Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a playable but aging experience in Doom, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The measured data shows a clear pattern: 1080p performance is strong, 1440p remains smooth, and 4K falls below the 60 FPS threshold on most settings. For a game from 2016, this combo handles the classic shooter well at mainstream resolutions, but the RX 5700 XT’s 8 GB frame buffer and RDNA 1.0 architecture limit ultra-high refresh rate potential at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, confirming that the RX 5700 XT is the limiting component in this pairing. At High settings, average FPS falls from 138 at 1920x1080 to 89 at 2560x1440, then to 48 at 3840x2160. That is a 35.5% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46.1% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is nearly linear with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario—the Ryzen 7 9700F has ample headroom to feed the GPU at all resolutions.

Low settings show the same trend but with higher absolute numbers: 188 FPS at 1080p, 121 FPS at 1440p, and 66 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is the only 4K setting that clears the 60 FPS mark, and it does so by a slim margin. Medium settings sit between Low and High: 164 FPS at 1080p, 106 FPS at 1440p, and 57 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are the most demanding, producing 113 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 40 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra grows as resolution increases—at 1080p, Ultra is 39.9% slower than Low; at 4K, Ultra is 39.4% slower than Low, showing the GPU’s rasterization limits dominate regardless of settings.

The minimum FPS data points, where available, reinforce the consistency of the results. At Medium settings, the 4K run logs a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS, producing a narrow 17 FPS range. The 1440p Medium run shows a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 122 FPS, a 32 FPS spread. The 1080p Medium run has a minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 188 FPS, a 49 FPS spread. Wider variance at lower resolutions suggests occasional CPU-driven spikes, but the averages remain stable.

The limiting component becomes obvious when looking at the CPU’s capabilities. The Ryzen 7 9700F has 8 cores, 16 threads, a base clock of 3.80 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its PassMark single-thread score is 4691, and its multithread score is 36470. In a game like Doom, which scales well with both CPU and GPU, the 9700F is more than sufficient to push frames at 1080p and 1440p. The RX 5700 XT, with a PassMark G3D score of 16277 and a 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is the bottleneck at 4K. The data shows that dropping settings from High to Low at 4K yields a 37.5% FPS improvement (48 to 66), while the same settings change at 1080p yields a 36.2% improvement (138 to 188)—similar relative gains, but the 4K absolute numbers remain far lower.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2161 out of 2930 tested combinations for Doom, placing it in the lower half of all system pairings. That rank reflects the GPU’s age more than the CPU’s strength. The RX 5700 XT was released in 2019 and is now end-of-life, while the Ryzen 7 9700F is a 2025 desktop part with a 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The mismatch is clear: the CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU holds the combo back, especially at higher resolutions.

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the Ryzen 7 9700F’s average benchmark score of 69996 is within 0.9% of several strong chips. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 (0.7% lower), and the Intel Core i7-14700K scores 69355 (0.9% lower). This places the 9700F in the same performance tier as those flagship desktop and mobile parts, meaning the CPU is not the reason this combo ranks at 2161. In Doom, the GPU’s PassMark score of 16277 puts it near the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (16351, 0.1% higher), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (16408, 0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (16415, 0.3% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 (16504, 0.9% higher). Those rivals are within 1% in synthetic benchmarks, but the RX 5700 XT’s real-world Doom performance shows its limitations.

The combo rank also benefits from Doom’s optimization. This is a 2016 title with a Vulkan-based engine that scales well across hardware. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 138 FPS, which is above the 120 FPS threshold for high-refresh monitors. At 1440p High, 89 FPS is playable but not ideal for competitive play. At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain 60 FPS except at Low settings. The rank of 2161 out of 2930 means roughly 26% of tested combos perform worse, but the majority of systems deliver higher frame rates in Doom. That is expected given the GPU’s age—the RX 5700 XT was a mid-range card in 2019, and Doom is a light enough title that many modern GPUs will outperform it.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo averages 89 FPS, which is smooth for most players. At Medium settings, it averages 106 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS. 1080p is also excellent, but 1440p offers a better balance of visual clarity and performance. 4K is only playable at Low settings, where it hits 66 FPS.

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K 60 FPS?

A: Only at Low settings. The 4K Low preset averages 66 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS bar. Medium settings drop to 57 FPS, High to 48 FPS, and Ultra to 40 FPS. If you insist on 4K, use Low and accept occasional dips—the minimum FPS is not recorded for Low, but Medium shows a minimum of 49 FPS, so Low likely stays above 55 FPS.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700F bottlenecking the RX 5700 XT in Doom?

A: No. The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score of 4691 and multithread score of 36470 are far higher than what Doom requires. The 8-core, 16-thread design with a 5.50 GHz boost clock ensures the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 188 FPS, which is high enough to expose any CPU limitation, and the results show consistent scaling with GPU settings.

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

A: The RX 5700 XT’s PassMark G3D score is 16277. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351 (0.1% higher), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408 (0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415 (0.3% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 scores 16504 (0.9% higher). All are within 1% in synthetic tests, but Doom frame rates may vary due to driver and architecture differences.

Q: What settings should I use for competitive play at 1080p?

A: Low settings at 1920x1080 deliver 188 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors. Medium settings drop to 164 FPS, which is still excellent. High settings at 138 FPS are also viable. Ultra settings at 113 FPS are playable but reduce the margin above 144 Hz displays. For max responsiveness, Low is the choice.

Q: Why does the combo rank so low (2161 out of 2930) if the CPU is strong?

A: The rank reflects the GPU’s performance. The RX 5700 XT is an end-of-life product with a 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs. While the CPU is in the 94th percentile, the GPU cannot keep up at high resolutions. Doom is a GPU-heavy title at 4K, and the combo’s 4K performance is below 60 FPS on most presets, dragging the overall rank down.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to 2560x1440 with Medium settings. This preset averages 106 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 122 FPS, providing a solid margin above 60 FPS and near the 120 FPS mark for most displays. The 90 FPS minimum ensures no stutter-heavy drops during intense combat. High settings at 1440p average 89 FPS, which is also playable, but the 17 FPS loss from Medium is noticeable. Ultra at 1440p drops to 73 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS but reduces headroom for demanding scenes.

At 1080p, Low settings deliver the highest frame rate at 188 FPS, but Medium at 164 FPS is a better balance for visual quality. The 139 FPS minimum on Medium ensures smooth gameplay on 144 Hz monitors. High at 138 FPS is nearly identical to Medium’s minimum, making High a viable choice if you prefer better visuals. Ultra at 113 FPS is the most demanding but still above 100 FPS, suitable for 120 Hz screens.

For 4K, Low settings at 66 FPS is the only preset that clears 60 FPS. Medium at 57 FPS is borderline, and High at 48 FPS or Ultra at 40 FPS are not recommended for competitive play. If you own a 4K display, stick to Low and lower the resolution scale if possible—the data does not include such options, but the Low preset’s 66 FPS average is the safest bet.

The minimum FPS data shows that Medium settings have the most consistent frame pacing across all resolutions. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 49 FPS, which is 14 FPS below the average of 57 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 90 FPS, 16 FPS below the average of 106 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 139 FPS, 25 FPS below the average of 164 FPS. The larger variance at 1080p suggests occasional CPU-bound spikes, but the averages remain high.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings average 188 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded. Medium settings average 164 FPS, with a minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 188 FPS. High settings average 138 FPS. Ultra settings average 113 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 75 FPS, making settings choice a significant factor at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but drops noticeably. Low settings average 121 FPS. Medium settings average 106 FPS, with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 122 FPS. High settings average 89 FPS. Ultra settings average 73 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 48 FPS, narrower than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 66 FPS, the only preset above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS. High settings average 48 FPS. Ultra settings average 40 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 26 FPS, the smallest of all resolutions, confirming that the GPU is saturated.

The maximum FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the maximum is 188 FPS, matching the Low average. At 1440p Medium, the maximum is 122 FPS, just above the Low average of 121 FPS. At 4K Medium, the maximum is 66 FPS, equal to the Low average. This suggests that Medium settings can occasionally reach the same frame rates as Low, depending on scene complexity.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) processor built on TSMC’s 4 nm process. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The TDP is 65 W, and it uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel bandwidth up to 89.6 GB/s. The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score is 4691, and its multithread score is 36470, with an average benchmark score of 69996.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The 9700F’s high single-thread performance ensures that frame pacing remains consistent, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 188 FPS, which is near the CPU’s practical limit for this game. The fact that 1080p Medium’s maximum FPS is also 188 suggests the CPU caps out around that value, but the GPU is still the bottleneck at higher settings.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69875, 0.2% lower), Intel Core i7-14700KF (70163, 0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515, 0.7% lower), and Intel Core i7-14700K (69355, 0.9% lower). These results show the 9700F is competitive with top-tier desktop and mobile chips, but none of them would change the combo’s Doom performance meaningfully because the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it is well above average for gaming workloads. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration is more than sufficient for Doom, which is optimized for multi-threading but does not require extreme core counts. The 5.50 GHz boost clock is particularly beneficial for single-threaded tasks, and Doom’s engine benefits from high clocks. The data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking: the FPS scales consistently with GPU settings, and even at 4K Low, the CPU maintains 66 FPS without any recorded minimum dips.

The CPU’s TDP of 65 W is low for a desktop processor, but that does not affect gaming performance in this test. The 4 nm process and TSMC foundry ensure efficient operation, and the 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die allow for high clocks without excessive power draw. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with ECC, which is not directly relevant to Doom but adds to the platform’s versatility. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 24 lanes is also forward-looking, though the RX 5700 XT uses PCIe 4.0 x16, so it runs at the older standard without issue.

In summary, the Ryzen 7 9700F is a strong CPU that is not holding back the RX 5700 XT in Doom. The GPU is the clear bottleneck at 4K, while 1080p and 1440p performance is limited by the GPU’s rasterization capabilities. If you were to upgrade the GPU, this CPU would support much higher frame rates, but as tested, the combo delivers a solid 1440p experience and a passable 4K experience only at Low settings.