Doom

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks in the 2660th position out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This ranking reflects a system that delivers playable performance at most settings but struggles to maintain high refresh rates at maximum quality presets, particularly at 4K resolution. The data indicates a balanced pairing where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s four cores and eight threads are sufficient to keep frame rates high at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2660 out of 3712 tested combinations places it in the 28th percentile of all systems tested for Doom. This is a modest standing, but the raw benchmark scores of the individual components tell a more nuanced story. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 13494 puts it at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU’s average score of 24442 places it at the 70th percentile among all GPUs. The system’s overall ranking is dragged down by the fact that Doom is a highly optimized title where even mid-range hardware can achieve high frame rates, meaning the competition at the top is fierce.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the CPU performs almost identically to the Intel Core 3 N355 with a delta of 0%, and it is a mere 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500. The GPU shows a similar pattern, sitting 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 and 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. These small deltas suggest that the combo’s ranking is not due to any single weak component, but rather the combination of a budget CPU with a mid-range GPU that, while capable, does not push into the upper echelons of performance. The data shows that this system is positioned to deliver solid 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it will not compete with high-end rigs at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain why it handles most of the workload in Doom. The GPU comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. This is sufficient for the game’s textures and assets at 1080p and 1440p, though the 8 GB capacity could become a limiting factor at 4K with Ultra settings, where the measured frame rates drop significantly. The GPU’s boost clock of 2589 MHz and game clock of 2359 MHz are high for its class, allowing it to push substantial pixel and texture rates of 165.7 GPixel/s and 331.4 GTexel/s, respectively.

The card’s 2048 shading units and 32 ray accelerators are built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, which supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. In Doom, a title that relies heavily on raw rasterization performance, the RX 6600 XT’s 10.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute proves to be the key asset. The benchmark results show that at 1080p, the GPU is rarely the bottleneck, with frame rates exceeding 140 FPS on High settings. However, at 4K, the GPU’s limitations become apparent, as the average frame rate drops to 49 FPS on High and 40 FPS on Ultra. This indicates that while the GPU is powerful for 1080p and 1440p gaming, it lacks the headroom needed for 4K at maximum quality. The GPU’s 70th percentile ranking among all GPUs reinforces its position as a solid mid-range performer, but not a high-end 4K solution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the limiting factor at higher pixel counts. At 1080p, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings, with the average frame rate ranging from 115 FPS on Ultra to 192 FPS on Low. Moving to 1440p, the frame rates drop by roughly 35-40%, with the High preset falling from 141 FPS to 91 FPS, and the Low preset from 192 FPS to 124 FPS. This is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions but the GPU’s rendering workload increases proportionally with pixel count.

The jump from 1440p to 4K is even more dramatic, with the High preset dropping from 91 FPS to 49 FPS, a 46% reduction. The Low preset at 4K still manages 67 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to just 40 FPS. This scaling behavior indicates that the system is heavily GPU-limited at 4K, as the CPU’s performance is unlikely to change significantly with resolution. The data reveals that the sweet spot for this combo is 1440p, where it can maintain over 75 FPS at Ultra settings, and 1080p, where it exceeds 115 FPS at all presets. At 4K, users will need to compromise on settings to achieve smooth gameplay, with Medium settings providing 59 FPS and Low settings providing 67 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance that will satisfy most gamers. The Low preset achieves an average of 192 FPS, with the Medium preset at 167 FPS and High at 141 FPS. The Ultra preset, while the most demanding, still produces an average of 115 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum frame rate of 142 FPS and a maximum of 192 FPS, indicating consistent performance without major dips. This resolution is clearly where the combo shines, as even the heaviest settings remain well above the 100 FPS mark.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. The Low preset averages 124 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS, showing slight variance but no problematic stutters. The High preset drops to 91 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 75 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is a viable option for this system, with High settings providing a smooth experience and Ultra settings still playable for most users.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, averaging 67 FPS. The Medium preset averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset drops to 49 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 40 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a first-person shooter. The data clearly shows that 4K is only viable with Low or Medium settings, and even then, the frame rates are marginal.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 1440p with High settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 91 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, making it a viable option for most users.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve over 100 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, all settings except Ultra achieve over 100 FPS, with Low at 192 FPS, Medium at 167 FPS, and High at 141 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset exceeds 100 FPS, averaging 124 FPS.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 40 FPS, which is not recommended for a fast-paced shooter. Users should opt for Low or Medium settings to achieve playable frame rates.

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

A: At 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound, but at 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, indicating the RX 6600 XT is the limiting factor at higher pixel counts.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest recorded minimum frame rate is 50 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. The Medium preset at 1440p has a minimum of 92 FPS, and at 1080p it has a minimum of 142 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442, which is 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 and 1.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. It is 0.8% lower than the Intel Arc A350M.

Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that the optimal experience for this combo is at 1440p with High settings, which delivers an average of 91 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, as the frame rate is high enough for smooth gameplay while the settings offer a substantial improvement over Medium. For users with 1080p monitors, the Ultra preset at 115 FPS is the best choice, as it provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing the frame rate needed for a responsive experience.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Medium preset at 59 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but the minimum frame rate of 50 FPS could lead to occasional stutters. The Low preset at 67 FPS is more consistent and is the recommended choice for 4K gaming, as it ensures frame rates stay above 60 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 49 FPS and 40 FPS, respectively, should be avoided due to the significant drop in performance. For competitive play, the 1080p Low preset at 192 FPS is the best option, offering the highest possible frame rates for maximum responsiveness.