Doom

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Doom, with benchmark results indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The data shows a clear pattern where frame rates scale predictably with resolution and graphical fidelity, highlighting the strengths of this particular combination for a fast-paced FPS title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant and expected performance drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 231 FPS at 1920x1080 to 150 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 81 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 35% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern strongly suggests that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the GPU's workload increases exponentially with pixel count.

At the Low preset, the performance drop is even more pronounced in relative terms, with average FPS falling from 312 at 1080p to 203 at 1440p and 110 at 4K. The fact that Low settings at 4K still produces 110 FPS indicates that even with reduced graphical load, the GPU is still the bottleneck, as a CPU-limited scenario would show less variation between resolutions. Conversely, the gap between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution demonstrates that the GPU has ample headroom to handle increased graphical complexity without the CPU becoming a constraint.

The Medium preset data, which includes both minimum and maximum FPS values, provides additional insight into the scaling behavior. At 1080p Medium, the average is 273 FPS with a range of 232 to 314 FPS, while at 1440p Medium, the average drops to 177 FPS with a range of 150 to 204 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 96 FPS with a range of 81 to 110 FPS. This consistent reduction across all metrics confirms that resolution is the dominant factor affecting performance, and the RTX 4070's capabilities are being fully utilized as pixel count increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The benchmark data shows an average of 189 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which is the most demanding configuration tested at that resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 perform at 4K with High settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average frame rate is 81 FPS, which is still comfortably playable for a fast-paced FPS title like Doom.

Q: Is the i5-11400F a bottleneck for this GPU?

A: The data suggests no significant CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 312 FPS, and the scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows consistent GPU-bound behavior, indicating the CPU provides sufficient headroom.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate monitors?

A: For 144Hz or higher displays, 1440p with High settings offers 150 FPS average, while 1080p with High settings provides 231 FPS. Both options exceed typical high refresh rate thresholds.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This specific combination ranks 928 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the top 25% of all systems benchmarked.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is 81 FPS, with a maximum of 110 FPS, indicating consistent performance without major frame drops.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, positioning it as a capable mid-range CPU. The processor's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for feeding the RTX 4070 in Doom, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at lower resolutions.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this game. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 312 FPS, which is a frame rate that would stress even high-end CPUs, yet the measured results show no signs of CPU saturation. The 3DMark scores, including 5619 for 16 threads and 5652 for max threads, suggest that the i5-11400F has enough multi-threaded capability to handle Doom's engine efficiently. The single-thread performance, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1777, is particularly relevant for a game like Doom that relies heavily on single-threaded game logic.

The processor's 65W TDP and 14nm process node indicate an efficient design that can maintain consistent boost clocks during gaming sessions. The fact that performance scales almost entirely with resolution and graphics settings rather than CPU load confirms that the i5-11400F provides a solid foundation for the RTX 4070, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential without being held back by processor limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show exceptional performance across all settings. The Low preset achieves 312 FPS average, Medium reaches 273 FPS, High delivers 231 FPS, and Ultra still produces an impressive 189 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS, demonstrating stable frame delivery even in demanding scenes. These numbers indicate that 1080p gaming with this combo is overkill for most displays, as even the most demanding Ultra settings far exceed standard 60Hz and 144Hz refresh rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected reduction. Low settings average 203 FPS, Medium averages 177 FPS with a range of 150 to 204 FPS, High averages 150 FPS, and Ultra drops to 122 FPS. This resolution represents a sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming, as even Ultra settings maintain over 120 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play on 144Hz or 165Hz monitors.

At 3840x2160, the data shows the RTX 4070 starting to feel the strain of 4K resolution. Low settings average 110 FPS, Medium averages 96 FPS with a range of 81 to 110 FPS, High averages 81 FPS, and Ultra drops to 66 FPS. While these numbers are still playable, the drop from High to Ultra at 4K represents a 19% performance decrease, highlighting the significant impact of the most demanding settings at this resolution. The minimum FPS of 81 at Medium suggests that even in intense moments, the frame rate remains above typical 60Hz display refresh rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5nm process from TSMC, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which proves sufficient for Doom's textures and geometry at all tested resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and 5888 shading units deliver the raw compute power needed for the high frame rates observed, with a FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with a deltaPct of 0.1 and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 with a deltaPct of 0.4, showing that the RTX 4070 sits at a performance tier where small differences separate it from competitors. The RTX 4070's 184 TMUs and 64 ROPs contribute to its texture and pixel processing capabilities, which are critical for maintaining high frame rates in Doom's fast-paced environments.

The GPU's 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores, while not directly utilized in this game's standard rendering path, indicate the card's future-proofing for ray-traced titles. The 200W TDP and suggested 550W PSU requirement show an efficient design that delivers substantial performance without excessive power draw. The benchmark results confirm that the RTX 4070 is the performance ceiling for this combo, as the scaling from 1080p to 4K closely matches the GPU's computational limits rather than any CPU-induced constraints.

Settings Recommendations

For players with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset at 189 FPS average is the obvious choice, as it provides the best visual quality while still maintaining frame rates far above any display's refresh rate. Even the most demanding settings do not compromise performance at this resolution, so there is no reason to sacrifice visual fidelity. The High preset at 231 FPS may be preferable for competitive players with 240Hz monitors, but the visual difference between High and Ultra is typically minimal in fast-paced gameplay.

At 1440p, the High preset at 150 FPS average offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for high refresh rate displays, while the Ultra preset at 122 FPS remains viable for 120Hz or 144Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 177 FPS provides additional headroom for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but the jump from Medium to High is generally worth the 27 FPS cost given the graphical improvements.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 96 FPS average with a minimum of 81 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it maintains playable frame rates while offering better visuals than Low. The High preset at 81 FPS is also viable for players with 60Hz displays or those who prefer higher visual quality, but the Ultra preset at 66 FPS may introduce noticeable frame pacing issues in fast-paced action. Given that Doom is a fast-paced FPS where frame rate directly impacts gameplay responsiveness, the Medium preset at 4K represents the best trade-off between visual fidelity and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 928 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the top 25% of all systems benchmarked. This ranking reflects the strong performance demonstrated across all resolution and settings combinations, with the combo delivering playable frame rates even at the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration. The CPU's percentile rank of 71 against all CPUs and the GPU's percentile rank of 81 against all GPUs indicate that this pairing sits comfortably above average, with the GPU being the stronger component relative to its peers.

The measured performance data shows that this combo excels particularly at 1080p and 1440p, where it delivers frame rates that would satisfy even the most demanding high refresh rate enthusiasts. The 4K performance, while not class-leading, remains respectable and playable, making this a versatile combination for various gaming scenarios. The rank of 928 out of 3712 suggests that there are 928 other combos that perform better, but the fact that this system achieves over 200 FPS at 1080p High and over 150 FPS at 1440p High demonstrates that it is well above the median performance level.

The data implies that this combo is well-balanced, with the i5-11400F providing sufficient CPU horsepower to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4070 in Doom. The absence of any significant performance anomalies or unexpected frame drops across the tested configurations reinforces the stability of this pairing, making it a reliable choice for gamers who want high performance without the need for extreme overclocking or exotic cooling solutions.