Doom

# Doom: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 — Benchmark Analysis

This combination pairs a top-tier 12-core Zen 4 processor with a Pascal-era GPU that was already end-of-life by the time this data was collected. The measured results reveal a system where the GTX 1070 is the clear performance limiter, with the Ryzen 9 7900X's immense processing headroom largely untapped in Doom's Vulkan-driven workloads. The data shows a GPU that can still deliver playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles at 4K, while the CPU's 93rd percentile standing among all processors (avgBenchmarkScore 50556) contrasts sharply with the GPU's 51st percentile ranking (avgBenchmarkScore 12331).

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep performance cliff as resolution increases. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo averages 97.7 FPS, which drops to 61.9 FPS at 1440p — a 36.6% reduction. Pushing further to 4K Ultra yields just 31.8 FPS, a 67.5% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern strongly indicates the GTX 1070's 8 GB GDDR5 frame buffer and 256-bit memory bus are being saturated, not the CPU's capabilities.

The 1440p to 4K transition is particularly punishing. At High settings, the system delivers 73.9 FPS at 1440p but only 40.7 FPS at 4K — a 44.9% loss. Even at Low settings, where the GPU has the least work to do, 4K still only reaches 54.9 FPS versus 102.2 FPS at 1440p. This suggests that Doom's rendering demands at 4K simply overwhelm the Pascal architecture's raw throughput, regardless of how much the quality settings are lowered. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is clearly not the bottleneck here — its 43695 Cinebench R23 multicore score and 6168 single-core score indicate it could feed a much faster GPU without breaking a sweat.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 operates with a base clock of 1506 MHz and a boost clock of 1683 MHz, built on the 16 nm Pascal architecture with 1920 shading units. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications, while respectable for 2016, place the card at just the 51st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12331.

In Doom's specific workloads, the GPU's role becomes evident when examining the performance deltas between settings at the same resolution. At 1080p, the jump from Low (156.3 FPS) to Ultra (97.7 FPS) represents a 37.5% performance cost for maximum visual fidelity. The GTX 1070's nearest rivals in average benchmark scores — the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 (12241, 0.7% slower) and the GTX 1650 SUPER (12504, 1.4% faster) — suggest this is a mid-range card by today's standards. The 6.463 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 202.0 GTexel/s texture rate are the physical limits that define these frame rates. When 4K Ultra produces just 31.8 FPS, the data points to the GPU's 64 ROPs and 107.7 GPixel/s pixel fill rate being insufficient for Doom's demanding 4K effects.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1420 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 15.5% of all tested configurations. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU's own percentile ranking (93rd vs all CPUs) shows it belongs in far more capable company.

The disconnect between component tiers is stark. The Ryzen 9 7900X sits within 0.8% of the Intel Core i9-13980HX (avgScore 50944) and within 0.1% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 (avgScore 50598) in overall CPU benchmarks. Yet in Doom, this combo trails most other tested pairings because the GTX 1070 cannot translate that CPU horsepower into frame rate. The GPU's nearest rivals — including the GTX 880M (12490, 1.3% faster) and Tesla K20Xm (12547, 1.7% faster) — are themselves older or workstation-oriented parts, further emphasizing how dated this GPU is relative to the CPU.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at reduced settings. At 4K Low, the system averages 54.9 FPS, which is playable. However, 4K High drops to 40.7 FPS, and 4K Ultra falls to 31.8 FPS, both below the commonly preferred 60 FPS threshold for a fast-paced FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination?

A: 2560x1440 offers the best balance. At 1440p High, the system achieves 73.9 FPS, and at 1440p Low it reaches 102.2 FPS. The 1440p Ultra setting at 61.9 FPS is also viable, though it sits close to the 60 FPS minimum.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 7900X compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 7900X's average benchmark score of 50556 is within 0.8% of the Intel Core i9-13980HX (50944) and within 0.1% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 (50598). It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT (50738) by 0.4%.

Q: Is the GTX 1070 the limiting factor in this system?

A: Yes. The GPU's 51st percentile ranking and 12331 average benchmark score contrast sharply with the CPU's 93rd percentile and 50556 average score. The resolution scaling data confirms this, with frame rates dropping dramatically as resolution increases while CPU-bound scenarios show no such limitation.

Q: What are the GTX 1070's closest GPU competitors?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K4200 scores 12241 (0.7% lower), the GTX 880M scores 12490 (1.3% higher), the GTX 1650 SUPER scores 12504 (1.4% higher), and the Tesla K20Xm scores 12547 (1.7% higher).

Q: How does the 7900X's memory bandwidth affect Doom performance?

A: The CPU supports DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Doom's engine. The bottleneck remains the GPU's 256.3 GB/s of GDDR5 bandwidth, which is saturated at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on optimal settings for different priorities. For maximum frame rate at 1080p, Low settings deliver 156.3 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play. However, the jump to Medium (135.3 FPS) costs only 13.4% performance while likely providing substantially better visual quality. High settings at 114.6 FPS remain excellent, and even Ultra at 97.7 FPS stays above 90 FPS for a smooth experience.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. Low settings at 102.2 FPS are the only option that comfortably exceeds 100 FPS. Medium (88 FPS) and High (73.9 FPS) remain playable, but Ultra at 61.9 FPS sits right at the edge of comfort for a fast-paced shooter. For 4K gaming, Low settings (54.9 FPS) are the only viable choice, with Medium (51.1 FPS) and High (40.7 FPS) falling below smooth gameplay standards. Ultra at 31.8 FPS is not recommended for any serious play.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X brings 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth provide ample headroom for gaming workloads. The CPU scores 43695 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6168 in single-core, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all processors.

In Doom, the CPU's role is largely one of enabling, not limiting. The measured frame rates show no signs of CPU bottlenecking — even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the system reaches 156.3 FPS, suggesting the Ryzen 9 7900X could push far higher with a more powerful GPU. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 10972 and passmark_single_thread score of 4238 indicate that both multi-threaded and single-threaded performance are more than adequate for Doom's engine. The CPU's nearest rivals in overall performance — the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 (-0.1%), AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT (-0.4%), and Intel Core i7-13850HX (-0.5%) — all share similar characteristics, but none of them would change the outcome here because the GPU is the binding constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo is as follows:

At 3840x2160 (4K): Low settings average 54.9 FPS, Medium averages 51.1 FPS, High averages 40.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 31.8 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 23.1 FPS, representing a 42.1% performance penalty for maximum quality.

At 2560x1440: Low averages 102.2 FPS, Medium averages 88 FPS, High averages 73.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 61.9 FPS. The delta from Low to Ultra is 40.3 FPS, or a 39.4% reduction.

At 1920x1080: Low averages 156.3 FPS, Medium averages 135.3 FPS, High averages 114.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 97.7 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra gap here is 58.6 FPS, a 37.5% drop.

Notably, the percentage penalty for Ultra versus Low settings remains remarkably consistent across all three resolutions — approximately 37-42% — indicating that the GTX 1070's relative performance scaling with quality settings is uniform regardless of resolution. The absolute frame rate differences, however, tell the real story: 1080p Ultra at 97.7 FPS is playable, 1440p Ultra at 61.9 FPS is borderline, and 4K Ultra at 31.8 FPS is not suitable for a game requiring quick reflexes. This consistency suggests that as newer GPUs become available, the Ryzen 9 7900X would scale well, since the CPU's vast reserves of processing power (evidenced by its 50556 average benchmark score) would finally be utilized.