Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a dominant performance profile in Doom, characterized by exceptionally high frame rates that scale predictably with resolution. The data indicates this combination is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance ensures no bottleneck at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent drop as resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a GPU-limited scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 295 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces this to 191 FPS, a decline of approximately 35%. At 4K, the average further drops to 104 FPS, which is roughly 45% lower than the 1440p result. This progressive decline indicates that the rendering load is scaling directly with pixel count, a hallmark of GPU-bound performance.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 401 FPS, while 1440p Low yields 260 FPS, and 4K Low produces 141 FPS. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is about 65%, which is substantial but still shows playable performance at every resolution. The fact that even the Low preset at 4K maintains over 140 FPS suggests the RTX 4080’s raw throughput is immense, but the increasing gap between presets at higher resolutions points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor.

The data suggests that the limiting component shifts based on resolution and settings. At 1080p, where frame rates exceed 400 FPS on Low, the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU becomes more relevant, though the i5-14600K’s 5.30 GHz boost clock and 20 threads prevent it from becoming a significant constraint. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 85 FPS, a 79% reduction from 1080p Low, which clearly demonstrates that the GPU’s shading and memory bandwidth are the primary determinants of performance at higher resolutions. The RTX 4080’s 716.8 GB/s memory bandwidth and 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 throughput are the specs that matter most here, as the workload becomes increasingly pixel-heavy.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. In Doom, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw call submission, which are typically single-threaded or lightly threaded tasks. The benchmark results for this CPU show a Geekbench single-core score of 2491 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, indicating strong per-core performance that is well-suited for this engine.

Given the high frame rates observed, the CPU is not the bottleneck in most configurations. At 1080p Low, the 401 FPS average suggests the CPU can process frames quickly enough to keep the GPU fed, but the i5-14600K’s 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms it is a top-tier performer. The nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4345P, has an average benchmark score only 0.3% higher, while the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 0.2% lower, showing the i5-14600K is competitively positioned.

However, the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are less critical here. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and Passmark multithread score of 38682 are strong, but Doom’s engine does not scale linearly with core count. The data shows that at 1440p and 4K, the FPS differences between presets are more pronounced, which implies the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, but the game’s performance is primarily dictated by the graphics card once resolution increases.

The CPU’s role becomes more evident when considering the minimum FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the min FPS is 297, while the max is 402, showing a range that could indicate occasional CPU-side stutters. At 1440p Medium, the min FPS is 192, and at 4K Medium, it is 104. These minimums track closely with the averages, suggesting the CPU is not introducing unpredictable frame time spikes. The i5-14600K’s boost clock of 5.30 GHz is likely the key factor in maintaining consistent frame delivery, as higher clocks reduce frame-to-frame variance in CPU-bound scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and the measured FPS data reflects its capabilities. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. With a boost clock of 2505 MHz and 9728 shading units, the RTX 4080 delivers 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. These specs directly correlate with the observed frame rates, as higher resolutions and settings require more memory throughput and shading power.

At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 85 FPS, which is a demanding workload that stresses the GPU’s compute units and memory subsystem. The 16 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game at 4K, as Doom’s textures and geometry fit comfortably within that allocation. The GPU’s 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are not directly relevant to Doom, as the game does not use ray tracing or DLSS, but they indicate the hardware is future-proof. The Passmark G3D score of 34457 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6567 place the RTX 4080 in the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with the nearest rival being the RTX 4080 SUPER at just 0.1% higher.

The GPU’s role is best illustrated by the scaling from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p High, the 295 FPS average is likely limited by the CPU’s frame submission rate, as the GPU has ample headroom. At 1440p High, the 191 FPS shows the GPU starting to work harder, and at 4K High, the 104 FPS indicates the GPU is nearing its limits for this title. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is 19 FPS (104 vs 85), which is a 18% drop, further confirming that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher settings.

The VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in any measured configuration. Even at 4K Ultra, the 16 GB allocation is not exhausted, so the GPU’s core clock and memory bandwidth are the decisive specs. The 1400 MHz memory clock (22.4 Gbps effective) combined with the 256-bit bus yields the 716.8 GB/s bandwidth, which is sufficient for the texture streaming demands of Doom at high resolutions. The data shows that the GPU’s performance scales linearly with resolution, confirming that it is the bottleneck at 1440p and 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 215th out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 5.8% of all configurations. This is a strong result, but it is not the absolute top, which indicates that there are faster combos, likely featuring higher-end CPUs or GPUs. The rank of 215 suggests that while this pairing is excellent, it is not the ultimate setup for maximizing FPS in this title.

The combo’s ranking is consistent with the individual component performance. The CPU’s 90th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 86th percentile ranking both contribute to a high overall position. However, the combo rank of 215 out of 3712 means there are 214 other combinations that achieve higher average FPS, likely with more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 or faster CPUs. The data shows that the RTX 4080’s nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is only 0.1% faster in average benchmark scores, so the performance difference is minimal.

In practical terms, this combo is in the upper echelon of performance. The 4K Ultra average of 85 FPS is well above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, and the 1080p Low average of 401 FPS is exceptionally high. The rank of 215 reflects that this combo can handle Doom at maximum settings with high frame rates, but it is not the top performer because some combos with more powerful components achieve even higher FPS. The deltaPct values for the CPU rivals are all within 1%, meaning the i5-14600K is not a significant differentiator in this ranking; the GPU is the more influential component.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Doom?

A: The highest average FPS is 401, measured at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is the combo capable of 4K gaming at high frame rates?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 104, and with Ultra settings, it drops to 85, both of which are above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-threaded performance affect the results?

A: The i5-14600K has a Geekbench single-core score of 2491 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, which ensures that CPU-bound scenarios at 1080p do not bottleneck the GPU, as evidenced by the 401 FPS average on Low settings.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and how does it impact 4K performance?

A: The RTX 4080 has a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, which is sufficient for 4K textures, as shown by the 104 FPS average at 4K High and 85 FPS at 4K Ultra.

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

A: The combo ranks 215th out of 3712 tested combos, putting it in the top 5.8% of all configurations tested for Doom.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings: 297 at 1080p, 192 at 1440p, and 104 at 4K. Other presets do not have recorded minimum FPS values.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset provides 295 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors, so higher settings like Ultra at 241 FPS are still excellent. The Low preset at 401 FPS is unnecessary unless aiming for the absolute highest frame rates for competitive play, but the difference between Low and High is significant.

At 1440p, the High preset yields 191 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or 165Hz). The Ultra preset at 156 FPS is also suitable for 144Hz displays, and the visual quality increase is worth the 35 FPS cost. The Medium preset at 226 FPS is a good middle ground, but High offers a better balance of quality and speed.

At 4K, the High preset at 104 FPS is the best choice for a smooth experience on a 120Hz display, while the Ultra preset at 85 FPS is still playable but may not fully utilize a 120Hz panel. The Medium preset at 123 FPS is the best option for maximizing frame rate at 4K without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. The Low preset at 141 FPS is not recommended, as the visual downgrade is substantial for a marginal FPS gain over Medium.

In summary, the data supports using High settings at 1080p and 1440p, as they provide a strong balance between visual quality and frame rate. At 4K, High is the recommended preset for most users, as it delivers over 100 FPS while maintaining good visuals. For users with 120Hz or higher displays, the Medium preset at 4K is the optimal choice to fully leverage the monitor’s refresh rate.