Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a formidable performance profile in Doom, a 2016 FPS title that remains a demanding benchmark for modern hardware. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but possesses enough CPU headroom to drive extreme frame rates at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the CPU and GPU roles, and provides actionable recommendations based solely on the benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data across the three tested resolutions—1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160—shows a classic performance curve where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 227 FPS at 1080p to 147 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 80 FPS, and then further down to 80 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern indicates that while the CPU is capable of pushing well over 200 FPS at lower resolutions, the RTX 5080's workload at higher pixel densities begins to dominate the performance equation.

The jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings is particularly steep, representing a 45.6% decrease in average FPS (from 147 to 80). This suggests that the 4K resolution is placing a substantial load on the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth, as the 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed by the higher pixel count. In contrast, the transition from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is less severe at 35.2%, implying that the system still has some CPU headroom that can be utilized at 1440p before the GPU becomes the absolute bottleneck.

The data across all presets confirms this trend. At Low settings, the average FPS scales from 309 at 1080p to 200 at 1440p (a 35.3% drop) and then to 108 at 4K (a 46.0% drop from 1440p). This indicates that even when the graphical load is minimized, the sheer pixel throughput required at 4K limits the frame rate to roughly one-third of what is achievable at 1080p. The consistency of this scaling pattern across presets strongly suggests that the RTX 5080 is the definitive limiting component at 4K, while the Ryzen 9 8945HX provides ample performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck at any resolution tested.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread mobile processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, this CPU is designed to handle both high-thread-count workloads and single-threaded tasks that are common in game logic. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs tested.

In the context of Doom, the CPU's role is to manage game physics, AI, and draw calls. The measured FPS at 1080p, particularly at Low settings where the GPU load is minimal, demonstrates the processor's capability. The 309 FPS average at 1080p Low is a direct indicator of the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with enough data to saturate its rendering pipeline. Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 8945HX's average benchmark score of 76212 is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which scores 76155, a negligible delta of 0.1%. This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 8945HX will perform on par with its direct competitor.

The 32 threads of the 8945HX are more than sufficient for Doom, a game that was released in 2016 and does not typically scale beyond a handful of cores. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is likely the more critical factor for this title, as it ensures that the primary game thread can execute with minimal latency. The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache also helps to reduce memory latency and keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, which can improve frame pacing in fast-paced scenes. The data supports that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this configuration, as the FPS drops observed when increasing resolution are far more pronounced than any variation that could be attributed to CPU load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, with its Blackwell 2.0 architecture and GB203 chip, is the dominant force in this benchmark. It features 10752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 render output units, which are the key components for rasterization performance in Doom. The GPU's base clock of 2295 MHz and boost clock of 2617 MHz, combined with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, provide a theoretical bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s, which is crucial for feeding the massive data throughput required at high resolutions.

The GPU's role in this title is to handle the rendering of the game's fast-paced environments, particle effects, and dynamic lighting. The RTX 5080's benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 8637 and a Passmark G3D score of 36565, place it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 8060S, has an average score of 55757, which is 0.6% lower, indicating that the RTX 5080 holds a slight edge in overall compute performance.

In Doom, the GPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution rises. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 65, a significant reduction from the 186 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This 65.1% performance decrease is a direct consequence of the GPU being tasked with rendering over four times the number of pixels. The RTX 5080's 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is substantial, but the 4K Ultra preset in Doom clearly demands more than the GPU can sustain at high frame rates. The memory clock of 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective) and the 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely being fully utilized at 4K, as the game's textures and geometry require rapid memory access. The data shows that while the RTX 5080 is a high-end part, it is the component that determines the ceiling for frame rates in this configuration, especially at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the system excels, with the Low preset achieving an average of 309 FPS, Medium at 269 FPS, High at 227 FPS, and Ultra at 186 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 229 and a maximum of 310, indicating that despite the high average, there is some variance in frame times, likely due to scene complexity. At this resolution, the system is clearly CPU-bound, as even the Ultra preset stays above 180 FPS, which is well above the refresh rates of most monitors.

Moving to 1440p, the averages remain high but show a more pronounced impact from the GPU workload. Low settings produce 200 FPS, Medium 174 FPS (min 148, max 200), High 147 FPS, and Ultra 120 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each preset is consistent, averaging around a 35-40% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is starting to take a more significant role, but the system still delivers very playable frame rates, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a 120 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset averages 108 FPS, Medium 94 FPS (min 80, max 109), High 80 FPS, and Ultra 65 FPS. The scaling here is linear and steep, with the difference between Low and Ultra being a 39.8% reduction in performance. The 4K Medium preset's minimum FPS of 80 is still respectable, but the Ultra preset's 65 FPS average suggests that for a perfectly smooth experience, users may need to opt for lower settings. The data shows a clear stratification: 1080p is for maximum frame rates, 1440p offers a balanced experience, and 4K is for visual fidelity at the cost of raw speed.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for maximizing frame rate with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the best resolution for maximum FPS, with the Low preset achieving 309 FPS and even the Ultra preset maintaining 186 FPS. This resolution allows the CPU to fully utilize its high boost clock and feed the GPU with enough data to avoid a bottleneck.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming at playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 108 at Low settings to 65 at Ultra settings. All presets remain above 60 FPS, which is generally considered playable, but the Ultra preset at 65 FPS is close to the threshold. For a more comfortable margin, the High preset at 80 FPS is recommended.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to its closest rival in terms of raw CPU performance?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX's score of 76155. This indicates that the two processors are virtually identical in overall performance, making any difference in gaming negligible.

*Q: Is the RTX 5080's 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for Doom?*

A: The measured data shows that the frame rates at 4K, where VRAM usage is highest, do not indicate any memory-related stuttering or performance collapse. The 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, with its 960.0 GB/s bandwidth, is more than sufficient for Doom based on the consistent FPS scaling observed across settings.

Q: What is the biggest performance drop when increasing resolution?

A: The largest single drop is between 1440p High (147 FPS) and 4K High (80 FPS), which is a 45.6% reduction. This is more substantial than the drop from 1080p High (227 FPS) to 1440p High (147 FPS), which is a 35.2% reduction.

Q: How does the system's performance at 4K Low compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: The system achieves 108 FPS at 4K Low, which is significantly lower than the 186 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This shows that the pixel count has a greater impact on performance than the graphics preset, as the 4K resolution requires more GPU processing power than the higher-quality settings at a lower resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For users seeking the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data suggests different optimal presets depending on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers an average of 186 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most gaming monitors. The step down to High at 227 FPS offers a marginal improvement in smoothness but sacrifices visual fidelity, making Ultra the superior choice for a premium experience without any performance concerns.

At 1440p, the High preset with 147 FPS is the best option for high-refresh-rate displays, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium while staying above the 144 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 120 FPS is also viable, particularly for users with 120 Hz monitors, and it offers the maximum visual detail. However, for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, the Medium preset at 174 FPS (with a minimum of 148 FPS) is a strong choice that maintains a high average while ensuring no noticeable dips.

At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced. The High preset at 80 FPS is ideal for a smooth experience on a 60 Hz or 120 Hz display, as it provides a comfortable margin above the refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 65 FPS is acceptable for cinematic gameplay but may be too close to the 60 FPS threshold for competitive play. The Medium preset at 94 FPS (min 80) is a better choice for users who want a high frame rate with reduced visual effects. The Low preset at 108 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as the visual downgrade is significant and the performance gain over Medium is marginal.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Doom, the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combo holds a rank of 745 out of 2930 tested configurations. This places the system in the top 25.4% of all tested combos, indicating a strong performance pairing. While this rank is not at the very top, it reflects the mobile nature of the CPU and the high demands of the game at higher resolutions.

The rank suggests that there are many other combinations that achieve higher frame rates, likely those with desktop-class CPUs and higher-tier GPUs. However, for a mobile platform, this result is impressive. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs, combined with the GPU's 87th percentile, creates a balanced system that performs well across the board. The fact that the combo ranks 745th, rather than higher, is likely due to the GPU being the limiting factor at 4K, where higher-end desktop GPUs can pull ahead. At 1080p and 1440p, this combo's performance is competitive with many systems ranked above it, as the CPU's strong single-threaded performance ensures no bottleneck.

The data indicates that this rank is not a reflection of weakness, but rather a sign that the system is well-matched for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and solid 4K performance. The 745th rank out of 2930 puts it ahead of the majority of tested systems, confirming that the Ryzen 9 8945HX and RTX 5080 are a capable pairing for Doom.