Doom

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and its 12 MB of shared L3 cache is typical for this generation. In the context of Doom, a 2016 FPS title, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and maintain frame pacing. The benchmark data shows that this processor is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved. Its average benchmark score of 14168 places it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% higher) and the Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% lower). This suggests the i5-10400F provides ample single-thread and multi-thread performance for a fast-paced shooter like Doom, where the game engine's older architecture does not demand extreme core counts.

The processor's 3DMark scores further illuminate its capability. In single-thread tests, it scores 688, while scaling to 2 threads yields 1350, 4 threads 2560, and 8 threads 3929. The max-thread score of 4735 is nearly identical to the 16-thread score of 4748, indicating that the 12 threads are fully utilized but that diminishing returns set in quickly beyond 8 threads. Cinebench results mirror this pattern, with R20 multicore at 4324 and single-core at 610. For Doom, which is not heavily threaded, the i5-10400F's strong per-core performance, as shown by its 1453 single-core score in Cinebench R23, is more relevant than its aggregate multi-thread score. The data indicates that even at 1080p, where CPU load is highest relative to GPU load, the processor keeps up with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX without causing frame rate dips.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 2498 MHz, with a game clock of 2365 MHz, and it houses 6144 shading units, 384 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. This hardware configuration is designed for high-resolution gaming, and the benchmark results confirm its strength. The GPU's average benchmark score of 44019 places it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (0.4% lower) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (2% lower).

In Doom, the RX 7900 XTX's role is to render the game's fast-paced environments at high frame rates. The 24 GB VRAM is far more than the game requires, meaning memory capacity never becomes a limiting factor. Instead, the GPU's raw compute power, as measured by its 61.39 TFLOPS FP32 performance, drives the frame rates. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, especially at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra settings, the combo averages 76.5 FPS, which drops from the 126.1 FPS seen at 4K Low. This scaling demonstrates that the GPU's workload increases significantly with settings, while the CPU remains relatively idle. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 31238 and DirectX 12 score of 131 further indicate its strong DirectX performance, which is relevant for Doom's Vulkan API support.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by approximately 27% at High settings, from 237.7 to 172.2. Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS drops by a further 44%, from 172.2 to 97. This compounding drop indicates that the RX 7900 XTX is increasingly stressed as pixel count rises, while the i5-10400F remains capable of keeping up. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 263.4 FPS, which is the highest recorded value, while at 4K Ultra, it falls to 76.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases: at 1080p, the difference is 46.5 FPS (263.4 vs 216.9), but at 4K, the difference expands to 49.6 FPS (126.1 vs 76.5).

This scaling pattern suggests that at 1080p, the system is partially CPU-limited at lower settings, as the FPS does not scale linearly with GPU load. For instance, dropping from Ultra to Low at 1080p yields a 21% improvement (216.9 to 263.4), but at 4K, the same settings change yields a 65% improvement (76.5 to 126.1). The data indicates that the CPU becomes less of a factor as resolution increases, with the GPU dominating the performance curve. At 4K Ultra, the 76.5 FPS average is still playable, but the 97 FPS at 4K High offers a better balance. The 1440p results show a similar trend, with Medium settings hitting 202.5 FPS and Ultra at 143.7 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU has ample headroom at this resolution for high refresh rate displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination ranks 390th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 23% of all systems. This rank is notable given that the CPU is a mid-range part from 2020, while the GPU is a high-end part from 2022. The ranking suggests that the GPU's performance dominates the combo's overall standing, as the CPU does not significantly detract from the frame rates. Compared to the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-10400F's 73rd percentile score is modest, but the GPU's 85th percentile score boosts the combo's position. The rank of 390 out of 1681 means that 1291 other combos perform worse, which is expected given that many tested systems likely use lower-tier GPUs.

The data shows that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, as it achieves 172.2 FPS at High settings. At 4K, the combo still delivers playable frame rates, with 97 FPS at High settings, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The combo's rank also reflects the balance between the two components: the i5-10400F does not bottleneck the RX 7900 XTX in this game, as evidenced by the FPS scaling. If the CPU were a limiting factor, the 1080p results would show a plateau, but instead, the FPS continues to rise to 263.4 at Low settings. The 390th rank out of 1681 combos indicates that there are faster systems, but the combination is far from the bottom, and its performance is competitive with many newer, more expensive pairings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, all settings presets deliver frame rates above 216 FPS, with Low at 263.4 FPS, Medium at 250.6 FPS, High at 237.7 FPS, and Ultra at 216.9 FPS. For a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, the High preset at 237.7 FPS offers a good balance of visual quality and speed, while Ultra still exceeds 216 FPS. At 1440p, the High preset at 172.2 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (202.5 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate above 170. Ultra at 143.7 FPS is also viable for 144Hz displays, but the 28.5 FPS drop from High may not justify the visual gains.

At 4K, the recommendation is clearer. The High preset at 97 FPS delivers the best experience, as it is the only preset above 90 FPS that maintains substantial visual fidelity. Medium at 111.8 FPS is slightly faster, but the drop in settings from High to Medium is noticeable in texture quality and effects. Ultra at 76.5 FPS is below the 80 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay on many displays, while Low at 126.1 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality. The data shows that High is the sweet spot for 4K, offering a 27% improvement over Ultra (97 vs 76.5) with minimal visual difference. For 1440p, High is also the recommended preset, as it provides a 20% frame rate increase over Ultra (172.2 vs 143.7) while looking nearly identical. At 1080p, High is the best choice for competitive play, as it offers a 9.6% improvement over Ultra (237.7 vs 216.9) without sacrificing the game's visual presentation.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Doom?

A: The highest average FPS is 263.4, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The next highest is 250.6 FPS at Medium settings, followed by 237.7 FPS at High settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo averages 76.5 FPS. This is the lowest recorded average across all tested settings and resolutions, but it remains above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter at 1080p, as the FPS scales with settings changes. At Low settings, the combo hits 263.4 FPS, while at Ultra it drops to 216.9 FPS, showing a 21% decrease that aligns with GPU workload rather than CPU saturation.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 390th out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the top 23% of all systems. This rank reflects the strong GPU performance, as the CPU's 73rd percentile score is below the GPU's 85th percentile.

Q: How much faster is the High preset compared to Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 172.2 FPS, while Ultra averages 143.7 FPS. This represents a 19.8% increase in frame rate when dropping from Ultra to High, with a minimal visual impact.

Q: Does the 24 GB VRAM on the RX 7900 XTX ever become a limitation in Doom?

A: No, the data shows no evidence of VRAM limitations. The game's requirements are well below 24 GB, and the FPS scaling across settings and resolutions is consistent with GPU compute limitations rather than memory capacity constraints.