Doom

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT delivers a strong 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, but the data shows a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra. This combo ranks 1088 out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. The pairing leverages a 6-core, 12-thread Comet Lake processor with a 73rd percentile standing among all CPUs, alongside a RDNA 2.0 GPU that sits in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs. The benchmark results indicate a system that excels at high-refresh 1080p gaming, remains very capable at 1440p, and requires settings compromises to maintain playability at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 1681 tested combos, this configuration ranks 1088th. That places it just past the 64th percentile of all tested pairings, a solid mid-to-high tier result for a mainstream desktop build. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 14168 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, sitting just 0.4% above the AMD EPYC 7552 and 0.8% below the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C. The GPU’s average score of 29024 is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which shows a 0% delta, and trails the Intel Arc A370M by only 0.5%.

The rank reflects the balance of this pairing. The CPU’s single-thread performance is adequate for Doom’s engine, with a Geekbench single-core score of 1454 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1453. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 17166 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1859 indicate it can push high frame rates, but the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become limiting factors at higher resolutions. The 1088th rank suggests that while this combo outperforms many older or lower-tier pairings, it sits below configurations with higher-end GPUs or newer CPUs that can sustain higher minimum frame rates in demanding scenes.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo perform at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the measured average FPS is 119.1. This is a strong result, delivering well over 100 FPS, which is ideal for fast-paced FPS gameplay on standard 60Hz or 120Hz monitors.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo achieves 96.5 FPS, and at Low settings it reaches 130.3 FPS. This provides a sharp image while maintaining frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 3840x2160. The average FPS drops to 40.1 at Ultra and only reaches 68.5 at Low settings. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads provide sufficient headroom, as evidenced by the significant FPS increase when lowering graphical settings at 4K.

Q: How does the RX 6650 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 29024 is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, with a 0% delta. It sits 0.1% above the AMD Radeon RX 470 and 0.5% below the Intel Arc A370M. This indicates the RX 6650 XT is a mid-range performer that trades blows with these comparable cards.

Q: Can this system handle high refresh rate gaming?

A: Yes, at 1080p. The measured FPS at Medium settings is 172.7 and at Low settings it reaches 202.5, which is suitable for 144Hz or even 200Hz displays. At 1440p, the High setting result of 96.5 FPS is also adequate for 100Hz monitors.

Q: What is the GPU’s launch MSRP?

A: The launch MSRP for the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is 399 USD.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions, but the rate of decline reveals where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 148.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 96.5 FPS, a decrease of approximately 35%. At 4K High, the average FPS falls to 50.2, a 66% drop from the 1080p result.

This steep decline from 1440p to 4K is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The RX 6650 XT, with its 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth, struggles to feed the pixel pipeline at 3840x2160. The CPU, which has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz and a solid multi-threaded score of 10297 in Cinebench R23, is not the limiting factor here. Evidence for this lies in the fact that at 4K, lowering settings from Ultra to Low yields a 70% performance increase (from 40.1 to 68.5 FPS), which is a GPU-side response to reduced shading and texture loads.

At 1080p, the scaling is more moderate. The difference between Low (202.5 FPS) and Ultra (119.1 FPS) is 70%, but the absolute frame rates remain high, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at this resolution. The i5-10400F’s single-thread performance, with a PassMark single-thread score of 2541, is sufficient to avoid stalling the render pipeline in Doom’s Vulkan-based engine.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 202.5. Medium settings yield 172.7 FPS, High settings produce 148.4 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 119.1 FPS. These numbers indicate a system that can fully utilize a 144Hz monitor at any preset, with headroom for even higher refresh rates at lower settings.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows more variance. Low settings achieve 130.3 FPS, Medium settings hit 113.7 FPS, High settings reach 96.5 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 75.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 42%, which is less dramatic than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is starting to become more influential in determining frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. Low settings result in 68.5 FPS, Medium settings produce 64.1 FPS, High settings yield 50.2 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 40.1 FPS. The close proximity of the Low and Medium results (68.5 vs 64.1) suggests that at 4K, the GPU is saturated and additional graphical features have diminishing returns. The Ultra preset, which likely enables more demanding effects, causes a significant 20% drop from High to Ultra (50.2 to 40.1 FPS).

Settings Recommendations

The data indicates that the best experience depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset at 119.1 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while maintaining frame rates well above the 60 FPS standard. If a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor is used, the High preset at 148.4 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual quality and speed, while the Medium preset at 172.7 FPS provides a more competitive edge without sacrificing too much detail.

For 1440p, the High preset at 96.5 FPS is the optimal recommendation. It offers smooth, responsive gameplay on 100Hz displays and maintains a sharp image. The Ultra preset at 75.8 FPS is still playable, but the 21% frame rate penalty over High makes it less appealing for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 113.7 FPS is a viable alternative for players who prioritize frame rate over graphical fidelity.

At 4K, the measured data suggests that the Ultra preset at 40.1 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 50.2 FPS is borderline, but the Low preset at 68.5 FPS is the only setting that delivers a consistently playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 64.1 FPS is also acceptable, but the low preset offers a higher safety margin for demanding scenes. Players seeking 4K should stick to the Low or Medium presets to maintain fluid gameplay.