Doom

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake-R refresh line, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This configuration provides a strong foundation for gaming, as the combination of performance cores and efficiency cores allows the CPU to handle both latency-sensitive game logic and background tasks concurrently. In Doom, a fast-paced FPS that relies on consistent frame pacing, the CPU's ability to maintain high clocks under varying loads is essential. The processor's 20 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core help reduce memory latency, which is critical for the game's physics and enemy AI calculations.

The CPU's benchmark scores contextualize its position. In Cinebench R23, it scores 21914 in multi-core and 3093 in single-core tests. These figures place the i5-14400F in the 88th percentile among all CPUs, indicating that it sits well above the median processor. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-12800H (deltaPct 0), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (deltaPct 0.2), and the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (deltaPct -0.2). This clustering means the i5-14400F is essentially neck-and-neck with these chips in average benchmark scores, with performance deltas of less than one percent in either direction. For a game like Doom, which is known to scale well with single-thread performance, the 3093 single-core score in Cinebench R23 suggests the CPU will not bottleneck the GPU at most settings.

The measured FPS data supports this analysis. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 215 FPS, while at Ultra settings it drops to 129 FPS. The fact that even the most demanding 1080p preset stays above 120 FPS indicates that the CPU is providing sufficient headroom. At 1440p, the frame rates remain high, with High settings at 104.2 FPS and Ultra at 83.7 FPS. The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are more than adequate for Doom's engine, which was designed to run on hardware from 2016. The i5-14400F's 65 W TDP and 10 nm process node also mean it operates efficiently, though the game itself is the primary determinant of performance here. In summary, the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration; rather, it provides a stable platform that allows the GPU to express its full capabilities.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Examining the FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p High settings, the combo delivers 159.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops by approximately 35% to 104.2 FPS. At 4K High, the average falls to 58.9 FPS, representing a further 43% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline as resolution increases is the hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU, with its high single-core performance, can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them at higher resolutions, making the GTX 1080 Ti the bottleneck.

The Low settings row provides additional insight. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 215 FPS, which is the highest recorded frame rate in the dataset. At 1440p Low, it drops to 139.1 FPS, and at 4K Low, it lands at 77.1 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p Low is about 35%, and from 1440p to 4K Low is about 45%. These percentages are similar to those seen at High settings, confirming that the scaling behavior is consistent regardless of graphical preset. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect frame rates to plateau at higher resolutions, which is not the case here.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (215 FPS) and Ultra (129 FPS) is 86 FPS. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 55.4 FPS (139.1 vs 83.7). At 4K, the gap shrinks further to 33.6 FPS (77.1 vs 43.5). This compression of the settings delta at higher resolutions is another indicator of GPU limitation. When the pixel count rises, the GPU spends more time on rasterization and shading, leaving less headroom for settings to impact performance. The GTX 1080 Ti, with its 11 GB of GDDR5X memory and 484.4 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed to its limits at 4K, which is why frame rates fall below 60 FPS at High and Ultra presets.

In practical terms, this means that users targeting 4K will need to adjust settings to achieve playable frame rates. The data shows that 4K Medium yields 68.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K High drops to 58.9 FPS. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU and GPU are more balanced, but the trend is consistent: resolution scaling in Doom is driven by the graphics card's rendering throughput.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all presets deliver playable frame rates. Low settings achieve 215 FPS, Medium reaches 189.8 FPS, High hits 159.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 129 FPS. Given that Doom is a fast-paced shooter, higher frame rates provide a competitive advantage. However, the visual fidelity difference between High and Ultra may be marginal. The data suggests that High at 1080p offers an excellent balance, with 159.4 FPS providing smooth gameplay while maintaining quality. Ultra at 129 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold, but the 30 FPS drop compared to High may not be worth the visual gains for all users.

At 1440p, the choices become more strategic. Medium yields 120 FPS exactly, which is an ideal target for high-refresh-rate monitors. High settings produce 104.2 FPS, which remains above 100 FPS and is also suitable. Ultra drops to 83.7 FPS, which is still playable but approaches the lower end of what competitive players might prefer. Low settings at 139.1 FPS are the fastest but sacrifice visual detail. For most users, High at 1440p is the recommended preset, as it maintains a triple-digit frame rate while offering better textures and effects than Medium. The 16 FPS difference between Medium and High is a worthwhile trade-off for improved visuals.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and settings must be chosen carefully. Ultra at 43.5 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel sluggish. High at 58.9 FPS is close to 60 but not quite there, which could result in occasional judder on standard 60 Hz displays. Medium at 68.9 FPS is the first preset to exceed 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K play. Low at 77.1 FPS provides additional headroom but sacrifices significant visual quality. For 4K users, Medium is the sweet spot, offering a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while retaining acceptable graphics. The data indicates that the jump from Low to Medium at 4K costs only 8.2 FPS (77.1 to 68.9), which is a small price for substantial visual improvements.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is as follows: 1080p High (159.4 FPS), 1440p High (104.2 FPS), and 4K Medium (68.9 FPS). These presets maximize frame rate while maintaining visual quality that suits each resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti ranks 998th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This placement, at approximately the 59th percentile (998 / 1681), indicates that this system delivers above-median performance among all tested configurations. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, where the i5-14400F is a modern processor with an 88th percentile CPU score, while the GTX 1080 Ti is an older GPU with a 61st percentile score. The combination leverages the CPU's strength while being constrained by the GPU's relative age.

The rank of 998 means there are 997 combos that perform better in Doom. These are likely systems with more powerful GPUs, such as newer generations of graphics cards that offer higher raw throughput. Conversely, there are 683 combos that perform worse, which would include systems with weaker CPUs or GPUs. The delta between the CPU's high percentile (88) and the GPU's lower percentile (61) is reflected in the middle-of-the-pack rank. If the GPU were upgraded to a more modern part, this combo's rank would likely improve substantially, as the CPU has headroom to support faster graphics cards.

Comparing to the GPU's nearest rivals provides context. The GTX 1080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 19402, with its closest competitor being the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (deltaPct -0.1), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (deltaPct -0.6). These deltas are minimal, indicating that the GTX 1080 Ti's performance is statistically similar to these older cards. The fact that the combo ranks 998th despite the GPU being clustered with much older hardware suggests that the i5-14400F's strong CPU performance is partially compensating for the GPU's age. In a game like Doom, which can be CPU-bound at lower resolutions, the processor helps maintain high frame rates even when the GPU is not the newest.

The ranking also implies that for users with this combo, the upgrade path is clear: replacing the GTX 1080 Ti would yield significant gains. The CPU is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by its high percentile and the fact that frame rates scale predictably with resolution. For users seeking to improve their Doom experience, focusing on GPU upgrades would be more effective than CPU upgrades.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is a Pascal-architecture GPU built on the 16 nm process, featuring 11 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 352-bit bus. Its memory bandwidth of 484.4 GB/s is substantial, even by modern standards, and the GPU operates at a base clock of 1481 MHz with a boost clock of 1582 MHz. The memory runs at 1376 MHz (11 Gbps effective), which contributes to the high bandwidth. With 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 88 ROPs, the GTX 1080 Ti delivers 11.34 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 139.2 GPixel/s. These specifications allow it to handle Doom's Vulkan-based rendering efficiently, as the game is known to benefit from high memory bandwidth and raw compute throughput.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 19402. Its nearest rivals are the GTX 780 (deltaPct 0), the Radeon Pro 560X (deltaPct -0.1), and the Tesla K40m (deltaPct -0.6). These deltas are negligible, meaning the GTX 1080 Ti performs on par with these much older cards in synthetic benchmarks. However, in Doom specifically, the GPU's strengths are evident. At 1080p, the GPU can push frame rates well above 150 FPS at High settings, and even at 4K, it manages near-60 FPS at High and 68.9 FPS at Medium. This performance is a direct result of the 11 GB VRAM, which is more than sufficient for Doom's textures at any resolution, and the high memory bandwidth that prevents bandwidth-related bottlenecks.

The 11 GB of VRAM is particularly relevant for 4K gaming. Doom's Ultra preset at 4K requires significant texture memory, and the 11 GB capacity ensures that the GPU does not run out of memory, which would cause stuttering. The fact that 4K Ultra drops to 43.5 FPS is not due to VRAM limitations but rather the GPU's compute throughput. The 1582 MHz boost clock provides adequate frequency headroom, but the Pascal architecture's FP32 performance is the limiting factor at 4K. The GPU's TDP of 250 W and its dual-slot cooler design contribute to sustained performance, as thermal throttling is unlikely in most cases.

The GPU's role in this combo is to provide the rendering muscle, while the CPU handles game logic. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU's limitations are exposed, with frame rates dropping below 60 FPS at High and Ultra. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU has enough headroom to deliver high frame rates, but the CPU's strong single-core performance ensures that it does not become a bottleneck. In essence, the GTX 1080 Ti is a capable GPU that, while older, still holds its own in Doom due to the game's efficient engine and the GPU's generous memory configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this combo for a 60 Hz monitor?

A: The data shows that 4K Medium delivers 68.9 FPS, which is above 60 FPS and suitable for a 60 Hz display. At 4K High, the frame rate drops to 58.9 FPS, which is slightly below 60. For a 60 Hz monitor, 4K Medium is the recommended preset.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The GTX 1080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 19402. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (deltaPct -0.1), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (deltaPct -0.6). These deltas are within one percent, indicating statistically similar performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the combo achieves 215 FPS at Low and 159.4 FPS at High. The high frame rates and the fact that the CPU ranks in the 88th percentile suggest that the CPU is not the bottleneck. The GPU provides sufficient throughput, but the system is balanced at this resolution.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1440p Ultra, the measured average FPS is 83.7. This is well above 60 FPS and provides smooth gameplay, though it is lower than the 104.2 FPS achieved at High settings.

Q: Does the GTX 1080 Ti have enough VRAM for 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, the GPU has 11 GB of GDDR5X memory, which is sufficient for Doom's 4K textures. The 4K Ultra preset achieves 43.5 FPS, indicating that VRAM is not a limiting factor; rather, the GPU's compute throughput is the constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combos in Doom?

A: This combo ranks 998th out of 1681 tested combos, placing it at approximately the 59th percentile. This indicates above-median performance, with the CPU's high percentile (88) partially compensating for the GPU's lower percentile (61).