Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 presents a stark study in bottlenecking within the 2016 title Doom. The CPU is a modern flagship, scoring in the 90th percentile among all processors, while the GPU is an older, entry-level part that sits in the 43rd percentile. Benchmark results across three resolutions and four settings presets show a combination whose performance ceiling is defined entirely by the graphics card, not the processor. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) data to illustrate the GPU-bound nature of this pairing and its practical implications for gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable, yet severe, collapse in performance as rendering resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 94.4 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this pairing. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 60 FPS, a reduction of 36.4%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 29.8 FPS, representing a 68.4% decline from the 1080p baseline. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets, indicating that the scaling is driven by pixel count, which directly taxes the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The nature of this scaling is a clear indicator that the limiting component is the GTX 1650. The CPU’s performance is effectively static across these resolutions, as the workload shifts from geometry and draw calls to pixel shading and memory throughput. The GTX 1650, with its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 128.1 GB/s bandwidth, is quickly saturated. The data shows that the frame rate drops are roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count, which is the classic signature of a GPU-limited scenario. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is not the constraint; its high single-thread and multi-thread scores from the fact pack, such as a 4800 score in Cinebench R23 single-core, are never fully utilized because the GPU cannot feed frames fast enough to keep it busy. The results indicate that the system’s performance is wholly dependent on the graphics card's ability to render each frame, regardless of the processing power available.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Doom, this pairing of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and GTX 1650 ranks 1641 out of 1681 combinations. This places it in the bottom 2.4% of all tested systems for this game, a remarkably low position that underscores the profound mismatch between the two components. The rank reflects the actual measured average FPS across the tested resolutions and settings, which is dragged down by the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

This rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a top-tier processor; its average benchmark score of 37780 places it within 0.7% of rivals like the Intel Core i5-13600KF and Intel Core i9-13900HK. These are all high-performance CPUs that would rank far higher in the database if paired with a more capable graphics card. The data shows that the combo's poor standing is almost entirely due to the GTX 1650, which has an average benchmark score of 8713 and sits near the GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile and AMD Radeon 550X in performance. In a game like Doom, which is known for its scalability, the GPU's low pixel rate of 53.28 GPixel/s and texture rate of 93.24 GTexel/s become the hard limits. The result is a system that, despite having a world-class CPU at its heart, performs like a low-end machine in this specific title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the decisive component in this configuration, and its specifications from the fact pack explain the measured results. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its base clock is 1485 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. These figures are modest by modern standards and are the primary reason for the frame rates observed. The 4 GB VRAM capacity is a particular concern, as higher resolutions and texture settings in Doom can easily exceed this limit, leading to potential stuttering or texture swapping, although the average FPS data shows a steady decline rather than a sudden cliff.

The GPU's performance relative to its rivals is also telling. Its average benchmark score of 8713 is within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 and the NVIDIA Quadro P2200, both of which are professional-oriented cards with similar rendering capabilities. This places the GTX 1650 firmly in a low-performance tier. The GPU's 896 shading units and 32 ROPs are the physical resources that must process the graphical data from Doom. When the resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, these units are overwhelmed, as evidenced by the FPS dropping below 30 in all settings at 4K. The data indicates that the GPU's clock speeds and memory configuration are insufficient to keep up with the CPU's potential, making it the sole bottleneck in the system. The 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors confirm its entry-level status, designed for basic 1080p gaming, not the high-refresh-rate or high-resolution scenarios that the CPU could otherwise support.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance envelope. At 1080p, the results are playable, but the gap between settings is wide. Low settings yield an average of 94.4 FPS, while Medium drops to 78.7 FPS, High to 65.8 FPS, and Ultra to 53 FPS. This shows that even at the lowest resolution, the GPU struggles to maintain very high frame rates, but it does offer a functional range for smooth gameplay on lower presets.

Moving to 1440p shows a significant hit. The Low preset averages 60 FPS, which is a solid result, but the Medium preset falls to 51.2 FPS, High to 45.3 FPS, and Ultra to 34.2 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the GTX 1650 is at its limits; only the Low preset can consistently hit the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 1440p is already approaching unplayable territory for fast-paced action.

At 4K resolution, the combo is not viable for smooth gameplay. The Low preset averages 29.8 FPS, Medium 26.2 FPS, High 23.8 FPS, and Ultra 21.7 FPS. All of these figures are below the 30 FPS threshold generally considered the minimum for playable, and they are far from the high refresh rates that a competitive FPS player would desire. The data shows a clear progression: the performance drops are most severe between 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results are uniformly poor, confirming that the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power are exhausted by the 8.3 million pixels at 3840x2160. The 60 FPS at 1440p Low is the lone bright spot, but it is the exception that proves the rule of GPU limitation.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1080p resolution. The Low preset, with an average of 94.4 FPS, provides the highest frame rate and is the only setting that approaches the 100 FPS mark. This is the best choice for players who prioritize smoothness and responsiveness. The Medium preset at 78.7 FPS is also a strong option, offering a balance between visual fidelity and performance that remains well above the 60 FPS threshold.

For players who prefer higher visual quality, the High preset at 65.8 FPS is the maximum recommended setting at 1080p, as it maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is playable but dips below the 60 FPS target, which may be noticeable in a fast-paced game like Doom. At 1440p, the only recommended preset is Low, which averages 60 FPS. All other settings at 1440p fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra at 34.2 FPS, making them less suitable for consistent performance. The data clearly indicates that 4K resolution should be avoided entirely; even the Low preset at 29.8 FPS is not smooth enough for a satisfying experience. The analysis suggests that the system's sweet spot is 1080p with Medium or High settings, offering a reasonable visual experience while keeping frame rates in a playable range. The massive CPU headroom is wasted, and the settings must be tuned to accommodate the GPU's limitations.