Doom

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is a pairing that pits a modern 8-core Zen 5 processor against a Turing-generation GPU that has reached end-of-life status. In Doom, the benchmark data shows this combination achieves a rank of 1036 out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the field. This rank reflects a system where the graphics card, not the processor, is the determining factor for overall performance, a pattern that becomes increasingly clear as resolution scales upward.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1036 out of 1681 places it in the 38th percentile of all tested pairings. This is a modest standing, and the data suggests the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component. The GPU itself holds a percentile of 65 among all GPUs, while the Ryzen 7 9700X sits at an 89th percentile among CPUs. The disparity between these two percentiles indicates a significant bottleneck; the processor is far more capable than the graphics card can utilize in this title.

Benchmark results for the CPU reinforce its high ceiling. The Ryzen 7 9700X scores 9824 in 3DMark 16-thread, 9771 in max-thread, and 1280 in single-thread tests. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31588 and single-core score of 4459 further demonstrate a processor with substantial headroom. In contrast, the RTX 2070 SUPER's Passmark G3D score of 18169 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1651 show a GPU that, while competent, is dated. The combination's rank is therefore a direct consequence of GPU-bound performance, leaving the CPU's potential largely untapped in Doom's frame generation.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700X compare to its closest rivals in raw processing power?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X has an average benchmark score of 36029. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14500HX (35940), 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802), and 0.4% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (36165). It also trails the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H (36328) by 0.8%.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER competitive with other GPUs in its performance tier?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER's average benchmark score is 22206. It is 0.5% behind the NVIDIA RTX A400 (22307), 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z (22006), 2.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile (22729), and 2.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 (21670). These deltas show it sits in a tight cluster with those cards.

Q: What is the best-case FPS scenario for this combo in Doom?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 211.3 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At the same resolution, High settings yield 157.4 FPS, Medium yields 185.3 FPS, and Ultra yields 127.4 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 3840x2160, Low settings produce an average of 75.8 FPS, and Medium settings produce 63.6 FPS. High settings drop to 57.2 FPS, and Ultra settings fall below playable thresholds at 43.8 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for the components?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X has a launch MSRP of $359, and the RTX 2070 SUPER has a launch MSRP of 499 USD.

Q: How does the CPU's thread count affect its benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X has 8 cores and 16 threads. Its 3DMark scores scale with thread usage: 2-thread scores 2525, 4-thread scores 4869, 8-thread scores 8184, and 16-thread (max) scores 9771. This scaling shows good multi-threading efficiency.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are high across all settings, with Low at 211.3 FPS, Medium at 185.3 FPS, High at 157.4 FPS, and Ultra at 127.4 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, these figures drop to 137.1 FPS for Low, 118.5 FPS for Medium, 98.8 FPS for High, and 80.2 FPS for Ultra. At 3840x2160, the averages fall further to 75.8 FPS for Low, 63.6 FPS for Medium, 57.2 FPS for High, and 43.8 FPS for Ultra.

The transition from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows a drop from 211.3 FPS to 75.8 FPS, a reduction of 135.5 FPS. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 127.4 FPS to 43.8 FPS, a reduction of 83.6 FPS. The percentage decrease from 1080p to 4K is larger at Low settings (64.1% drop) than at Ultra settings (65.6% drop), indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck even at lower settings where the CPU could theoretically push more frames. The consistent frame rate reduction across all settings as resolution increases is the signature of a GPU-bound system; the RTX 2070 SUPER's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable frame rates at every preset. Low settings average 211.3 FPS, Medium averages 185.3 FPS, High averages 157.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 127.4 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 83.9 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for higher visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the averages remain strong. Low settings produce 137.1 FPS, Medium produces 118.5 FPS, High produces 98.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 80.2 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 56.9 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is a sweet spot for this pairing, with even Ultra settings maintaining an average above 80 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. Low settings average 75.8 FPS, Medium averages 63.6 FPS, High averages 57.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 43.8 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 32.0 FPS. While Low and Medium are playable, High dips below 60 FPS, and Ultra is not suitable for smooth gameplay. The data shows that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU's high scores cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to render at that resolution with high settings.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience, the data points to specific presets at each resolution. At 1920x1080, all settings are viable, but High settings at 157.4 FPS offer a good balance of visual quality and high refresh rate performance. Ultra at 127.4 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing image quality.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings at 80.2 FPS provide the best visual experience while still maintaining a frame rate above 60. High settings at 98.8 FPS are a solid alternative for users who prefer higher frame rates. Low and Medium settings are unnecessary at this resolution given the high averages.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is more constrained. Low settings at 75.8 FPS provide the smoothest 4K experience. Medium settings at 63.6 FPS are a viable option if visual fidelity is preferred over a higher frame rate. High settings at 57.2 FPS are borderline, and Ultra settings at 43.8 FPS should be avoided for competitive or fast-paced play. The data suggests that 4K gaming is only fully enjoyable with this combo when settings are reduced.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor from the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. These specifications contribute to its strong benchmark performance.

In Doom, the CPU's role is largely secondary due to the GPU bottleneck. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31588 and single-core score of 4459 show it is more than capable of feeding frames to the GPU. However, the measured FPS data shows that performance scales directly with resolution, which is a GPU-centric trait. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would see less variation in FPS across resolutions. Instead, the frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases, confirming that the Ryzen 7 9700X is not the constraint. The CPU's high percentile rank (89) compared to the GPU's (65) further supports this conclusion. The processor provides ample headroom, but the RTX 2070 SUPER cannot translate that headroom into higher frame rates at higher resolutions.