Doom

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT delivers a remarkably fluid experience in Doom, with the data showing that even the most demanding preset remains playable across all tested resolutions. The measured results indicate that the Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 54.9 FPS. For users prioritizing a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 70.3 FPS, while the Medium preset offers a strong middle ground at 80.3 FPS. At 1440p and 1080p, the Ultra preset provides an exceptional experience, with average frame rates of 100.7 FPS and 159.7 FPS respectively, making it the clear recommendation for high-refresh-rate displays without requiring any compromise in visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running on a 14 nm process node. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, and it features a shared 9 MB L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125, placing it at the 50th percentile among all tested CPUs. This mid-pack standing in general compute tasks is reflected in its gaming performance, where the data suggests the processor is sufficient to keep the GPU well-fed in Doom.

The relationship between the CPU's core configuration and the game's results is telling. With only six threads, the i5-9400 does not offer the high multi-threaded throughput of modern 8-core or 16-thread processors, yet the frame rates achieved here are exceptionally high. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 256.2 FPS, indicating that the CPU can handle the game's engine demands without becoming the primary bottleneck. The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R20 single-core score of 472, appears to be a more critical factor for Doom, as the game's id Tech engine is known for scaling well with strong per-core performance. The data implies that while the CPU is not a top-tier performer in absolute terms, its clock speed and architecture are well-matched to the demands of this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the clear performance driver in this pairing. Built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process, it packs 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock reaches 2544 MHz, and it offers 35.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power. The GPU sits at the 73rd percentile among all tested graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 30097. This places it in a competitive position, as its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, has a nearly identical average score of 30109, a delta of 0%.

The GPU's role in Doom is evident in the FPS scaling across settings. Moving from Low to Ultra at any given resolution shows a significant performance drop, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. For instance, at 1440p, the average FPS falls from 170 on Low to 100.7 on Ultra, a clear indication that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting. The 12 GB VRAM capacity appears more than adequate for this game, as even at 4K Ultra, there is no indication of memory-related stuttering or frame drops, with the average FPS holding at 54.9. The GPU's high pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s are likely key contributors to maintaining high frame rates in this fast-paced title.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 743rd out of 1681 combos for Doom. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, which is a strong result considering the age of the CPU. The rank suggests that while there are many faster combinations, this pairing significantly outperforms a large portion of the tested hardware.

The ranking is particularly noteworthy when considering the CPU's position relative to its own rivals. The i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2305 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i3-10305, which scores 2300, a delta of only 0.2%. Yet, the gaming performance here is far from entry-level, with even 4K High settings achieving 70.3 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining the final rank, and the CPU's 50th percentile standing does not hold the system back in this specific title. The data suggests that for Doom, the GPU's raw compute power is more consequential than the CPU's synthetic benchmark position, allowing this combo to achieve a rank that belies the processor's modest overall standing.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-limited scaling pattern. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 190.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 127.6 FPS, a 33% decrease. The jump to 4K High results in 70.3 FPS, a further 45% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases is a hallmark of a system where the graphics card's pixel-pushing capabilities are the limiting factor, rather than the CPU.

The scaling is even more pronounced at the Ultra preset. The system goes from 159.7 FPS at 1080p, to 100.7 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 54.9 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is substantial, suggesting that the RX 7700 XT's 192-bit memory bus and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are being pushed to their limits at the higher pixel count. Conversely, the relatively modest drop from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU still has ample headroom at lower resolutions. This pattern confirms that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration; the GPU is the component that dictates the performance ceiling as resolution scales, a conclusion supported by the fact that the i5-9400 is capable of pushing frame rates well above 200 at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS experience at 4K resolution?

A: The High preset is the recommended choice for 4K, as it delivers an average of 70.3 FPS. The Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 54.9 FPS.

Q: How does this combo perform at 1080p for high-refresh-rate gaming?

A: The system is exceptionally capable at 1080p, with the Ultra preset achieving an average of 159.7 FPS. The Medium and High presets reach 232 FPS and 190.8 FPS, respectively.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The FPS drops significantly from 1080p to 4K, while the CPU still manages to push high frame rates at lower settings, such as 256.2 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: In average benchmark scores, the RX 7700 XT scores 30097, which is essentially tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, which scores 30109, showing a delta of 0%.

*Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination for Doom?*

A: This pairing ranks 743rd out of 1681 tested combos in the database for Doom, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all systems.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p with the Ultra preset?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Ultra is 100.7, with no minimum FPS data provided for this configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for every resolution and settings combination tested.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

|:-----------|:---------|------------:|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 256.2 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 232 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 190.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 159.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 170 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 149.1 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 127.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 100.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 93.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 80.3 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 70.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 54.9 |

The data reveals a consistent hierarchy: lowering settings from Ultra to Low yields significant performance gains at every resolution. At 1080p, the jump from Ultra to Low is an increase of 96.5 FPS, while at 4K, the same settings change results in a gain of 38.4 FPS. This suggests that the GPU has substantial headroom at lower settings, even at 4K, where the Low preset still manages to exceed 90 FPS.