Doom

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 pairing produces exceptional results in Doom, a 2016 FPS title. The data shows this combo delivers extremely high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the CPU providing a strong foundation while the GPU dominates the rendering workload. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and offers practical settings advice based strictly on the benchmark data.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, featuring a 24 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core. This CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus, and its 125 W TDP classifies it as a mainstream desktop part.

In synthetic benchmarks, this processor demonstrates strong multi-threaded and single-threaded capability. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 32544, while the single-core score reaches 4594. Geekbench results show 17085 multi-core and 2445 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 38697, with a single-thread score of 4273. These figures place the CPU in the 90th percentile against all processors, indicating top-tier performance for gaming workloads.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600KF holds its ground. It sits 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G in average benchmark score. It also edges out the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 by 0.8%, while trailing the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 by 0.8%. These small deltas suggest that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this system, especially for a game like Doom which is known for efficient multi-threading.

For Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The high single-core performance is critical here, as the game’s engine benefits from strong per-core throughput. The measured FPS data shows that at lower resolutions like 1920x1080, the CPU must work harder to keep up with the GPU, yet the system still achieves 446 FPS on Low settings. This indicates the 5.30 GHz boost clock is effectively utilized, and the 14 cores provide ample headroom for background tasks without impacting frame delivery.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the flagship GPU in this test, built on Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It packs 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2017 MHz and boosts to 2407 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). Its massive 92,200 million transistor count and 750 mm² die size make it an absolute powerhouse.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 5090 posts a Geekbench Vulkan score of 376728 and an OpenCL score of 334370. The PassMark G3D score is 39650, with a compute score of 26756. These numbers place it in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (0.3% behind), the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (0.6% behind), and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.1% behind). The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X trails by 1.4%, showing the RTX 5090’s dominance.

The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Doom, even at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance ensures that pixel and texture throughput is never a limiting factor. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the system still averages 96 FPS, which is remarkable for a game from 2016. The 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth allows the GPU to stream textures quickly, preventing stutter even in fast-paced scenes.

The RTX 5090’s role in this combo is to push maximum frame rates. At 1920x1080 Low, it achieves 446 FPS, which is far beyond any display refresh rate. The GPU is clearly the dominant component in this pairing, with the CPU providing just enough support to avoid creating a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in terms of smooth gameplay?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 with High settings, the system averages 216 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 3840x2160 High, it drops to 117 FPS, still smooth but less extreme. For the highest frame rates, 1920x1080 Low yields 446 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49394, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49228) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49196). It also leads the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 by 0.8%.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and why does it matter for Doom?

A: The RTX 5090 features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. This large capacity ensures that even at 4K Ultra settings, the game never runs out of VRAM, allowing for consistent frame delivery without texture pop-in.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 significantly faster than its nearest rival?

A: The data shows the RTX 5090's average benchmark score is 79842, which is only 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79605) and 0.6% ahead of the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79396). The performance difference is marginal.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 396 FPS at 1920x1080 Medium, with a minimum of 336 FPS and a maximum of 455 FPS. This indicates very stable performance even during intense action sequences.

Q: How does the combo rank overall among tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 61st out of 3712 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the top 2% of all configurations. This demonstrates exceptional performance relative to other CPU-GPU pairings.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average is 446 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 396 FPS, with a minimum of 336 FPS and a maximum of 455 FPS. High settings produce 334 FPS, while Ultra drops to 273 FPS. These numbers show that even at 1080p Ultra, the system maintains frame rates well above 240 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains exceptionally high. Low settings yield an average of 294 FPS. Medium settings average 256 FPS, with a minimum of 218 FPS and a maximum of 295 FPS. High settings produce 216 FPS, and Ultra drops to 177 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 40% reduction in frame rate, which is expected as more GPU resources are dedicated to visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers playable frame rates. Low settings average 159 FPS. Medium settings average 139 FPS, with a minimum of 118 FPS and a maximum of 160 FPS. High settings produce 117 FPS, while Ultra drops to 96 FPS. This represents the most demanding scenario, yet the system never falls below 96 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even at 4K with maximum settings.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference is 173 FPS (446 vs 273), while at 4K, it narrows to 63 FPS (159 vs 96). This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, while at lower resolutions, the CPU plays a more significant role.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 61st out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the top 1.6% of all configurations, a remarkable achievement given the large number of possible CPU-GPU pairings. The high rank indicates that this combination is particularly well-suited for this game, with neither component holding back the other.

The rank is driven by the GPU’s raw power, as the RTX 5090 is among the top-performing graphics cards available. The CPU’s 90th percentile ranking ensures that it can keep up with the GPU’s demands, especially at lower resolutions where CPU overhead is more significant. The 61st position suggests that only a handful of combos, likely featuring even higher-end CPUs or overclocked variants, can outperform this setup.

Given the game’s release in 2016, it’s notable that this modern hardware still ranks so highly. The data indicates that Doom scales well with both CPU and GPU improvements, and this combo maximizes that scaling. The combination of a strong single-core CPU and a GPU with massive memory bandwidth proves to be an effective pairing for this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080 users with a 240 Hz monitor, High settings (334 FPS) provide a fantastic balance of visual quality and performance, while Ultra (273 FPS) still exceeds the refresh rate. For those with a 360 Hz display, Medium (396 FPS) is the recommended choice, as it offers higher frame rates with only a minor visual downgrade.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts based on display capability. For a 165 Hz monitor, Ultra settings (177 FPS) are ideal, providing maximum visual fidelity while staying above the refresh rate. For a 240 Hz display, High settings (216 FPS) are the best option, as they maintain high frame rates without sacrificing too much quality. Medium (256 FPS) is suitable for competitive play where every frame counts.

At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. For a 120 Hz display, High settings (117 FPS) are nearly perfect, delivering smooth gameplay with excellent visuals. Ultra (96 FPS) is also viable, but the 21 FPS drop from High may not be worth the marginal visual improvement. For those with a 144 Hz 4K monitor, Medium (139 FPS) is the only setting that can keep up, though Low (159 FPS) provides a safety margin.

The data shows that Medium settings consistently offer the best frame time consistency, with recorded minimums that are closer to the averages. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 118 FPS versus an average of 139 FPS, a 15% drop. At High and Ultra, no minimums were recorded, which may indicate less stable frame pacing. For the most consistent experience, Medium settings are recommended, especially at higher resolutions where GPU load is greatest.