Doom

# CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D brings an 8-core, 16-thread configuration built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and fabricated on a 4 nm TSMC process. Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz place it among the fastest desktop processors in the 9000 series, and the 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a notable asset for gaming workloads. The CPU also features 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, with dual-channel DDR5 memory support and a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s.

For Doom, the CPU's role is substantial but not dominant. The game, released in 2016, is known for its id Tech 6 engine, which scales well across multiple threads but does not heavily tax modern high-core-count processors. The 9850X3D's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings, as evidenced by the measured FPS data. The high boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which matters for game logic and draw call processing, but the data suggests that even at lower resolutions, the GPU remains the primary bottleneck.

Synthetic benchmarks reinforce the CPU's position. In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 22,807 points in multi-core and 2,228 in single-core, while PassMark's multithread test yields 41,318 points and the single-thread test 4,704 points. The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 92, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. Its average benchmark score of 58,386 places it in the same tier as the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (58,323, a 0.1% delta), the Intel Core i9-14900 (58,115, a 0.5% delta), and slightly below the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 (58,826, a -0.7% delta). This clustering shows that the 9850X3D is competitive with top-tier desktop and workstation chips, though it does not hold a decisive lead.

In Doom specifically, the CPU's capabilities are never strained. Even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU has the least work per frame, the average FPS reaches 349, and the minimum FPS at Medium settings (259 at 1080p) stays far above any playability threshold. The 9850X3D's 120W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest headroom for overclocking, but the measured results indicate that additional CPU performance would yield negligible gains in this title.

# GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, based on the AD104 chip and Ada Lovelace architecture, is a 5 nm part from TSMC with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory operates across a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1980 MHz, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and memory runs at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). With 7,168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs, the card offers substantial raw throughput, including 56 ray tracing cores and 224 tensor cores.

For Doom, the GPU is the clear performance limiter across all tested configurations. The game is not VRAM-intensive by modern standards, and the 12 GB frame buffer is never a constraint at any resolution or setting in this test. Instead, the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth determine the frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 74, which is the lowest measured result, while at 1080p Low, the average reaches 349. This spread of 275 FPS between the most demanding and least demanding settings highlights how sensitive the RTX 4070 SUPER is to resolution and quality changes in this title.

Synthetic GPU benchmarks place the RTX 4070 SUPER in the upper tier of the database. Its PassMark G3D score is 29,995, and its percentile versus all GPUs is 83. The average benchmark score of 43,223 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43,262, a -0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43,268, a -0.1% delta), while slightly below the RTX 4090 Mobile (43,667, a -1% delta). This clustering indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER offers desktop-class performance, though it is not the fastest card in the database.

The GPU's 220W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this performance class, and the 1x 16-pin power connector requires a 550W recommended PSU. The card supports PCIe 4.0 x16, which is more than adequate for Doom's data throughput needs. Given that the game's engine is well-optimized and does not require advanced features, the RTX 4070 SUPER's strengths in raw rasterization and memory bandwidth translate directly into the measured FPS figures.

# How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Doom, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 448th out of 2,930 combos. This places the pairing in the top 15.3% of all tested systems, which is a strong result given the GPU's mid-to-high tier position. The rank reflects the combination's ability to deliver high frame rates across all settings, but it also indicates that there are many faster configurations, primarily those featuring higher-end GPUs.

The combo rank is influenced more by the GPU than the CPU, as evidenced by the FPS scaling patterns. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 349 is among the higher results in the database, but at 4K Ultra, the 74 FPS average pulls the overall ranking down relative to systems with more powerful graphics cards. The CPU's 92nd percentile standing does not translate into a correspondingly high combo rank because Doom's performance ceiling is set by the GPU.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing delivers a balanced experience. The 8-core CPU ensures no frame pacing issues or CPU-bound stutters, while the GPU provides enough headroom for high refresh rate monitors at 1080p and 1440p. The 448th rank out of 2,930 combos is a solid position, but users seeking maximum performance in Doom would need to look at systems with GPUs that score higher in synthetic benchmarks, such as those in the 90th percentile or above.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). Each configuration reports an average FPS, and the Medium preset also includes minimum and maximum FPS values.

At 1920x1080, the results are consistently high:

• Low: 349 avg FPS
• Medium: 304 avg FPS (min 259, max 350)
• High: 257 avg FPS
• Ultra: 210 avg FPS

The spread from Low to Ultra is 139 FPS, with the biggest drop occurring between Medium and High (47 FPS) and High to Ultra (47 FPS). The minimum FPS of 259 at Medium settings is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors, indicating that this combo can drive high-refresh displays at 1080p without compromise.

At 2560x1440, the results scale down proportionally:

• Low: 226 avg FPS
• Medium: 197 avg FPS (min 167, max 227)
• High: 166 avg FPS
• Ultra: 136 avg FPS

The drop from Low to Ultra is 90 FPS, and the minimum FPS at Medium (167) still exceeds 144 Hz, though the Ultra preset falls below that threshold. The 1440p High preset (166 avg) remains suitable for 144 Hz monitors, while Ultra (136 avg) is better paired with 120 Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiter:

• Low: 123 avg FPS
• Medium: 107 avg FPS (min 91, max 123)
• High: 90 avg FPS
• Ultra: 74 avg FPS

The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, which is narrower than at lower resolutions. The minimum FPS at Medium (91) is still playable, but the Ultra preset's 74 average approaches the 60 FPS threshold where motion smoothness degrades. None of the 4K results reach 144 FPS, indicating that this combo is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming if high refresh rates are the priority.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 349 at 1080p to 226 at 1440p (a 35.2% reduction) and then to 123 at 4K (a 45.6% reduction from 1440p). At Ultra settings, the corresponding numbers are 210 at 1080p, 136 at 1440p (a 35.2% reduction), and 74 at 4K (a 45.6% reduction from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across settings indicate that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth scale linearly with pixel count, with no CPU bottleneck appearing even at the lowest resolution and settings.

The scaling behavior confirms that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is not a limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see diminishing FPS gains when lowering resolution, particularly at 1080p Low where the GPU has the least work. Instead, the FPS continues to climb to 349, which is close to the engine's practical ceiling for this hardware. The 4K results, where the GPU is heavily loaded, show that the RTX 4070 SUPER's 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are the determining factors.

The minimum FPS data at Medium settings further illustrates this trend. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 259, which is 85.2% of the average (304). At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 167, which is 84.8% of the average (197). At 4K Medium, the minimum is 91, which is 85% of the average (107). The consistency of these ratios suggests that frame time variance is stable across resolutions, a sign of a well-matched CPU-GPU pairing with no thermal throttling or driver overhead issues.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the Ultra preset (210 avg FPS) is the best choice for most users, as it still exceeds the 144 Hz threshold and provides the highest visual quality. The High preset (257 avg FPS) offers a 22.4% FPS increase over Ultra, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in Doom is typically minor, making Ultra the preferred option for image quality. The Medium preset (304 avg FPS) is only relevant for users with 240 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, as the 47 FPS gain over High is unlikely to be perceptible on standard 144 Hz displays.

At 1440p, the High preset (166 avg FPS) is the recommended starting point, as it comfortably drives 144 Hz monitors while maintaining high visual fidelity. The Ultra preset (136 avg FPS) is a viable alternative for users with 120 Hz displays, as the 30 FPS difference between High and Ultra is noticeable but not game-breaking. The Medium preset (197 avg FPS) exceeds the 144 Hz threshold and could be suitable for competitive play, but the visual quality reduction is significant. The Low preset (226 avg FPS) is only advisable for esports-style play where frame rate is paramount over visuals.

At 4K, the Medium preset (107 avg FPS) delivers the best balance of performance and quality, as it stays above 90 FPS minimum and provides acceptable visual detail. The High preset (90 avg FPS) is playable but approaches the 60 FPS boundary on demanding scenes, while the Ultra preset (74 avg FPS) is only recommended for users who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness and have a 60-75 Hz display. The Low preset (123 avg FPS) is the only 4K option that exceeds 120 FPS, but the visual compromise is severe, with reduced texture quality and draw distances that detract from the game's atmospheric presentation.

In summary, this combo is best utilized at 1080p Ultra or 1440p High for most users, with 4K Medium as a fallback for those with 4K displays. The CPU's headroom ensures that these settings will run consistently without CPU-induced frame drops, and the GPU's 12 GB VRAM prevents any memory-related stutter at any tested configuration.