Doom

The Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination delivers exceptional performance in Doom, with the data showing a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions and a system capable of extreme frame rates at 1080p. The measured results place this combo in the 489th position out of 1681 tested combinations, marking it as a top-tier performer for this title. The benchmark data indicates that players can expect a highly responsive experience across all settings, with the primary trade-off being between visual fidelity and raw frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound workload. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers an average of 228.9 FPS, which drops to 146.9 FPS at 1440p and further to 79.1 FPS at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a substantial drop that points directly to the graphics card as the limiting factor. The RX 9070 XT is being pushed progressively harder as pixel count increases, while the i5-13400F has ample headroom to feed frames at lower resolutions.

The scaling pattern becomes more telling when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 314.5 FPS, which is an extreme level of performance that exceeds the refresh rate of most displays. Moving to 1440p Low yields 200.6 FPS, and 4K Low still maintains 107.7 FPS. The fact that even at 4K the frame rate stays above 100 FPS on Low settings suggests the GPU remains the bottleneck, but the CPU is clearly capable of keeping up with the demands of this game. At 1080p Low, the 314.5 FPS result shows the absolute ceiling of this pairing, where the GPU is working at its maximum output for the given settings.

The difference between High and Ultra presets at each resolution further emphasizes GPU dependency. At 1080p, High produces 228.9 FPS while Ultra drops to 187.3 FPS, a 41.6 FPS gap. At 4K, the same comparison shows 79.1 FPS versus 63.7 FPS, a 15.4 FPS gap. The absolute delta shrinks at higher resolutions because the GPU is already saturated, but the relative impact of Ultra settings remains consistent. The scaling data indicates that players targeting 4K will need to make meaningful compromises, while 1080p and 1440p users can afford to run higher presets without sacrificing smoothness.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the dominant component in this pairing for Doom. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for Doom at any tested resolution, and the data shows no indications of memory capacity limiting performance. The GPU's boost clock of 2970 MHz and game clock of 2400 MHz support its strong rasterization performance, which is directly reflected in the measured frame rates.

The RX 9070 XT’s architecture, RDNA 4.0 on a 4 nm process, delivers 48.66 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. This raw power translates into the high frame rates observed across all settings. The GPU's 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs are well-utilized in this title, as evidenced by the smooth scaling between presets. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the GPU maintains an average of 63.7 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The GPU benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 7260, align with the gaming performance seen in Doom.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 82 places it above most tested graphics cards, and its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Radeon Pro 575 and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, with score deltas of -0.1% and 0.2% respectively. These synthetic comparisons are less relevant for gaming than the measured FPS, but they confirm the RX 9070 XT’s position as a high-end part. The 16 GB VRAM buffer ensures that texture-heavy scenes at 4K Ultra do not cause stuttering or frame drops, as the data shows consistent average FPS without recorded minimums below playable thresholds.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High as the sweet spot, delivering 146.9 FPS, which balances visual quality with a frame rate well above 144 Hz. At 1080p High, the combo reaches 228.9 FPS, but 1440p offers a better visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K High, the average FPS is 79.1, which is playable, while 4K Ultra drops to 63.7 FPS. Lowering to 4K Medium yields 98 FPS, and 4K Low reaches 107.7 FPS, providing options for players prioritizing frame rate over fidelity.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of performance cost?

A: The Ultra preset costs significant performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Ultra is 41.6 FPS slower than High (187.3 vs 228.9). At 1440p, the gap is 22.6 FPS (124.3 vs 146.9), and at 4K, it is 15.4 FPS (63.7 vs 79.1). The relative cost increases at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data clearly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. Frame rates scale inversely with resolution, and at 1080p Low the combo reaches 314.5 FPS, showing the CPU can push frames far beyond typical display refresh rates. The i5-13400F provides sufficient headroom for the RX 9070 XT.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Medium settings?

A: At 1080p, Medium produces 271.1 FPS compared to 314.5 FPS on Low, a 43.4 FPS difference. At 1440p, the gap is 26.7 FPS (173.9 vs 200.6), and at 4K it is 9.7 FPS (98 vs 107.7). The performance gap narrows as resolution increases.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 489th out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the top 29% of all systems tested for Doom. This indicates above-average performance for the title, with the data showing it can handle high refresh rates at mainstream resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination holds the 489th position out of 1681 tested combos for Doom, which places it in the upper third of all configurations. This ranking reflects the strong synergy between the two components, with the GPU providing the bulk of the performance while the CPU avoids becoming a limiting factor. The data shows that this combo outperforms the majority of systems tested, making it a solid choice for this game.

The CPU alone has an average benchmark score of 25236, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests include the Intel Core i7-13620H with a 0.1% delta and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D with a -0.5% delta. These margins are negligible, indicating that the i5-13400F is well-matched with the RX 9070 XT in terms of overall system balance. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 39647 also sits in the 82nd percentile, with rivals like the AMD Radeon Pro 575 and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile showing deltas of -0.1% and 0.2% respectively.

The combination of two 82nd-percentile components results in a system that ranks better than 71% of tested combos in Doom. This suggests that the pairing is well-balanced for this specific title, with no significant bottleneck in either direction. The ranking data reinforces the conclusion that this is a high-performance setup capable of delivering excellent frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset delivers 228.9 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors and provides a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 187.3 FPS is still excellent and offers the best visual quality for players with 144 Hz or lower displays. For 1440p, the High preset at 146.9 FPS is the optimal choice, as it maintains a frame rate above 144 Hz while offering strong visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 124.3 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays.

For 4K gaming, the choices are more constrained. The Medium preset at 98 FPS offers the best balance between visual quality and smoothness, providing a frame rate that is playable on 60 Hz and 120 Hz displays. The High preset at 79.1 FPS is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but may feel less responsive. The Low preset at 107.7 FPS is the best option for players prioritizing frame rate above all else, as it remains above the 100 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 63.7 FPS is only recommended for players who prioritize visual fidelity over performance and have a 60 Hz display.

The data shows that the Low preset provides the highest frame rates at every resolution, with 314.5 FPS at 1080p, 200.6 FPS at 1440p, and 107.7 FPS at 4K. However, the visual downgrade from Low to Medium is significant, and the Medium preset offers a much better experience for only a modest frame rate cost. For most players, the Medium or High presets at 1440p or 1080p will provide the best overall experience, balancing image quality with performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the combo delivers 314.5 FPS on Low, 271.1 FPS on Medium, 228.9 FPS on High, and 187.3 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear hierarchy, with each settings tier costing approximately 40-50 FPS. The 1080p results are exceptionally high, confirming that this resolution is not demanding for the RX 9070 XT, and the CPU is more than capable of supporting these frame rates.

At 1440p, the results are 200.6 FPS on Low, 173.9 FPS on Medium, 146.9 FPS on High, and 124.3 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p shows a 36% reduction on Low, 36% on Medium, 36% on High, and 34% on Ultra. This consistent reduction across settings indicates that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, with the CPU maintaining its ability to feed frames. The 1440p results remain highly competitive, with even Ultra settings exceeding 120 FPS.

At 4K, the results drop to 107.7 FPS on Low, 98 FPS on Medium, 79.1 FPS on High, and 63.7 FPS on Ultra. The reduction from 1440p is more pronounced, with a 46% drop on Low, 44% on Medium, 46% on High, and 49% on Ultra. This steeper decline at 4K reinforces the GPU-bound nature of the workload, as the RX 9070 XT struggles to maintain high frame rates at this resolution. The 4K results are still playable, but they require settings compromises to achieve smooth performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F plays a supporting role in this Doom configuration, but its performance characteristics are essential for achieving the high frame rates observed. The CPU features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This configuration provides strong single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3004. Doom is a game that benefits from strong single-core performance, and the i5-13400F delivers.

The CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21279 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 10971. In Doom, the game’s engine can utilize multiple threads for various tasks, and the i5-13400F’s 16 threads provide ample parallel processing power. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU is most likely to become a bottleneck, the combo still achieves 314.5 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not limiting performance in any tested scenario.

The CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4/DDR5 memory further contribute to its effectiveness in gaming. The benchmark data shows that the i5-13400F ranks in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 25236. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13620H and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, with deltas of 0.1% and -0.5% respectively. These tiny margins confirm that the i5-13400F is a well-balanced processor that pairs effectively with the RX 9070 XT, ensuring that the GPU’s performance is fully utilized in Doom.