Doom

Doom (2016) with an Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 presents a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the primary driver of performance, but the CPU provides a robust foundation that prevents bottlenecks even at high frame rates. The data shows a combination that scales predictably with resolution, offering a smooth experience at 1440p and requiring settings adjustments to maintain high refresh rates at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant and predictable impact from resolution scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves a commanding 211 FPS average. Moving to 1440p drops this to 137 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 74 FPS. This represents a 35% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a further 46% decrease from 1440p to 4K, highlighting how the GPU's workload increases exponentially with pixel count.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the transition from 1080p's 155 FPS to 1440p's 101 FPS is a 35% reduction, and then to 4K's 54 FPS is a 47% reduction. The Ultra preset shows the same trend, with 127 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. This uniformity suggests that the RX 9060 is the limiting factor, as the performance drop is directly proportional to the rendering resolution.

The frame rate differences between 1080p and 1440p are substantial, with the system losing roughly a third of its performance at every setting level. This indicates that the GPU is being pushed significantly harder at 1440p. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K is even more punishing, with frame rates nearly halving again. At 4K Ultra, the combo only manages 45 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay on many displays.

The data indicates that this system is not designed for maximum settings at 4K. The 4K Low preset at 74 FPS is more than 64% faster than the 4K Ultra preset at 45 FPS. This wide gap between presets at the same resolution suggests that the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints, rather than any CPU limitation. The 128-bit memory bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth of the RX 9060 are likely being saturated at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is found at Medium settings for most resolutions. At 1080p, Medium settings deliver a 184 FPS average, which is only a 13% reduction from the Low preset's 211 FPS but offers significantly better visual fidelity. The minimum FPS of 156 at this setting is still well above the refresh rate of most standard monitors, ensuring a consistently smooth experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides a 119 FPS average, making it the best choice for high-refresh-rate gaming at this resolution. The minimum FPS of 101 is still comfortably above 60 FPS, meaning there will be no noticeable stuttering. While the High preset at 101 FPS is also playable, the Medium preset offers a 18% performance boost with only a minor visual compromise, making it the more practical choice for competitive or fast-paced play.

For 4K, the situation is more nuanced. The Low preset at 74 FPS is the only option that consistently crosses the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 65 FPS is playable but has a minimum FPS of 55, which could lead to occasional dips below the ideal refresh rate. The High preset at 54 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 45 FPS is not recommended for a fluid experience. For 4K, users should prioritize the Low or Medium presets to maintain frame rates above 60 FPS.

The Ultra preset is only advisable at 1080p, where it achieves a 127 FPS average. At 1440p, the 82 FPS average may be acceptable for slower-paced games, but it does not provide the headroom needed for a high-refresh-rate monitor. The data strongly suggests that Medium is the "sweet spot" for this combo, offering the best combination of frame rate and visual quality across all resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: At 4K High settings, the combo achieves an average of 54 FPS. This is technically playable but does not consistently hit the 60 FPS target for smooth performance. The 4K Medium preset at 65 FPS is a more reliable option, though it has a minimum FPS of 55.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 1440p Medium settings, the system produces a 119 FPS average with a 101 FPS minimum. This is suitable for a 144Hz display, though you won't be hitting the maximum refresh rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset at 184 FPS and the Low preset at 211 FPS both exceed 144 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 16014, which is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's average score of 16129. In practice, this means the RX 9060 performs essentially on par with the RTX 3060 Ti.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this graphics card?

A: The i5-13400F has a high multithreaded benchmark score of 22604 in Cinebench R23, and its performance does not appear to limit the GPU in this game. The frame rate scaling with resolution indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as performance drops are proportional to pixel count.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with the Ultra preset?

A: The Ultra preset at 1080p yields an average of 127 FPS. This is a solid result for high-refresh-rate gaming, though it is lower than the High preset's 155 FPS due to the increased graphical demands of Ultra settings.

Q: Does the 8GB VRAM on the RX 9060 affect performance at 4K?

A: While the data does not directly measure VRAM usage, the significant frame rate drops at 4K, particularly at higher settings, suggest that the memory bandwidth and capacity may be limiting factors. The 128-bit bus width and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are modest for 4K rendering.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset reaches an average of 211 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 184 FPS, with a minimum of 156 FPS and a maximum of 212 FPS. The High preset produces a 155 FPS average. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding a 127 FPS average. These numbers show that at 1080p, the combo can easily handle high refresh rates, with even the Ultra preset staying above 120 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably but remains strong. The Low preset averages 137 FPS. The Medium preset delivers a 119 FPS average, with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 137 FPS. The High preset achieves 101 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an 82 FPS average. This resolution is well-suited for the combo, as most presets remain above 100 FPS, providing a good balance between visual detail and smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset is the fastest, averaging 74 FPS. The Medium preset averages 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS. The High preset drops to 54 FPS. The Ultra preset is the slowest, with an average of 45 FPS. This resolution is only recommended for the Low and Medium presets, as the higher settings do not provide a consistently smooth experience.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance, with the minimum FPS values being relatively close to the averages. The data shows that the Low and Medium presets are the most practical for this hardware configuration, particularly at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1686 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it performs better than a majority of combinations but is not at the top tier.

The ranking reflects the balance of the components. The GPU's average benchmark score of 16014 puts it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, meaning it outperforms 59% of tested graphics cards. The CPU's average benchmark score of 25292 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, showing that the i5-13400F is a stronger component relative to its peers than the RX 9060.

The system's rank of 1686 out of 2930 suggests that it is a mid-range performer. The GPU's performance is closely matched with the RTX 3060 Ti, which has a slightly higher average score of 16129. This means that the combo's performance in Doom is similar to what you would expect from a system with that alternative GPU.

The ranking is influenced by both the CPU and GPU, but the data indicates that the GPU has a more significant impact on this game's performance. The i5-13400F is a capable processor that does not hold back the RX 9060, as evidenced by the smooth frame rate scaling across resolutions. The 1686 rank is a solid result for a mainstream gaming build, offering good performance without reaching the heights of more expensive high-end combinations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, providing a strong foundation for gaming workloads. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data access speeds, which can be beneficial in game scenarios.

Benchmark results show that the CPU performs well in multithreaded tasks, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22604. Its single-core performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3191. These scores indicate that the i5-13400F has both the core count and clock speed necessary to handle modern game engines without becoming a bottleneck.

In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The measured FPS data shows that the system's performance scales directly with resolution, which is a classic sign that the GPU is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at higher resolutions, but instead they continue to drop as the resolution increases.

The CPU's high multithreaded performance, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 25032, ensures that it can keep up with the demands of the game's engine. The 16 threads allow for efficient processing of background tasks and game systems, while the high boost clock of 4.60 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is often important for game logic.

The 65W TDP of the i5-13400F suggests that it is an efficient processor that does not require excessive cooling, allowing more of the system's power budget to be allocated to the GPU. This efficiency, combined with its strong benchmark scores, makes it a suitable partner for the RX 9060. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this configuration, as the frame rates are consistently determined by the GPU's rendering capabilities.