Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT delivers a very strong showing in Doom, a 2016 FPS release. The data measured for this combo places it at rank 1396 out of 3712 tested combinations, which puts it comfortably in the upper half of all systems tested. Performance is high enough that the experience is defined by the display resolution and settings used, with the GPU becoming the primary constraint as pixel count increases. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the roles of each component, and how this specific pairing responds to the game’s demands.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 194 FPS at 1080p to 126 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 68 FPS at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial hit but still leaves the game playable at all three resolutions.

The scaling behavior reveals that the system is not CPU-bound at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 264 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate that suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently. The fact that the frame rate drops to 93 FPS at 4K with Low settings indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-limited scenario.

Looking at the Medium settings data, which includes min and max FPS, provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 230 FPS with a minimum of 196 FPS and maximum of 265 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 149 FPS with a minimum of 127 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS and maximum of 93 FPS. The consistency of the frame times, as indicated by the min FPS values, holds up well even at 4K, with the minimum only about 15% below the average.

The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper than the drop from 1080p to 1440p. For High settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p costs 68 FPS (from 194 to 126), while moving from 1440p to 4K costs 58 FPS (from 126 to 68). This suggests that the RX 7700 XT's memory bandwidth and raw compute power are being taxed heavily at 4K, but the card still manages to maintain acceptable performance for a fast-paced shooter.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the dominant component in this pairing for Doom, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is sufficient for Doom, as the game is not particularly demanding on VRAM capacity, but the bandwidth becomes relevant when pushing 4K resolutions.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 1435 MHz, a game clock of 2171 MHz, and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. These clocks are relatively high, and the boost behavior shows that the card can sustain significant performance under load. The 96 ROPs and 216 TMUs contribute to the fill rate and texture processing capabilities, which are relevant for Doom's fast-paced rendering.

The RX 7700 XT's overall benchmark standing provides context for its gaming performance. It holds a percentile of 67 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22549. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which scores 22895 and is 1.5% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700, which scores 22170 and is 1.7% behind. This places the card in a competitive mid-range tier, and the Doom results reflect that positioning.

At 1080p, the GPU is not the primary bottleneck, as evidenced by the 264 FPS Low setting result. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 56 FPS, indicating that the card's compute capability is being fully utilized. The 4K Ultra result is the only setting where the average dips below 60 FPS, suggesting that users targeting 4K should stick to High settings or lower to maintain a smooth experience.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Doom at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 4K with High settings, the combo averages 68 FPS, and at Medium settings it averages 81 FPS. Only at Ultra settings does it dip below 60 FPS, with an average of 56 FPS.

Q: How does the performance scale between 1080p and 1440p?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 194 at 1080p to 126 at 1440p, a 35% reduction. At Low settings, it drops from 264 to 171, a 35% reduction as well.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 1440p with High settings, the average is 126 FPS, which is below 144 FPS. However, at 1080p with High settings, the average is 194 FPS, which exceeds 144 FPS. For 144Hz, 1080p is the safer choice with this combo.

Q: Does the RX 7700 XT's 12 GB VRAM become a limitation in Doom?

A: The available data shows no indication of VRAM limitation. The GPU maintains strong performance across all tested settings, and the 12 GB capacity appears sufficient for Doom's requirements.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems for Doom?

A: This combo ranks 1396 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the top 38% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low settings average 264 FPS while Ultra settings average 159 FPS. This represents a 40% performance decrease for the highest visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo produces very high frame rates across the board. Low settings yield an average of 264 FPS, Medium settings average 230 FPS with a minimum of 196 and maximum of 265, High settings average 194 FPS, and Ultra settings average 159 FPS. This resolution is clearly GPU-unconstrained, as even the highest settings produce well over 150 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected scaling. Low settings average 171 FPS, Medium settings average 149 FPS with a minimum of 127 and maximum of 171, High settings average 126 FPS, and Ultra settings average 103 FPS. All settings at 1440p remain above 100 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings average 93 FPS, Medium settings average 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93, High settings average 68 FPS, and Ultra settings average 56 FPS. The step from Medium to High at 4K costs 13 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs 12 FPS. This indicates that the visual quality settings have a significant impact on performance at 4K.

The Medium settings data is the most complete, as it includes both minimum and maximum FPS values. At all three resolutions, the minimum FPS stays within a reasonable range of the average. At 1080p, the minimum is 196 FPS versus an average of 230 FPS. At 1440p, the minimum is 127 FPS versus an average of 149 FPS. At 4K, the minimum is 69 FPS versus an average of 81 FPS. This consistency suggests stable frame pacing without significant hitches.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global ranking of tested combos for Doom, this configuration sits at position 1396 out of 3712 total combinations. This places it in the 62nd percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 62% of other combinations in this game. The ranking is a measure of overall capability, factoring in both CPU and GPU contributions.

The CPU's individual standing helps contextualize its contribution. The Intel Core i5-14600K holds a percentile of 90 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks are the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at 48698 (0.2% ahead), the AMD EPYC 4345P at 48470 (0.3% behind), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 at 48995 (0.8% ahead). This indicates the CPU is performing at a high level relative to other processors.

The GPU's individual standing is more modest. The RX 7700 XT holds a percentile of 67 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22549. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile at 22435 (0.5% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile at 22729 (0.8% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 at 22895 (1.5% ahead). This shows the GPU is competitive with mid-range options but not a top-tier performer.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile (90) and the GPU's lower percentile (67) explains why the combo ranks in the 62nd percentile overall for Doom. The GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions. However, the strong CPU ensures that at lower resolutions, the system can achieve very high frame rates without CPU bottlenecks.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K plays a supporting role in Doom, but it is a crucial one. This CPU features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The architecture is Raptor Lake on Intel's 10 nm process, with a 24 MB shared L3 cache. This configuration provides ample single-thread performance, which is important for Doom's engine.

The CPU's benchmark results confirm its strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 24491 in multicore and 2064 in single-core. Geekbench scores are 16673 for multicore and 2491 for single-core. Passmark multithread score is 38682, with a single-thread score of 4270. These numbers place the CPU in the 90th percentile among all processors.

In Doom, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the scaling from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p Low, the system produces 264 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that many CPUs would struggle to feed. The fact that this combo achieves this suggests the 14600K's single-thread performance is more than sufficient for Doom's demands. When the resolution increases to 4K, the frame rate drops significantly, indicating that the GPU is now the limiting factor.

The CPU's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is likely a key factor in its strong gaming performance. Doom benefits from high single-thread performance, and the 14600K delivers this in abundance. The 14 cores and 20 threads also ensure that background tasks do not interfere with game performance, as the CPU has plenty of resources to handle both.

For this specific game, the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution or setting. The data shows that frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited system. The 14600K provides enough headroom that even at 1080p with Low settings, the system can exceed 260 FPS, which confirms its capability in this title.