Doom

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a thoroughly playable experience across the board in Doom, with the data showing a clear progression of performance that scales predictably with resolution and settings. This combination ranks in the 1314th position out of 2930 tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations evaluated. The percentile data reinforces this positioning, with the CPU sitting in the 95th percentile against all processors and the GPU in the 58th percentile against all graphics cards, indicating that the processor is the stronger component in this pairing. The benchmark results reveal a system that excels at high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, while still maintaining respectable frame rates at 4K, though the GPU becomes the limiting factor at the highest resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1314 out of 2930 tested combinations places this system in the 55th percentile of all configurations, a solidly mid-pack result that reflects the balance between a top-tier CPU and a mid-range GPU. The data indicates that this pairing is not designed to dominate the highest echelons of performance, but rather to provide a consistent and capable experience across the board. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 95 means it outperforms 95% of all processors tested, while the GPU’s 58th percentile shows it is slightly above average but not exceptional. This asymmetry is key to understanding the system’s behavior: the processor has significant headroom, but the graphics card will often be the component that determines the final frame rate.

When examining the nearest rivals for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores an average benchmark of 75779, which is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75738, deltaPct 0.1) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75716, deltaPct 0.1). The gap widens slightly to the AMD EPYC 8224P (75582, deltaPct 0.3) and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75488, deltaPct 0.4). These margins are all within 0.4%, meaning that in CPU-bound scenarios, this processor will perform virtually identically to its closest competitors. For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 averages 15852, sitting just below the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, deltaPct -0.1) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, deltaPct 1.1), while trailing the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014, deltaPct -1) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, deltaPct -1.7). The GPU’s performance envelope is therefore tightly clustered with these rivals, with differences that will be negligible in real-world gaming scenarios.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. These clock speeds are moderate for the RX 7000 series, but the card compensates with a substantial 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 2438 MHz with an effective data rate of 19.5 Gbps. This memory configuration is generous for the card’s performance class and proves beneficial in Doom, where the game’s texture-heavy environments can consume significant VRAM at higher resolutions.

In Doom, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly prominent as resolution increases. At 1080p, the card’s 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units are more than sufficient to push frame rates well above 200 FPS, as evidenced by the 241 FPS average at Low settings. The pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s indicate a card that can handle the game’s fast-paced action without bottlenecking at lower resolutions. However, at 4K, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. The data shows that even at Medium settings, the card manages only 74 FPS, and this drops to 51 FPS at Ultra settings. The FP32 performance of 25.18 TFLOPS is respectable, but the pixel fill rate becomes the constraint when rendering at 3840x2160, as the sheer number of pixels to process overwhelms the card’s capabilities.

The GPU’s compute performance, as measured by its average benchmark score of 15852 and PassMark G3D score of 20974, places it in a competitive position against its nearest rivals. The card’s DirectX 12 performance, as indicated by a PassMark DirectX 12 score of 96, suggests it is well-optimized for modern APIs, which Doom uses to good effect. The 40 ray tracing cores are present but not heavily utilized in this title, as Doom’s original 2016 release does not feature ray tracing. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is a notable advantage, ensuring that the card does not run out of memory even at 4K Ultra settings, though the 51 FPS result at that configuration suggests that compute and fill rate limits, not memory capacity, are the binding constraints.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC with 16,630 million transistors across a dual-chiplet design with each die measuring 70.6 mm². The CPU operates at a base clock of 4.30 GHz and boosts up to 5.70 GHz, with a 170 W TDP. The processor features an extensive cache hierarchy, including 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache. This large L3 cache is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads, as it allows frequently accessed data to be stored on-chip, reducing memory latency. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and connects to the system via PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the data shows that this processor has ample headroom for the task. The CPU’s benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259. The Geekbench multicore score of 26736 and single-core score of 3064 further confirm its capabilities. The PassMark multithread score of 70255 and single-thread score of 4737 demonstrate strong performance in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. The 3DMark scores are particularly relevant for gaming, with a 16-thread score of 16374 and a max-thread score of 17184, indicating that the processor can handle the multi-threaded nature of modern game engines without becoming a bottleneck.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 75779 places it in the 95th percentile of all processors, and its nearest rivals are all within a 0.4% performance delta, meaning that in CPU-bound scenarios, the choice between these processors would yield nearly identical frame rates. In Doom specifically, the CPU’s influence on frame rates is most noticeable at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p, the data shows frame rates ranging from 145 to 241 FPS depending on settings, and these high numbers would not be achievable without a processor capable of handling the game’s rendering thread efficiently. The boost clock of 5.70 GHz is particularly valuable for the single-threaded aspects of game logic, while the 16 cores and 32 threads ensure that any background tasks or streaming processes do not interfere with gameplay.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination better suited for 1080p or 4K gaming in Doom?

A: The data clearly indicates that the combo excels at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p, even Ultra settings achieve 145 FPS, while at 4K, Ultra drops to 51 FPS. The system is best utilized at 1440p or below for high refresh rate gaming.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75779, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 scores 75738, a delta of 0.1%. This means the two processors are essentially tied in performance, with differences that would not be perceptible in real-world gaming.

Q: What is the GPU’s VRAM capacity and does it matter for Doom?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. This is ample for Doom, as the game’s textures and levels are unlikely to exceed this capacity, even at 4K Ultra settings where the card achieves 51 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU’s performance compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, resulting in a delta of -1.7%. This means the RTX 3060 Ti is slightly faster on average, but the difference is small enough to be within typical run-to-run variance.

Q: What is the CPU’s boost clock and how does it affect performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. This high single-core boost frequency is critical for Doom’s game logic and physics, contributing to the high frame rates observed at 1080p.

Q: Does the GPU support modern APIs that Doom uses?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Doom can utilize Vulkan and DirectX 12, so the card is fully compatible with the game’s rendering options.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 210 FPS, which drops to 136 FPS at 1440p and further to 74 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is consistent across all settings presets, though the percentage drops vary slightly. For High settings, the progression is 178 FPS at 1080p, 115 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K, representing a 35% and 65% drop, respectively. Low settings show 241 FPS at 1080p, 156 FPS at 1440p, and 85 FPS at 4K, with drops of 35% and 65%. Ultra settings follow the same pattern: 145 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p, and 51 FPS at 4K, again with 35% and 65% reductions.

The consistent 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and 65% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets indicates that the system is primarily GPU-limited at higher resolutions. The number of pixels at 1440p is 1.78 times that of 1080p, and at 4K it is exactly 4 times that of 1080p, so the frame rate scaling is not perfectly linear with pixel count. The 35% drop at 1440p is less than the 44% that would be expected if the GPU were the sole limiting factor, suggesting that the CPU has some influence at 1080p and partially compensates at 1440p. However, the 65% drop at 4K is greater than the 75% that pure pixel count would suggest, indicating that the CPU’s influence diminishes and the GPU becomes the hard bottleneck. This analysis points to a system where the CPU is more than capable of handling the game at any resolution, but the GPU’s fill rate and compute capabilities are the limiting factors as resolution increases.

The data also shows that the minimum FPS values, available for Medium settings, follow the same trend. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 179 FPS, which drops to 116 FPS at 1440p and 63 FPS at 4K. These minimums are significantly above the threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that the system maintains consistent frame delivery without major dips. The maximum FPS values at Medium settings, 242 FPS at 1080p, 156 FPS at 1440p, and 85 FPS at 4K, show that the system can push higher when the scene demands less, but the averages provide a reliable measure of sustained performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combination in Doom. At 1080p, all settings presets deliver frame rates well above 144 FPS, with Low achieving 241 FPS, Medium at 210 FPS, High at 178 FPS, and Ultra at 145 FPS. For players with a 144 Hz monitor, even Ultra settings provide sufficient frame rates, so there is no need to compromise on visual quality at this resolution. The jump from High to Ultra costs 33 FPS (from 178 to 145 FPS), which is a significant drop but still leaves the system in high-refresh territory. At 1080p, the recommendation is to use Ultra settings for the best visual experience, as the performance remains above 144 FPS.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more nuanced. Low settings achieve 156 FPS, Medium at 136 FPS, High at 115 FPS, and Ultra at 94 FPS. For a 144 Hz display, only Low settings can fully saturate the refresh rate, while Medium comes close. High and Ultra settings fall below 120 FPS, which may be noticeable to sensitive players. The data suggests that Medium settings offer a balanced experience at 1440p, providing 136 FPS average with a minimum of 116 FPS, which keeps frame times consistent. High settings at 115 FPS are also acceptable for most players, especially those with 120 Hz displays. The recommendation at 1440p is Medium settings for the best combination of visual quality and frame rate, with High as a viable alternative for those who prioritize image quality.

At 4K, the performance drops significantly. Low settings achieve 85 FPS, Medium at 74 FPS, High at 62 FPS, and Ultra at 51 FPS. None of these settings can drive a 144 Hz display, but all are playable for a 60 Hz monitor. Low settings provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, while Medium and High also exceed 60 FPS on average, with Medium’s minimum of 63 FPS ensuring smooth playback. Ultra settings dip to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stutter on a 60 Hz display. For 4K, the recommendation is Medium settings, which offer a good balance with 74 FPS average and 63 FPS minimum. High settings at 62 FPS are also viable, but the margin above 60 FPS is thinner. Low settings provide the most headroom at 85 FPS, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a game like Doom, which benefits from its detailed environments.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance regardless of settings. Low settings produce an average of 241 FPS, Medium achieves 210 FPS with a minimum of 179 FPS and maximum of 242 FPS, High reaches 178 FPS, and Ultra manages 145 FPS. These numbers indicate that the system is capable of driving high refresh rate displays at 1080p without any compromises. The gap between Low and Ultra is 96 FPS, which represents a 40% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset. However, even the Ultra preset remains above 144 FPS, making it the recommended choice for most players.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but begin to show the GPU’s limitations. Low settings achieve 156 FPS, Medium averages 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and maximum of 156 FPS, High reaches 115 FPS, and Ultra drops to 94 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 62 FPS, a 40% reduction that mirrors the 1080p scaling. The minimum FPS at Medium settings, 116 FPS, indicates that the system maintains consistent performance without major frame drops. The transition from High to Ultra results in a 21 FPS drop, which is the largest single-step reduction among the settings, suggesting that Ultra settings introduce a significant graphical workload increase.

At 3840x2160, the system’s performance is constrained by the GPU. Low settings achieve 85 FPS, Medium averages 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS and maximum of 85 FPS, High reaches 62 FPS, and Ultra drops to 51 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 34 FPS, again a 40% reduction, consistent with the pattern seen at lower resolutions. The Medium settings’ minimum of 63 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that even the lowest frame rates are playable. However, Ultra settings at 51 FPS fall below this threshold, making them less suitable for a smooth experience. The data shows that the system’s performance scales linearly with settings across all resolutions, with a consistent 40% reduction from Low to Ultra, but the absolute frame rates at 4K are significantly lower due to the GPU’s pixel fill rate limitations.