Doom

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti delivers a playable but constrained experience in Doom, with performance firmly dictated by the graphics card rather than the processor. The measured data shows that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the GTX 1660 Ti becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution and settings climb, pushing the combo to the lower end of the database rankings at position 1441 out of 1681 tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a classic GPU-limited scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 147.9 FPS, but this falls to 100.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 50.5 FPS at 4K. That represents a 65.8% performance loss from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, a scaling pattern that indicates the GPU is working at its absolute limit when pixel count quadruples. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings is particularly sharp—from 100.1 to 50.5 FPS—a 49.6% reduction that underscores how the 6 GB frame buffer and 192-bit memory interface struggle with the sheer pixel throughput required at 3840x2160.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. At High settings, the combo delivers 108.8 FPS at 1080p, 71.1 FPS at 1440p, and 41.4 FPS at 4K. The scaling factor from 1080p to 4K at High is 38.1% of the original performance, which is slightly better than the Low setting's 34.2% retention, suggesting that the GPU is already saturated even at the lowest quality preset. This is a textbook case of resolution scaling being almost entirely a GPU function; the CPU's role diminishes as pixel count rises, and the GTX 1660 Ti simply cannot maintain high frame rates beyond 1440p.

The most telling data point is the Ultra preset at 4K, where the combo manages only 33.5 FPS. This is below the 40 FPS threshold that most players consider minimally playable for a fast-paced FPS, and it confirms that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this pairing. The scaling from 1080p Ultra (92.6 FPS) to 4K Ultra (33.5 FPS) shows a 63.8% loss, nearly identical to the Low preset's loss, indicating that the GPU's architectural limits—1536 shading units and 48 ROPs—are the binding constraint regardless of settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosting to 4.60 GHz. In the context of Doom, this CPU is far from the limiting factor. The benchmark data supports this: the processor scores 21279 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3004 in single-core, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13620H (0.1% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (0.5% behind), showing it sits in a competitive mid-range tier.

However, in-game performance tells a different story. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 147.9 FPS, but the CPU's theoretical headroom is not the reason for this ceiling. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 and single-thread score of 960 suggest the processor can handle far more than what the GTX 1660 Ti delivers. The data indicates that even at 1080p, the GPU is the bottleneck; the CPU is likely idling at these frame rates, waiting for the graphics card to catch up. The L3 cache of 20 MB shared across 10 cores provides ample bandwidth for game logic and draw calls, but Doom's engine is not heavily threaded enough to leverage all 16 threads, making the single-thread performance of 3004 in Cinebench R23 more relevant than the multi-core figure.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel bus, does not appear to be a constraint in this tested configuration. The data shows no signs of CPU-induced stuttering or frame dips that would indicate processor limitations. The 65 W TDP and 10 nm process node suggest efficient operation, but these specifications are irrelevant to the measured FPS because the GPU consistently caps performance. In practical terms, the i5-13400F has enough computational headroom to support a much stronger GPU, but in this pairing, its role is reduced to feeding frames to a graphics card that cannot keep up above 1440p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the decisive component in this combo, and its specifications explain every measured frame rate. Built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip on a 12 nm process, this GPU features 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but insufficient for 4K. The boost clock of 1770 MHz and base clock of 1500 MHz are modest by modern standards, and the FP32 performance of 5.437 TFLOPS places it firmly in the mid-range category.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 55 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13925, confirms its mid-pack position. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 570X (0.4% ahead) and the NVIDIA Tesla K10 (0.7% behind), showing it sits at the edge of the mainstream tier. The PassMark G3D score of 12871 and DirectX 12 score of 51 indicate that while the GPU can handle modern APIs, it does so with limited headroom. The 12 GB memory on rival cards is absent here; the 6 GB capacity becomes a real constraint at 4K, where texture-heavy scenes can exceed this allocation.

The measured FPS data aligns perfectly with the GPU's capabilities. At 1080p Low, the 147.9 FPS result is close to what the 5.437 TFLOPS FP32 throughput can sustain. But at 4K, the pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s and texture rate of 169.9 GTexel/s are simply overwhelmed. The 50.5 FPS at 4K Low is a 65.8% drop from 1080p Low, and the fact that this drop is consistent across all settings presets indicates that the GPU's rasterization pipeline is the bottleneck, not memory bandwidth or VRAM capacity. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p but becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions where the memory controller must handle more data per frame.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1080p, the combo is fully playable: Low settings yield 147.9 FPS, Medium 132.1 FPS, High 108.8 FPS, and Ultra 92.6 FPS. These numbers indicate that the GTX 1660 Ti can push well above 60 FPS at 1080p even on Ultra, making this resolution the sweet spot for this pairing. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 55.3 FPS, a 59.7% difference, showing that settings have a significant impact at this resolution.

Moving to 1440p, the performance drops but remains mostly playable. Low settings deliver 100.1 FPS, Medium 85.1 FPS, High 71.1 FPS, and Ultra 60.4 FPS. The Ultra result at exactly 60.4 FPS is borderline for competitive play, but it is technically above the 60 FPS threshold. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is a 34.8% reduction, which is consistent with the GPU's limited pixel throughput. Medium and High settings at 1440p provide comfortable margins above 60 FPS, making this resolution viable for most players.

At 4K, the combo struggles. Low settings produce 50.5 FPS, Medium 43.9 FPS, High 41.4 FPS, and Ultra 33.5 FPS. None of these results reach 60 FPS, and only the Low preset approaches a playable frame rate. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium is 48.4%, from 85.1 to 43.9 FPS, which is a massive performance hit. The Ultra preset at 33.5 FPS is below the minimum threshold for a smooth experience in a fast-paced FPS like Doom, making 4K gaming impractical with this hardware.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows 147.9 FPS at Low, 132.1 FPS at Medium, 108.8 FPS at High, and 92.6 FPS at Ultra settings, all well above the 60 FPS target.

Q: Can this pairing handle 1440p gaming?

A: Yes, but with caveats. Low settings achieve 100.1 FPS, Medium 85.1 FPS, High 71.1 FPS, and Ultra 60.4 FPS, meaning Ultra is right at the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: Technically yes, but not comfortably. The best 4K result is 50.5 FPS at Low settings, while Ultra drops to 33.5 FPS, which is below playable standards.

Q: Which component is the main bottleneck?

A: The GPU. The GTX 1660 Ti's mid-range specifications and 6 GB VRAM limit performance, as evidenced by the consistent FPS drops across all settings when resolution increases.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 1441 out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the lower 15% of the database, which is consistent with the GPU's 55th percentile ranking.

Q: Is the CPU holding back performance?

A: No. The i5-13400F's single-thread score of 3004 in Cinebench R23 and 82nd percentile ranking indicate it has ample headroom, and the FPS data shows no CPU-induced limitations.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at each resolution, the data points to specific settings presets. At 1080p, Ultra settings are the clear choice because the combo still delivers 92.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the best visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The gap between High and Ultra at 1080p is only 16.2 FPS (108.8 to 92.6), so the visual upgrade is worth the modest performance cost.

At 1440p, the recommendation is Medium settings, which yield 85.1 FPS and provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. High settings at 71.1 FPS are also viable, but the 14 FPS drop from Medium to High may not justify the visual improvement. Ultra at 60.4 FPS is technically playable but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes, making Medium the safest choice for consistent performance.

At 4K, no preset provides a truly smooth experience, but Low settings at 50.5 FPS are the most playable option. Medium and High both hover around 42-44 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra at 33.5 FPS is not recommended. For players who must game at 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, though the experience will still be suboptimal.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Ultra at 92.6 FPS, as it balances visual fidelity with performance. For 1440p, Medium is the optimal preset, and for 4K, Low is the only recommendation.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 1441 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 15% of the database. This ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU's mid-range capabilities; the CPU's 82nd percentile ranking among all processors suggests it is overqualified for this graphics card. The combo's position is consistent with the GPU's 55th percentile ranking, indicating that the pairing is balanced toward the CPU side, with the GPU as the clear limiting factor.

The rank of 1441 out of 1681 means that 240 other combos perform worse, but the vast majority of tested configurations deliver better frame rates in Doom. This ranking reflects the GPU's age and limited VRAM capacity, which are the primary reasons for the sub-60 FPS results at 4K. The CPU's performance is not a factor in this ranking, as evidenced by the fact that the i5-13400F's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-13620H and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, would not meaningfully change the FPS results if paired with this same GPU. The data confirms that any improvement to this combo's ranking would require a GPU upgrade, not a CPU change. For players seeking higher frame rates, particularly at 1440p and above, this pairing represents a CPU-heavy configuration that leaves significant graphics performance on the table.