Doom

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combination ranks 1612 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 5% of all configurations. This is a pairing where the GPU is the decisive bottleneck, and the benchmark data confirms that playable performance is restricted to 1080p with optimized settings. The GTX 1650’s 4 GB VRAM and modest compute resources limit the experience, while the i5-12400 provides ample headroom that goes largely unused.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1612 out of 1681 tested configurations in Doom places it firmly in the lower tier of results. This near-bottom placement is not surprising given the hardware pairing, but the data shows the CPU is not the limiting factor. The i5-12400 achieves an average benchmark score of 19850 across all tests, which places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9700 with an average score of 19831 (0.1% slower), the Intel Core i7-8700 at 19894 (0.2% faster), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX at 19928 (0.4% faster). These deltas are negligible, meaning the processor is competitive with much higher-tier parts.

In contrast, the GTX 1650’s average benchmark score is 8713, placing it in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746, 0.4% faster), the AMD Radeon 550X (8749, 0.4% faster), and the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8671, 0.5% slower). The GPU’s percentile ranking is dramatically lower than the CPU’s, which explains why this combo underperforms relative to other tested systems. The benchmark results indicate that any upgrade path for Doom would involve replacing the GPU first, as the CPU’s performance headroom is substantial.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is built on the Turing architecture with a TU117 chip manufactured on a 12 nm process. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1485 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and memory runs at 2001 MHz (8 Gbps effective). With 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, the card delivers 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The pixel rate is 53.28 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 93.24 GTexel/s.

In Doom, these specifications translate to a clear VRAM and bandwidth limitation. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS collapses to 16.6, while dropping to 4K Low only recovers 33.7 FPS. The 4 GB VRAM is a significant constraint at higher resolutions, and the 128.1 GB/s bandwidth struggles to feed the shading units under load. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 43% against all GPUs confirms its mid-to-low tier status, and the measured results show that it cannot maintain fluid frame rates beyond 1080p. The card’s TDP is 75 W with no power connectors, indicating a design focused on low power draw rather than raw performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data shows that the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Low settings, which yields an average of 92.8 FPS. This is the only measured configuration that approaches high refresh rates, and it provides the smoothest gameplay. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 78.2 FPS, which is still playable but introduces more frame time variance. High settings at 1080p produce 66.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 57.3 FPS, which is borderline for fast-paced FPS action.

At 1440p, the situation worsens significantly. Low settings deliver 60.9 FPS, which is acceptable but not ideal, while Medium yields 54.2 FPS and High drops to 42.1 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is nearly unplayable at 34.5 FPS. The data suggests that players should prioritize 1080p Low or Medium for the best balance of visual quality and performance. The step from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 14.6 FPS (from 92.8 to 78.2), while the step from Medium to High costs another 11.5 FPS (from 78.2 to 66.7). The jump to Ultra costs 9.4 FPS more, resulting in 57.3 FPS, which is the least desirable trade-off.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are 92.8 for Low, 78.2 for Medium, 66.7 for High, and 57.3 for Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 38.3% reduction in performance, with each settings tier costing roughly 10-15 FPS. At 2560x1440, the averages are 60.9 for Low, 54.2 for Medium, 42.1 for High, and 34.5 for Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 43.4%, indicating that the GPU becomes more sensitive to settings at higher resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 33.7 for Low, 29 for Medium, 27.2 for High, and 16.6 for Ultra. The Ultra setting at 4K is the worst measured result, with a catastrophic 50.7% drop from Low to Ultra. The data shows that the GTX 1650 cannot handle 4K gaming in Doom under any settings, as even Low fails to reach 60 FPS. The 1080p results are the only ones that approach playable frame rates, with Low being the only setting that exceeds 90 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 92.8 at 1080p to 60.9 at 1440p (a 34.4% drop) and then to 33.7 at 4K (a further 44.7% drop from 1440p). At High settings, the progression is 66.7 at 1080p, 42.1 at 1440p, and 27.2 at 4K, representing a 59.2% total reduction from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the drop is even more pronounced: 57.3 at 1080p, 34.5 at 1440p, and 16.6 at 4K, a 71% reduction overall.

This scaling pattern indicates that the GTX 1650’s memory bandwidth and compute capacity are saturated at higher resolutions. The CPU, by contrast, shows no such limitation; its benchmark scores remain strong across all workloads. The i5-12400’s single-thread score of 910 in 3dmark_single_thread and multi-thread score of 5890 in 3dmark_max_threads demonstrate that it can feed the GPU adequately at 1080p. The resolution scaling data strongly suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the FPS drops are consistent with a graphics-limited workload.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and features 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS values at 1080p Low (92.8 FPS) are well within the CPU’s capabilities, as indicated by its strong benchmark scores. The i5-12400 achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935 and a single-core score of 2249, which are respectable for a mid-range desktop processor. Its PassMark multi-thread score is 18747, and its single-thread score is 3456, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rival comparisons show less than 1% difference in average score, meaning the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in Doom. At 1080p Low, the FPS is 92.8, but at 4K Low it drops to 33.7, a 63.7% reduction that is purely GPU-driven. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient for Doom’s engine, and the benchmark results indicate that this processor would perform identically with a more powerful GPU. The 18 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock contribute to smooth frame delivery, but the GTX 1650’s 2.984 TFLOPS of compute power is the hard ceiling.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 60 FPS at 1080p in Doom?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce an average of 92.8 FPS. Medium settings yield 78.2 FPS, while High drops to 66.7 FPS. Ultra settings fall below 60 FPS at 57.3 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware in Doom?

A: 1080p is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achievable. At 1440p, even Low settings only reach 60.9 FPS, and at 4K, the highest measured average is 33.7 FPS on Low.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 8713, which is 0.4% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746) and 0.4% slower than the AMD Radeon 550X (8749). It is 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8671).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The i5-12400 ranks in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, while the GTX 1650 ranks in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU limitations.

Q: What settings should be avoided with this hardware?

A: Ultra settings at any resolution are poor choices. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 57.3, at 1440p Ultra it is 34.5, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 16.6. The performance cost of Ultra is not justified by the visual improvements.

Q: How does the i5-12400’s performance compare to the Core i7-9700?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850, which is 0.1% higher than the Core i7-9700’s 19831. This difference is negligible, indicating nearly identical CPU performance.