Doom

The Intel Core i5-12400F pairs a 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake design with a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 4.40 GHz boost clock. For a 2016 title like Doom, this configuration is substantial; benchmark results indicate the processor sits at the 77th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19221. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-8700K, posts a nearly identical average score of 19210, a delta of just 0.1%, suggesting that in raw compute, the i5-12400F is effectively a peer of that older flagship. The CPU’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 provide ample bandwidth for feeding a high-end GPU. The data shows that at 1080p, where CPU overhead is most pronounced, the processor’s 12 threads are more than capable of maintaining high frame rates, as evidenced by the measured FPS exceeding 300 in some settings. The 65W TDP and 10 nm process node indicate an efficient part, but the lack of an integrated GPU means the discrete Radeon RX 7900 XTX is solely responsible for all rendering output.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the dominant force in this pairing, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. Its boost clock reaches 2498 MHz, with 6144 shading units and 192 ROPs contributing to a pixel rate of 479.6 GPixel/s. This GPU ranks at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44019. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, scores 44900, meaning the RX 7900 XTX is 2% behind that card in average benchmark terms; however, the RX 7900 XTX is 0.8% ahead of the RTX 4090 Mobile. In Doom, a game from 2016 that is not particularly demanding by modern standards, the GPU’s raw power is the primary driver of the extreme frame rates observed. The 24 GB VRAM capacity is far beyond what this title requires, but it ensures that memory capacity is never a bottleneck, even at 4K resolution with high settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX achieves a rank of 257 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. That places it in the top 15% of all configurations, a strong showing that reflects the GPU’s high percentile ranking. The data suggests the combo is not limited by the CPU, as the i5-12400F’s performance is sufficient to feed the GPU even at lower resolutions. The rank of 257 indicates that a significant number of other combos, likely featuring more recent flagship CPUs or higher-clocked variants, outperform this pairing. However, the delta between the i5-12400F and its rival CPUs is minimal, so the ranking gap is more likely attributable to the GPU’s position relative to top-tier cards like the RTX 4090 series, which are not in this fact pack. The combo’s position reflects the RX 7900 XTX’s strength, as it single-handedly propels the mid-range CPU into the upper echelon of gaming performance for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves 366 FPS on Low settings, 314.4 FPS on Medium, 265.6 FPS on High, and 217 FPS on Ultra. These numbers are exceptionally high, indicating that the GPU is not stressed at 1080p; instead, the CPU’s single-thread performance and the game’s engine are the limiting factors. Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain robust: 234.2 FPS on Low, 203.5 FPS on Medium, 171.8 FPS on High, and 143 FPS on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, roughly a 35% reduction in FPS across all settings, which suggests the GPU is beginning to take on more work but still has ample headroom. At 4K (3840x2160), the FPS falls to 128.5 on Low, 110.5 on Medium, 95.2 on High, and 77.8 on Ultra. These numbers are still very playable for a fast-paced FPS, but the scaling shows the GPU is now the primary bottleneck, as the resolution increase demands more pixel throughput and memory bandwidth.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep, and it tells a clear story about the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 366 FPS, but at 4K Low, it drops to 128.5 FPS, a reduction of about 65%. Similarly, at Ultra settings, the drop is from 217 FPS at 1080p to 77.8 FPS at 4K, a 64% decrease. This consistent ~65% reduction across all settings indicates that the RX 7900 XTX is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would plateau or drop less significantly when moving to 4K, because the CPU workload would remain constant while the GPU workload increases. The fact that the FPS scales down proportionally with pixel count suggests the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are fully utilized at 4K. At 1080p, the CPU’s 4.40 GHz boost clock and 12 threads are sufficient to push frame rates past 300, but at 4K, the GPU’s 960.0 GB/s bandwidth and 61.39 TFLOPS of FP32 performance become the ceiling.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings balance frame rate and visual fidelity. At 1080p, all settings are viable, but the data shows that Ultra still delivers 217 FPS, which is far above the refresh rate of most monitors. For competitive play, Low settings at 366 FPS would minimize input lag, but for a better visual experience, High at 265.6 FPS is a strong middle ground. At 1440p, the story is similar: High settings at 171.8 FPS are ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, while Ultra at 143 FPS remains playable but closer to the 144 Hz threshold. The most interesting data point is at 4K. Here, High settings yield 95.2 FPS, which is a solid experience for a single-player FPS, but Medium at 110.5 FPS offers a smoother experience with only a marginal visual downgrade. Ultra at 4K drops to 77.8 FPS, which is still playable but may feel less responsive. The data implies that for 4K, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, providing a 16% FPS improvement over High without the steep performance cost of Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Doom?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 366, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XTX compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RX 7900 XTX has an average benchmark score of 44019, which is 2% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti’s score of 44900.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows a consistent ~65% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K due to increased pixel workload.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 257 out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the top 15% of all configurations.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 234.2 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 143 FPS, a difference of 91.2 FPS.

Q: Does the i5-12400F outperform the Intel Core i7-8700K in average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12400F has an average score of 19221, which is 0.1% higher than the i7-8700K’s score of 19210, making them effectively equal.