Doom

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3585th out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places the combination in the bottom 3.4% of all tested configurations, indicating that this pairing struggles significantly with this particular title. The rank reflects the overall performance ceiling imposed by the GPU, which sits at the 40th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is far more capable at the 79th percentile among all CPUs. The data suggests a substantial bottleneck in the graphics subsystem, where the GTX 1650's modest compute resources limit frame delivery well below what the i5-12600KF could otherwise support.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF delivers an average benchmark score of 27799, which is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872) and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896). This tight clustering shows that the processor is not the limiting factor in this combo; it performs essentially on par with high-end desktop parts from both Intel and AMD. The GPU, however, sits at an average benchmark score of 7472, with its nearest rival being the Intel Arc A310 at 7550 (1% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 8850M at 7447 (0.3% lower). These rivals are all entry-level or integrated graphics solutions, underscoring the GTX 1650's position as a low-tier component in the current landscape.

In practical terms, this combo's rank means that users will experience frame rates well below the 60 FPS target at most settings, and even at 1080p Low, the average FPS of 92 is the only scenario that approaches smooth gameplay. The disparity between CPU and GPU capability is stark: the i5-12600KF's multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391) and single-thread performance (3302) are both excellent, yet the GTX 1650's 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 128.1 GB/s memory bandwidth cannot translate that CPU headroom into high frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the dominant performance constraint in this combo for Doom. With 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, the GPU provides 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth, which is modest by modern standards. The memory clock runs at 2001 MHz (8 Gbps effective), and the core operates between a base of 1485 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz. These specifications yield a pixel rate of 53.28 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 93.24 GTexel/s, figures that are adequate for older titles but insufficient for maintaining high frame rates at higher resolutions in Doom.

The GTX 1650's 896 shading units and 32 ROPs are the primary drivers of its performance ceiling. In the measured FPS data, the GPU's limitations become apparent as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU can deliver 92 FPS on Low settings, but this drops to 68 FPS on High and 55 FPS on Ultra, showing a clear sensitivity to graphical load. At 1440p, the averages fall to 59 FPS on Low, 52 FPS on Medium, and 44 FPS on High, with Ultra dipping to 36 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed: even Low settings only produce 32 FPS, and Ultra drops to 19 FPS.

The VRAM capacity of 4 GB is a notable concern for Doom at higher settings, as the game's texture requirements can exceed this amount at 4K with Ultra presets. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the average FPS is 28 with a minimum of 24 and maximum of 32, indicating that frame pacing becomes erratic under memory pressure. The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its tier: a PassMark G3D score of 7880 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 305 place it firmly in entry-level territory, with a percentile rank of 40 among all GPUs. The nearest rivals are integrated or low-end discrete parts, confirming that this GPU is not designed for demanding modern titles at high resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo achieves playable frame rates across most settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 92, and at Medium it is 80, while at 1440p the averages range from 36 to 59 FPS depending on settings, and at 4K they fall to 19-32 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A310?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7472, which is 1% lower than the Intel Arc A310's 7550. In Doom, the GTX 1650's measured performance at 1080p Low (92 FPS) indicates that it can handle the game at lower settings, but the margin over the A310 is slim in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12600KF a bottleneck for the GTX 1650?

A: No, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The i5-12600KF ranks at the 79th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 27799, while the GPU ranks at the 40th percentile. The CPU's performance is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, indicating it has ample headroom that the GTX 1650 cannot utilize.

Q: What settings should be used at 1440p to get close to 60 FPS?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset delivers an average of 59 FPS, which is the only setting that approaches the 60 FPS target. Medium drops to 52 FPS, High to 44 FPS, and Ultra to 36 FPS, so Low is the recommended choice for smoother gameplay at this resolution.

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

A: The FPS drop is due to the GPU's limited compute and memory bandwidth. At 1080p Low (92 FPS), the GPU is less stressed, but at 4K Low (32 FPS), the pixel fill rate and bandwidth constraints become severe. The GTX 1650's 128.1 GB/s bandwidth and 53.28 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient for 4K rendering.

Q: Does the combo perform better in synthetic benchmarks than in Doom?

A: The CPU's synthetic scores are strong, but the GPU's are not. The i5-12600KF scores 23391 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the GTX 1650 scores 7880 in PassMark G3D. In Doom, the measured FPS reflects the GPU's limitations, with 1080p Ultra averaging only 55 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and acceptable frame rate. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 92 FPS, which provides the smoothest experience and is suitable for fast-paced FPS gameplay. Medium settings at 1080p yield 80 FPS, still above the 60 FPS threshold, and offer a better visual balance without sacrificing too much performance. High at 1080p drops to 68 FPS, which is playable but shows that the GPU is starting to struggle. Ultra at 1080p averages 55 FPS, dipping below the ideal 60 FPS target, so it is only recommended for users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for near-60 FPS gameplay, with an average of 59 FPS. Medium drops to 52 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users, but the margin for error is slim. High and Ultra at 1440p (44 FPS and 36 FPS, respectively) are not recommended for competitive play, as the frame rates become inconsistent. At 4K, no settings provide a playable experience: Low averages 32 FPS, Medium 28 FPS, High 24 FPS, and Ultra 19 FPS. These frame rates are below the threshold for smooth gameplay, so 4K should be avoided entirely with this combo.

The best experience, balancing visual quality and performance, is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings. This configuration provides an average of 80 FPS, with the measured minimum of 68 FPS ensuring that frame drops are not severe. Users who demand higher frame rates can switch to Low for 92 FPS, but the visual downgrade is noticeable. For those who prefer higher resolutions, 1440p Low is the only reasonable choice, though it sacrifices graphical fidelity to maintain playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Doom with this combo shows a clear progression across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 55 on Ultra to 92 on Low. Specifically, 1080p High averages 68 FPS, 1080p Medium averages 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 and maximum of 92, and 1080p Low averages 92 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 37 FPS, representing a 40% reduction in performance when maxing out settings.

Moving to 1440p, the averages drop significantly. 1440p Low averages 59 FPS, which is nearly identical to 1080p Ultra's 55 FPS, showing that the resolution increase has a similar impact to raising settings. 1440p Medium averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 60, while 1440p High averages 44 FPS and 1440p Ultra averages 36 FPS. The transition from 1080p Low to 1440p Low results in a 33 FPS drop, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to pixel count.

At 4K, the performance collapses. 4K Low averages 32 FPS, 4K Medium averages 28 FPS with a minimum of 24 and maximum of 32, 4K High averages 24 FPS, and 4K Ultra averages 19 FPS. The difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is 60 FPS, a 65% reduction. The data indicates that the GTX 1650 is simply not equipped for 4K rendering, as even the lowest settings fail to produce playable frame rates.

The frame consistency, as shown by the min and max values for Medium settings, reveals that the GPU struggles to maintain stable frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 68-92 FPS, a 24 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 44-60 FPS, a 16 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 24-32 FPS, an 8 FPS spread. This narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling, with less headroom for variance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12600KF demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance, scoring 23391 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 9824 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. Single-thread scores are also robust, with Cinebench R23 single-core at 3302 and Geekbench single-core at 2157. These results place the CPU at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27799. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, scores 27872, a mere 0.3% difference, confirming that the i5-12600KF is a high-performance part.

In the context of Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. Given the GTX 1650's limitations, the CPU is rarely the bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 92 FPS, which is likely near the GPU's maximum output. The CPU's 16 threads and high boost clock ensure that even at 4K, where the GPU is severely constrained, the CPU is not causing additional frame drops. The PassMark multi-thread score of 27575 and 3DMark max threads score of 7952 indicate that the CPU can handle demanding workloads, but the GTX 1650 cannot translate this into higher frame rates in Doom.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K in Doom reveals the GPU as the primary limiting component. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 92 FPS. Reducing resolution to 1440p Low drops the average to 59 FPS, a 33 FPS (36%) decrease. Further reducing to 4K Low results in 32 FPS, a further 27 FPS (46%) drop from 1440p. The total reduction from 1080p to 4K is 60 FPS, or 65% of the 1080p performance.

This scaling behavior is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The GTX 1650's pixel rate of 53.28 GPixel/s and memory bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s are the limiting factors. At 1080p, the GPU can process the 2.1 million pixels per frame at a reasonable rate, but at 4K, the pixel count jumps to 8.3 million, overwhelming the GPU. The measured data shows that the FPS drop is not linear: the transition from 1080p to 1440p (2.77x pixel count) results in a 36% FPS drop, while the transition from 1440p to 4K (2.25x pixel count) results in a 46% FPS drop. This non-linear scaling suggests that other factors, such as memory bandwidth saturation, come into play at higher resolutions.

The settings scaling follows a similar pattern. At 1080p, going from Low to Ultra reduces FPS by 40%, from 92 to 55. At 1440p, the same settings change reduces FPS by 39%, from 59 to 36. At 4K, the reduction is 41%, from 32 to 19. This consistency indicates that the GPU's compute resources are the bottleneck across all resolutions, and that increasing settings places additional load on the same limited hardware.

The conclusion from the resolution scaling data is clear: this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve playable frame rates at most settings. At 1440p, only the Low preset provides near-60 FPS performance, and at 4K, no settings yield playable results. The i5-12600KF has the compute headroom to support higher resolutions, but the GTX 1650's 4 GB VRAM, 128.1 GB/s bandwidth, and 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are insufficient for the demands of Doom at 1440p and 4K. Users seeking higher resolution gameplay would need to upgrade the GPU to fully utilize the CPU's capabilities.