5 memory as the CPU. This is a significant disadvantage for gaming, as the memory bandwidth is "System Dependent" and shared with other system processes. The measured results suggest this is a major bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The 4K Medium preset shows an average of 33 FPS with a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS, demonstrating a narrow performance band that is likely limited by memory subsystem constraints rather than compute.

Comparing the Arc B390 to its nearest rivals, which include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce GT 710, puts its performance into perspective. It is 1.3% faster than the GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710 in aggregate benchmark scores. These are all very old, low-end parts, suggesting the Arc B390's performance is in a similar, albeit slightly higher, tier. In Doom, this translates to frame rates that are acceptable for 1080p on lower settings but fall apart quickly as the resolution and visual fidelity increase.

The relationship between the GPU’s specifications and the game results is direct. The 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 120.0 GTexel/s texture rate are simply not sufficient for the demands of Doom at high resolutions. The 24 ROPs are a particular limitation for fill-rate heavy scenarios, which explains the poor performance at 4K. The data indicates that this GPU is designed for basic graphical output, not for high-performance gaming, and the benchmark results confirm this assessment.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2580 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the bottom 12% of all system configurations, a position that is almost entirely due to the GPU's weak performance. The ranking highlights a significant mismatch between the CPU’s capabilities and the GPU’s output, creating a system that is heavily imbalanced for this game.

This low combo rank is unsurprising given the GPU's 9th percentile standing. The CPU, in contrast, is a high-end part, ranking in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The data shows a system where the processor is capable of feeding the graphics card with data far faster than the graphics card can process it, resulting in a massive bottleneck. The combo rank confirms how a single weak component can drag down the entire system's gaming performance.

The nearest rival combos are not listed, but the individual component rankings provide context. The Ryzen 7 7700’s average benchmark score of 40081 places it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, which has an average score of 40048 (a delta of 0.1%), and the Intel Core 5 221E, which scores 40144 (a delta of -0.2%). This indicates that the CPU is performing as expected for its class. However, the GPU’s score of 1482, which is only 1.3% higher than the GeForce GT 520MX's 1463, ensures that the system's gaming performance will be poor.

The data implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The system's rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to translate the CPU's processing power into high frame rates. This is a classic example of a processor being "wasted" on a system with an underpowered graphics solution. For a game like Doom, which is known for its demanding visuals, this combination is not recommended for anything beyond the most modest settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 107 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth and responsive experience. The Medium preset offers a still-respectable 93 FPS, providing a good balance between visual quality and performance. High settings drop to 78 FPS, which is still playable, but the Ultra preset falls to 64 FPS, which may feel less fluid in intense combat scenarios.

For 2560x1440, the situation becomes more constrained. The Low preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 69 FPS. The Medium preset is borderline at 60 FPS, but the High and Ultra presets at 51 FPS and 41 FPS, respectively, are likely too choppy for a fast-paced FPS. The data suggests that users should stick to Low or Medium settings at this resolution to maintain playable frame rates.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset yields a playable experience. The Low preset averages 37 FPS, which is below the threshold for a smooth frame rate, and the Ultra preset is a slideshow at 22 FPS. The data clearly indicates that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware combination in Doom. The best experience is found at 1080p with the Medium preset, which offers a good mix of visual fidelity and a high frame rate of 93 FPS.

The difference between the Low and Medium presets at 1080p is only 14 FPS (107 vs. 93), suggesting that the Medium preset is a sensible choice for most users. The jump from Medium to High costs 15 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs another 14 FPS, making the higher presets less attractive. The data points to a clear recommendation: use the Medium preset at 1080p for the best balance of smoothness and visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular look at the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings average 107 FPS, Medium settings average 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 107, High settings average 78 FPS, and Ultra settings average 64 FPS. The frame times are relatively consistent, with the gap between average and minimum FPS being modest.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 69 FPS. Medium settings average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69. High settings average 51 FPS, and Ultra settings average 41 FPS. The data shows a clear linear progression of performance loss as settings are increased, with a 28 FPS difference between Low and Ultra presets.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 37 FPS. Medium settings average 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 and a maximum of 37. High settings average 28 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS. The performance at this resolution is consistently low, with even the lowest settings failing to reach 40 FPS.

The data reveals that the system has a wide range of performance, from a high of 107 FPS at 1080p Low to a low of 22 FPS at 4K Ultra. This range of 85 FPS demonstrates the severe impact that resolution and settings have on this hardware combination. The minimum FPS values, where available, show that the system can experience dips, particularly at 1440p Medium (51 FPS) and 4K Medium (28 FPS), which could lead to noticeable stuttering in demanding scenes.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a powerful 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 18760 and a single-core score of 1930. It ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a top-tier processor for general and multi-threaded workloads.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of this task, as the frame rates are not limited by its processing power. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 8484 and the Passmark multithread score of 34470 indicate ample headroom for the game's computational demands. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and DDR5 memory support further ensure that data can be fed to the GPU quickly.

The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this system. The frame rate scaling with resolution points directly to the GPU as the limiting factor. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and Intel Core 5 221E, have very similar average benchmark scores (40048 and 40144, respectively), showing that the Ryzen 7 7700 is performing at the expected level for its class.

The data implies that pairing this CPU with a more powerful discrete GPU would unlock significantly higher frame rates in Doom. The CPU has the processing headroom to support a much faster graphics card, and the current GPU is holding the system back. This is a clear case where the CPU's potential is untapped due to the GPU's limitations, making the processor a non-factor in the game's performance. The 65W TDP and efficient 5nm process node also suggest that the CPU can maintain its boost clocks without thermal throttling, ensuring consistent performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can consistently achieve high frame rates. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 107 FPS and the Medium preset averages 93 FPS, making it the only viable choice for a smooth experience. Both 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 have average frame rates below 70 FPS on all settings.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 the bottleneck in this system for Doom?

A: The benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the limiting factor. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 87th percentile, and its performance is sufficient to feed the GPU data far faster than it can be processed.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of performance?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482. This is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, and 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, which scores 1460. It is also 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710, placing it in a low-performance tier.

Q: What settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset appears to be the optimal choice. It delivers an average of 93 FPS, which is only 14 FPS lower than the Low preset but offers better visual fidelity. The High preset drops to 78 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 64 FPS, making the performance cost of those presets less worthwhile.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Doom?

A: No, the data shows that 4K gaming is not viable with this hardware. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 37 FPS on the Low preset, and the Ultra preset averages just 22 FPS. These frame rates are far too low for a smooth and responsive FPS experience.

Q: What does the combo rank of 2580 out of 2930 indicate about this system?

A: This rank places the combination in the bottom 12% of all tested combos for Doom. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's weak performance, as the CPU is a high-end part. The system is heavily imbalanced, with the graphics card severely limiting the overall gaming performance.