Doom

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Doom with the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 580 shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 101.6 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 64.2 FPS, a reduction of approximately 37%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 38.8 FPS, which is roughly 62% below the 1080p Low figure. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load scales heavily with pixel count, as expected for a GPU-bound scenario.

The pattern becomes more telling when examining the High preset. At 1080p High, the system averages 78.3 FPS. At 1440p High, that figure drops to 49 FPS, and at 4K High, it collapses to 27.1 FPS. The gap between 1440p and 4K is particularly wide — the 4K result is barely a third of the 1080p result. This suggests that at 4K, the RX 580's pixel throughput becomes the dominant limiting factor, while at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU adequately.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling loss. Starting at 63 FPS at 1080p, it falls to 42.6 FPS at 1440p, then to 21.1 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below 30 FPS, which is generally considered the minimum for playable frame rates in fast-paced action titles. The data indicates that the RX 580, with its 32 ROPs and 256-bit memory interface, simply cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K once image quality settings are elevated.

Notably, the difference between Low and Ultra at each resolution is consistent in direction but varies in magnitude. At 1080p, the spread between Low (101.6 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) is 38.6 FPS. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 21.6 FPS (64.2 vs 42.6). At 4K, the spread is just 17.7 FPS (38.8 vs 21.1). This compression of the settings range at higher resolutions reinforces that the GPU becomes the bottleneck sooner as pixel count rises, making settings adjustments less impactful at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on the Polaris 20 chip using the GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The GPU contains 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, with a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². Its base clock is 1257 MHz with a boost clock of 1340 MHz, and the memory runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 8 GB GDDR5 frame buffer is substantial for this class of GPU, but the 32 ROPs and 144 TMUs limit how quickly pixels can be shaded and written.

In Doom, the GPU's role is clearly dominant across all measured configurations. At 1080p Low, the 101.6 FPS average suggests the RX 580 is working near its effective limit for this title, but the CPU is not holding it back. The i5-10400F's 6 cores and 12 threads, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost of 4.30 GHz, provide ample processing power for the game's logic at this resolution. The CPU's single-thread performance, as indicated by its 3dmark_single_thread score of 688 and geekbench_singlecore score of 1454, is sufficient for Doom's engine.

The GPU's FP32 throughput of 6.175 TFLOPS and texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s are moderate by modern standards, which explains why Ultra settings at 1440p (42.6 FPS) and 4K (21.1 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s directly ties to the ROP count and clock speed, and at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to fill (8.3 million per frame) overwhelms this capability. The memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s is also a constraint at higher resolutions, as the frame buffer must be written and read more frequently with larger render targets.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its mid-range standing. Its passmark_g3d score of 8813 and avgBenchmarkScore of 13559 place it in the 53rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (avgScore 13564, deltaPct 0), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 (avgScore 13549, deltaPct 0.1), and the AMD Radeon Pro 455 (avgScore 13416, deltaPct 1.1). These close margins indicate that the RX 580 sits in a tightly contested performance tier, which aligns with the measured FPS results that show playable but not exceptional frame rates in Doom.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this combo for a smooth experience?

A: At 1080p, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, from 63 FPS on Ultra to 101.6 FPS on Low. At 1440p, only Low (64.2 FPS) and Medium (55.8 FPS) stay above 55 FPS, while High (49 FPS) and Ultra (42.6 FPS) dip lower. At 4K, no preset reaches 40 FPS, with the highest being Low at 38.8 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an avgBenchmarkScore of 14168, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 7552 with an avgScore of 14115 (deltaPct 0.4), followed by the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C at 14277 (deltaPct -0.8), and the Intel Core i5-8500 at 14332 (deltaPct -1.1).

Q: Is the RX 580 more limited by its clock speed or its memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU's boost clock of 1340 MHz and memory clock of 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) work together, but the 256.0 GB/s bandwidth over a 256-bit bus is the more binding constraint at higher resolutions. This is evidenced by the sharp FPS drops from 1440p to 4K, where frame buffer bandwidth demands increase significantly.

Q: What does the combo's rank in this game tell us?

A: The combo ranks 1546 out of 1681 tested combinations for Doom, placing it in the lower 8% of all combos. This low ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range position (53rd percentile) and the CPU's mid-range standing (73rd percentile), which together cannot push this title to high frame rates at demanding settings.

Q: How much FPS does dropping from Ultra to Low gain at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, moving from Ultra (63 FPS) to Low (101.6 FPS) yields a gain of 38.6 FPS, which is approximately a 61% improvement. This is the largest settings-based gain across all resolutions, indicating that at 1080p, the GPU has headroom to benefit from reduced image quality.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU in Doom at any resolution?

A: The data shows the CPU is not a limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 101.6 FPS, and the i5-10400F's multi-threaded scores (cinebench_r23_multicore 10297, passmark_multithread 12115) suggest ample processing power. The bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU as resolution increases, as seen in the 4K results.

How This Combo Ranks

In Doom, the combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 1546 out of 1681 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, which is a striking result given that both components hold mid-range positions in their respective benchmark hierarchies. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking and the GPU's 53rd percentile ranking would suggest a competent pairing, but the game-specific data reveals a different story.

The low rank is primarily attributable to the GPU's performance ceiling in this title. At 4K, even the Low preset only achieves 38.8 FPS, and at 1440p, the Ultra preset falls to 42.6 FPS. These figures are well below what the top-ranked combos would achieve, likely exceeding 120 FPS at 1080p. The RX 580's 32 ROPs and 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are simply not enough to compete with higher-tier GPUs in a fast-paced FPS where frame rates above 60 FPS are desirable.

The CPU, by contrast, is not the weak link. The i5-10400F's nearest rivals in benchmark scores are the AMD EPYC 7552 (deltaPct 0.4), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (deltaPct -0.8), and Intel Core i5-8500 (deltaPct -1.1). These close margins indicate that the CPU is competitive within its class, and its 12 threads provide adequate multi-threaded performance for modern game engines. The bottleneck lies squarely with the GPU.

When interpreting this rank, it is important to note that Doom is a well-optimized title that can run on modest hardware. The fact that this combo still ranks in the bottom 8% suggests that the test suite includes many configurations with significantly more powerful GPUs. For a user with this combination, the data indicates that expectations should be set for 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings, rather than high-refresh-rate or high-resolution play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), yielding twelve distinct data points. All measurements are average FPS; no minimum or maximum frame times were recorded.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce 101.6 FPS average, Medium produces 89.1 FPS, High produces 78.3 FPS, and Ultra produces 63 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 12-15 FPS per preset step, with the largest single drop occurring between Medium and High (10.8 FPS). All 1080p results exceed 60 FPS, making this resolution viable for all settings presets.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 64.2 FPS, Medium at 55.8 FPS, High at 49 FPS, and Ultra at 42.6 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial for every preset, with the smallest absolute decline seen at Ultra (20.4 FPS less) and the largest at Low (37.4 FPS less). Only the Low preset maintains an average above 60 FPS at this resolution, while Medium and High hover in the 50s and 40s, respectively.

At 3840x2160, the results fall below playable thresholds for most presets: Low at 38.8 FPS, Medium at 33.7 FPS, High at 27.1 FPS, and Ultra at 21.1 FPS. The gap between 1440p and 4K is severe, with reductions ranging from 25.4 FPS (Low) to 21.5 FPS (Ultra). None of the 4K presets reach 40 FPS, and the Ultra preset at 21.1 FPS is the lowest measured result across all configurations.

The data reveals that the RX 580's performance scales nearly linearly with pixel count at lower settings. From 1080p Low (101.6 FPS) to 1440p Low (64.2 FPS) is a 37% reduction, and from 1440p Low to 4K Low (38.8 FPS) is a 40% reduction. This consistent scaling indicates that the GPU is fully utilized at all resolutions when settings are low, with no CPU-induced stalling evident.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all four presets exceed 60 FPS, so the choice comes down to visual fidelity versus frame rate headroom. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS provides the best image quality while maintaining a playable average, but players seeking higher refresh rates might prefer Medium at 89.1 FPS or Low at 101.6 FPS. For a 60 Hz display, Ultra is the clear choice, as it stays above the refresh threshold while maximizing visual detail.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more constrained. Only the Low preset (64.2 FPS) comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, while Medium (55.8 FPS) is borderline and High (49 FPS) and Ultra (42.6 FPS) fall short. For 1440p gaming, the Low preset is the only reliable option for smooth gameplay, though users tolerant of sub-60 FPS could consider Medium. The drop from Low to Medium at this resolution costs 8.4 FPS, which is a meaningful trade-off for the visual improvements.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves a playable 60 FPS average. The highest result is Low at 38.8 FPS, which is still below the 40 FPS threshold for comfortable play in a fast-paced FPS. Given that even the lowest settings cannot reach 40 FPS, 4K gaming is not recommended with this combo. Users with 4K displays should either lower the resolution to 1440p or upgrade the GPU, as the RX 580's 8 GB of VRAM and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for this resolution in Doom at acceptable frame rates.

The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combination is 1080p with Ultra settings, yielding 63 FPS average. This provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, as the game's id Tech engine scales well with the GPU's capabilities at this resolution. For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low at 101.6 FPS offers a near-100 FPS experience that would benefit high-refresh-rate monitors. The 1440p Low preset at 64.2 FPS is the best alternative for those with 1440p displays, but it sacrifices significant visual fidelity compared to 1080p Ultra.