Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers exceptional performance in Doom, a 2016 FPS title that scales impressively across resolutions and presets. This combination places in the top quarter of all tested configurations, with frame rates that range from playable at 4K Ultra to exceptionally high at 1080p Low. The data indicates a system that is heavily GPU-bound at lower resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures high minimums even when the graphics card is saturated.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 3840x2160 (4K), the High preset delivers an average of 81 FPS, which is a solid baseline for smooth gameplay. However, the Medium preset offers a more compelling balance, averaging 96 FPS with a recorded minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. This 15 FPS improvement over High comes at a minimal visual cost, making Medium the recommended choice for 4K displays seeking a higher refresh rate without dropping to Low.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the data favors the High preset, which achieves an average of 149 FPS. This is a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate 144Hz monitors, providing a substantial margin above the refresh threshold. The Ultra preset still manages a very respectable 122 FPS average, but the drop from High is noticeable. For competitive play, dropping to Medium yields 177 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss outweighs the benefit for most users. Low at 203 FPS is only advisable for esports-level competitive scenarios where every frame matters.

For 1920x1080 (1080p), the system is clearly CPU-limited at lower presets. The High preset averages 231 FPS, which is already beyond the refresh rate of most mainstream monitors. The Ultra preset averages 189 FPS, still excellent, but High provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 273 FPS and Low at 314 FPS are technically superior for frame-rate purists, but the difference between 231 and 273 FPS is imperceptible on a 240Hz display and completely invisible on a 144Hz panel. Therefore, High is the recommended preset for 1080p, with Ultra as a viable option for those prioritizing image quality over raw speed.

The overall pattern suggests that the Medium preset is the most versatile across all resolutions, as it consistently offers the best compromise between frame rate and visual fidelity. The data shows that dropping from High to Medium yields an average gain of approximately 15-18% across resolutions, while the jump from Medium to Low provides diminishing returns in playability.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for Doom at any tested setting, as the game's textures and geometry are easily accommodated. The 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s, which explains the strong scaling from 1080p to 4K.

The GPU’s clock behavior is critical to understanding the results. The base clock is 1660 MHz, the game clock is 2400 MHz, and the boost clock reaches 2970 MHz. In Doom, the sustained performance suggests the card operates near its game clock in most scenarios, with the boost clock achievable under lower thermal loads. The FP32 throughput of 48.66 TFLOPS is a significant asset, as Doom's Vulkan renderer can utilize raw compute power efficiently.

Comparing the GPU’s synthetic benchmark scores to its in-game performance reveals an interesting discrepancy. The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is 55, and its average benchmark score of 13543 places it near rivals like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which are vastly older and less capable cards. This suggests that the PassMark G3D score of 26795 is not representative of modern gaming performance, as Doom clearly benefits from the RDNA 4.0 architecture's features. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 7260 is a more reliable indicator of gaming capability, and the in-game results confirm that the RX 9070 XT is a high-end performer.

The GPU’s 304 W TDP and PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensure it has adequate power delivery and bandwidth. The 2x 8-pin power connectors and suggested 700 W PSU are standard for this class. The dual-slot cooler is capable of managing thermals during extended sessions, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across repeated runs.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination ranks 895th out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 24% of all configurations. This is a strong result, though not elite, indicating that there are many systems with faster GPUs or more optimized pairings. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's strong single-thread performance and the GPU's high throughput.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 49394 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.3% faster) and AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (0.8% faster). This narrow margin suggests the i5-14600KF is not a bottleneck in most games, including Doom. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 13543 is less impressive relative to its peers, but this is misleading given the synthetic benchmark's age bias. In practice, the combo’s ranking in Doom is likely limited by the GPU at 4K and by the CPU at 1080p, with the sweet spot being 1440p.

The deltaPct values for the CPU’s nearest rivals are all within 1% of the i5-14600KF, confirming that no CPU in this class will significantly alter the frame rates in Doom. The GPU’s nearest rivals, however, are dramatically older cards with similar average scores, underscoring that the RX 9070 XT’s synthetic benchmarks do not reflect its actual gaming performance. This rank is therefore more meaningful when interpreted through the lens of real-world FPS rather than raw benchmark scores.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset improves this to 81 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 96 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. The Low preset tops out at 110 FPS average. The progression from Ultra to Low yields a 67% increase in frame rate, demonstrating the GPU’s scaling behavior.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 122 FPS, which is a solid high-refresh experience. The High preset jumps to 149 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 177 FPS with a minimum of 150 FPS and a maximum of 203 FPS. The Low preset delivers 203 FPS average. The gap between Medium and Low is 26 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at lower settings. The minimum FPS for Medium is 150, which is above the 144Hz threshold, making it a safe choice for most monitors.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 189 FPS, while the High preset increases this to 231 FPS. The Medium preset averages 273 FPS with a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS. The Low preset reaches 314 FPS average. The scaling from Ultra to Medium is 44%, but from Medium to Low it is only 15%, suggesting the CPU is becoming the limiting factor at lower presets. The minimum FPS for Medium is 232, which is still exceptionally high.

Notably, the Medium preset at each resolution is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, providing a reliable estimate of frame time consistency. For example, at 4K Medium, the range from 81 to 110 FPS indicates a 26% variance, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Medium, the range from 232 to 314 FPS shows a 26% variance as well, but the absolute numbers are so high that any variance is imperceptible.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Doom?*

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with High settings provides the best balance, averaging 149 FPS. This is above the 144Hz refresh rate threshold and offers high visual fidelity. 4K is also viable with Medium settings at 96 FPS, while 1080p is overkill at any setting.

*Q: How does the RX 9070 XT perform in Doom compared to its synthetic benchmarks?*

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 13543 places it near much older cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (0.1% faster), but in Doom it delivers 81 FPS at 4K High. This indicates that synthetic scores do not capture the RDNA 4.0 architecture's efficiency in modern Vulkan-based games.

*Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600KF a bottleneck in Doom?*

A: At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 314, while at 1080p Ultra it is 189. The CPU’s single-thread score of 4594 in Cinebench R23 is strong, but the data suggests that at lower settings, the CPU limits the frame rate. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Medium and High settings?

A: At 4K, Medium averages 96 FPS versus 81 FPS for High, a 15 FPS difference. At 1440p, Medium averages 177 FPS versus 149 FPS for High, a 28 FPS difference. At 1080p, Medium averages 273 FPS versus 231 FPS for High, a 42 FPS difference.

Q: Can this combo handle high-refresh-rate 4K gaming?

A: No. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 66 FPS, and the High preset averages 81 FPS. Only the Low preset at 110 FPS exceeds 100 FPS, but this sacrifices visual quality. For 4K 120Hz displays, Medium at 96 FPS is the closest match.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 895th out of 3712 total combos, placing it in the top 24%. This is a strong result, but not the top tier, indicating that other combinations with faster GPUs can achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF plays a crucial role in ensuring the GPU can perform to its potential, particularly at lower resolutions. 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 high boost clock is essential for Doom, which relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and draw calls. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594 confirms this strength, placing the CPU in the 90th percentile of all processors.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy is also well-suited for gaming. It has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This large L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is critical for maintaining high minimum frame rates. The memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, on a dual-channel bus, provides flexibility, though the data does not specify which memory type was used in testing.

The CPU’s benchmark scores show that it is not a bottleneck in most scenarios. The Geekbench multicore score of 17085 and Passmark multithread score of 38697 are strong, but the single-thread scores are what matter for Doom. The Passmark single-thread score of 4273 is in line with the Cinebench results. The nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, are all within 0.4% of the i5-14600KF’s average score, indicating that no CPU in this class will meaningfully change the frame rates.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at 1080p, where the frame rates exceed 300 FPS at Low settings. At this level, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU has ample headroom. The data shows that dropping from Medium to Low only increases FPS by 15%, suggesting the CPU is reaching its limits. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU takes over as the primary bottleneck, and the CPU’s performance is more than sufficient. The 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier allow for overclocking, which could provide marginal gains in CPU-limited scenarios, but the stock performance is already excellent.