Doom

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX pairing delivers exceptional performance in Doom, with the data showing a combination that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but capable of pushing frame rates far beyond what most displays can refresh. The measured results place this combo in the 86.5th percentile of tested configurations, ranking 500th out of 3712, which signals a top-tier experience for a game that rewards high frame rates. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to show exactly where the bottlenecks lie and how to configure the game for the best balance of visual quality and speed.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the most significant drop occurring between 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 220 FPS, which climbs to 366 FPS on Low settings. Moving to 1440p, the Ultra preset drops to 143 FPS, while Low settings reach 237 FPS. The jump to 4K brings the most substantial performance hit, with Ultra averaging 77 FPS and Low achieving 128 FPS.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a reduction of roughly 35% across settings, while the 1440p to 4K transition cuts frame rates by approximately 46%. This pattern indicates that the RX 7900 XTX is the primary limiting factor at 4K, as the gap between settings narrows from 146 FPS at 1080p (366 vs 220) to 51 FPS at 4K (128 vs 77). The CPU's role becomes less significant as resolution increases, which is typical for a game like Doom that is optimized for high frame rates.

At 1080p, the data shows that even the lowest settings produce 366 FPS, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond what most 144Hz or 240Hz monitors can display. The 4K results, however, show that the GPU is the clear bottleneck, with even the lowest settings unable to break past 128 FPS. This means that users targeting 4K will need to make meaningful compromises in settings to approach 144 FPS, while 1080p and 1440p users can max out the game without concern.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This Alder Lake architecture processor demonstrates strong single-thread performance, scoring 1016 in 3DMark single-thread and 3302 in Cinebench R23 single-core. The multi-threaded results are equally impressive, with Cinebench R23 multicore scoring 23391 and Geekbench multicore reaching 12137, placing the CPU in the 79th percentile of all processors.

The benchmark data shows that this CPU is more than capable of handling Doom's engine, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1995 and 4-thread score of 3806 indicate that the CPU's primary performance cores are well-suited for gaming workloads. The passmark single-thread score of 3925 confirms that the processor can handle the game's physics and AI calculations without becoming a limiting factor.

Comparing the i5-12600KF to its nearest rivals, the data shows it performs within a narrow band of the Intel Core i9-10900K, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, with delta percentages ranging from -0.3% to 0.3%. The average benchmark score of 27799 places it just 0.3% ahead of the Ryzen 5 8500GE and 0.3% behind the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, indicating that the CPU's gaming performance is competitive with much more expensive processors. In Doom specifically, the CPU's role is minimized at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the data suggests it can sustain frame rates well above 300 FPS in less demanding scenes.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the star of this configuration, featuring 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus with 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RDNA 3.0 architecture with 6144 shading units and 192 ROPs delivers a pixel rate of 479.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 959.2 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance reaching 61.39 TFLOPS. The boost clock of 2498 MHz and game clock of 2365 MHz provide substantial headroom for demanding workloads.

The GPU's benchmark results show a percentile ranking of 64th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19410. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6841 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 85612 demonstrate strong DirectX 12 and Vulkan performance, which is directly relevant to Doom's Vulkan rendering path. The passmark G3D score of 31238 further confirms the GPU's capability, though the nearest rivals listed include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB (0.4% faster) and NVIDIA TITAN Xp (1.2% faster), which seems incongruous with the actual gaming performance measured.

In Doom, the GPU's 24 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for any resolution or texture setting, as the game's requirements are modest by modern standards. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K, where even Low settings produce 128 FPS, while at 1080p, the GPU can push well beyond 300 FPS on lower presets. The 960.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming is never a limiting factor, even at 4K with Ultra settings. The GPU's 355 W TDP and dual-slot design require adequate cooling, but the performance per watt is excellent for a flagship card.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Ultra preset produces an average of 220 FPS, which is still well above the refresh rate of most gaming monitors. The Medium preset at 319 FPS and Low at 366 FPS offer diminishing returns, as the visual differences become harder to notice while the frame rate increases are minimal in practical terms. For 1080p users, the High preset at 269 FPS provides the best balance, offering near-maximum visual quality with a comfortable margin above 240Hz displays.

At 1440p, the data shows that the High preset at 174 FPS is the sweet spot for high-refresh gaming, providing excellent visual fidelity while staying above 144 FPS. The Medium preset at 206 FPS is also viable for users with 240Hz monitors, but the Ultra preset at 143 FPS is right at the edge of 144Hz displays, making it less ideal for competitive play. The Low preset at 237 FPS is overkill for most users, as the visual downgrade is significant for only a ~36% frame rate increase over High.

For 4K users, the choices are more constrained. The High preset at 94 FPS provides a solid experience for 60Hz displays but falls short of 120Hz targets. The Medium preset at 112 FPS is the best option for users with 120Hz 4K monitors, as it delivers a noticeable improvement over High while maintaining acceptable visual quality. The Low preset at 128 FPS is the only way to approach 144Hz at 4K, but the visual compromises are substantial. The Ultra preset at 77 FPS is only recommended for users prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate, as the 27% drop from High is significant.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 77 FPS at 4K Ultra settings. This is playable but below the 144 FPS target that competitive players may prefer. For higher frame rates, dropping to Medium settings yields 112 FPS, which is a 45% improvement.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the GPU is still the primary limiter at 1080p, as evidenced by the 146 FPS difference between Low (366 FPS) and Ultra (220 FPS) settings. The CPU is capable of driving frame rates beyond 360 FPS, as shown by the Low preset results.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XTX compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 19410 is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and 1.2% higher than the NVIDIA TITAN Xp. However, these comparisons do not reflect real-world gaming performance in Doom, where the 24 GB VRAM and modern architecture provide substantial advantages.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 174 FPS is recommended for 1440p, as it delivers a 22% frame rate improvement over Ultra (143 FPS) while maintaining high visual quality. For 240Hz displays, the Medium preset at 206 FPS is the better choice.

Q: Will the i5-12600KF bottleneck the RX 7900 XTX in Doom?

A: The data indicates the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU in this game. At 4K, the frame rate scales directly with GPU settings, showing a 66% difference between Low and Ultra, which is consistent with GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p, the CPU sustains over 360 FPS on Low settings, demonstrating ample headroom.

Q: Is the Medium preset at 4K a good compromise?

A: Yes, the Medium preset at 112 FPS provides a 19% improvement over High (94 FPS) and a 45% improvement over Ultra (77 FPS). The 95 FPS minimum recorded for this preset indicates stable performance, making it the best choice for 120Hz 4K monitors.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this configuration is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 366 FPS average
• Medium: 319 FPS average, 271 FPS minimum, 367 FPS maximum
• High: 269 FPS average
• Ultra: 220 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 237 FPS average
• Medium: 206 FPS average, 176 FPS minimum, 237 FPS maximum
• High: 174 FPS average
• Ultra: 143 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 128 FPS average
• Medium: 112 FPS average, 95 FPS minimum, 129 FPS maximum
• High: 94 FPS average
• Ultra: 77 FPS average

The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values across all resolutions, providing a complete picture of frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 271 FPS is still above the refresh rate of 240Hz displays, while at 4K Medium, the minimum of 95 FPS ensures smooth gameplay on 90Hz monitors. The frame time consistency at Medium settings indicates that this preset offers the most stable experience, making it a reliable choice for users who prioritize consistent performance over peak frame rates.

The scaling from Low to Ultra across resolutions shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p, Ultra is 40% slower than Low; at 1440p, Ultra is 40% slower; and at 4K, Ultra is 40% slower. This uniformity suggests that the game's settings have a proportional impact on GPU load, regardless of resolution, and that the RX 7900 XTX handles the increased pixel count without introducing unexpected bottlenecks. The 4K results, while lower in absolute terms, maintain the same relative performance gaps as lower resolutions, confirming that the GPU scales predictably with both resolution and settings.