Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 215th out of 3,712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 5.8% of all configurations analyzed for this title. This is a strong showing that reflects the pairing of a high-end GPU with a capable 14th Gen CPU, though the ranking also indicates that a substantial number of faster setups exist, likely employing even more powerful graphics cards. The data positions this combo as a high-performance option that should handle the game’s demands with considerable headroom, but it is not at the absolute pinnacle of the benchmark charts.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the context of all tested combinations, this pairing of the Core i5-14600KF and the RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 215 out of 3,712. This percentile placement is excellent, placing the system well ahead of the vast majority of other configurations tested in Doom. The ranking suggests that this particular CPU-GPU pairing is well-balanced for this game, delivering a level of performance that is competitive with much more expensive builds.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 49,394 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rivals being the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (scoring 49,228, a 0.3% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (scoring 49,196, a 0.4% difference). This indicates the i5-14600KF is at the top of its class for general processing power, providing a solid foundation for gaming. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 54,247 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (scoring 54,209, a 0.1% difference). This shows the RTX 4080 is a top-tier graphics card, and the combo's final rank of 215 reflects the synergy between these two high-performing components.

The high rank is further supported by the measured frame rates, which consistently exceed 100 FPS even at the most demanding settings and resolution. This indicates that the system is not bottlenecked in a way that would hinder its overall standing, and the data confirms that it is a top-tier performer for Doom.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the primary driver of the high frame rates observed in Doom. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides a substantial 716.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for the game’s textures and assets at any resolution. The GPU’s boost clock of 2505 MHz and a base clock of 2205 MHz allow it to process the game’s geometry and effects with high efficiency.

The card’s architecture, Ada Lovelace, with 9,728 shading units, is well-suited for the Doom engine, which is known for its scalability and performance. The benchmark results show that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with settings changes. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is a drop from 401 FPS to 241 FPS, a 40% reduction, which is a significant but expected cost for higher visual fidelity. This shows the GPU has ample compute power to handle the game’s demands, but the frame rate is ultimately limited by the graphics settings and the CPU's ability to feed it at lower resolutions.

The GPU’s performance relative to its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is nearly identical, with a negligible 0.1% difference in average benchmark scores. This means that in Doom, the RTX 4080 delivers essentially the same gaming experience as its more recent counterpart, making it a powerful choice for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend in how the system’s performance scales with resolution. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 295 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces this to 191 FPS, a 35% drop. At 4K, the frame rate falls to 104 FPS, which is a further 46% reduction from the 1440p result and a 65% drop from the 1080p result.

This scaling pattern is typical for a system where the GPU becomes an increasingly significant bottleneck as the resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as it must prepare more frames per second than the GPU can render, leading to a situation where the frame rate is capped by the processor's capabilities. The jump from 295 FPS at 1080p to 191 FPS at 1440p is a substantial reduction, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take on more work. The further drop to 104 FPS at 4K confirms that the RTX 4080 is working near its limits at this resolution, and the game is now clearly GPU-bound.

This analysis is supported by the data at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 401 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it drops to 260 FPS, and at 4K Low, it is 141 FPS. The performance gap between resolutions narrows at lower settings, which suggests that the CPU's influence on the final frame rate diminishes as the GPU's workload increases. The system is most balanced at 1440p, where the frame rates are still very high, but the GPU is being utilized effectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 401, with a minimum of 297 and a maximum of 402. Medium settings see the average drop to 350 FPS (min 297, max 402). High settings produce 295 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 241 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance is still exceptional. Low settings average 260 FPS, while Medium settings average 226 FPS (min 192, max 260). High settings deliver 191 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 156 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution, even with maximum settings.

At 3840x2160, the game becomes more demanding. Low settings average 141 FPS, Medium settings average 123 FPS (min 104, max 141), and High settings produce 104 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 85 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming is very playable, but achieving the highest refresh rates will require turning down some settings.

The min and max FPS data for Medium settings across all resolutions shows a tight range, indicating consistent frame pacing. For example, at 4K Medium, the minimum FPS is 104 and the maximum is 141, which is a variance of 37 FPS. This consistency is a sign of a stable and well-optimized system.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF plays a crucial role in ensuring the GPU is well-fed, particularly at lower resolutions. With 14 cores and 20 threads, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, this processor provides ample single-threaded performance for game logic and physics. Its performance in Cinebench R23, with a multi-core score of 32,544 and a single-core score of 4,594, demonstrates its strength in handling both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.

In Doom, the CPU’s influence is most apparent at 1080p, where the frame rates are extremely high. The data shows that the system can reach 401 FPS at Low settings, which is a clear indication that the CPU is capable of processing the game’s instructions at a very high rate. The 90th percentile ranking for the CPU reinforces that it is a top-tier performer, and its nearest rivals are all within a 1% performance delta, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245.

The CPU’s 24 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory contribute to its ability to handle data quickly, which is essential for maintaining high frame rates. However, the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the performance drop from 1080p to 4K is primarily attributed to the GPU’s rendering workload. The system is well-balanced, with the CPU providing enough headroom to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4080 until the GPU is fully saturated.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice for a premium visual experience. At 1440p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 156 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1080p, it achieves 241 FPS, providing an incredibly smooth experience.

For 4K gaming, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, delivering an average of 104 FPS. This is a solid frame rate for 4K and should provide a smooth experience on most displays. While the Ultra preset at 4K produces a playable 85 FPS, the visual difference between High and Ultra in this title is often less pronounced than the performance cost, making High the more practical choice.

For players with 240Hz or higher refresh rate monitors at 1440p, the Medium preset, with an average of 226 FPS, is a strong option to maximize the display's potential. At 1080p, even the High preset at 295 FPS is sufficient for most high-refresh-rate displays, and the Low preset at 401 FPS is only necessary for the most extreme competitive scenarios. The data indicates that the system is powerful enough to handle any settings at 1080p and 1440p, and the choice comes down to a preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate. At 4K, the High preset is the recommended starting point, with adjustments made based on whether the user prioritizes higher FPS or maximum detail.