Doom

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti combination delivers playable performance in Doom only at 1080p with adjusted settings, ranking near the very bottom of all tested combos. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, with the 4K results being unplayable across all settings. This pairing represents a legacy, low-end configuration where the core i5-9400’s six cores provide adequate processing power, but the GTX 1050 Ti’s 4 GB VRAM and 112.1 GB/s bandwidth become the definitive bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 1658 out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 1.4% of all systems. This indicates that while the game is playable at low resolutions, the hardware is severely outclassed by the vast majority of other configurations tested.

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 14.6 FPS on Ultra to 25.7 FPS on Low. All of these figures are far below the 30 FPS threshold generally considered the minimum for playable performance, making the game effectively unplayable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best performance the combo can achieve in this game?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 76.3 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only setting configuration that breaks the 70 FPS mark, though the Medium preset also achieves a respectable 65.7 FPS at the same resolution.

Q: How does the GTX 1050 Ti compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 5316, which is statistically identical to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce 930A, which scores 5317 with a deltaPct of 0. It sits 0.4% ahead of the GeForce 940M and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 240, but is 0.8% behind the AMD Radeon R7 M445.

Q: How is the CPU performance relative to its nearest competitors?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305. This puts it 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10305 and the Intel Core i3-1125G4, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2134, but it is 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-8809G. These are all very close scores, indicating a tightly grouped performance class.

Q: Does the CPU’s single-core performance have an impact on Doom’s frame rates?

A: The i5-9400’s single-core Cinebench R23 score is 1125, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. While Doom is an FPS that benefits from strong single-thread performance, the measured data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions above 1080p, so the CPU’s single-core strength is not the primary constraint on frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The data positions this configuration at rank 1658 out of 1681 tested combos, which is a decisive verdict on its standing. This is not a mid-pack result; the i5-9400 and GTX 1050 Ti are near the very bottom of the performance hierarchy for Doom. This ranking is consistent with the component-level benchmarks, where the GPU sits in the 30th percentile of all GPUs and the CPU is in the 50th percentile of all CPUs. The combination of a mid-range CPU from 2018 with an entry-level GPU from 2016 results in a system that is fundamentally limited by its graphics card. While the CPU’s 50th percentile ranking shows it is an average performer among all processors, the GPU’s 30th percentile ranking drags the entire system down. This is a classic case of a balanced but low-end pairing where neither component is powerful enough to push the game into high-performance territory. The rank suggests that in a database of 1681 systems, only 23 other configurations performed worse, making this one of the least capable setups for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the system produces 57 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the frame rate drops to 36 FPS, a decrease of 36.8%. When pushing to 4K at High settings, the average falls to 18.2 FPS, which is a 68.1% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is the signature of a GPU that is overwhelmed by the pixel count. The frame rate loss from 1080p to 1440p is significant, but the collapse at 4K is catastrophic, confirming that the GTX 1050 Ti lacks the raw pixel throughput and memory bandwidth for high-resolution rendering. The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the system goes from 76.3 FPS at 1080p to 48.9 FPS at 1440p and finally to 25.7 FPS at 4K. The consistent ratio of performance loss points directly to the GPU as the limiting component, as the CPU’s workload does not scale with resolution in the same way. The data indicates that this system is only viable for 1080p gaming; anything higher requires a substantial reduction in quality to approach playability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured results provide a clear picture of what to expect. At 1920x1080, the system performs best. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 76.3 FPS, which is smooth. The Medium preset delivers 65.7 FPS, a good result for a more visually appealing experience. High settings yield 57 FPS, which is still playable, but Ultra drops to 42.7 FPS, showing a significant performance hit for the highest quality options. Moving to 2560x1440, the strain becomes apparent. Low settings produce 48.9 FPS, which is acceptable but not optimal. Medium drops to 39.8 FPS, High to 36 FPS, and Ultra falls to 29.8 FPS. None of these 1440p results are ideal for fast-paced action, and the Ultra setting is borderline unplayable. At 3840x2160, the system is not viable. The best result is 25.7 FPS on Low, followed by 24.1 FPS on Medium. High settings manage 18.2 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 14.6 FPS. These figures are all well below the threshold for a responsive gaming experience. The data shows a clear hierarchy: the system is only truly comfortable at 1080p, with the Medium and High presets offering the best balance of visual quality and frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the defining component in this configuration. With 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, it offers a bandwidth of 112.1 GB/s. These specifications are modest by modern standards and directly explain the performance caps seen in the data. The GPU’s 30th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 5316, confirms its entry-level status. Its closest rivals are the GeForce 930A and 940M, which are similarly low-powered parts. The 768 shading units and 32 ROPs, combined with a boost clock of 1392 MHz, provide a peak pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s. These figures are insufficient for the demands of 1440p and 4K rendering in Doom. The VRAM capacity is also a factor; while 4 GB is often enough for 1080p, it can become a limiting factor at higher resolutions with larger textures. The data shows that the GPU is the sole bottleneck at resolutions above 1080p, as the frame rate drops are entirely consistent with the GPU’s inability to process the increased pixel load.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This setting achieves an average of 65.7 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, while providing a better visual experience than the Low preset. The High preset at 57 FPS is also a viable option for those who prioritize image quality over a higher frame rate buffer. However, the Ultra preset at 42.7 FPS is not recommended, as the performance drop is substantial and may cause noticeable stuttering in intense combat scenes. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only configuration that approaches playability, with 48.9 FPS, but even this is a compromise. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 40 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. For 4K, there are no viable settings; even the Low preset at 25.7 FPS is too slow. Therefore, the clear recommendation is to play at 1080p with Medium or High settings, as this is the only resolution where the hardware provides a consistent and enjoyable experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides a solid foundation for this gaming system. With 6 cores and 6 threads, it offers a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 7969, and its single-core score is 1125, placing it in the 50th percentile of all CPUs. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 2305 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i3-10305 and the Intel Core i3-1125G4, showing it is a competent mid-range processor. In the context of Doom, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic. The data suggests that the i5-9400 is more than capable of handling this task, as the frame rates are limited by the GPU at all resolutions. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 76.3 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s limit for this engine, but the GPU is still the primary constraint. The CPU’s 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide sufficient bandwidth for gaming workloads. The conclusion from the data is that the i5-9400 is not a bottleneck in this pairing. Its performance is adequate, and upgrading the GPU would yield a greater performance increase than upgrading the CPU, as the current graphics card is the definitive limiting factor.