Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers exceptional performance in Doom, a 2016 FPS that remains highly demanding at extreme settings. The benchmark data shows a configuration capable of pushing well beyond 100 FPS at 4K and exceeding 400 FPS at 1080p, placing it in the top percentile of tested systems. The CPU and GPU each play distinct roles in achieving these results, with the processor providing the necessary single-thread responsiveness and the graphics card handling the massive frame rendering loads.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The processor features a substantial 128 MB L3 cache, which is critical for gaming performance, as it allows the CPU to store frequently accessed data closer to the cores. This large cache, combined with the high boost clock, ensures that the CPU can feed the RTX 4090 with data quickly, minimizing any potential bottleneck.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 9900X3D demonstrates its strength. It scores 6,739 points in Cinebench R23 single-core and 47,737 points in multi-core. The single-thread performance is particularly relevant for Doom, as the game’s engine relies heavily on a few well-optimized threads. The CPU’s 3DMark scores reinforce this: 1,269 points in single-thread and 12,490 points in 16-thread tests. The processor’s 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates that it outperforms the vast majority of processors available, ensuring that frame rates are not limited by the CPU in most scenarios.

The 9900X3D’s performance relative to its nearest rivals is telling. It scores 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, but edges out the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K by 1.3%, the Intel Xeon 6505P by 2%, and the Intel Core i7-14700F by 2.1% in average benchmark scores. This places the AMD chip in a tightly contested tier, but its gaming-specific features, like the large L3 cache, likely provide an edge in Doom’s frame pacing. The processor’s 120W TDP and support for DDR5 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s further ensure that memory bandwidth is not a limiting factor.

For Doom, the CPU’s role is to maintain a consistent frame delivery pipeline. At lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes more critical, as the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls. The 9900X3D’s boost clock of 5.50 GHz and high IPC (instructions per cycle) from the Zen 5 architecture are directly responsible for the high average FPS observed at 1920x1080, where the CPU is more likely to be the limiting component. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 444 FPS, indicating that the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship of the GeForce 40-series, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a massive 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 2235 MHz, boosting to 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). With 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, the RTX 4090 is designed for maximum rasterization throughput, which is essential for Doom’s fast-paced rendering.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are staggering: 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 1,290.2 GTexel/s texture rate. These specifications translate directly to high frame rates, especially at higher resolutions where pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become dominant factors. In the measured FPS data, the RTX 4090 drives the game to 115 FPS average at 4K High settings, and 94 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Medium settings show an average of 136 FPS with a minimum of 115 and maximum of 156, indicating the GPU’s ability to maintain smooth frame delivery even under load.

The RTX 4090’s benchmark scores place it in the 88th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals are close in synthetic tests: the Intel Arc Pro A60 matches it exactly (0% delta), while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% faster and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% slower. However, these rival cards are professional or workstation-oriented, and in gaming workloads, the RTX 4090’s driver optimization and raw rasterization power typically outperform them. The GPU’s 450W TDP and triple-slot design underscore its high-performance nature, but the benchmark data shows that this power is effectively translated into frame rate.

In Doom, the GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions. At 4K, the RTX 4090’s memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s is crucial for loading high-resolution textures, while its 176 ROPs handle the pixel output. The transition from 1080p to 4K shows a performance drop that is more pronounced at higher settings, which is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the bottleneck. The GPU’s 24 GB of VRAM ensures that even the most detailed texture packs do not exceed memory capacity, preventing stutter or texture pop-in.

FAQ

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average FPS is 267. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 94. This represents a 173 FPS reduction, or a 64.8% decrease, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D scores an average of 54,762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (55,093). However, it outperforms the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K by 1.3%, the Intel Xeon 6505P by 2%, and the Intel Core i7-14700F by 2.1%.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the RTX 4090 at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 213, with an average of 250 and a maximum of 288. This shows strong frame consistency, with the minimum staying well above 200 FPS.

Q: Does the combo rank high among other tested systems in Doom?

A: Yes, the combination ranks 76th out of 2,930 tested combos in the game, placing it in the top 2.6% of all configurations.

Q: What is the boost clock of the CPU and how does it affect gaming?

A: The CPU boost clock is 5.50 GHz. This high frequency allows for rapid single-thread execution, which is beneficial for Doom’s physics and game logic, contributing to the high frame rates seen at 1080p.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does the GPU have?

A: The RTX 4090 has 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth, which is essential for feeding the GPU’s 16,384 shading units with texture data at high resolutions like 3840x2160.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 76 out of 2,930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the top 2.6% of all configurations, proof of the synergy between the two high-end components. The rank reflects the system’s ability to maintain high average frame rates across all settings and resolutions, from the CPU-bound 1080p Low scenario to the GPU-bound 4K Ultra scenario.

The rank is particularly impressive given the age of the game, which means that many modern systems can run it well. However, the data shows that this specific combo excels, likely due to the CPU’s large cache and high clocks, which prevent any stutter, and the GPU’s raw power, which allows for maximum settings at 4K. The 76th rank out of 2,930 indicates that only 75 other combos perform better, which could include configurations with more specialized overclocking or newer hardware. For a stock setup, this is an elite result.

Compared to the CPU’s own benchmark percentile (91st among all CPUs) and the GPU’s percentile (88th among all GPUs), the combo’s performance in Doom is slightly higher than what the individual parts might suggest. This implies that the pairing is well-balanced for this specific game, with the CPU not bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions and the GPU providing enough headroom at higher resolutions. The rank also highlights that the system is not just fast in synthetic tests but delivers real-world gaming performance that is among the best measured.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K, with the average frame rate dropping as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 444 FPS, which drops to 287 FPS at 1440p Low and 156 FPS at 4K Low. This represents a 64.9% decrease from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases.

At High settings, the pattern continues: 327 FPS at 1080p, 211 FPS at 1440p, and 115 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35.5%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 45.5%. This non-linear scaling suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU’s performance is sufficient to keep the frame rate high.

The Ultra settings show the most significant resolution scaling impact. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 267, dropping to 173 at 1440p and 94 at 4K. From 1080p to 4K, this is a 64.8% decrease. The fact that the 1080p Ultra score (267 FPS) is lower than the 1080p Low score (444 FPS) indicates that the GPU is also affected by the increased shading and texture work at Ultra, even at lower resolutions. However, the sustained frame rates above 90 FPS at 4K Ultra demonstrate that the RTX 4090 is well-suited for high-resolution gaming.

The scaling data suggests that the system is CPU-bound at 1080p Low, where the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can issue commands. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with the 4K results showing a more significant relative drop. This is typical behavior for a high-end CPU paired with a flagship GPU, and the measured FPS confirms that the balance is optimal for 1440p and 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The exact measurements for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in Doom are as follows:

At 1920x1080, the average FPS is highest at Low settings with 444 FPS. Medium settings yield 387 FPS, with a minimum of 329 and maximum of 445. High settings produce 327 FPS, and Ultra settings reduce the average to 267 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 177 FPS, indicating that the GPU is still capable of high output even with maximum graphical features.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. Low settings achieve 287 FPS, Medium settings 250 FPS (with a minimum of 213 and maximum of 288), High settings 211 FPS, and Ultra settings 173 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 114 FPS, showing that the GPU is being taxed more heavily as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is significantly lower. Low settings produce 156 FPS, Medium settings 136 FPS (with a minimum of 115 and maximum of 156), High settings 115 FPS, and Ultra settings 94 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 62 FPS, which is the smallest absolute difference across resolutions, indicating that the GPU is approaching its limits at 4K Ultra.

The data reveals that the combo maintains playable frame rates even at the most demanding settings. At 4K Ultra, the 94 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS values, where recorded, show that the system does not experience significant frame drops, with the lowest minimum being 115 FPS at 4K Medium. This consistency is a hallmark of a well-matched CPU and GPU, with the 9900X3D’s cache and the RTX 4090’s bandwidth working together to prevent stutter. The results confirm that this is a top-tier configuration for Doom, capable of delivering an extremely high-refresh-rate experience at 1080p and a smooth 4K experience at all settings.