Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This CPU sits in the 91st percentile against all tested processors, indicating strong overall computational performance. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves a multi-core score of 29,300 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 2,016.5 in the same test, while its Geekbench scores are 19,267 multi-core and 2,617 single-core. The data reveals a processor that excels in multi-threaded workloads, but for a game like Doom, which was released in 2016 and is known for its id Tech 6 engine, the single-thread performance is often the more critical factor. The 7900X's single-core score of 1,093 in 3DMark single-thread and 4,238 in PassMark single-thread suggests it has the headroom to feed even the most powerful GPUs in this older title. The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database include the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% higher score), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (0.3% lower), Intel Xeon 634 (0.6% higher), and Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% lower), placing the 7900X in a tight performance band where no single competitor has a decisive advantage.

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

The Ryzen 9 7900X's architecture is built around 12 physical cores and 24 threads, a configuration that provides substantial parallel processing capability. The 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core ensure that data is readily available for the cores, reducing latency in compute-heavy tasks. With a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, this CPU is designed to deliver high frequency in lightly-threaded scenarios, which is precisely where Doom's engine typically operates. The game's rendering loop often depends on a few primary threads, so the 7900X's ability to sustain high clocks on those threads is a key factor. The measured FPS data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 443 FPS, and at 2560x1440 with Low settings, it reaches 314 FPS. This scaling indicates that even at lower resolutions, where the CPU has more relative influence, the 7900X is not presenting a bottleneck that would cap performance. The benchmark results from 3DMark, which show a score of 2,137 for 2 threads and 10,972 for 16 threads, further confirm that both low-thread and high-thread workloads are handled efficiently. In the context of Doom's results, the CPU appears to provide a solid foundation, allowing the GPU to be the primary driver of frame rate changes across different settings and resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a massive GPU built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, featuring 21,760 shading units and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. Its memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is a significant asset for high-resolution textures, and the boost clock of 2407 MHz ensures that the GPU's processing units are operating at high speed. The GPU's benchmarks place it in the 92nd percentile, with a PassMark G3D score of 44,065 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326. In Doom, the GPU's role is clearly dominant, as seen in the FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo still manages an average of 102 FPS, which is a demanding workload for any GPU. The 32 GB VRAM is far beyond what Doom requires, ensuring that there is no memory capacity limit affecting performance. The GPU's compute capabilities, reflected in a PassMark GPU compute score of 28,396, also contribute to the game's physics and post-processing effects. The nearest rivals in the GPU database are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% higher score), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% lower), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (2.1% lower), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (2.4% lower), which shows that the RTX 5090 D is in a high-performance tier, though not isolated from competition. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 D has the raw power to push Doom to very high frame rates, but the game's engine and CPU interaction will ultimately set the ceiling.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Analyzing the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of scaling that indicates a GPU-limited scenario. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 443, which drops to 314 at 2560x1440 and further to 170 at 3840x2160. This represents a decline of approximately 29% from 1080p to 1440p and a further 46% from 1440p to 4K. The same trend holds for High settings, where the FPS goes from 357 at 1080p to 231 at 1440p (a 35% drop) and then to 125 at 4K (a 46% drop from 1440p). The consistent pattern across settings implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions; instead, the GPU's rendering workload is what scales with pixel count. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU load would be similar. The fact that the FPS drops significantly with each resolution increase suggests that the RTX 5090 D is being pushed to its limits in terms of fill rate and shading, even though it has 32 GB of VRAM and a high bandwidth. The Ultra settings data reinforces this, with FPS going from 292 at 1080p to 189 at 1440p and 102 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K for Ultra is about 65%, which is a substantial reduction and confirms that the GPU is the primary component determining frame rate in this title, regardless of the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS is 231, with no reported minimum or maximum values in the data.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 7900X compare to the Intel Core i7-14700F in CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X has an average benchmark score that is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core i7-14700F, indicating they are nearly identical in overall CPU performance.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's VRAM capacity a factor in Doom's performance?

A: The GPU has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, which is far more than required for Doom, so memory capacity does not limit the measured frame rates; the performance is instead driven by the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 102, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 443, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo's performance rank among all tested combinations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 22nd out of 2,930 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1% of all measured setups for this game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data offers a clear view of how settings affect performance, and the optimal choice depends on the user's priority for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 3840x2160, the High preset delivers an average of 125 FPS, while Ultra drops to 102 FPS. The difference between these two settings is an average loss of 23 FPS, which is a significant reduction for what might be a marginal visual improvement in an older title like Doom. For users with a 4K display, High is the recommended preset because it maintains a frame rate above 120 FPS, which is generally considered smooth for fast-paced FPS games, while Ultra may dip below that threshold in demanding scenes. At 2560x1440, the High preset yields 231 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most high-end monitors, and even Ultra offers 189 FPS, providing flexibility for users who want maximum visual quality without sacrificing performance. At 1920x1080, all settings produce very high frame rates, with Ultra at 292 FPS and High at 357 FPS, so the choice is less critical; however, if the goal is to minimize any potential frame time spikes, the Medium setting, which has a reported minimum of 359 FPS, might offer a more stable experience. The data suggests that High is the most balanced preset across all resolutions, as it provides a substantial improvement over Medium in terms of visual quality while avoiding the performance penalty of Ultra. The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, but the visual downgrade is likely not worth it given the hardware's capability to run higher settings smoothly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data is provided for three resolutions and four settings, offering a comprehensive view of the combo's performance. At 1920x1080, the average FPS starts at 443 for Low settings, drops to 422 for Medium, 357 for High, and 292 for Ultra. The Medium setting has a reported minimum of 359 FPS and a maximum of 485 FPS, while the other settings do not have min/max values listed. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS is 314 for Low, 273 for Medium, 231 for High, and 189 for Ultra. The Medium setting at this resolution shows a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 170 for Low, 148 for Medium, 125 for High, and 102 for Ultra. The Medium setting at 4K has a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 170 FPS. The data shows a consistent pattern where each increase in settings level results in a roughly 20-30% reduction in average FPS, depending on the resolution. For example, going from Low to Ultra at 1080p results in a 34% drop, while at 4K, the drop from Low to Ultra is 40%. This scaling is expected, as higher settings typically increase the GPU's workload through more complex shading, lighting, and post-processing effects. The min/max values for Medium settings across all resolutions indicate that frame times are relatively stable, with the minimum FPS being about 85% of the average, which suggests good frame pacing for this preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a rank of 22nd out of 2,930 tested combinations in Doom. This places it in the top 0.75% of all measured setups, which is an exceptional result. The high rank is likely a combination of the CPU's strong single-thread performance, which is necessary for Doom's engine, and the GPU's massive computational power, which allows for high frame rates at high resolutions and settings. The data shows that this combo can deliver over 100 FPS at 4K Ultra, which reflects the hardware's capability. However, the rank also implies that there are 21 other combos that perform better in this specific game, which could be due to even higher-end CPUs with better single-core performance or GPUs with more favorable driver optimizations for this title. The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU individually do not directly translate to game performance, as the combo rank is a unique metric. The fact that this combo ranks 22nd suggests that while it is a top-tier performer, it is not the absolute best for Doom, and users seeking the highest possible frame rates might need to consider other configurations. The rank also indicates that the hardware is well-matched, with no obvious bottleneck, as the FPS scaling across resolutions is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario.