Doom

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX delivers a formidable 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, but the data reveals that the CPU is the primary constraint at lower resolutions. This 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake processor, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, demonstrates that its architecture is the limiting factor when the GPU is not under full load. While the GPU is a top-tier part, the CPU's multi-threaded and single-threaded scores—such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a single-core score of 2029—show it is a solid mid-range performer, but it cannot fully feed the RX 7900 XTX's immense frame-generating capacity at 1080p. The benchmark results indicate that as resolution increases, the load shifts from the CPU to the GPU, which is where this combination truly shines.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Core i5-11400F provides a solid foundation for Doom, but its influence on the final frame rate is heavily dependent on resolution. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the processor is well-suited for modern game engines that can utilize multiple threads. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide sufficient bandwidth for game assets. The CPU's performance ceiling is evident in its benchmark scores, which place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17181. This is a capable chip, but it is not in the same league as the GPU it is paired with.

At 1080p, the CPU becomes the bottleneck. The measured FPS at Low settings reaches 311.7, which is incredibly high, but the jump from Medium to Ultra shows a significant drop, indicating that the GPU is still doing substantial work. The data shows that the CPU's performance is best showcased in the scaling from 1080p to 1440p. The difference between 1080p High (268 FPS) and 1440p High (173.2 FPS) is a 35.4% drop, which is primarily due to the GPU being tasked with more pixels. However, the CPU's thread management is still critical, as the game engine must process the same game logic regardless of resolution. The i5-11400F's 3DMark scores, such as 5652 in max threads and 868 in single thread, indicate that it can handle the game's threading model, but it does not have the raw power to push past the 300 FPS mark consistently without the GPU also being heavily involved.

The CPU's role becomes more passive at 4K. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 80.1, which is a massive 63% decrease from the 1080p Ultra score of 218.6. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is no longer the limiting factor; instead, the RX 7900 XTX is working at its maximum capacity to render the higher resolution. The i5-11400F's performance is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output, but it is not the star of the show. The data suggests that for players targeting 4K, this CPU is more than adequate, but for those chasing the absolute highest frame rates at 1080p, a stronger CPU would yield better results.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-11400F compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181. This puts it essentially on par with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17189) and the Intel Core i5-1240U (17141), with a deltaPct of 0% and 0.2% respectively. It is also within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1260P (17212) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17215), showing that it is a competitive mid-range processor.

Q: Is the RX 7900 XTX a high-performing GPU for this game?

A: Yes, the RX 7900 XTX is a top-tier GPU, ranking in the 85th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 44019. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 580, which has a 0.4% higher score, and it outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile by 0.8%. This places it among the fastest graphics cards available.

Q: What is the impact of the GPU's memory on Doom's performance?

A: The RX 7900 XTX features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This high bandwidth is crucial for loading high-resolution textures and geometry, ensuring that the GPU does not stall waiting for data. This is particularly beneficial for the Ultra preset, which likely requires more memory bandwidth.

Q: Does the CPU's thread count matter for Doom?

A: The i5-11400F's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Doom. The game is not heavily threaded, and the CPU's 3DMark scores, such as 5619 in the 16-thread test and 4691 in the 8-thread test, show that it can handle the game's workload without issue. The bottleneck at 1080p is more about single-thread performance than core count.

Q: How does the measured FPS at 1440p compare to 1080p?

A: The data shows a clear drop in performance when moving from 1080p to 1440p. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 268 at 1080p to 173.2 at 1440p, a 35% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 218.6 to 142 FPS, a 35% reduction as well. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at the higher resolution.

Q: What is the best preset for a smooth experience at 4K?

A: At 4K, the High preset yields an average of 96.8 FPS, which is the highest playable frame rate among the presets. The Ultra preset drops to 80.1 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably lower. For a balance of visual quality and performance, High is the recommended preset at 4K.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data tells a clear story about the balance between the CPU and GPU in this system. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a significant performance hit, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is even more dramatic. At Low settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 311.7, which drops to 233.2 at 1440p (a 25.2% decrease) and then plummets to 129 at 4K (a 44.7% decrease from 1440p). This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as it must render four times the number of pixels as 1080p.

At High settings, the scaling is equally telling. The 1080p score of 268 drops to 173.2 at 1440p (a 35.4% decrease), and then to 96.8 at 4K (a 44.1% decrease from 1440p). The consistent drop percentage from 1440p to 4K across all settings—around 44%—suggests that the GPU is operating at its limits. The CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p, where it can keep up with the GPU's output. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the CPU's role diminishes. The data shows that this combo is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where the CPU is still able to feed the GPU effectively without being overwhelmed.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is also revealing. At Low, the average is 129 FPS, while at Ultra, it is 80.1 FPS. This 38% performance gap is entirely due to the GPU's rendering workload. The CPU's performance is constant across these settings, proving that it is not the limiting factor at this resolution. Benchmark results indicate that for players prioritizing 4K gaming, the CPU is more than sufficient, and the GPU is the component to upgrade for higher frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ranks 276th out of 1681 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the top 16.4% of all tested systems, which is an impressive performance for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The rank reflects the GPU's immense power, as the CPU is not a top-tier part. The fact that this combo ranks this high despite the CPU's limitations shows that the RX 7900 XTX is capable of delivering excellent frame rates even when paired with a less powerful processor.

The high rank is largely due to the GPU's ability to compensate for the CPU's weaknesses at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU's bottleneck prevents the combo from achieving its full potential, which likely drags down the overall rank. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU takes over, and the combo performs exceptionally well. The data suggests that this pairing is better suited for high-resolution gaming than for esports-style 1080p play. The rank of 276 out of 1681 combos indicates that there are 275 other systems that perform better in Doom, but many of those likely feature more powerful CPUs. This combo proves that a strong GPU can carry a system to a high ranking, even with a mid-range CPU.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the undisputed star of this pairing, and its specifications explain why it delivers such high frame rates. Based on the Navi 31 chip with the RDNA 3.0 architecture, this GPU features 6144 shading units, 384 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. Its boost clock of 2498 MHz and game clock of 2365 MHz allow it to achieve a pixel rate of 479.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 959.2 GTexel/s. The GPU's 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus provides 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than enough for Doom's textures and geometry.

The GPU's performance is measured in its benchmark scores, which place it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 44019 is just 0.4% below the AMD Radeon Pro 580 and 0.8% above the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile. This puts it in the same performance tier as the fastest mobile GPU and shows that it is a top-tier desktop part. The passmark G3D score of 31238 and the Geekbench OpenCL score of 189573 further confirm its capabilities.

In Doom, the GPU's role is to render the game's fast-paced action at high frame rates. The measured FPS shows that at 1080p Low, the GPU can push out 311.7 FPS, but it is not fully utilized due to the CPU bottleneck. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is working at its maximum, delivering 80.1 FPS. The GPU's massive memory bandwidth and compute power are the reasons why it can handle the 4K Ultra preset, which likely demands more memory and processing power. The RX 7900 XTX is a GPU that is designed for high-resolution gaming, and the data shows that it delivers in this regard.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates. At Low settings, it averages 311.7 FPS, which drops to 297.6 at Medium, 268 at High, and 218.6 at Ultra. These numbers are all well above 200 FPS, ensuring a very smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. The gap between Low and Ultra is 93.1 FPS, which shows that the GPU is still doing significant work even at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still very strong. At Low settings, the average FPS is 233.2, which drops to 204.6 at Medium, 173.2 at High, and 142 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 91.2 FPS, which is similar to 1080p, indicating that the GPU is scaling consistently with the resolution increase. These frame rates are excellent for 1440p gaming, easily supporting high refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more demanding. At Low settings, the average FPS is 129, which drops to 109.7 at Medium, 96.8 at High, and 80.1 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 48.9 FPS, which is smaller than at lower resolutions, showing that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor. These numbers are still very playable, especially at High settings, which offers a good balance of visual quality and performance. The data shows that this combo can handle 4K gaming, but with some settings compromises needed to maintain higher frame rates.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. With an average of 218.6 FPS, it provides a massive frame rate that is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The jump from High to Ultra is only 49.4 FPS, but the visual improvements are worth it, as the system has plenty of headroom to spare.

For 1440p gaming, the High preset is the best recommendation. It delivers an average of 173.2 FPS, which is an excellent frame rate for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 142 FPS is also viable, but the 31.2 FPS drop may not be worth the visual gain for some players. The Medium preset at 204.6 FPS is an alternative for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but High offers a better balance of quality and performance.

For 4K gaming, the High preset is the only sensible choice for a high-refresh-rate experience. It delivers 96.8 FPS, which is just below the 100 FPS threshold that many consider the sweet spot for 4K gaming. The Ultra preset at 80.1 FPS is still playable, but the 16.7 FPS drop is noticeable. The Medium preset at 109.7 FPS is a viable alternative for those who want a higher frame rate, but High offers the best visual quality without sacrificing too much performance. The data shows that High is the recommended preset for this combo at all resolutions, as it provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality.