Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, built on TSMC's 5 nm process with a 55 W TDP. In Doom, a title from 2016 that is not heavily multithreaded, the CPU's high boost clock is more relevant than its core count. The chip's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030, ensures that the game's primary simulation thread has ample headroom. The processor ranks in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 76212. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which scores 76155 (0.1% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which scores 75779 (0.6% lower), placing the 8945HX slightly ahead of both in aggregate processing power.

The large 64 MB L3 cache and 16 cores are largely underutilized by Doom's engine, which typically scales across a handful of threads. However, the high boost clock of 5.40 GHz directly contributes to maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is more likely to be a bottleneck. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 indicates massive parallel throughput, but this does not translate to proportional gains in a game like Doom, which favors latency and single-core speed. The PassMark single-thread score of 3907 further confirms strong per-core performance. In essence, the 8945HX provides far more computational muscle than Doom requires, meaning the CPU will not be the limiting factor in most scenarios tested here.

The CPU's dual-channel DDR5 memory support provides 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for feeding the GPU with draw calls and geometry data. The 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes available from the CPU ensure that the graphics card has a high-bandwidth connection, though Doom's asset streaming demands are modest by modern standards. The integrated Radeon 610M graphics are irrelevant for this benchmark, as the system is paired with a discrete GPU. Overall, the processor's role in this combo is to provide a stable, high-frequency foundation that allows the GPU to operate at its full potential without stalling. Benchmark results indicate that the CPU's performance headroom is more than sufficient for Doom's engine, even at 1080p where frame rates exceed 190 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is the primary driver of Doom's visual output. It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, with a base clock of 952 MHz and a boost clock of 1455 MHz. Its memory runs at 1500 MHz with a 24 Gbps effective rate. The GPU has 3328 shading units, 104 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. It also includes 26 ray tracing cores and 104 tensor cores, though Doom does not utilize ray tracing, making the traditional rasterization hardware more critical for performance.

The RTX 5060 Mobile's FP32 compute throughput is 9.684 TFLOPS, which is a strong figure for a mobile part. In benchmark tests, it achieves a PassMark G3D score of 18852, placing it in the 67th percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 22435, which puts it in close competition with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (22549, 0.5% higher) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile (22729, 1.3% higher). The data shows that the RTX 5060 Mobile is slightly slower than its direct predecessor in aggregate benchmarks, but it remains a capable performer for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

In Doom, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for all tested settings, even at 4K Ultra, where the game's texture requirements are moderate. The memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s is a critical factor for high-resolution rendering, as it allows the GPU to fetch textures and geometry quickly. The boost clock of 1455 MHz is relatively modest, but the architecture's efficiency compensates, as evidenced by the measured frame rates. The GPU's performance in DirectX 12, as shown by a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3013.5, indicates solid modern API support, though Doom's Vulkan path is likely the primary rendering mode for optimal performance.

The RTX 5060 Mobile's role becomes dominant as resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput are the limiting factors, with the CPU providing no meaningful constraint. The pixel rate of 69.84 GPixel/s and texture rate of 151.3 GTexel/s are adequate for Doom's engine, which is known for its highly optimized id Tech 6 engine. The GPU's power envelope of 45 W is notable for a mobile part, allowing for sustained performance in thin-and-light chassis. The data indicates that the RTX 5060 Mobile is well-matched to Doom's requirements, delivering playable frame rates at 4K Ultra and extremely high refresh rates at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile ranks 2470 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU is in the top 5% of all processors. The combo's rank reflects that while the CPU is overqualified for the task, the GPU limits overall performance. The data shows that this pairing is not optimized for extreme frame rates, but rather for a balance of portability and gaming capability.

The combo's position relative to other tested configurations is instructive. The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4060 Mobile, scores 1.3% higher in aggregate benchmarks, suggesting that this combo would rank slightly lower than a 8945HX + RTX 4060 Mobile pairing. Conversely, the CPU's nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, scores 0.1% lower, meaning that swapping the CPU would have a negligible impact on the combo's ranking. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as the CPU's performance headroom is wasted in this configuration.

In practical terms, the combo rank of 2470 means that most other tested systems, likely those with higher-end desktop GPUs or more powerful mobile parts, will outperform this setup in Doom. However, the rank is not a measure of inadequacy; it simply reflects the mid-range nature of the RTX 5060 Mobile. The data indicates that this combo is positioned for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high settings, where it performs admirably, rather than for 4K ultra-competitive play. The gap between this combo and top-tier configurations is significant, but the measured FPS figures show that it remains entirely playable across all tested settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 197, with a maximum of 197 and a minimum of 146 in the Medium preset. High settings yield 145 FPS average, while Medium produces 171 FPS. Ultra settings reduce the average to 118 FPS. These numbers indicate that the RTX 5060 Mobile is fully capable of driving high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, even on Ultra settings where the frame rate remains well above 100 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 40% performance drop, from 197 to 118 FPS, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but begin to show the GPU's limitations. Low settings produce 127 FPS average, High drops to 94 FPS, and Medium sits at 111 FPS. Ultra settings yield 77 FPS, which is still smooth but noticeably lower than 1080p. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 35% reduction in FPS at Low settings (197 to 127) and a 35% reduction at Ultra (118 to 77). This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain the same relative scaling.

At 3840x2160, the combo becomes more constrained. Low settings average 69 FPS, Medium averages 60 FPS, and High drops to 51 FPS. Ultra settings produce 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS recorded at Medium is 51, indicating that even at this setting, there are dips that could be noticeable. The data shows a clear progression: 4K Ultra is only marginally playable, while 4K Low is comfortably smooth. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a 45% drop (77 to 42 FPS), highlighting the GPU's memory bandwidth and shader limitations at high resolutions.

The measured FPS figures across all resolutions and settings reveal a consistent pattern: the combo excels at 1080p, is very good at 1440p, and is acceptable at 4K with reduced settings. The Medium preset at 1440p, with an average of 111 FPS and a minimum of 94, represents the sweet spot for this hardware. The data indicates that users seeking the highest frame rates should stay at 1080p, while those prioritizing visual fidelity can use 1440p Ultra or 4K Medium with confidence.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K provides clear evidence of the limiting component in this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 197 at 1080p to 127 at 1440p, then to 69 at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 46% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, which is expected as pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p to 1440p and by 125% from 1440p to 4K. The fact that FPS does not halve with the pixel count doubling indicates that the GPU is not purely fill-rate limited, but rather that other factors such as memory bandwidth and shader efficiency play a role.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more pronounced. The average FPS drops from 118 at 1080p to 77 at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 42 at 4K, a 45% reduction. The similar percentage drops across Low and Ultra settings suggest that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck, as the CPU's performance does not degrade with resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to be similar across resolutions at the same settings, which is not the case. The data clearly shows that the RTX 5060 Mobile's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint.

The relationship between settings and resolution scaling is also informative. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 79 FPS (197 vs 118), while at 4K, the difference is only 27 FPS (69 vs 42). This compression of performance at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is becoming saturated, and the incremental cost of Ultra settings is relatively lower in absolute FPS terms. The data suggests that at 4K, the GPU is operating near its limits, and lowering settings provides diminishing returns. The limiting component is definitively the GPU across all resolutions, as the CPU's high-frequency cores and ample cache ensure it never becomes a bottleneck in Doom.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Doom?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1440p Medium is the optimal balance, delivering an average of 111 FPS with a minimum of 94 FPS. This provides smooth gameplay while maintaining visual quality. For higher fidelity, 1440p Ultra achieves 77 FPS, while 1080p Ultra offers 118 FPS for competitive play.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 69, which is smooth. 4K Medium averages 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, which is playable but may have occasional dips. 4K Ultra drops to 42 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 Mobile compare to its predecessor in terms of performance?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 22435, while the RTX 4060 Mobile scores 22729, which is 1.3% higher. This indicates that the newer GPU is slightly slower in aggregate benchmarks, though in Doom specifically, the measured FPS figures demonstrate its capability.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in Doom?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 95th percentile among all processors and provides ample single-thread performance with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030. The frame rate scaling across resolutions confirms that the GPU's rendering capabilities constrain performance, not the CPU.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 145, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate commonly found on gaming monitors. This suggests that the combo can fully utilize high-refresh-rate displays at 1080p High settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Doom?

A: It ranks 2470 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This ranking is primarily due to the mid-range RTX 5060 Mobile, while the CPU is top-tier. The rank indicates that many higher-end GPU configurations will outperform it, but it remains a competent performer for 1080p and 1440p gaming.