Doom

Doom’s measured performance on the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combo reveals a system that is decisively GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering very high frame rates at 1080p. The data shows a clear hierarchy where the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB VRAM and Turing architecture become the primary limiting factors as resolution increases, while the 10-core CPU provides ample headroom. This pairing ranks in the 1488th position out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the lower tier of the database, but the specific frame rate measurements indicate that the experience is highly playable at mainstream settings, especially at 1080p and 1440p.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, confirming that the graphics card is the bottleneck in this configuration. At the "Ultra" preset, the average FPS falls from 89.3 at 1920x1080 to 56.5 at 2560x1440, and then plummets to 33.1 at 3840x2160. This represents a reduction of approximately 63% from 1080p to 4K, which is a typical pattern for a mid-range GPU like the GTX 1660 SUPER when pushed beyond its designed resolution sweet spot. The "Low" preset shows a similar trend, with 147.9 FPS at 1080p dropping to 96.5 at 1440p and 52.7 at 4K, demonstrating that even with reduced graphical loads, the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K.

The scaling behavior suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this game at any resolution. At 1080p with "Low" settings, the system achieves 147.9 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate to expose any CPU bottleneck, yet the 13400F handles it without issue. The fact that the frame rate scales almost linearly with resolution and settings points to the GPU’s memory bandwidth and raw compute throughput being the deciding factor. The GTX 1660 SUPER’s 336.0 GB/s bandwidth and 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are simply insufficient for 4K rendering in this title, where even the "Low" preset only yields 52.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a Raptor Lake-S processor with 10 cores and 16 threads, running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The benchmark data shows a strong multi-threaded performance profile, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21279 and a geekbench multi-core score of 10971. These numbers, combined with the 82nd percentile ranking among all CPUs, indicate that the processor has substantial headroom for gaming workloads. In Doom, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the measured FPS suggests it performs this task admirably.

The 13400F’s single-thread performance, as measured by a 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and a passmark single-thread score of 3634, is more than adequate for this 2016 title. The game is not known for being heavily threaded, and the CPU’s 10 cores are likely underutilized, but the high boost clock ensures that the primary gaming threads run at 4.60 GHz, which is critical for maintaining high frame rates. The data indicates that even at 1080p with "Low" settings, where the system is most likely to be CPU-bound, the 13400F can push 147.9 FPS, which confirms its capability. This processor will not be the weak link in this or similar older titles, and its 65W TDP makes it an efficient choice.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the clear determinant of performance in this combo. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is respectable for its class but not sufficient for 4K resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 1785 MHz and its 1408 shading units deliver a peak FP32 throughput of 5.027 TFLOPS. The measured FPS shows that this hardware is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1080p, the system delivers playable frame rates across all presets, from 89.3 FPS on "Ultra" to 147.9 FPS on "Low". At 1440p, the "High" preset yields 72.1 FPS, which is smooth, while "Ultra" drops to 56.5 FPS, which is borderline.

The GPU’s 6 GB VRAM capacity is a potential constraint at 4K, where textures and frame buffers can exceed this limit, leading to performance degradation. The data shows that at 4K, even the "Medium" preset only achieves 46.7 FPS, and "High" falls to 35.8 FPS. This suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth is saturated, and the card is not capable of maintaining a consistent frame rate at this resolution. The GTX 1660 SUPER ranks in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, which are notably less powerful, yet the GTX 1660 SUPER’s score is only slightly better, indicating it sits at the lower end of the performance spectrum.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested CPU-GPU combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-13400F and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1488th out of 1681 combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems. This low rank is primarily due to the GPU’s relatively weak performance compared to modern graphics cards, rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The CPU itself is a high performer, ranking in the 82nd percentile, but when paired with a GPU that only achieves a 55th percentile ranking, the overall system performance is dragged down. The data shows that the CPU is capable of supporting much more powerful GPUs, and the bottleneck is almost entirely on the graphics side.

The combo’s rank is not necessarily a reflection of its suitability for Doom, however. The game is an older title with modest system requirements, and the measured FPS shows that this combo can run it very well at 1080p and 1440p. The rank is a global metric across all games and workloads, but the specific game data reveals that this system is more than adequate for a smooth experience in this particular title. For comparison, the CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13620H and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which have nearly identical average benchmark scores, while the GPU’s rivals are all slightly faster, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, which is 0.7% faster on average.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the "High" preset, which yields an average of 107.2 FPS. This provides a smooth, responsive frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold, while still offering a good level of visual quality. For players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the "Low" preset at 1080p delivers 147.9 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. The "Medium" preset is a balanced option, offering 127.8 FPS at 1080p, which is also a strong choice. The "Ultra" preset at 1080p is playable at 89.3 FPS, but it may cause occasional dips in demanding scenes, so the "High" preset is a safer recommendation for a consistent experience.

At 2560x1440, the "High" preset is the best choice, providing 72.1 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. The "Low" preset at 1440p yields 96.5 FPS, which is very smooth, but the visual quality is notably reduced. The "Medium" preset at 1440p offers 82.5 FPS, which is a good middle ground, while "Ultra" at 1440p is not recommended as it drops to 56.5 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold. At 3840x2160, no preset provides a consistently playable experience, as the highest FPS is 52.7 on "Low", which is below 60 FPS and will result in noticeable stutter. Therefore, 4K is not recommended for this combo in Doom.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: "Low" 147.9 FPS, "Medium" 127.8 FPS, "High" 107.2 FPS, and "Ultra" 89.3 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression, with the frame rate dropping as the settings increase. The difference between "Low" and "Ultra" is 58.6 FPS, indicating that the graphical settings have a significant impact on performance at this resolution. At 2560x1440, the results are: "Low" 96.5 FPS, "Medium" 82.5 FPS, "High" 72.1 FPS, and "Ultra" 56.5 FPS. The scaling is consistent, with a 40 FPS difference between the lowest and highest presets. At 3840x2160, the frame rates are: "Low" 52.7 FPS, "Medium" 46.7 FPS, "High" 35.8 FPS, and "Ultra" 33.1 FPS. The gap between "Low" and "Ultra" narrows to 19.6 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor and the settings have less impact at this high resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in Doom?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 147.9, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the "Low" settings preset.

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K resolution smoothly?

A: No. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 52.7 on "Low" settings, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The "Ultra" preset only yields 33.1 FPS at this resolution.

Q: Which resolution and settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: The measured data indicates that 1920x1080 with "High" settings offers the best balance, providing an average of 107.2 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target while maintaining good visual fidelity.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 14286. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, has a score of 14389, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 has a score of 14314, which is 0.2% higher.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-13400F a bottleneck for the GTX 1660 SUPER in this game?

A: No. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates a GPU bottleneck. The CPU’s high single-thread and multi-thread scores suggest it has sufficient headroom, as evidenced by the 147.9 FPS at 1080p "Low" settings.

Q: What is the combo’s performance rank relative to all other tested combinations?

A: This specific CPU-GPU combo ranks 1488th out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the lower tier of the database. The CPU ranks in the 82nd percentile, while the GPU only ranks in the 55th percentile.