Doom

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

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake-S desktop processor with a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 4.40 GHz boost clock. This CPU sits at the 73rd percentile against all processors in the database, with a 3DMark max-threads score of 5912 and a single-thread score of 909. In Cinebench R23, it posts 12380 multicore and 1680 single-core points, indicating strong modern gaming headroom. However, in this Doom pairing, the data reveals that the CPU is not the performance bottleneck — the GPU is.

The GTX 1050 Ti, by contrast, is a Pascal-generation part from 2016 with 768 shading units, a 1291 MHz base clock, and a 1392 MHz boost clock. It ranks at the 25th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 4193. The nearest rival comparisons show the GPU trading blows with the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% higher), NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% higher), and NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (1.1% lower). This places the 1050 Ti firmly in entry-level territory, and it shows in the measured frame rates.

For Doom, a fast-paced FPS, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5895 and 8-thread score of 4779 demonstrate that multi-threaded workloads are handled comfortably, while the single-thread score of 909 suggests adequate per-core performance for game logic. The PassMark physics score of 1202 reinforces this — physics processing, which is often CPU-bound, is not limiting the experience here. Instead, the measured FPS drops are entirely attributable to the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput constraints.

The 10 nm process node and 65 W TDP of the CPU also mean it runs cool and power-efficient, but those characteristics do not translate into higher frame rates when paired with a GPU that is only 25th percentile. Benchmark results indicate that this combo's rank of 3652 out of 3712 tested combinations places it in the bottom 2% of all pairings, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations rather than any CPU deficiency.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F powerful enough for Doom?

A: Yes. The CPU delivers a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680, which is far beyond what Doom requires. The measured FPS at every resolution and setting is constrained by the GPU, not the CPU. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 4.40 GHz boost clock provides ample processing headroom for this game's engine.

Q: Why does the GTX 1050 Ti bottleneck this system in Doom?

A: The GPU ranks at the 25th percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 4193. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% faster) and NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% faster). These are entry-level mobile and workstation parts, indicating the 1050 Ti's performance class. In Doom, the GPU's 2.138 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 112.1 GB/s memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 3652 out of 3712 tested combinations in Doom, placing it in the bottom 1.6% of all pairings. This is consistent with the GPU's 25th percentile standing and the CPU's 73rd percentile — the wide gap between these two components creates a severe imbalance where the GPU is the clear limiting factor.

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

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 74 FPS average, which is the only measured configuration that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, even Low settings drop to 48 FPS, and at 3840x2160, the best result is 26 FPS on Low. The data suggests 1080p is the only viable resolution for acceptable performance.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance affect Doom?

A: The CPU scores 909 in 3DMark single-thread and 1680 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores are strong enough that game logic and draw call processing are never the bottleneck. The PassMark single-thread score of 3481 further confirms that the CPU handles single-threaded tasks efficiently, allowing the GPU to be the sole constraining factor.

Q: Does increasing settings from Low to Ultra change the bottleneck?

A: No. At every resolution, the frame rate decreases as settings increase, but the pattern remains consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. For example, at 1080p, average FPS drops from 74 on Low to 45 on Ultra — a 39% reduction. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU that is overwhelmed by increasing shader complexity and texture loads, not a CPU that is struggling with game logic.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern of degradation as resolution increases, which strongly indicates a GPU-bound system. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo averages 74 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 48 FPS — a 35% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 26 FPS, which is a 65% drop from the 1080p result. This scaling is far more aggressive than what a CPU bottleneck would produce, as CPU load typically does not scale linearly with pixel count.

For Medium settings, the pattern is similar: 65 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p (35% lower), and 23 FPS at 4K (65% lower). The High settings row shows 55 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p (36% lower), and 19 FPS at 4K (65% lower). Ultra settings yield 45 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p (36% lower), and 16 FPS at 4K (64% lower). The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings — hovering around 35% from 1080p to 1440p and 65% from 1080p to 4K — is a hallmark of a GPU that is rendering every pixel with limited fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The GTX 1050 Ti's 44.54 GPixel/s pixel rate and 66.82 GTexel/s texture rate explain this behavior. With only 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus delivering 112.1 GB/s, the card cannot keep up with the increasing memory pressure at higher resolutions. The data shows that even the lowest settings at 4K cannot reach 30 FPS, confirming that the GPU's raw throughput is insufficient for 4K gaming regardless of quality presets. The limiting component is unambiguously the graphics card; the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads remain idle relative to the GPU's workload.

# How This Combo Ranks

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti ranks 3652 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. That places it in the bottom 1.6% of all systems tested for this game, which is an exceptionally poor result. To contextualize this, the CPU alone ranks at the 73rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 25th percentile among all graphics cards. The massive gap between these two percentiles creates a severe bottleneck that drags the overall combo ranking far below what the CPU would suggest.

The nearest rival comparisons for the CPU show it performing nearly identically to the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (0% delta), Intel Core 3 201E (-0.1% delta), Intel Core i5-1335U (0.3% delta), and AMD EPYC 7773X (0.3% delta). These rivals span mobile and server segments, indicating the i5-12400F's versatility. However, the GPU's nearest rivals — AMD Radeon R5 M330 (0.6% faster), NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (1% faster), NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (1.1% slower), and AMD Radeon Vega 3 (1.8% slower) — are all low-end parts that underscore the GPU's entry-level status.

The combination of a 73rd-percentile CPU with a 25th-percentile GPU results in a system where the GPU is the overwhelming constraint. In Doom, this means that even at the lowest settings and lowest resolution, the system only manages 74 FPS average, and at higher settings, it falls below playable thresholds. The combo rank of 3652 out of 3712 reflects this reality: the system is only marginally better than the absolute worst pairings, and the CPU's power is largely wasted in this configuration.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 74 FPS, which is the only measured configuration that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered smooth for FPS games. Medium settings average 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS. High settings drop to 55 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 45 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 29 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU has some headroom at this resolution but struggles with the highest quality presets.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates become marginal. Low settings average 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target but playable. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS, and Ultra settings average 29 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent at roughly 35% across all settings, as noted in the resolution scaling analysis. None of the 1440p configurations reach 60 FPS, and even Low settings fall short by 12 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is effectively unplayable. Low settings average 26 FPS, Medium settings average 23 FPS (with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 26 FPS), High settings average 19 FPS, and Ultra settings average 16 FPS. The 4K results are all below 30 FPS, which is the minimum threshold for even basic playability in a fast-paced FPS like Doom. The data shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo under any settings preset.

The measured FPS data also reveals the min/max ranges where available. At 1080p Medium, the range is 55 to 74 FPS, indicating modest frame pacing variance. At 1440p Medium, the range is 36 to 48 FPS, showing tighter but lower overall performance. At 4K Medium, the range is 19 to 26 FPS, which is both low and variable. These ranges suggest that the GPU's memory bandwidth constraints cause frame time spikes under load, particularly at higher resolutions.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only configuration that delivers consistently smooth performance is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 74 FPS. This is the only measured row that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the recommended preset for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. For those who can tolerate slightly lower frame rates, 1080p Medium averages 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS, which is still playable and offers better visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the best option is Low settings at 48 FPS average. This is below the 60 FPS target but may be acceptable for players who value resolution over smoothness. However, the data suggests that 1440p Medium (42 FPS average) and higher settings are not recommended, as they fall below 40 FPS, which is generally considered the threshold for acceptable action-game performance. The 1440p Ultra setting at 29 FPS is not viable for a game like Doom, where quick reactions are essential.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset is recommended. Even Low settings average only 26 FPS, and the maximum measured value is 26 FPS at Medium. The 4K resolution is beyond the capabilities of the GTX 1050 Ti in this title, and players should avoid this resolution entirely with this combo.

Given the GPU's 25th percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 4193, the data supports a cautious approach: use 1080p Low for the best experience, or 1080p Medium if visual quality is preferred and the player can tolerate occasional dips to 55 FPS. The 6-core, 12-thread CPU has ample headroom, so players can be confident that the CPU will not introduce stutters or frame drops. The bottleneck is purely the GPU, and the settings recommendations reflect that reality. Lowering resolution and settings is the only path to smooth gameplay with this pairing.