Doom

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a versatile 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, with 4K remaining a viable option only after sacrificing visual fidelity. This combination sits in the 70th percentile of all tested CPU/GPU pairings for this title, indicating a solid, balanced setup that favors high refresh rate gameplay at mainstream resolutions. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution climbs, but the CPU's strong single-threaded performance keeps frame rates high when the workload is lighter.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable yet pronounced impact from resolution scaling. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 141 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same High preset, the average drops to 91 FPS, a reduction of 50 frames. Pushing further to 4K at High settings yields an average of just 50 FPS, representing a significant 91-frame drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's rendering pipeline is quickly saturated as pixel count increases, while the Core i5-12600KF has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

The scaling pattern from Low settings reinforces this analysis. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 192 FPS, but this falls to 124 FPS at 1440p and 67 FPS at 4K. The fact that 1080p Low nearly doubles the 4K Low frame rate suggests the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors at higher resolutions, not the CPU's processing capability. The Core i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, can easily keep up with the RTX 2060 SUPER's output demands, as evidenced by the strong 1080p numbers.

Specifically, the transition from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings shows an average drop from 108 FPS to 59 FPS, a loss of 49 FPS. This halving of performance highlights the exponential cost of 4K rendering on this GPU. The measured minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is 92 FPS, while at 4K Medium it falls to 50 FPS, indicating that even the lower-bound performance at 1440p remains comfortably playable, whereas 4K Medium sits right at the edge of smoothness for fast-paced action.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Doom, this specific CPU and GPU combination holds a rank of 2617 out of 3712 tested combos. This places it in the 70th percentile overall, meaning it outperforms roughly 70% of all other pairings tested in this game. While this is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it is a firmly mid-pack to upper-mid-pack performer that should handle the game's demands without major compromises at most settings.

The CPU's individual benchmark standing supports this ranking. The Core i5-12600KF scores an average of 27799 across all tests, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27872 (a delta of -0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D with a score of 27896 (also a delta of -0.3%). This shows the i5-12600KF is essentially neck-and-neck with these higher-tier processors in synthetic benchmarks, confirming that its computing power is not the weak link in this gaming combo.

On the GPU side, the RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18159, delta -0.4%) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189, delta -0.5%). The GPU's lower percentile rank compared to the CPU suggests that the graphics card is the more limiting component in this pairing, which aligns with the resolution scaling data where frame rates drop significantly as GPU load increases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip fabricated on a 12 nm process. It carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data suggests it becomes a constraint at 4K, where the average FPS at Ultra settings drops to 40. The GPU's base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost clock of 1650 MHz, and it features 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units.

The GPU's compute capabilities are reflected in its benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 16462 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 77402. These numbers position it as a capable DirectX 12 and Vulkan performer, which is relevant for Doom's modern rendering API. The GPU also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with the game's advanced features. However, the texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s are the physical limits that dictate the frame rate drops observed at higher resolutions.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient for the measured settings, but the transition from 1440p Medium (108 FPS) to 4K Medium (59 FPS) suggests that memory bandwidth, not capacity, is the limiting factor. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is strained when pushing 3840x2160 pixels, leading to the observed performance halving. The GPU's power draw is rated at 175 W TDP, with a suggested PSU of 450 W, which is modest for a card in this performance class.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 115 FPS, which is excellent for a fast-paced FPS like Doom. The High preset at 1080p yields 141 FPS, and Low achieves 192 FPS. Since all settings at 1080p produce playable frame rates, the recommendation is to prioritize visual quality at High or Ultra, as the GPU has enough headroom to maintain high refresh rates.

At 1440p, the High preset offers the best balance, with an average of 91 FPS and smooth gameplay. The Medium preset also works well at 108 FPS, but the visual fidelity reduction may not be worth the extra frames for most players. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 75 FPS, which is still playable but may feel less responsive in intense combat scenarios. For a competitive edge, Low settings at 1440p push the average to 124 FPS, but this sacrifices the game's atmospheric details.

For 4K, the data indicates that only the Low preset (67 FPS) and Medium preset (59 FPS) approach playable territory. The High preset at 4K averages 50 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40 FPS. Given these numbers, 4K gaming is only recommended with Low or Medium settings, and even then, the frame rate may dip below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. The measured minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 50, which is the minimum acceptable threshold for smooth gameplay. For most users, 1440p High is the sweet spot for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows strong performance. Low settings produce an average of 192 FPS, with Medium at 167 FPS (minimum 142, maximum 192). High settings yield 141 FPS, and Ultra drops to 115 FPS. All 1080p settings maintain averages above 100 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low at 124 FPS, Medium at 108 FPS (minimum 92, maximum 125), High at 91 FPS, and Ultra at 75 FPS. The transition from Medium to High results in a 17 FPS drop, while High to Ultra costs another 16 FPS. This resolution is well-suited for the combo, with High providing a solid 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more constrained. Low settings average 67 FPS, Medium averages 59 FPS (minimum 50, maximum 67), High averages 50 FPS, and Ultra averages 40 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 27 FPS, highlighting the GPU's struggle with 4K pixel counts. Only Low settings consistently stay above 60 FPS, and even that is borderline.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High is the sweet spot, averaging 91 FPS. At 1080p all settings exceed 115 FPS, but 1440p offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. 4K is only playable on Low (67 FPS) or Medium (59 FPS).

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 67, and at Medium it is 59. Higher settings drop below 50 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 50, suggesting occasional dips.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals in this setup?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF scores 27799 on average, which is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872) and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896). It ranks in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is not the bottleneck in this gaming combo.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor at higher resolutions?

A: Yes. The RTX 2060 SUPER ranks in the 62nd percentile of GPUs, lower than the CPU's 79th percentile. The frame rate drops from 141 FPS at 1080p High to 50 FPS at 4K High demonstrate the GPU's rendering limits, not CPU constraints.

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

A: At 1440p, Low settings average 124 FPS, while Ultra averages 75 FPS. This 49 FPS difference shows the significant impact of visual presets. Medium (108 FPS) and High (91 FPS) sit between these extremes.

Q: Does the GPU's VRAM capacity affect 4K performance?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. While capacity is sufficient, the bandwidth appears strained at 4K, as evidenced by the performance drop from 108 FPS at 1440p Medium to 59 FPS at 4K Medium.