Doom

# Doom with AMD Ryzen 7 7700X + Intel Arc B370 — Benchmark Analysis

This combination pairs AMD's 8-core Zen 4 desktop processor with Intel's integrated Arc Graphics-M solution, producing a notably unbalanced gaming experience in Doom (2016). The Ryzen 7 7700X delivers strong CPU-side performance, but the Arc B370's integrated nature and low average benchmark score (1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad) create a clear bottleneck that dominates every measured frame rate. The data reveals a system where CPU headroom is vast, yet the GPU constrains playability across all resolutions and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent drop as resolution increases, which strongly indicates the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 96 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 62 FPS — a 35% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 34 FPS, representing a 65% loss from the 1080p figure. This pattern of near-linear scaling with pixel count is classic GPU-bound behavior.

The High settings row tells a similar story: 71 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and just 25 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p High is 25 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K High is 21 FPS — again, roughly proportional to the pixel count increase. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect the FPS gap between 1080p and 1440p to be much smaller, since the Ryzen 7 7700X has ample headroom.

The Ultra preset reveals the most extreme scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 58 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 37 FPS (36% lower). At 4K Ultra, the average collapses to just 20 FPS — a 66% reduction from 1080p. The fact that the percentage drop from 1440p to 4K (46%) is larger than from 1080p to 1440p (36%) suggests the GPU is being progressively overwhelmed as fill rate demands increase.

What the data implies: the Arc B370's 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 20 ROPs are simply insufficient for 4K rendering in Doom, regardless of settings. Even at Low settings, 4K only reaches 34 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold most players consider smooth. The GPU's 25 W TDP and integrated design (IGP slot width, system-shared memory) further reinforce that this is not a discrete-class solution.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 60 FPS in any configuration?

A: Yes. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average is 96 FPS. At 1080p Medium, it drops to 84 FPS, and at 1080p High, it reaches 71 FPS. All three exceed 60 FPS. However, at 1440p, only the Low preset (62 FPS) surpasses 60 FPS, and at 4K, no preset reaches 60 FPS — the best is Low at 34 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370's average benchmark score is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186 (0.2% higher). The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190 (0.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192 (0.7% higher). The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, which is 1.4% lower than the Arc B370.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems?

A: This CPU+GPU combination ranks 2696 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. That places it in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, reflecting the GPU's severe limitation despite the CPU's strength.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7700X the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong — for example, Cinebench R23 multicore of 19088 and Passmark multithread of 35686. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking versus the CPU's 85th percentile ranking clearly identifies the Arc B370 as the limiting factor. The resolution scaling data confirms this, as FPS drops proportionally with pixel count.

Q: Does the Medium preset offer any advantage over Low or High?

A: The Medium preset provides a middle ground. At 1080p, it averages 84 FPS (between Low's 96 and High's 71). At 1440p, it averages 54 FPS (between Low's 62 and High's 46). At 4K, it averages 29 FPS (between Low's 34 and High's 25). The measured min/max for Medium at each resolution (71/96 at 1080p, 46/62 at 1440p, 25/34 at 4K) exactly span the Low and High averages, suggesting consistent scaling.

Q: What is the best 4K experience achievable with this combo?

A: The highest 4K average is 34 FPS at Low settings. Medium delivers 29 FPS, High delivers 25 FPS, and Ultra delivers 20 FPS. None of these approach smooth playability, and the data suggests 4K is not a viable resolution for this integrated GPU solution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a desktop-class processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael) on a 5 nm process. Its base clock is 4.50 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU scores in the 85th percentile of all processors, with an average benchmark score of 35909. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, 0.3% higher), Intel Core 7 250H (35728, 0.5% higher), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35719, 0.5% higher), and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (35670, 0.7% higher).

In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The Ryzen 7 7700X's single-thread performance is strong — Geekbench single-core of 2289, Cinebench R15 single-core of 315, and Passmark single-thread of 4190 — which matters for a 2016-era FPS title that relies heavily on single-threaded engine work. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2112 and 4-thread score of 4074 indicate solid low-thread-count performance.

However, the measured FPS data shows that CPU performance is never the constraint in any tested configuration. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is most stressed, the 20 FPS average is far below what the CPU alone could sustain. The fact that 1080p Low hits 96 FPS while 1080p Ultra only reaches 58 FPS demonstrates that the GPU, not the CPU, dictates the ceiling.

The CPU's large L3 cache (32 MB shared) and 8-core/16-thread layout would be more than sufficient for Doom's engine, which was designed to scale across multiple cores. The 3DMark max-thread score of 8852 and Cinebench R23 multicore of 19088 confirm that multi-threaded workloads are handled with ease. This CPU could likely drive a much more powerful discrete GPU in this game without becoming a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2696 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations — a remarkably low position given the CPU's strength. The rank disparity between the CPU (85th percentile) and GPU (5th percentile) creates a system where the GPU's weakness completely overshadows the CPU's capability.

Comparatively, the Ryzen 7 7700X's nearest CPU rivals all score within 0.7% of its average benchmark score, meaning the CPU itself is competitive with similar-tier processors. However, the Arc B370's nearest GPU rivals are all integrated or legacy mobile parts from over a decade ago (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, AMD Radeon HD 7650M), highlighting how far behind the GPU is relative to modern standards.

The rank of 2696 out of 2930 suggests that 234 tested combos perform worse, but the overwhelming majority of systems — 2695 — outperform this pairing in Doom. This is a direct consequence of pairing a high-end desktop CPU with an integrated GPU that has only 20 ROPs and a 25 W TDP. The data indicates that any discrete GPU from the past decade would likely outperform this integrated solution, and the CPU's potential is essentially wasted in this configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and frame rate expectations. At 1080p, the Medium preset (84 FPS) offers a strong balance between visual quality and smoothness, sitting comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset (71 FPS) also exceeds 60 FPS and provides better visuals, making it a viable choice for players who prioritize image quality over headroom. The Low preset (96 FPS) maximizes smoothness, which could be beneficial for fast-paced FPS gameplay, but sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the Low preset (62 FPS) is the only configuration that maintains 60+ FPS. The Medium preset (54 FPS) is playable but drops below the 60 FPS threshold, while High (46 FPS) and Ultra (37 FPS) become increasingly less smooth. For players with 1440p displays, Low settings are recommended to maintain responsive gameplay, though Medium could be acceptable for those who tolerate slightly lower frame rates.

At 4K, no preset achieves 60 FPS. The Low preset (34 FPS) is the best option but still falls well short of smooth playability. Medium (29 FPS) and High (25 FPS) are marginal, while Ultra (20 FPS) is nearly unplayable. The data suggests that 4K should be avoided entirely with this combo, as even the lowest settings fail to provide an acceptable experience.

The Medium preset's measured min/max values (71/96 at 1080p, 46/62 at 1440p, 25/34 at 4K) exactly mirror the Low and High averages at each resolution, indicating that Medium is a predictable middle ground. For the best overall experience, 1080p High at 71 FPS provides the strongest combination of visual quality and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 96 FPS. Medium settings average 84 FPS, with a minimum of 71 and maximum of 96. High settings average 71 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 58 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 40% performance reduction, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to graphical complexity.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 62 FPS. Medium settings average 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 and maximum of 62. High settings average 46 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 37 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 1440p at each preset is consistent: 34 FPS for Low, 30 FPS for Medium, 25 FPS for High, and 21 FPS for Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 34 FPS. Medium settings average 29 FPS, with a minimum of 25 and maximum of 34. High settings average 25 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 20 FPS. The 4K results show that the Arc B370's 20 ROPs and 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are severely insufficient for 4K rendering, even at the lowest settings.

The medium preset at each resolution shows the tightest measured range, with min and max values exactly matching the Low and High averages of that resolution. This consistency suggests the Medium preset is a well-optimized middle tier, but it also reinforces that the GPU is the sole performance limiter across all configurations.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture (Panther Lake chip) on Intel's 3 nm process. Its 25 W TDP and system-shared memory (with no dedicated VRAM) classify it as a low-power integrated solution, not a discrete graphics card. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs — near the bottom of the performance spectrum.

The GPU's nearest rivals are all older or integrated parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, 0.2% higher), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, 0.5% higher), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, 0.7% higher), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, 1.4% lower). This comparison underscores that the Arc B370 performs at the level of early-2010s discrete GPUs or mid-range mobile parts, despite its modern architecture.

With 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, the Arc B370 has limited pixel throughput (48.00 GPixel/s) and texture throughput (96.00 GTexel/s). Its FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS is modest, and the system-shared memory architecture means bandwidth is "System Dependent" — a significant handicap in memory-intensive scenarios. The GPU's boost clock of 2400 MHz helps, but the low ROP count and memory bandwidth constraints become evident at higher resolutions.

In Doom, the GPU's role is dominant. The measured FPS data shows that every settings change produces a significant performance shift, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound system. The 5th percentile GPU ranking versus the 85th percentile CPU ranking means the Arc B370 is the definitive bottleneck. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility ensure the game's modern rendering paths are supported, but the raw performance is insufficient for a smooth experience at 1440p and above.

The data suggests that this GPU is best suited for 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings, where it can achieve playable frame rates. Its performance at 1440p and 4K is marginal at best, and the system-shared memory architecture means performance could vary significantly depending on system memory speed and capacity — a factor the benchmark data cannot capture.