Doom

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly specific performance profile in Doom, one that is heavily dictated by resolution and preset selection. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but one that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K, clearly illustrating a significant bottleneck that shifts depending on the workload. This analysis breaks down the measured results to explain where this combo excels, where it falls short, and how to configure it for the best possible experience.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the measured FPS data is the dramatic impact of resolution on performance. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 107 FPS on Low settings, which is a very playable and smooth experience. Moving up to 2560x1440, the average FPS on Low drops to 69, a substantial 35.5% decrease. Pushing further to 3840x2160 (4K), the average on Low plummets to 37 FPS, which is a 65.4% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep curve indicates that the graphics processor is being saturated as pixel count increases, making it the primary performance limiter at higher resolutions.

This trend is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, on High settings, the average FPS goes from 78 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p, and then down to 28 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly severe, with a 45.1% reduction in frame rate. This suggests that the Arc B390’s memory bandwidth and compute resources, which are described as "System Shared" and "System Dependent," are quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of pixels required for 4K rendering. The system’s shared memory architecture likely contributes to this bottleneck, as the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory access.

The data implies that 1080p is the sweet spot for this configuration, where the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU adequately. At 1440p, the system is still capable of providing a good experience on lower presets, but the GPU is clearly working much harder. At 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive limiting factor, and even the lowest settings fail to produce a frame rate that would be considered smooth for a fast-paced FPS. The scaling pattern is a textbook example of GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions, where the processor’s role diminishes and the graphics card’s raw throughput dictates performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. In benchmark results, it scores 21,645 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,055 in single-core, placing it in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and the Intel Core i9-11900, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively, indicating that its multi-threaded performance is competitive with those parts.

In the context of Doom, a game that is generally well-optimized and not heavily multi-threaded, the CPU’s role is primarily to maintain a high minimum frame rate and ensure that frame times are consistent. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The large jump in FPS from High (78 FPS) to Low (107 FPS) at 1080p demonstrates that the GPU is the limiting factor even at this resolution, as reducing graphical load directly translates to higher frame rates. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain relatively static regardless of the graphics preset.

The i5-14400F’s strong single-core performance, evidenced by its 3,055 score in Cinebench R23 single-core, is sufficient to feed the Arc B390 at 1080p. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache are also ample for the game’s data requirements. However, at 4K, the CPU’s role becomes even less significant. The frame rate is so low (22 FPS on Ultra) that the processor is almost certainly idle waiting for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks. The data suggests that this CPU is more than capable of handling Doom’s engine, and its performance headroom is only exposed when the GPU is not overwhelmed by resolution and settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance limiter in this configuration, particularly at higher resolutions. Its architecture is Xe3-LPG, built on a 3 nm process, and it features 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU’s memory is listed as "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on system memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical detail that explains its performance characteristics.

In its only listed benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the Arc B390 scores 1,482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, with delta percentages of 1.3% and 1.5% respectively. This contextualizes the GPU as a very low-performance part, more in line with entry-level mobile graphics from years past than a modern desktop gaming card.

The measured FPS data directly reflects this. The GPU’s lack of dedicated VRAM is likely the primary cause of the severe performance degradation at 4K. The "System Shared" memory pool forces the GPU to use the same memory as the CPU, which has significantly higher latency and lower bandwidth than dedicated GDDR6 or GDDR6X. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are also too low to handle the fill-rate demands of 4K with high-quality textures. The data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is only 64, which is not ideal for a competitive FPS. The GPU’s performance is the primary reason why the combo ranks so low in the overall database.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal configuration for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p, the data shows that the Low preset provides the best experience, with an average of 107 FPS. This is the only setting that consistently delivers frame rates above 100, which is highly desirable for a fast-paced game like Doom. The Medium preset is also a strong option, delivering 93 FPS, which is still very smooth and offers better visual fidelity. High (78 FPS) is playable, but Ultra (64 FPS) is where the experience starts to feel less fluid, especially during intense combat sequences.

At 1440p, the situation changes. The Low preset yields 69 FPS, which is adequate, but the Medium preset at 60 FPS provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. The High preset at 51 FPS is on the edge of playability, and the Ultra preset at 41 FPS is likely to feel choppy. For a competitive advantage, Low is the best choice, but for a more visually appealing experience, Medium is the recommended compromise.

At 4K, no preset provides a consistently playable experience. The Low preset at 37 FPS is borderline, but the High (28 FPS), Medium (33 FPS), and Ultra (22 FPS) presets are all below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Given the data, it is not recommended to play at this resolution with this GPU, as even the lowest settings do not yield a satisfactory frame rate. The recommendation is to stick to 1080p for the best experience, with Medium settings serving as the best overall compromise between visual quality and the high frame rates that Doom’s gameplay benefits from.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall performance of this combination is poor, as reflected by its combo rank. The comboRankInGame field shows a rank of 2,580 out of 2,930 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations tested for Doom. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s weak performance, as the CPU is a capable mid-range part.

The CPU’s percentile of 83rd against all CPUs indicates it is a solid processor, but the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking against all GPUs drags the entire system down. The nearest rivals for the GPU, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, are parts that are over a decade old and were considered entry-level even then. The data clearly shows that this is a severely unbalanced pairing for gaming, where the GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. While the CPU has the power to drive high frame rates, the Arc B390 is simply not capable of delivering them in this title. This combination is not suitable for a gaming build focused on Doom.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The measured data indicates that 1920x1080 is the best resolution. At 1080p, the combo achieves an average of 107 FPS on Low settings, which is significantly higher than the 69 FPS average at 1440p and the 37 FPS average at 4K on the same preset.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B390 in Doom?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is not the primary limiting factor. The evidence is that lowering the graphics preset from High to Low at 1080p increases the average FPS from 78 to 107. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would not change as significantly with graphics settings.

Q: Why is the performance so poor at 4K resolution?

A: The performance at 4K is heavily constrained by the Intel Arc B390. Its memory is "System Shared" with the CPU, and bandwidth is "System Dependent," which is not sufficient for the high pixel throughput required at 3840x2160. The GPU's low pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s also limits its ability to render at this resolution.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark score, are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M. The Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% higher than the GT 520MX and 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Which settings preset should I use for a competitive advantage?

A: For the highest frame rates, the Low preset is the best choice. At 1080p, it delivers an average of 107 FPS. The Medium preset is a good alternative if you want better visuals, as it still provides a high average of 93 FPS at 1080p.

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination for Doom?

A: The combo ranks 2,580 out of 2,930 tested combinations. This puts it in the lower percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is not a high-performance pairing for this game, primarily due to the GPU's limitations.