Doom

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a smooth experience in Doom, but the data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions. At 1080p, the combo is exceptionally fast, with the High preset averaging 139 FPS and the Low preset reaching 188.8 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p, the averages remain highly playable, with High at 91.3 FPS and Low at 123.8 FPS. The transition to 4K is where the frame rate drops significantly, as the High preset falls to 49.1 FPS and Ultra drops to 41.4 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that the Radeon RX 5700 XT becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the Core i5-12400F has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop varies by preset. From 1080p to 1440p, the High preset loses roughly 34% of its average FPS, falling from 139 to 91.3. The Low preset sees a similar proportional reduction, dropping from 188.8 to 123.8 FPS, a decrease of about 34%. This consistent scaling suggests that the GPU is still the dominant constraint at 1440p, but the CPU is not yet saturated, as the frame rates remain well above 60 FPS even on the most demanding preset.

Moving from 1440p to 4K, the performance cliff becomes steeper. The High preset falls from 91.3 to 49.1 FPS, a reduction of nearly 46%, while the Ultra preset drops from 71.9 to 41.4 FPS, a 42% decrease. This steeper decline indicates that the RX 5700 XT’s memory bandwidth and shading throughput are being pushed to their limits at 4K. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the GPU’s compute resources—9.754 TFLOPS FP32 and 64 ROPs—struggle to maintain high frame rates. The data suggests that the Core i5-12400F with its 6 cores and 12 threads is not the bottleneck at any resolution; the bottleneck is overwhelmingly the GPU’s rendering capacity.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the High preset offers a strong balance, delivering 139 FPS while retaining visual quality. The Ultra preset, at 111.6 FPS, is still highly playable and may be preferable for users with 144Hz monitors who want maximum detail. The Low preset at 188.8 FPS is unnecessary at this resolution, as the GPU is already far beyond the refresh rate of most displays.

For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended sweet spot, achieving 91.3 FPS—comfortably above 60 FPS and close to 144Hz territory for competitive play. The Medium preset, at 105.1 FPS, offers a modest boost for users who prioritize frame rate over fidelity, while Ultra at 71.9 FPS remains viable for those who want the best visuals and have a 60Hz or 75Hz monitor. The Low preset at 123.8 FPS is excessive unless targeting very high refresh rates.

At 4K, the picture changes dramatically. The High preset averages 49.1 FPS, which is below 60 FPS and may feel less smooth on standard displays. The Medium preset at 59.4 FPS is marginally better, but still not ideal. The Ultra preset at 41.4 FPS is the least viable option, as the frame rate dips into stutter-prone territory. The Low preset at 66.5 FPS is the only 4K configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the only acceptable choice for a consistent experience. Users with 4K displays should accept reduced settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 1279 out of 1681 combos for Doom. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU’s age and the game’s release date. The RX 5700 XT was launched in 2019 and is now end-of-life, so its performance relative to modern hardware is expected to be modest. The CPU, however, is a modern 12th-generation part with a percentile ranking of 77 against all CPUs, indicating it is a strong processor. The combo’s ranking is therefore dragged down by the GPU, not the CPU.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 24731 places it at the 68th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are surprisingly close. The NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile scores 24763, a delta of -0.1% relative to the RX 5700 XT, while the Intel Arc A350M scores 24647, a delta of 0.3%. This near-tie suggests that the RX 5700 XT is still competitive with some mobile and lower-tier desktop parts, but it lacks the raw power of modern high-end GPUs. The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-8700K with a delta of 0.1%, reinforce that the i5-12400F is a solid mid-range performer. The ranking reflects the GPU’s limitations at high resolutions, as the combo’s 4K performance is below the 60 FPS threshold for most presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS?

A: At 1440p, all presets exceed 60 FPS, with the lowest being Ultra at 71.9 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset achieves above 60 FPS, averaging 66.5 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 24731. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile, scores 24763, a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Arc A350M scores 24647, a delta of 0.3%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Doom at 4K?

A: The data shows a steep frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU has a high percentile ranking of 77, and the 1440p to 4K scaling suggests the RX 5700 XT’s compute resources are saturated.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 188.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 111.6 FPS, a difference of 77.2 FPS. This shows the visual settings have a significant impact on performance.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Doom?

A: The combo ranks 1279 out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This is primarily due to the GPU’s end-of-life status and its performance relative to newer hardware.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the GPU and how does it affect performance?

A: The RX 5700 XT has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the bandwidth and capacity are taxed, contributing to the lower frame rates.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the primary driver of performance in this combo, and its specifications directly explain the observed frame rates. The GPU features a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1905 MHz, with a game clock of 1755 MHz. These clocks are moderate by modern standards, and the RDNA 1.0 architecture, built on a 7 nm process, delivers 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. This raw throughput is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, as evidenced by the high frame rates at those resolutions, but it falls short at 4K where the pixel count quadruples.

The GPU’s memory subsystem is a critical factor. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 256-bit bus, the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth provides ample data transfer for lower resolutions. However, at 4K, the higher resolution demands more texture data and geometry, and the 8 GB capacity can become limiting, especially on the Ultra preset which likely uses higher-resolution textures. The pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s are respectable but not exceptional, and the 64 ROPs are a bottleneck for fill-rate-heavy scenes at 4K.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 68 against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24731, confirms it sits in the mid-range tier. Its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile and Intel Arc A350M, have scores within 0.3% of the RX 5700 XT, indicating that this GPU is still competitive with some newer mobile parts. However, the combo’s in-game rank of 1279 out of 1681 reflects that the GPU is not sufficient for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming. The core i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides a solid foundation, but the RX 5700 XT’s 7 nm architecture and 10,300 million transistors are the determining factor in this game’s performance. The data clearly shows that for Doom, the GPU is the component that dictates the quality and resolution ceiling, and users should prioritize GPU upgrades to improve 4K performance.