Doom

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Doom with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 shows a clear and consistent scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 175 FPS average, which drops to 113 FPS at 1440p and further to 61 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 114 FPS, or roughly 65% of the original performance.

Looking at High settings, the pattern is similar but with slightly different magnitudes. The system achieves 129 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 36% from 1080p to 1440p and 46% from 1440p to 4K. This consistency across settings presets suggests that the scaling behavior is primarily driven by resolution-dependent workload rather than settings-specific effects.

The Medium preset shows an interesting pattern with measured minimum and maximum FPS values that provide additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 152 FPS with a minimum of 130 and maximum of 175. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 99 FPS with a range of 84 to 113. At 4K Medium, the average is 53 FPS with a range of 45 to 61. The spread between minimum and maximum FPS remains relatively consistent at roughly 30% of the average across all three resolutions, indicating that frame pacing is stable regardless of resolution.

Ultra settings produce the lowest performance at every resolution, which is expected given the higher graphical demands. At 1080p Ultra, the system delivers 105 FPS average; at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 68 FPS; and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 37 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46%, again mirroring the pattern seen in other presets.

The resolution scaling analysis strongly indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component in this configuration. The consistent percentage drops across all settings presets when moving to higher resolutions point to a graphics-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less dramatic scaling at higher resolutions where the GPU workload increases disproportionately. The fact that 4K performance falls below 60 FPS even at Low settings (61 FPS) and drops to 37 FPS at Ultra reinforces this interpretation.

# CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, built on a 4nm process at TSMC. It features a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a 128 MB L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. The Geekbench multi-core score is 22884, with a single-core score of 3041.

In the context of Doom, the CPU's role is best understood through the resolution scaling data. At 1080p, where CPU overhead is relatively higher compared to GPU load, the system achieves 175 FPS at Low settings. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately even at high frame rates. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 and 2-thread score of 2512 indicate strong per-core performance, which is important for games that rely on one or two primary threads.

The CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads provide substantial multi-threading headroom, but Doom's engine, released in 2016, does not typically scale perfectly across that many cores. The PassMark multi-thread score of 56154 and the 3DMark max-threads score of 13795 show excellent overall throughput, but the game's actual thread utilization is likely lower. The Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 20049 and R15 multi-core score of 4811 further confirm the CPU's capability in heavily threaded workloads.

The CPU's percentile ranking versus all CPUs is 91, placing it in the top 9% of all processors. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF with an average score of 55093 (0.6% lower), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K at 54053 (1.3% higher for the 9900X3D), the Intel Xeon 6505P at 53701 (2% higher), and the Intel Core i7-14700F at 53620 (2.1% higher). This positioning indicates that the 9900X3D is competitive with high-end desktop and even some server-class processors.

For Doom specifically, the CPU's high single-thread performance is likely the more relevant factor. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739 suggest that the processor can handle the game's primary simulation and logic threads with ease. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz provides a significant advantage in lightly threaded scenarios, which is typical for this era of game engine.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is based on the Turing architecture, built on a 12nm process at TSMC, with 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. It features 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, along with 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. The GPU has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

In the context of Doom, the GPU's role is clearly dominant based on the resolution scaling analysis. The fact that performance drops significantly at higher resolutions, even at Low settings, confirms that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor in this configuration. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14111 and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1242 place it in the 58th percentile versus all GPUs.

The GPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0% difference), AMD Radeon 680M (15270, 0.1% difference), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, 0.6% difference), and AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, 0.8% difference). This clustering indicates that the RTX 2060 performs in a specific performance tier, and its 6 GB VRAM capacity is a notable characteristic for modern games.

For Doom, the VRAM capacity of 6 GB is sufficient at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with higher settings, memory bandwidth and capacity may become limiting factors. The memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s is moderate by modern standards, and the 192-bit bus width limits the total bandwidth available. The GPU's pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s are adequate for 1080p gaming but struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is the raw compute capacity available for shader work. At 4K Ultra, the system delivers only 37 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K Low, the 61 FPS average is barely above that threshold. This suggests that the GPU is working near its limits at 4K, and the settings have a significant impact on performance.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset for this configuration depends on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. At 1080p, all presets deliver playable frame rates, with Low at 175 FPS, Medium at 152 FPS, High at 129 FPS, and Ultra at 105 FPS. The Medium preset offers a good balance, with an average of 152 FPS and a measured range of 130 to 175 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on high refresh rate displays while maintaining visual quality above the minimum settings.

At 1440p, the performance remains solid across all presets. Low delivers 113 FPS, Medium 99 FPS, High 83 FPS, and Ultra 68 FPS. The High preset at 83 FPS is a reasonable choice for users with 144Hz monitors, as it remains above the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin. The Medium preset at 99 FPS offers even more headroom, with a measured minimum of 84 FPS, ensuring consistent frame delivery.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. Ultra settings produce only 37 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most users. High settings improve this to 45 FPS, while Medium reaches 53 FPS with a range of 45 to 61 FPS. Low settings achieve 61 FPS, which is right at the standard 60 FPS target. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only option that consistently maintains playable frame rates, while Medium may be acceptable for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate stability.

The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p provides the best overall experience for most users, offering high frame rates with better visual fidelity than Low. For 1440p, the Medium preset at 99 FPS is also a strong recommendation, as it balances visual quality and performance. At 4K, users should expect to use Low settings for optimal frame rates, or accept lower performance with Medium settings.

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D combined with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2294 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. This places the configuration in the 22nd percentile of all tested combinations, meaning approximately 78% of tested combos perform better in this game. This low ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU, which is positioned in the 58th percentile versus all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 91st percentile versus all CPUs.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile ranking and the combo's low game ranking highlights the GPU-limited nature of this configuration in Doom. The RTX 2060's performance tier is the bottleneck, and the powerful 9900X3D cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations in this graphics-intensive title. The combo's rank of 2294 out of 2930 suggests that many other CPU-GPU combinations, even those with less powerful CPUs, achieve better performance in Doom due to having more capable GPUs.

This ranking also reflects the age of the RTX 2060 relative to the game. Released in 2019, the GPU predates Doom's 2016 release by three years, but the game's optimized engine and the GPU's mid-range positioning result in a configuration that is playable at lower resolutions and settings but struggles at 4K. The combo's performance is consistent with the GPU's synthetic benchmark scores, which show it competing with integrated graphics solutions like the AMD Radeon 680M and older discrete GPUs like the GTX 580.

# FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Doom?

A: The maximum average FPS is 175, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 152 FPS, while High and Ultra produce 129 FPS and 105 FPS respectively.

Q: Can this configuration run Doom at 4K resolution smoothly?

A: At 4K, only the Low preset delivers an average FPS above 60, at 61 FPS. Medium averages 53 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. For consistent 60 FPS gameplay at 4K, Low settings are required.

Q: How does the CPU affect the combo's performance in Doom?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides strong single-thread performance with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz and a single-core Cinebench R23 score of 6739. However, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the GPU's VRAM capacity and how does it affect Doom performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 4K resolutions, this VRAM capacity and bandwidth become limiting factors, contributing to the lower frame rates observed at higher settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations in Doom?

A: This combo ranks 2294 out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it in the lower 22% of all tested configurations. The rank is primarily influenced by the GPU's mid-range performance tier rather than the CPU.

Q: What is the recommended settings preset for 1440p gaming with this setup?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers 99 FPS average with a range of 84 to 113 FPS, making it a balanced choice. The High preset at 83 FPS is also viable for users who prefer better visual quality.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Doom with the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is as follows:

1920x1080 Resolution:

• Low: 175 FPS average
• Medium: 152 FPS average, with a minimum of 130 FPS and maximum of 175 FPS
• High: 129 FPS average
• Ultra: 105 FPS average

2560x1440 Resolution:

• Low: 113 FPS average
• Medium: 99 FPS average, with a minimum of 84 FPS and maximum of 113 FPS
• High: 83 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

3840x2160 Resolution:

• Low: 61 FPS average
• Medium: 53 FPS average, with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS
• High: 45 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

The Medium settings preset at each resolution includes measured minimum and maximum FPS values, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the range spans 130 to 175 FPS; at 1440p, it spans 84 to 113 FPS; and at 4K, it spans 45 to 61 FPS. These ranges indicate that frame delivery is consistent within each resolution, with the spread roughly proportional to the average FPS.

The performance scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows approximately a 35% reduction in FPS across all settings presets. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows approximately a 46% reduction. This consistent scaling pattern across all presets suggests that the GPU is uniformly stressed by resolution increases, independent of the graphical settings applied.