Doom

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600KF + AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination rank in Doom?

A: This combo ranks 2883 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database for this title. The ranking reflects a pairing where the CPU is a top-tier performer (90th percentile among all CPUs) but the GPU sits at the 63rd percentile, creating a significant imbalance.

Q: What is the best 1080p experience this combo can deliver in Doom?

A: The highest average FPS at 1920x1080 is 176 FPS on Low settings. For a more visually demanding experience, High settings still deliver 129 FPS, while Ultra drops to 106 FPS. The Medium preset provides 153 FPS with a recorded minimum of 130 FPS.

Q: Can this hardware handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: At 3840x2160, the combo achieves playable results only at Low settings (62 FPS average). Medium settings yield 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, High drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37 FPS. For consistent 60+ FPS at 4K, only Low settings qualify.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-14600KF scores 32544 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, placing it 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (48995 avg benchmark score) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228 avg). It trails the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 by 0.8% (49796 avg).

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration, and does it limit performance?

A: The Radeon RX 6600 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 1080p and 1440p, this proves sufficient for Doom's engine, but the 4K results show the GPU's compute limits (8.928 TFLOPS FP32) rather than memory capacity being the primary constraint.

Q: Is there a settings preset that balances visual quality and frame rate?

A: At 1080p, High settings (129 FPS) offer a 21.7% improvement over Ultra (106 FPS) while maintaining better visual fidelity than Medium (153 FPS). At 1440p, High (84 FPS) is the only preset that stays above 80 FPS while offering more than Low's visual features.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 6600 sits at rank 2883 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, which translates to approximately the 22nd percentile of all tested hardware pairings. This positioning is noteworthy because the individual components show a stark contrast in their relative standing. The CPU ranks in the 90th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 63rd percentile among all graphics cards.

This rank disparity explains the combo's overall position. In a game like Doom, which is known for its efficient id Tech engine, the GPU typically becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The benchmark data supports this interpretation: at 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 176 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what the graphics card can render at higher quality settings.

Compared to other tested combos, this pairing is neither a high-end showcase nor a budget compromise. The 2883rd rank out of 3712 places it in the lower third, but the actual FPS numbers tell a more nuanced story. At 1080p High settings, this combo achieves 129 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The ranking reflects that many other combinations in the database deliver higher frame rates, particularly those with more powerful GPUs paired with mid-range CPUs.

The delta between this combo's CPU and GPU percentiles (90th vs 63rd) suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield a more substantial improvement in Doom than upgrading the processor. The data indicates the CPU has significant headroom, as evidenced by the 176 FPS result at 1080p Low, which is likely CPU-limited rather than GPU-limited.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF brings 14 cores and 20 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This Raptor Lake-R architecture processor, built on Intel's 10 nm process, demonstrates exceptional single-threaded capability with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594 and a multi-core score of 32544.

In Doom, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the frame rates at lower resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo achieves 176 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capacity in this game. The 14-core configuration with 20 threads provides ample parallel processing for the game's engine, which scales well with multi-core processors.

The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache contribute to low-latency data access, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in fast-paced FPS titles. The boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that single-threaded workloads, which are still prevalent in game logic and physics calculations, receive maximum performance when needed.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600KF holds its own. It scores 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 in average benchmark score (49394 vs 49228) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49196). The 125 W TDP suggests that thermal management is manageable, though the 10 nm process node may not be as power-efficient as the 7 nm alternatives.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo for most settings. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU is most likely to be the limiting factor, the combo still produces 176 FPS, which is well above what most displays can show. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking among all processors reinforces that this is a high-end component that can support future GPU upgrades.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides 12 measured configurations across three resolutions and four quality presets. Starting at 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce 176 FPS average, while Medium achieves 153 FPS with a minimum of 130 FPS and maximum of 176 FPS. High settings yield 129 FPS, and Ultra drops to 106 FPS. The scaling from High to Ultra represents a 17.8% reduction in frame rate, while the jump from Medium to Low is a 15.0% increase.

At 2560x1440, the results show a clear step down. Low settings deliver 114 FPS, Medium achieves 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS and maximum of 114 FPS, High produces 84 FPS, and Ultra falls to 68 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at High settings represents a 34.9% drop (129 to 84 FPS), which is consistent with the increased pixel count of 77.8% (2,073,600 to 3,686,400 pixels).

The 3840x2160 results reveal the GPU's limitations more starkly. Low settings produce 62 FPS, Medium achieves 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS and maximum of 62 FPS, High drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings maintain a 60+ FPS average. The medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS suggests occasional dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which could be noticeable in fast-paced gameplay.

Comparing the resolution scaling, the combo loses 64.8% of its 1080p Low performance when moving to 4K Low (176 to 62 FPS). At High settings, the loss is 65.1% (129 to 45 FPS), and at Ultra, it's 65.1% (106 to 37 FPS). This consistent percentage loss across settings indicates a resolution-driven bottleneck rather than a settings-driven one.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600, based on the Navi 23 chip with RDNA 2.0 architecture, provides 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. Its boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz deliver 8.928 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance, with a texture rate of 279.0 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s.

The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Doom, this memory configuration is sufficient for the game's texture requirements at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest the GPU's compute capability, not memory bandwidth, is the limiting factor. The 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the mid-range tier, which aligns with the measured performance.

The GPU's 28 ray tracing cores are present but do not directly impact Doom's performance, as the game was released in 2016 and does not utilize hardware ray tracing. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) ensures compatibility with modern APIs, and the Vulkan 1.4 support is particularly relevant for Doom's Vulkan rendering path.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the RX 6600 shows a tight grouping. It scores 19036 in average benchmark score, which is 0.0% different from the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030), 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049), and 0.4% above the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation (18954). This indicates that the RX 6600 sits in a competitive performance band with these other graphics cards.

The GPU's 132 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU requirement are modest, reflecting its mid-range positioning. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU's memory demands, as evidenced by the measured FPS results.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, High settings (129 FPS) offer the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 17.8% FPS reduction from High to Ultra (129 to 106 FPS) is a significant cost for the visual improvements Ultra provides, while Medium (153 FPS) sacrifices noticeable visual fidelity for a 18.6% FPS gain over High.

For 2560x1440, High settings (84 FPS) are the recommended choice for most users. This preset maintains a frame rate above 80 FPS, which is smooth for a fast-paced FPS, while providing better visual detail than Medium (99 FPS) or Low (114 FPS). Ultra at 68 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive in intense combat scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation is more constrained. Low settings (62 FPS) are the only preset that achieves a 60+ FPS average, making it the default choice for 4K gaming. Medium (54 FPS) provides better visuals but with a 12.9% FPS reduction and a minimum of 46 FPS, which could result in noticeable stuttering during heavy action sequences. High (45 FPS) and Ultra (37 FPS) are below the 60 FPS threshold and are not recommended for competitive play.

The data suggests that the Medium preset at each resolution provides the most consistent minimum FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 130 FPS; at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 84 FPS; and at 4K Medium, the minimum is 46 FPS. These minimums are closer to the averages than at other settings, indicating more stable frame delivery.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops by 34.9% at High settings (129 to 84 FPS), by 35.2% at Low settings (176 to 114 FPS), by 35.3% at Medium settings (153 to 99 FPS), and by 35.8% at Ultra settings (106 to 68 FPS). This consistent ~35% reduction aligns with the 77.8% increase in pixel count, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at both resolutions.

Moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, the FPS drops are more severe. High settings fall from 84 to 45 FPS, a 46.4% reduction; Low settings fall from 114 to 62 FPS, a 45.6% reduction; Medium settings fall from 99 to 54 FPS, a 45.5% reduction; and Ultra settings fall from 68 to 37 FPS, a 45.6% reduction. The pixel count increase from 1440p to 4K is 125%, yet the FPS reduction is only ~46%, suggesting that the GPU's rendering efficiency improves at higher resolutions due to reduced CPU overhead.

The overall scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a 64.8% FPS reduction at Low settings (176 to 62 FPS), 65.1% at High settings (129 to 45 FPS), 64.7% at Medium settings (153 to 54 FPS), and 65.1% at Ultra settings (106 to 37 FPS). This remarkably consistent ~65% reduction across all settings strongly indicates a GPU-bound scenario, where the RX 6600's compute and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors.

The CPU's role in this scaling becomes evident when examining the FPS deltas. At 1080p Low, the 176 FPS result likely approaches the CPU's maximum frame delivery rate, as the GPU has less work per frame. As resolution increases, the GPU takes longer to render each frame, allowing the CPU to stay ahead and not become a bottleneck. This explains why the percentage FPS drops are so consistent across settings, despite the different workloads each preset imposes.