Doom

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor from the Comet Lake generation, running on the Intel Socket 1200 platform. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The chip features 12 MB of shared L3 cache, with 256 KB of L2 and 64 KB of L1 per core. It supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, yielding a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a single-thread score of 688 in 3DMark and 1451 in Cinebench R23, while multi-threaded results reach 4748 in 3DMark and 10283 in Cinebench R23. Its overall average benchmark score is 14185, placing it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Doom, this processor's capabilities are substantial but not the primary constraint. The game is well-known for its scalability, but the data here shows that the CPU can feed high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 and 8-thread score of 3929 indicate strong multi-core performance for a 6-core part, which is more than sufficient for a 2016 title. The single-thread score of 688 in 3DMark is the more critical metric for older game engines that rely heavily on one or two cores, and it remains competitive. The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark score, include the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% faster) and the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% faster), while the Intel Core 7 160UL and AMD Ryzen 3 7320C are slightly slower at -0.3% and -0.6%, respectively. These deltas are negligible, meaning the i5-10400F sits in a very tight performance band for its overall compute capability.

However, in Doom, the CPU's role is largely relegated to ensuring the GPU is never starved of data. At 1080p, the measured frame rates reach as high as 266 FPS on Low settings, which is a demanding scenario for any processor. The fact that the CPU can sustain these numbers indicates that its 12 threads and 4.30 GHz boost clock are adequate for this task. The architecture, while older, has enough single-core muscle to handle the game's draw calls and physics calculations without creating a bottleneck that would cap the frame rate below the GPU's output. The data suggests that the i5-10400F is not the limiting factor in this combo, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings changes, pointing to the GPU as the primary driver of performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It houses 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die, with a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2617 MHz. The memory subsystem is a highlight: 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU features 10752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs, along with 84 RT cores and 336 tensor cores. Its compute capability is rated at 56.28 TFLOPS for FP32, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. The card's average benchmark score is 56083, placing it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs.

In Doom, the RTX 5080's raw power is the deciding factor for frame rates, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Radeon 8060S (0.6% higher score) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (0.7% higher), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X trails by 2.3%, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% faster. These small deltas in average score do not translate to real-world differences in this game, as the RTX 5080's massive bandwidth and shading throughput are more than enough to handle Doom's Vulkan and OpenGL rendering paths. The 16 GB VRAM is overkill for a game from 2016, but it ensures that the GPU is never constrained by memory capacity or bandwidth, even at 4K Ultra settings.

The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, frame rates drop, but the GPU remains the limiting component. At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 222 FPS, which is high but not the maximum possible, suggesting the CPU might be adding a slight ceiling. However, at 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 162 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 88 FPS. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 5080's workload becomes more intensive with each pixel. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 8637 and Passmark G3D score of 36565 confirm its high-end positioning, and in Doom, it delivers playable frame rates even at the most demanding preset.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on the resolution and desired performance. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 239 FPS, which is already well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The Medium preset offers 254 FPS, and Low pushes to 266 FPS, but the difference between High and Low is only 27 FPS. The Ultra preset still manages 222 FPS, making it the best choice for 1080p users who want maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness, as the frame rate remains above 200 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. High settings produce 198 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming. Medium yields 219 FPS, and Low reaches 230 FPS, but Ultra drops to 162 FPS. The drop from High to Ultra is 36 FPS, which is noticeable, but 162 FPS is still very playable. For 1440p, the High preset offers the best balance, as it stays above 190 FPS while providing better visuals than Medium. The Ultra preset is also viable for those with 144 Hz monitors, but the data suggests High is the sweet spot for consistent performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to feel the pressure. High settings average 107 FPS, which is just above the 100 FPS mark, while Medium averages 127 FPS with a minimum of 108 FPS. Low settings hit 146 FPS, and Ultra falls to 88 FPS. For 4K, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it offers a solid 127 FPS average with a minimum of 108 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. High is also acceptable at 107 FPS, but Medium provides a 20 FPS advantage over High, making it the better option for maintaining a high frame rate. Ultra at 88 FPS is playable but dips below 90 FPS, which may be noticeable on high refresh rate displays. The data indicates that Medium is the optimal preset for 4K, balancing visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 achieves a rank of 586 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the top 16% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing given the CPU's age relative to the GPU. The rank reflects the combo's overall performance, but it is important to note that the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting. The CPU's percentile rank of 68% against all CPUs is lower than the GPU's 87th percentile, which means the i5-10400F is a weaker link in the chain.

The ranking suggests that while this combo is fast, it is not the ultimate configuration for Doom. The top combos likely pair the RTX 5080 with a newer, higher-end CPU that can push even higher frame rates at 1080p. However, the 586th rank out of 3712 indicates that this system outperforms the vast majority of tested setups. The gap between this combo and the top performers is likely more pronounced at lower resolutions where the CPU's influence is greater, but at 4K, the GPU's dominance means the CPU's limitations are less impactful. The data shows that this combo is well-balanced enough to deliver excellent performance in Doom, even if the CPU is not a perfect match for the GPU's potential.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component in this system. At High settings, the combo delivers 239 FPS at 1080p, 198 FPS at 1440p, and 107 FPS at 4K. This represents a drop of 41 FPS from 1080p to 1440p (a 17% decrease) and a further drop of 91 FPS from 1440p to 4K (a 46% decrease). The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 55%, which is significant but not as steep as a system that is severely CPU-limited.

The scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 5080 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. As the resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows exponentially, and the frame rate drops accordingly. At 1080p, the CPU might be introducing a minor bottleneck, as the frame rate of 239 FPS at High is not as high as the GPU's potential, but it is still very high. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU's rendering load becomes so heavy that the CPU's performance is less relevant. The data suggests that the i5-10400F is sufficient to keep the GPU fed at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU is the component that dictates the final frame rate at all resolutions. The 4K Ultra score of 88 FPS is a clear indication that the GPU is maxed out, as the CPU would not cause such a dramatic drop from 1440p to 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 266 FPS average. Medium settings deliver 254 FPS average, with a minimum of 216 FPS and a maximum of 292 FPS. High settings produce 239 FPS average, and Ultra settings yield 222 FPS average. The spread between Low and Ultra is 44 FPS, with Ultra being 17% slower than Low. The minimum FPS for Medium is 216, which is still very high, indicating consistent performance.

At 2560x1440, Low settings reach 230 FPS average. Medium settings average 219 FPS, with a minimum of 186 FPS and a maximum of 252 FPS. High settings deliver 198 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 162 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 68 FPS, a 30% reduction. The minimum FPS for Medium is 186, which is above 144 Hz, ensuring smooth gameplay on most high-refresh monitors.

At 3840x2160, Low settings hit 146 FPS average. Medium settings average 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 146 FPS. High settings deliver 107 FPS average, and Ultra settings produce 88 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 58 FPS, a 40% reduction. The minimum FPS for Medium is 108, which is playable, but the Ultra preset dips to 88 FPS, which may be below the desired threshold for competitive play.

The data shows that the RTX 5080 provides excellent performance in Doom, with playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra. The CPU, while older, does not prevent the system from achieving high frame rates, and the combo is well-suited for this title at any resolution. The measured numbers confirm that the GPU is the dominant factor, and the i5-10400F performs its role adequately, making this a capable combination for Doom.