Doom

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER in Doom presents a classic case of a modern flagship CPU tethered to a mid-range GPU from a previous generation. The benchmark data, measured across three resolutions and four quality presets, reveals a system where the graphics card consistently dictates performance, though the CPU’s headroom ensures the experience remains fluid. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the role of each component, and what settings you should actually use.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the measured FPS is how dramatically performance scales with resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 194.1 FPS. Dropping down to 1440p Low yields 122.5 FPS, a reduction of roughly 37%. Moving further to 4K Low, the average falls to 65.3 FPS, which is about a 47% drop from 1440p. This steep decline is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The RTX 2060 SUPER’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated as the pixel count increases, while the CPU has ample spare capacity to feed frames.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the High preset. At 1080p High, the system averages 141.6 FPS. At 1440p High, this drops to 90.5 FPS, a 36% decrease. At 4K High, the average sits at 50 FPS. The consistent percentage drops between resolutions indicate that the limiting factor is the GPU’s raw rendering power, not the CPU or memory subsystem. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a much smaller FPS gap between 1080p and 1440p, as the resolution increase would not tax the processor significantly. Here, the data shows that every step up in resolution exacts a heavy toll on frame rates, pointing directly at the graphics card as the primary constraint.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution reinforces this. At 1080p, Ultra (112.5 FPS) is 42% slower than Low (194.1 FPS). At 4K, Ultra (42.6 FPS) is 35% slower than Low (65.3 FPS). While the percentage gap narrows slightly at 4K, the absolute frame rates are much lower. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is already so overworked that the additional shader and texture work from Ultra settings has less relative impact than at 1080p, where the GPU has more headroom to absorb the extra load.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, using TSMC’s 4 nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The CPU’s substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a key asset for gaming, as it reduces latency when accessing frequently used data. Its benchmark scores are uniformly strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34004 and a single-core score of 4800, placing it in the 90th percentile against all CPUs.

In Doom’s measured results, the CPU’s role is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10081 indicates robust multi-threading capability, which helps maintain high frame rates in complex scenes. The processor’s single-thread performance, reflected in a 3DMark single-thread score of 1212, is also critical for the game’s main simulation thread. However, the data shows that at 4K, even this powerful CPU cannot compensate for the GPU’s limits. The FPS at 4K Ultra is 42.6, which is a playable frame rate but far from the high refresh-rate territory the CPU could enable with a more powerful graphics card.

The nearest rivals to the 9800X3D, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core i9-13900HK and the Intel Core i5-13600KF. The 9800X3D’s average benchmark score is 37780, which is virtually identical to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225’s 37831, a delta of -0.1%. This near-tie in synthetic benchmarks suggests that the CPU’s gaming performance is not an outlier, but rather a top-tier result. In Doom specifically, the CPU is never the bottleneck, as evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 194.1 FPS is likely near the game’s engine limits for this combination, rather than a hard CPU cap.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing-architecture card built on TSMC’s 12 nm process, with a die size of 445 mm² and 10,800 million transistors. It operates with a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz. Its memory configuration is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The card has 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs, which directly impact rasterization performance. Its FP32 compute throughput is 7.181 TFLOPS, and it holds a 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The measured FPS data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary determinant of performance in Doom. The transition from 1080p to 4K is punishing, and the card’s VRAM and bandwidth are likely being taxed heavily. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but at 4K with Ultra textures, the capacity might be borderline, leading to potential texture swapping or stutters. The benchmark data does not list minimum FPS, which would be necessary to confirm such issues, but the average FPS at 4K Ultra (42.6) suggests the card is working at its absolute limit.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 19774, placing it just ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706) by 0.3% and slightly behind the RTX 2070 (19680) by 0.5%. This shows that the 2060 SUPER is a competent mid-range card, but its age is showing against modern titles. In Doom, a 2016 release, it still performs admirably, but the data indicates that it cannot sustain high refresh rates at 1440p or above for demanding settings. The card’s 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is a likely bottleneck for higher resolutions, as the pixel fill rate and texture fetch demands increase.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured FPS values provides a clear picture of the system’s capabilities. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are: Low at 194.1 FPS, Medium at 168.9 FPS, High at 141.6 FPS, and Ultra at 112.5 FPS. This shows a smooth progression, with each quality step costing about 20-30 FPS. The system is clearly capable of high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, even with Ultra settings, though the 112.5 FPS average leaves headroom for a 144Hz monitor but not a 240Hz one.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 122.5 FPS, Medium at 110.9 FPS, High at 90.5 FPS, and Ultra at 73.3 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for this GPU, as it still offers competitive frame rates for fast-paced FPS gameplay. The drop from Medium to High is significant (20.4 FPS), indicating that High settings introduce a notable shader or texture load that the card struggles with. Ultra at 73.3 FPS is playable, but it edges closer to the 60 FPS threshold where frame pacing becomes more critical.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 65.3 FPS, Medium at 60.2 FPS, High at 50 FPS, and Ultra at 42.6 FPS. This is where the GPU’s limitations are most apparent. While Low and Medium settings can maintain near-60 FPS, High and Ultra push the card below that threshold. The 4K results are consistent with a GPU that is heavily pixel-bound, and the data suggests that 4K gaming with this card requires significant compromises in visual quality. The combination’s rank in the game’s benchmark database is 1200 out of 1681, indicating that this is a mid-tier performer for Doom, not a top-tier combination.

FAQ

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D overkill for the RTX 2060 SUPER in Doom?

A: The data suggests yes. At 1080p Low, the system hits 194.1 FPS, which is likely near the engine’s practical limit for this setup. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34004 and 90th percentile ranking indicate it has far more headroom than the GPU can use, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck.

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with caveats. The measured average FPS at 4K Medium is 60.2 FPS, which is playable. At 4K High, it drops to 50 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 42.6 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, you would need to use Medium settings or lower, as the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth limit its 4K performance.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination to achieve high refresh rates?

A: For frame rates above 120 FPS, 1080p is the only viable option. At 1080p Medium, the average is 168.9 FPS, and at High it is 141.6 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings break the 120 FPS barrier with an average of 122.5 FPS. For a 144Hz monitor, 1080p High or 1440p Medium are the most balanced choices.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 19774. It is 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706) and 0.5% ahead of the RTX 2070 (19680). This indicates it performs nearly identically to those cards in generic compute tests, though Doom’s specific workload may favor one over the other.

Q: Does the CPU’s large L3 cache affect Doom’s performance?

A: The 9800X3D’s 96 MB of shared L3 cache is designed to improve gaming performance by reducing memory latency. While the data does not isolate the cache’s effect, the CPU’s ability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p (194.1 FPS on Low) suggests it is not a limiting factor. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as the Geekbench multi-core score of 18413, confirm strong processing power.

Q: Is the RTX 2060 SUPER’s 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for Doom?

A: The measured data does not include VRAM usage, so a definitive answer is not possible. However, the significant FPS drops at 4K Ultra (42.6 FPS) compared to 4K Low (65.3 FPS) suggest that the higher resolution and texture settings are demanding. For 1080p and 1440p, 8 GB is likely adequate, as the frame rates remain high.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on your target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the system is exceptionally capable. The data shows that High settings at 141.6 FPS provides a strong balance between visual quality and performance, allowing for a smooth experience on a 144Hz display. If you have a 240Hz monitor, dropping to Medium at 168.9 FPS or Low at 194.1 FPS will get you closer to that refresh rate, but the visual trade-off may not be worth it for a game like Doom, which benefits from clear textures. Ultra at 112.5 FPS is also viable if you prioritize image quality and have a 120Hz refresh rate limit.

For 1440p, the choices are tighter. Medium settings at 110.9 FPS is the recommended preset, as it delivers a frame rate that is high enough for competitive play while maintaining a decent visual presentation. High settings at 90.5 FPS are still very playable and offer a better image, but the 20 FPS drop from Medium might be noticeable. Low settings at 122.5 FPS is the only way to get close to 120Hz+, but the visual degradation is steep. Ultra at 73.3 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, as you may notice the lower frame rate when turning quickly.

At 4K, the focus shifts from high refresh rates to maintaining a stable 60 FPS. The data shows that Medium settings at 60.2 FPS is the only preset that hits this target. Low settings at 65.3 FPS also works, but you sacrifice a significant amount of visual fidelity. High at 50 FPS and Ultra at 42.6 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold and will feel less smooth, especially in a game that demands quick reflexes. For the best experience at 4K, Medium settings is the clear choice, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a consistent frame rate. The data does not list minimum FPS, so you should be aware that occasional dips below the average are possible, but the average is a solid indicator of overall performance.