Doom

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT lands at rank 1102 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This places the combination in the lower-middle tier of the database, meaning roughly 65% of all tested system pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this title. The ranking reflects a significant bottleneck dynamic: the GPU is capable of far higher output, but the six-core CPU from 2018 constrains performance in a game that scales well with stronger processors.

Benchmark results show this combo sits at the 50th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks at the 63rd percentile among all graphics cards. That 13-point gap between component percentiles is the first clue that the processor is the limiting factor. The data confirms this pattern: at 1080p Low, the system hits 200.3 FPS, but at 4K Ultra it drops to 42.3 FPS — a range that suggests the GPU is being held back at lower resolutions where the CPU's six threads become the ceiling.

Compared to other tested combos, this pairing performs respectably for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it falls behind at higher settings where the GPU's workload increases. The combo rank of 1102 indicates that while this system can handle Doom smoothly at most settings, it does not compete with top-tier pairings that feature newer, higher-thread-count processors.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 or the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT the bottleneck in Doom?

A: The CPU is the primary bottleneck. The i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost of 4.10 GHz, while the RX 7600 XT features 2048 shading units and a boost clock of 2755 MHz. The CPU's 50th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 63rd percentile, combined with the FPS scaling pattern, indicates the processor limits performance.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS ranges from 120.2 on Ultra settings to 200.3 on Low settings. High settings deliver 147.8 FPS and Medium produces 173.5 FPS, making all presets playable at this resolution.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7600 XT's average benchmark score is 20146, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 460 (20088) and 1.9% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER (19774). It trails the RX 7600 by 0.6% (20258) and the RTX 3070 Mobile by 1.9% (20534).

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM on the RX 7600 XT help in Doom?

A: The 16 GB GDDR6 memory with a 128-bit bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth provides ample capacity for Doom's textures and effects. However, the measured FPS drops from 147.8 at 1080p High to 94.5 at 1440p High and 52.3 at 4K High, showing that memory bandwidth and GPU compute, not VRAM capacity, are the limiting factors at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the CPU's synthetic performance relative to its rivals?

A: The i5-9400's average benchmark score is 2305. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300) and Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299), and 0.4% faster than the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295). It trails the Intel Core i7-8809G by 0.6% (2319).

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K in Doom?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest measured average FPS is 68.7 on Low settings. Medium produces 58.5 FPS, High drops to 52.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 42.3 FPS. Only the Low preset exceeds the 60 FPS threshold at 4K.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic CPU-bound to GPU-bound transition. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 147.8 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 94.5 FPS (a 36% reduction); at 4K High, it falls to 52.3 FPS (a further 45% reduction). This steep decline across resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as pixel count rises, but the absolute values at 1080p suggest the CPU is capping performance.

At 1080p Low, the system reaches 200.3 FPS — a figure that approaches the practical limit for a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake generation. When resolution increases to 1440p Low, FPS drops to 130.9, and at 4K Low it falls to 68.7. The fact that even at 4K Low the GPU cannot push beyond 68.7 FPS, while the same GPU paired with a stronger CPU would likely exceed 100 FPS, confirms the processor constraint.

The scaling pattern across settings tells the same story. At 1080p, the gap between Low (200.3 FPS) and Ultra (120.2 FPS) is 80.1 FPS, or 40%. At 4K, the gap between Low (68.7 FPS) and Ultra (42.3 FPS) is 26.4 FPS, or 38%. The consistent percentage drop indicates that the GPU's workload scales predictably with settings, but the absolute FPS ceiling at lower resolutions is set by the CPU.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce 200.3 FPS average, Medium yields 173.5 FPS, High achieves 147.8 FPS, and Ultra manages 120.2 FPS. All four presets clear the 120 FPS threshold, making 1080p gaming smooth on any display up to 144Hz.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but drops noticeably. Low settings average 130.9 FPS, Medium delivers 111.3 FPS, High produces 94.5 FPS, and Ultra falls to 78.1 FPS. The 1440p results show that High and Ultra still provide excellent playability, while Low and Medium exceed the 100 FPS mark.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 68.7 FPS, Medium achieves 58.5 FPS, High produces 52.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 42.3 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K reaches the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while all other settings require adaptive sync or a lower refresh rate display.

The measured data shows a consistent pattern: each resolution tier costs roughly 35-45% performance from the previous tier. The 1080p to 1440p transition at High settings reduces FPS from 147.8 to 94.5, and the 1440p to 4K transition at High settings reduces it from 94.5 to 52.3. This scaling is typical for a GPU with 2048 shading units and a 128-bit memory bus.

# GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT features 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, with a base clock of 1980 MHz, game clock of 2470 MHz, and boost clock of 2755 MHz. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory operates at 2250 MHz with an effective 18 Gbps rate, delivering 288.0 GB/s bandwidth across a 128-bit bus.

In Doom, the GPU's performance is characterized by its 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 20146. The nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 460, scores 20088 (0.3% lower), while the RX 7600 scores 20258 (0.6% higher). The RTX 2060 SUPER trails by 1.9% with 19774, and the RTX 3070 Mobile leads by 1.9% with 20534.

The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (42.3 FPS) versus 4K Low (68.7 FPS) shows a 26.4 FPS range, which is modest compared to the 1080p range of 80.1 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions indicates the GPU's compute capacity — 22.57 TFLOPS FP32 and 45.14 TFLOPS FP16 — is sufficient for Doom's engine but not excessive. The 176.3 GPixel/s pixel rate and 352.6 GTexel/s texture rate align with the observed 4K performance.

The GPU's 16 GB VRAM is never a limiting factor in Doom, as the game's texture requirements are well below this capacity. Instead, the 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and the 128-bit bus width determine how quickly the GPU can feed its 2048 shading units, which becomes more critical at 4K where pixel throughput demands increase.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides 6 cores and 6 threads with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It features 64 KB L1 cache per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3 cache, with a dual-channel DDR4 memory interface providing 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The CPU's 65 W TDP and Coffee Lake architecture are from the 14 nm process node.

Synthetic benchmarks show the i5-9400 at the 50th percentile among all CPUs, with an average score of 2305. Its Cinebench R23 scores are 7969 multi-core and 1125 single-core, while R20 produces 3346 multi-core and 472 single-core. These numbers place it in the middle of the pack, with nearest rivals like the Core i3-10305 (2300) and Core i7-8809G (2319) within a 0.6% band.

In Doom, the CPU's six threads without hyperthreading create a significant constraint. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 200.3 FPS, but this is likely near the CPU's maximum frame generation capability. The game's engine benefits from higher thread counts, and the i5-9400's lack of SMT means it cannot feed the GPU fast enough at lower resolutions where the GPU is underutilized.

The 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth is another limiting factor, as Doom's data streaming requirements can saturate this figure during intense combat sequences. The CPU's 9 MB L3 cache helps mitigate some memory latency, but the overall architecture from 2018 is clearly outmatched by the RX 7600 XT's modern RDNA 3.0 design.

# Settings Recommendations

For 1080p displays, the High preset at 147.8 FPS delivers the best balance of visual quality and performance. Ultra at 120.2 FPS is also excellent, but the 27.6 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual gains in a fast-paced FPS. Low at 200.3 FPS is only useful for competitive play where maximum frame rates matter more than visuals.

At 1440p, the High preset at 94.5 FPS is the recommended choice for most players. Medium at 111.3 FPS offers a smoother experience if you prioritize frame rate over fidelity, while Ultra at 78.1 FPS remains playable but approaches the lower threshold for competitive gaming. Low at 130.9 FPS is a viable option for esports-style play.

For 4K, the Low preset at 68.7 FPS is the only setting that achieves a consistent 60 FPS experience. Medium at 58.5 FPS is borderline, and High at 52.3 FPS or Ultra at 42.3 FPS will require adaptive sync to feel smooth. If 4K is your target, the data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for less demanding titles or lower settings.

The optimal configuration for this combo is 1440p High, which delivers 94.5 FPS while maintaining good visual fidelity. This setting leverages the GPU's 63rd percentile performance without exposing the CPU's 50th percentile limitation too severely. For players with 1080p monitors, High at 147.8 FPS provides a near-ideal experience that balances quality and speed.