Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 presents a starkly imbalanced configuration for Doom, where the graphics card is the definitive bottleneck. The data indicates that this combo ranks 1610 out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom percentile for this title. This pairing leverages a top-tier 16-core CPU with an entry-level GPU, resulting in performance that is entirely constrained by the GTX 1650’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and severe drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, confirming that the GTX 1650 is the limiting component. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 94.6 FPS, which drops to 60.7 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 34.4 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 63.8% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a scaling pattern that is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where pixel throughput becomes the primary constraint.

Moving to High settings, the frame rate falls from 68.2 FPS at 1080p to 46.5 FPS at 1440p, a 31.8% decline, and then to 22.5 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with the average FPS dropping from 52.9 at 1080p to 34.2 at 1440p and finally to 20 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern across all settings shows that the GTX 1650’s 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 128-bit memory bus are overwhelmed at higher resolutions, making 4K gaming impractical for this configuration.

The data suggests that even at 2560x1440, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates on higher presets, with only the Low preset exceeding 60 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is less punishing than 1440p to 4K, indicating that the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth are the primary bottlenecks rather than the CPU. For this combo, resolution scaling is a linear penalty that the Ryzen 9 5950X cannot mitigate, as its powerful 16-core architecture remains largely idle while the GTX 1650 works at full capacity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the decisive factor in this configuration’s performance, with its specifications directly explaining the measured results. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1485 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, paired with 896 shading units and 32 ROPs. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus delivers 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth, which is insufficient for the demands of Doom’s higher presets.

The GPU’s FP32 performance of 2.984 TFLOPS places it at the 43rd percentile among all GPUs, and its benchmark scores reflect this mid-to-low-tier positioning. In the Passmark G3D test, it scores 7880, while its DirectX 12 score is a meager 35, indicating limited capability in modern API workloads. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile with a score of 8746 (-0.4% delta) and the AMD Radeon 550X at 8749 (-0.4% delta), showing the GTX 1650 is closely matched with mobile-class parts.

The memory clock of 2001 MHz (8 Gbps effective) is a limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the 128.1 GB/s bandwidth becomes a chokepoint when rendering Doom’s detailed environments. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the GPU can push 94.6 FPS, but this drops to 52.9 FPS at Ultra, a 44% performance penalty that highlights the GPU’s sensitivity to settings. The GTX 1650’s 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors indicate its design intent as an entry-level card, and the benchmark results confirm it is not suited for high-refresh-rate or high-resolution gaming in this title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X provides a vast surplus of processing power that goes largely unused in this gaming scenario. With 16 cores and 32 threads, base clock of 3.40 GHz, and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, this CPU is a top-tier part, ranking in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 38607 and single-core score of 5450 demonstrate exceptional computational capability, but Doom’s performance is not limited by these resources.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the Intel Core i5-14600K with a -0.2% delta and the AMD EPYC 4345P with a -1.1% delta, indicating the 5950X is competitive with modern mid-range parts. However, the measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the frame rates are consistently low regardless of the CPU’s strength. At 1080p Low, the 94.6 FPS average is far below what the CPU could theoretically support, suggesting that even at lower resolutions, the GTX 1650 cannot feed frames fast enough to utilize the CPU’s potential.

The CPU’s 64 MB of L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than adequate for gaming workloads, but they do not compensate for the GPU’s limitations. The 3DMark benchmarks show strong threading performance, with a max threads score of 11597 and a single-thread score of 944, but these metrics do not translate to higher FPS in this configuration. The Ryzen 9 5950X is effectively starved by the GTX 1650, making this a textbook case of CPU overkill in a GPU-limited system.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 94.6, which is suitable for fast-paced FPS gameplay. The Medium preset offers a reasonable compromise at 82.3 FPS, while High drops to 68.2 FPS and Ultra falls to 52.9 FPS. For a 60 FPS target, Medium at 1080p is the recommended choice, as it provides a comfortable margin above the threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, achieving 60.7 FPS. The Medium preset at 50.7 FPS may be acceptable for less demanding players, but High at 46.5 FPS and Ultra at 34.2 FPS are below the ideal playability threshold. For 3840x2160, no preset achieves a playable frame rate, with Low at 34.4 FPS being the best possible, making 4K gaming impractical for this configuration.

The data indicates that the Low preset is the most effective way to maximize performance, offering a 38.7% FPS increase over Medium at 1080p and a 19.8% increase over High at 1440p. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, Low is the clear choice. Those who prefer visual quality should stick to 1080p with Medium or High settings, as the performance penalty is more manageable than at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achievable across multiple presets. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 52.9 on Ultra to 94.6 on Low, while 2560x1440 only exceeds 60 FPS on Low, and 3840x2160 maxes out at 34.4 FPS on Low.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 8713, placing it at the 43rd percentile. Its closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile with a score of 8746 (-0.4% delta) and the AMD Radeon 550X at 8749 (-0.4% delta), showing it is statistically equivalent to these parts.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X the bottleneck in this system?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 93rd percentile with an average benchmark score of 49062, but the measured FPS remains low across all resolutions and settings, confirming the GTX 1650 cannot keep up with the CPU’s capabilities.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 82.3 FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This is the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo, staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: No, the data shows that even at Low settings, the average FPS at 3840x2160 is only 34.4, and it drops to 20 FPS on Ultra. These frame rates are not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-core performance affect gaming?

A: The Ryzen 9 5950X scores 38607 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 11597 in 3DMark max threads, but these strengths do not translate to higher FPS in Doom. The GPU bottleneck means the CPU’s extra cores are underutilized in this scenario.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low preset delivers 94.6 FPS, Medium provides 82.3 FPS, High achieves 68.2 FPS, and Ultra produces 52.9 FPS. This shows a clear progression where lowering settings yields significant performance gains, with Low being 78.8% faster than Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all presets: Low is 60.7 FPS, Medium is 50.7 FPS, High is 46.5 FPS, and Ultra is 34.2 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 77.5%, but the absolute numbers are lower, making Medium the highest playable preset.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are marginal: Low achieves 34.4 FPS, Medium reaches 26.5 FPS, High manages 22.5 FPS, and Ultra falls to 20 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not viable for this combo, as even the lowest settings cannot reach 35 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K results in a 63.6% FPS loss on Low settings, highlighting the GPU’s memory bandwidth and shading limitations at high pixel counts.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 1610 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 4.2% of all configurations. This ranking is primarily driven by the GPU’s weak performance, as the GTX 1650’s 4 GB memory and 2.984 TFLOPS FP32 throughput are insufficient for Doom’s demands. The CPU’s high percentile ranking (93rd) does not compensate for the GPU’s low percentile (43rd), resulting in a system that is severely limited by its weakest component.

The rank of 1610 indicates that this combo is outperformed by nearly all other tested configurations, including those with significantly weaker CPUs paired with more capable GPUs. The data suggests that for Doom, the GPU is the sole determinant of performance, and the Ryzen 9 5950X’s 16 cores and 32 threads offer no measurable benefit in this title. This ranking serves as a clear conclusion: the GTX 1650 is the wrong choice for Doom, and any upgrade path should prioritize replacing the graphics card before considering CPU improvements.