Doom

# Doom GPU/CPU Analysis: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers a formidable Doom experience, with benchmark data showing this combination ranks 716th out of 2,930 tested combos in this game, placing it in the top quarter of all configurations. The 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 processor with its 96 MB shared L3 cache provides ample headroom for the 2016 FPS title, while the Ampere-based GPU with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory handles the game's demanding Vulkan rendering pipeline with ease. Measured frame rates range from a minimum of 66 FPS at 4K Ultra settings to a maximum of 312 FPS at 1080p Low, demonstrating that this setup can comfortably drive high-refresh displays across most resolution and quality combinations.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot, with High settings delivering 149 FPS average, Ultra achieving 122 FPS, and Low reaching 202 FPS. At 1920x1080, all settings exceed 188 FPS, but the 1440p results provide a better balance of visual fidelity and frame rate headroom.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti's performance compare to the RTX 5070?

A: According to the benchmark database, the RTX 3080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 41,187, which is 2% higher than the RTX 5070's 40,377 score. In Doom specifically, the 3080 Ti's measured performance shows it can push 4K High to 81 FPS, which is a strong result for this title.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-core capability in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D scores 22,807 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,551 in Cinebench R15 multi-core. Its PassMark multi-thread score of 41,318 and integer math score of 123,140 indicate robust computational throughput that benefits CPU-bound scenarios.

Q: Does the 4K Ultra setting remain playable with this configuration?

A: Yes, the measured 4K Ultra average is 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. For comparison, 4K High reaches 81 FPS, 4K Medium hits 95 FPS, and 4K Low achieves 109 FPS, giving users multiple viable options at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to the Intel Core i9-14900?

A: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an average benchmark score of 58,386, which is 0.5% higher than the Core i9-14900's 58,115 score. Both processors are closely matched in overall performance, though the AMD chip's 96 MB L3 cache provides unique advantages in gaming workloads.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the GPU provide for Doom's textures?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti offers 912.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth across a 384-bit bus with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory at 19 Gbps effective speed. This substantial bandwidth ensures that Doom's high-resolution textures load efficiently, particularly at 4K where the frame rate remains strong.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti serves as the primary rendering engine for Doom, and its specifications directly influence the measured frame rates. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, built on Samsung's 8 nm process with the GA102 chip containing 28,300 million transistors across a 628 mm² die. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus delivers 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is essential for feeding the 10,240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units that process Doom's geometry and effects.

The GPU's compute capabilities include 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and matching FP16 throughput with a 1:1 ratio, alongside 80 ray tracing cores and 320 tensor cores. While Doom (2016) does not utilize ray tracing, the raw rasterization power of the Ampere architecture drives the high frame rates observed. The 186.5 GPixel/s pixel rate and 532.8 GTexel/s texture rate explain why the card handles even 4K Ultra settings at 66 FPS average.

The measured results show a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GPU delivers 312 FPS at Low settings, 272 FPS at Medium, 230 FPS at High, and 188 FPS at Ultra. Moving to 2560x1440, these numbers become 202 FPS at Low, 176 FPS at Medium, 149 FPS at High, and 122 FPS at Ultra. At 3840x2160, the GPU produces 109 FPS at Low, 95 FPS at Medium with a minimum of 81 FPS, 81 FPS at High, and 66 FPS at Ultra. This progression demonstrates that the RTX 3080 Ti maintains playable performance at every tested combination, with the 4K Ultra result representing the most demanding scenario.

The GPU's memory configuration proves particularly important at 4K, where the 12 GB frame buffer accommodates high-resolution textures without bottlenecking. The 912.4 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming remains fluid, and the measured minimum FPS of 81 at 4K Medium (with a 110 maximum) indicates consistent frame delivery rather than occasional stutters. The 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41,187, positions this card as a strong performer for this era of gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti achieves a combo rank of 716 out of 2,930 tested configurations in Doom, placing it in the 76th percentile of all combos. This ranking reflects the synergistic performance of the 8-core, 16-thread CPU with 96 MB of L3 cache and the 12 GB Ampere GPU, which together deliver the frame rates documented in the measured data.

The CPU's individual standing reinforces this ranking. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D holds a 92nd percentile position among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 58,386. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (average score 58,323, delta 0.1%), Intel Xeon w5-2545 (58,504, delta -0.2%), Intel Core i9-14900 (58,115, delta 0.5%), and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 (58,826, delta -0.7%). These margins are tight, with all rivals within 0.7% of the AMD chip's score, indicating that the CPU sits in a highly competitive performance band.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 41,187 places it at the 83rd percentile among all graphics cards. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40,870, delta 0.8%), NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB (41,707, delta -1.2%), NVIDIA Tesla M40 (41,897, delta -1.7%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (40,377, delta 2%). The RTX 3080 Ti outperforms the newer RTX 5070 by 2% in aggregate benchmarks, though the delta is modest.

The combo's 716th rank out of 2,930 suggests that while many configurations exist above it, the majority of tested systems perform worse in Doom. The measured FPS data confirms this positioning: even at the most demanding 4K Ultra setting, the combo maintains 66 FPS, which is well above playability thresholds. At 1080p, the 188 FPS minimum (at Ultra) ensures compatibility with high refresh rate monitors, while the 312 FPS peak at Low settings demonstrates the ceiling of this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 109 FPS, Medium delivers 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 and maximum of 110, High reaches 81 FPS, and Ultra drops to 66 FPS. The 4K Medium row is the only one in the entire dataset that includes min and max values, showing an 81-110 FPS range that indicates frame pacing remains consistent even during intense combat sequences. The step from Low to Medium costs 14 FPS (13%), Medium to High costs another 14 FPS (15%), and High to Ultra costs 15 FPS (19%), showing diminishing returns as quality increases.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance scales upward significantly: Low achieves 202 FPS, Medium hits 176 FPS with a 150-202 FPS range, High reaches 149 FPS, and Ultra maintains 122 FPS. The 1440p Medium results show a minimum of 150 FPS, which still exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. The transition from 4K to 1440p provides substantial gains: Low improves by 93 FPS (85%), Medium by 81 FPS (85%), High by 68 FPS (84%), and Ultra by 56 FPS (85%).

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo delivers exceptional performance: Low produces 312 FPS, Medium hits 272 FPS with a 231-313 FPS range, High reaches 230 FPS, and Ultra maintains 188 FPS. The 1080p Medium minimum of 231 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay well above 200 FPS. Compared to 1440p, the 1080p gains are: Low +110 FPS (54%), Medium +96 FPS (55%), High +81 FPS (54%), and Ultra +66 FPS (54%).

Across all resolutions, the percentage drop from Low to Ultra remains consistent: 39% at 4K (109 to 66), 40% at 1440p (202 to 122), and 40% at 1080p (312 to 188). This uniformity suggests that the GPU scales predictably with quality settings regardless of resolution, which is characteristic of a well-balanced configuration.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D brings substantial processing power to this pairing, and its specifications directly support the frame rates measured in Doom. The CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz, built on TSMC's 4 nm process with Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge codename). The 96 MB shared L3 cache is particularly relevant for gaming, as it reduces memory latency and improves data locality for frequently accessed game assets.

The CPU's memory subsystem includes dual-channel DDR5 support with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which complements the GPU's 912.4 GB/s. This configuration ensures that both the CPU and GPU have sufficient data throughput for Doom's engine, which is known to be well-optimized for multi-core processors. The 120W TDP indicates that the chip maintains high clock speeds while remaining power-efficient, and the PCIe Gen 5 interface with 24 lanes provides ample bandwidth for the GPU and storage devices.

Synthetic benchmarks reveal the CPU's capability profile. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score of 22,807 and single-core score of 2,228 demonstrate strong scaling across threads, while the Cinebench R15 scores of 3,551 (multi-core) and 343 (single-core) follow a similar pattern. PassMark results show a multi-thread score of 41,318, single-thread score of 4,704, and a floating-point math score of 81,998, which are all indicative of high per-core performance that benefits game logic and physics calculations.

The CPU's 92nd percentile ranking among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 58,386, places it above the vast majority of tested chips. The nearest rival comparisons show it trading blows with enterprise Xeon parts and desktop Core i9 processors, all within a 0.7% margin. In Doom specifically, the CPU's role becomes more pronounced at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed; the 1080p Low result of 312 FPS approaches the engine's frame rate ceiling, and the CPU's single-thread performance of 4,704 in PassMark helps maintain high minimum frame rates during enemy-heavy encounters.

The 96 MB L3 cache is a standout feature for gaming workloads. While Doom (2016) doesn't require massive cache capacity, the large L3 reduces memory access penalties, ensuring that the CPU never becomes a bottleneck even when the GPU is producing 300+ FPS at 1080p. The 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die represent a dense design that achieves high clock speeds alongside efficient power consumption.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate.

For 3840x2160 displays, the High preset at 81 FPS provides the best balance of visual quality and smoothness. The Ultra preset drops to 66 FPS, which remains playable but offers diminishing visual returns for the 15 FPS cost. Medium at 95 FPS is a viable alternative for users who prioritize frame rate over maximum fidelity, while Low at 109 FPS is available for competitive play or high refresh rate 4K monitors.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset at 122 FPS is the recommended choice for users with 120 Hz or 144 Hz displays, as it delivers near-maximum visual quality while staying above the refresh threshold. High at 149 FPS suits 144 Hz monitors perfectly, and Medium at 176 FPS provides headroom for 165 Hz panels. Low at 202 FPS is excessive for most 1440p displays but demonstrates the combo's capability.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 188 FPS is sufficient for 165 Hz or 180 Hz monitors, while High at 230 FPS supports 240 Hz displays. Medium at 272 FPS and Low at 312 FPS cater to extreme high refresh rate panels (280 Hz and above), though the visual trade-offs become noticeable at these settings. The 1080p Medium minimum of 231 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best performance-per-visual-quality trade-off. At 4K Medium (95 FPS), 1440p Medium (176 FPS), and 1080p Medium (272 FPS), the combo delivers frame rates that are 30-40% higher than Ultra while maintaining acceptable visual fidelity. The measured min/max data for Medium settings shows tight frame pacing: 81-110 at 4K, 150-202 at 1440p, and 231-313 at 1080p, indicating stable performance without significant drops.

For users with variable refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset is the safest recommendation because it provides sufficient frame rate headroom above the minimum thresholds. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, leaves less margin for demanding scenes, particularly at 4K where the 66 FPS average could dip below 60 FPS in heavy combat. The High preset serves as a middle ground, offering 81 FPS at 4K, 149 FPS at 1440p, and 230 FPS at 1080p, making it the ideal choice for users who want maximum quality without sacrificing playability.