Doom

The Intel Core i5-12600KF (launch MSRP $264) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (launch MSRP 299 USD) form a mid-range pairing that delivers strong 1080p performance in Doom, but the measured FPS reveals a clear GPU bottleneck as resolution climbs. This analysis uses the benchmark database's measured FPS, component benchmarks, and ranking data to break down how each part contributes.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's rank in the database for Doom?

A: The combo ranks 980 out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4060 have?

A: 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the CPU's core and thread counts?

A: 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: 137.7 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 27827, essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K at 27829 (0% delta) and the i5-12600K at 27851 (-0.1% delta).

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4060 sits in the 66th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 23181.

GPU Role

The RTX 4060's 8 GB frame buffer and 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for Doom's demands, as evidenced by playable frame rates at 4K High (59.3 FPS) but not at 4K Ultra (45.7 FPS). The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz and base clock of 1830 MHz, combined with 3072 shading units and 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 performance, drive the measured results. At 1080p, the GPU is not the limiting factor—the CPU can push frame rates well above 200 FPS at Low settings (227 FPS). However, as resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the 4060's mid-range standing becomes apparent. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 45.7 FPS, indicating that the GPU's compute and memory resources are saturated. The 128-bit memory bus, while narrow, still delivers 272.0 GB/s, which is enough for Doom's engine at 4K High but not for the extra shading and texture work at Ultra. The GPU's 66th percentile ranking among all GPUs aligns with its behavior here: it is a capable 1080p and 1440p card, but 4K Ultra is beyond its comfort zone.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS shows a steep drop as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the clear bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 165.3 at 1080p to 106.5 at 1440p (a 35.6% reduction) and then to 59.3 at 4K (a 44.3% reduction from 1440p). This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario—the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU's pixel and texture throughput limits higher resolutions. At Low settings, the pattern repeats: 227 FPS at 1080p, 149.9 at 1440p, and 78.2 at 4K. The 4K Low result is still above 60 FPS, but the gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is stark: 78.2 vs 45.7 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for lower settings, but Ultra's increased texture and shading demands push the GPU past its limits. For 4K gaming, the data suggests sticking to Low or Medium settings (78.2 and 66.7 FPS respectively) to maintain smooth frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 980 out of 1681 tested combos, which places it in the lower half of the database. This is notable because the individual components have higher percentile standings: the CPU is in the 84th percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 66th percentile among all GPUs. The gap between the component percentiles and the combo rank indicates that Doom's performance is heavily GPU-dependent, and the RTX 4060's mid-range position drags the overall result down. The CPU's strength—evidenced by its average benchmark score of 27827, which is within 0.4% of the Intel Core i7-13700H and 0% of the i9-10900K—does not translate into a high combo rank because the game is not CPU-limited at the resolutions tested. The 980th rank means the combo outperforms roughly 700 other configurations, but it also trails about 980 others. For a 1080p-focused build, this rank is acceptable, but for 1440p or 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the combo's standing reflects that.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF brings 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost of 4.90 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core help feed the GPU in CPU-bound scenarios. In Doom, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical for high frame rates at lower resolutions. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3309 and multi-core score of 23444 show a strong all-rounder, and the PassMark multithread score of 27575 confirms its capability. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF is essentially tied with the i9-10900K (0% delta) and the i5-12600K (-0.1% delta), and it is 0.4% ahead of the i7-13700H. This means the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 227 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors, indicating that the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output. However, at 4K, the CPU's role diminishes; the GPU's rendering load dominates, and the CPU's high core count and clock speeds are not the bottleneck. The data shows that the i5-12600KF is more than sufficient for Doom, and any performance shortfall at higher resolutions is attributable to the RTX 4060.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured average FPS values from the database:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 59.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 78.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 66.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 45.7 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 106.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 149.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 125.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 88.1 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 165.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 227 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 199 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 137.7 |

At 1080p, every setting exceeds 137 FPS, with Low reaching 227 FPS and Medium at 199 FPS. This makes the combo ideal for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors. At 1440p, the frame rates remain playable: High at 106.5 FPS, Medium at 125.8 FPS, and Low at 149.9 FPS, but Ultra drops to 88.1 FPS. For 1440p, Medium or High settings are the sweet spot. At 4K, only Low (78.2 FPS) and Medium (66.7 FPS) stay above 60 FPS; High is borderline at 59.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 45.7 FPS. The data clearly shows that the RTX 4060 is a 1080p and 1440p card, with 4K requiring reduced settings. The CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures that even at 1080p Low, the frame rate is not artificially capped, and the combo delivers the full potential of the GPU.