Doom

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti represents a substantial mismatch in Doom, where the 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake processor is held back by a GPU from the Pascal era. The CPU’s base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, combined with a 20 MB shared L3 cache, provide ample headroom for the game’s engine. However, the benchmark results indicate that this headroom is largely unused, as the graphics card becomes the definitive bottleneck across all tested configurations. The CPU’s synthetic benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302, confirm its capability to handle high frame rates, yet the measured FPS in Doom never approaches levels that would stress the processor. The data suggests a scenario where the CPU is waiting on the GPU at nearly every resolution and settings combination, making the processor’s role in this specific combo largely preparatory rather than performance-defining.

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

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its core configuration, which includes performance and efficiency cores, is designed to handle modern multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by a Passmark multi-thread score of 27575 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 12137. In Doom, a title that scales reasonably well with CPU performance but is not exceptionally demanding on core counts, the processor’s capabilities should theoretically allow for high frame rates. The boost clock of 4.90 GHz is particularly relevant for gaming, as it provides the single-thread performance necessary for game logic and physics calculations. The CPU’s single-thread benchmark scores, such as a Passmark single-thread score of 3925 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2157, rank in the 79th percentile against all CPUs, indicating strong per-core performance.

However, the measured FPS data tells a different story. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 74 FPS, which is the highest recorded in the dataset. This figure, while playable, does not reflect the CPU’s potential; a processor with this level of performance would typically push well beyond 100 FPS in a game like Doom if paired with a more capable GPU. The fact that the average FPS drops to 45 at 1080p Ultra further reinforces that the GPU, not the CPU, is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 3DMark scores, including 7956 for 16 threads and 1016 for single-thread, suggest that even the most demanding game scenarios would not challenge this processor. In this combo, the CPU’s role is to ensure that frame pacing remains consistent, but the data shows that the GPU cannot deliver enough frames to make the CPU’s headroom relevant.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti ranks 3652 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 1.6% of all configurations. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance tier, as the GTX 1050 Ti sits in the 25th percentile against all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 4193. The CPU, in contrast, ranks in the 79th percentile, highlighting a severe performance imbalance. The combo rank indicates that the vast majority of other tested pairings, even those with weaker CPUs, achieve better FPS in this game because they pair them with more balanced graphics cards. For context, the GPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (delta 0.6%) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (delta 1%), both of which are entry-level or older mobile parts, underscoring how far the GTX 1050 Ti is from modern gaming standards.

The rank of 3652 out of 3712 is not just a number; it reflects a fundamental limitation. The data shows that this combo is designed for 1080p gaming at low-to-medium settings, but even then, it barely achieves acceptable frame rates. The combo’s position in the ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU, as the CPU’s performance would place it in the top quartile of processors. This disparity means that any upgrade path would involve replacing the GPU first, as the CPU has significant headroom to support a much faster graphics card. The benchmark results indicate that the combo rank would improve dramatically with a GPU that has even double the average benchmark score, as the CPU would no longer be the bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that confirms the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo averages 55 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 35 FPS, a reduction of 36%. Further scaling to 3840x2160 at High yields an average of 19 FPS, which is a 65% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is overwhelmed by pixel count, as the GTX 1050 Ti’s 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 112.1 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for high-resolution textures and rendering.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows a similar trend: 74 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 35% and 46% respectively, which are slightly less severe than at High settings, but still indicate that the GPU is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the processor’s workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the data shows that FPS scales inversely with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal; its 10 cores and high clocks are sufficient to feed the GPU at all resolutions, but the GPU simply cannot keep up with the increasing pixel demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 74 FPS, which is the only configuration in the dataset that approaches a smooth 60+ FPS experience. Medium settings reduce the average to 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS, indicating that the frame rate is relatively stable. High settings drop the average to 55 FPS, and Ultra settings bring it down to 45 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can achieve playable frame rates, and even then, only at Low or Medium settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades significantly. Low settings average 48 FPS, which is a 35% drop from 1080p Low. 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 fall to 29 FPS. None of these configurations reach the 60 FPS threshold, making 1440p unsuitable for this combo in Doom. At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings average 26 FPS, Medium averages 23 FPS (with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 26 FPS), High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. These figures are well below what is considered playable for an FPS, confirming that 4K is out of reach for this hardware combination.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is a Pascal-architecture GPU with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 112.1 GB/s. Its base clock is 1291 MHz with a boost clock of 1392 MHz, and it features 768 shading units. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 4193, placing it in the 25th percentile against all GPUs. In Doom, the GPU’s role is dominant, as the measured FPS is directly tied to its capabilities. The 4 GB VRAM is a critical limitation, as even at 1080p Ultra, the game may require more memory for textures, leading to the 45 FPS average. The GPU’s texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s are modest, and the FP32 performance of 2.138 TFLOPS is insufficient for high-resolution rendering.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (delta 0.6%) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (delta 1%), which are both significantly less powerful than even entry-level desktop GPUs. This context explains why the combo ranks so low: the GTX 1050 Ti is simply not designed for modern gaming at high settings. The GPU’s DirectX 12 score of 26 in Passmark further highlights its weakness in modern APIs, which Doom can utilize. The data shows that the GPU is the sole reason for the combo’s poor performance, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a much faster graphics card. The 75 W TDP and lack of power connectors suggest that this is a low-power part, but in gaming, that efficiency comes at the cost of raw performance.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo achieves playable frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 74, and at 1080p Medium, it is 65. Both 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 produce averages below 50 FPS, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, has an average score of 27872, with a delta of -0.3%, meaning the i5 is slightly behind. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE has a score of 27712, with a delta of 0.3%, meaning the i5 is slightly ahead.

Q: Why does the FPS drop so much from 1080p to 4K?

A: The FPS drop is due to the GPU being the limiting factor. At 1080p High, the average is 55 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 19 FPS. This 65% reduction indicates that the GTX 1050 Ti cannot handle the increased pixel count, whereas a CPU-bound system would see minimal FPS changes across resolutions.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking, and what does it mean?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is in the 25th percentile against all GPUs, meaning it performs better than only 25% of tested graphics cards. Its average benchmark score is 4193, which is close to the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (4170) and the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151).

Q: Can the CPU support a better GPU in this system?

A: Yes, the data indicates the CPU has significant headroom. The i5-12600KF ranks in the 79th percentile against all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391. The GPU is the bottleneck, so upgrading to a more powerful graphics card would likely yield substantial FPS improvements without changing the CPU.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 36, with an average of 42 and a maximum of 48. This shows that even at medium settings, the frame rate can dip below the 40 FPS threshold, which is not ideal for an FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo in Doom are at 1920x1080 with Low or Medium presets. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 74, which provides a smooth and responsive experience suitable for fast-paced gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p offers an average of 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS, which is still playable and provides better visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p drops to 55 FPS, which is borderline, while Ultra at 45 FPS is not recommended for a game that requires quick reactions.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, 1080p Medium is the best balance, as it maintains an average above 60 FPS while offering improved textures and effects. At 2560x1440, the data shows that even Low settings average only 48 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for an FPS, so this resolution is not recommended. At 3840x2160, all settings produce averages below 30 FPS, making the game unplayable. The data suggests that the combo is strictly a 1080p gaming solution, and users should stick to Low or Medium settings to ensure a stable frame rate. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 45 FPS, may be acceptable for slower-paced sections, but it will likely cause noticeable stutter during intense combat scenes.