Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 presents a profound bottleneck scenario in Doom. The benchmark data shows a system where the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor, dragging down an otherwise high-performing CPU. Across all measured resolutions and settings, the frame rates are dictated by the GTX 1650's capabilities, with the i5-14600K's substantial processing power left largely untapped. This combination ranks 3585th out of 3712 tested combos in this game, placing it in the bottom 5% of all systems, a direct consequence of the stark performance disparity between the two components.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and revealing. At 1080p Low, the system produces 92 FPS. This falls to 59 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 32 FPS at 4K Low. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. As the resolution increases, the rendering load on the GTX 1650 grows exponentially, while the CPU's workload remains relatively static. The data confirms this, as the i5-14600K is more than capable of feeding frames at any resolution, but the GPU simply cannot keep pace.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the system drops from 68 FPS at 1080p to 44 FPS at 1440p and then to 24 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 35%, and from 1440p to 4K it is another 45%. This non-linear drop is typical of a GPU that is being overwhelmed by pixel count. The GTX 1650's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 128-bit memory bus are also contributing factors, as higher resolutions demand more memory bandwidth and capacity, which this card lacks.

The fact that the frame rate scales so predictably with resolution, regardless of the quality preset, is the strongest indicator that the GPU is the sole bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a much smaller performance gap between 1080p and 4K, as the CPU's workload would remain constant while the GPU's increased. Instead, the data shows a pure GPU scaling curve, meaning the i5-14600K is effectively idling, waiting for the GTX 1650 to finish its work. This makes the combination fundamentally unbalanced for this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best performance I can expect from this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 92 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that approaches the 100 FPS mark, indicating that the GTX 1650 is the limiting factor even at the lowest resolution.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. At 2560x1440, the average frame rate ranges from 36 FPS at Ultra settings to 59 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset yields 52 FPS, which is playable, but the system is clearly struggling to maintain high refresh rates.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: No. The data shows all 4K results are below 32 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate is 24 FPS on High, 28 FPS on Medium, and only 19 FPS on Ultra. This is not a playable experience for a fast-paced FPS like Doom.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score is 7472. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A310, scores 7550, which is 1% higher. Other close competitors include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M, which is 0.3% slower, and the Intel UHD Graphics 750, which is 0.4% slower. This shows the 1650 is positioned in a very tight performance cluster.

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

A: The performance cost is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 92 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS. This is a 40% performance penalty for the highest visual quality, which may not be worth it on this hardware.

Q: Does the CPU's performance have any bearing on the in-game results?

A: The CPU's benchmark scores are excellent, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. However, the measured FPS data indicates that the GTX 1650 is the bottleneck, so the CPU's power is not being fully utilized in this specific game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a high-end desktop processor with 14 cores and 20 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, which can boost up to 5.30 GHz, and it has a 24 MB shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it performs exceptionally well, scoring 24491 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2064 in single-core. Its average benchmark score of 48618 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, it is essentially tied, with a -0.2% delta against the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and a +0.3% delta against the AMD EPYC 4345P.

However, these impressive CPU metrics have little to no impact on the Doom frame rates in this combination. The data shows a consistent GPU bottleneck. For example, at 1080p Medium, the system produces 80 FPS. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see frame rates vary more significantly between resolutions. Instead, the frame rate drops proportionally with resolution, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation. The i5-14600K is capable of processing game logic and draw calls far faster than the GTX 1650 can render them.

The CPU's high single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 2064 Cinebench R23 score, is relevant for game physics and AI, but in this case, it is not the constraint. The 14 cores and 20 threads are also more than sufficient for modern games. This configuration is a textbook example of a mismatch where a top-tier CPU is paired with an entry-level GPU, resulting in the CPU's potential being completely wasted in a graphically intensive title like Doom. The game is not CPU-bound here, and the i5-14600K is effectively waiting for the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. The Low preset yields an average of 92 FPS. Medium drops to 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92. High settings produce 68 FPS, and Ultra brings the average down to 55 FPS. This shows a clear linear progression of performance cost as visual fidelity increases.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are significantly lower. The Low preset averages 59 FPS. Medium averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60. High settings drop to 44 FPS, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS. The system is still playable at Medium and Low, but the 60 FPS target is only marginally hit at Low settings.

At 3840x2160, the experience deteriorates further. The Low preset averages 32 FPS. Medium averages 28 FPS, with a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 32. High settings average 24 FPS, and Ultra drops to 19 FPS. These numbers are all below the 30 FPS threshold generally considered the minimum for playability, and far from the 60 FPS ideal for a fast-paced FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the GTX 1650 is the limiting factor. The gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution is roughly proportional. At 1080p, the difference is 37 FPS (92 to 55). At 1440p, the difference is 23 FPS (59 to 36). At 4K, the difference is 13 FPS (32 to 19). This shows that the GPU's raw compute power is the bottleneck, not the CPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is an entry-level graphics card based on the Turing architecture. It has 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. Its base clock is 1485 MHz, boosting to 1665 MHz. It is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its calculated FP32 performance is 2.984 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GTX 1650 scores 7880 in Passmark G3D and 305 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its average benchmark score is 7472, placing it in the 40th percentile of all GPUs. The benchmark results show it is closely matched with its nearest rivals, including the Intel Arc A310 (1% faster) and the AMD Radeon R7 350 (0.6% slower). This confirms its position as a low-end part.

The GPU's role in Doom is the primary determinant of performance. The 4 GB VRAM is a likely constraint at higher resolutions and settings, but the core compute power is the main bottleneck. The data shows that the card simply cannot render the game fast enough to keep up with the CPU. The 24 FPS average at 4K High and the 55 FPS at 1080p Ultra are direct results of the GPU's limited pixel and texture fill rates. The card's 53.28 GPixel/s pixel rate and 93.24 GTexel/s texture rate are insufficient for high-resolution, high-detail gaming.

The GTX 1650's performance in this game is predictable based on its hardware specifications. Its 128.1 GB/s memory bandwidth becomes a severe limitation at 1440p and above, where the amount of data being transferred per frame increases significantly. This is why we see such a dramatic frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K. The GPU is not just compute-bound but also memory-bandwidth-bound, making it a poor match for a game like Doom at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance. It achieves an average of 80 FPS, which is a solid playable experience, and it is only 12 FPS slower than the Low preset. The jump from Medium to High costs 12 FPS (80 to 68), which may be acceptable for some, but the Medium preset provides a smoother experience.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only setting that delivers a near-60 FPS experience, averaging 59 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 52 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably less smooth. For players who prefer a higher resolution, the Low preset is the recommended choice to maintain a consistent frame rate. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not recommended, as they fall to 44 FPS and 36 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, no settings are recommended for a competitive or smooth experience. The highest average FPS is 32 at Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Low preset is the only viable option for 4K, but even then, the experience is not ideal. Players should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or 1080p for a better experience.

For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the sweet spot. It provides a high frame rate (80 FPS) while maintaining a reasonable level of visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended due to the 45% performance hit compared to Medium, which is not a good trade for the marginal visual improvement on this hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3585th out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the bottom 3.4% of all systems tested, a very poor showing. This low ranking is entirely attributable to the GTX 1650, which is a severe bottleneck for the i5-14600K. The CPU is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 40th percentile, creating a massive imbalance.

The combo's rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's performance ceiling. While the CPU could easily support a much more powerful graphics card, the GTX 1650 limits the entire system to frame rates that are typical of much lower-end hardware. The data suggests that this pairing is fundamentally flawed for Doom, as the CPU's potential is completely wasted. The system performs as if it were built with a much weaker processor, because the GPU is the sole determinant of the final frame rate.

In the context of the benchmark database, this combo serves as a cautionary example of how a high-end CPU cannot compensate for an entry-level GPU in a graphics-intensive game. The 4K and 1440p results are particularly poor, showing that the system is only suitable for 1080p gaming at medium-to-low settings. The rank of 3585 out of 3712 is a clear indicator that users should expect a subpar experience in Doom with this hardware configuration, and that the GPU should be upgraded to realize the CPU's potential.