Doom

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread Coffee Lake processor with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide adequate bandwidth for feeding a modern GPU. In synthetic workloads, the chip’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125 place it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it sits exactly in the middle of the pack. The data shows this is not a bottleneck for Doom’s frame rates at the tested settings, as the game’s engine scales primarily with GPU throughput. The nearest rivals, the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (0.2% faster), perform nearly identically, while the Intel Xeon E-2134 is 0.4% faster and the Intel Core i7-8809G is 0.6% slower. Given the 6-thread limitation, the CPU’s role here is to sustain minimum frame delivery without stuttering, and the measured FPS figures indicate it does so effectively across all resolutions. The boost clock of 4.10 GHz is crucial for single-threaded game logic, and the 65W TDP suggests thermal headroom is not a concern for sustained loads. In Doom, which was released in 2016, the CPU’s age is mitigated by the game’s efficient multi-threading, but the 50th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it is a mid-tier component by today’s standards. The benchmark results indicate that the i5-9400 provides stable frame pacing, as evidenced by the high average FPS numbers, without any data suggesting CPU-induced dips.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It houses 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1920 MHz and boosts to 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Doom’s texture-heavy environments at 4K. The GPU’s FP32 compute of 29.15 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s explain its ability to push high frame rates even at demanding settings. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4070 scores 26927 in Passmark G3D and 3854 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 81st percentile of all GPUs. This is a high-end card, though its nearest rivals show interesting parity: the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.6% faster in average score, the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A is 1.9% faster, and the RTX 4080 Mobile is 2.2% faster, while the AMD Radeon RX 5300M is 2.5% slower. The 200W TDP and dual-slot design with a single 16-pin connector make it a practical choice for most builds, and the 550W suggested PSU is modest for this performance class. For Doom, the GPU’s role is to handle the Vulkan-rendered scenes, and the measured FPS data shows it scales well from 1080p to 4K, with the biggest drops occurring at 4K Ultra where the 12 GB VRAM and bandwidth are pushed hardest.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of which preset offers the best experience across resolutions. At 1920x1080, all settings deliver well above 144 Hz, with Low at 256.4 FPS, Medium at 244.3 FPS, and High at 230.7 FPS, while Ultra still hits 189.5 FPS. For 1080p, the data shows that the High preset is the sweet spot, as it offers a 41 FPS improvement over Ultra (230.7 vs 189.5) while maintaining visual fidelity that is nearly indistinguishable from Ultra in a fast-paced FPS. At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 148.5 FPS, which is comfortably above 144 Hz, while Medium hits 179.7 FPS and Low reaches 200.7 FPS; Ultra drops to 122.3 FPS, which is below the 144 Hz threshold. The recommendation at 1440p is to use High, as it provides a 26.2 FPS advantage over Ultra (148.5 vs 122.3) without sacrificing the visual details that matter for target acquisition. At 3840x2160, the situation changes: High delivers 79.5 FPS, Medium 97.1 FPS, Low 109.8 FPS, and Ultra only 64.8 FPS. For 4K, the Medium preset is the best choice because it offers a 17.6 FPS improvement over High (97.1 vs 79.5) and sits above the 60 FPS playable threshold, whereas High is also playable but with less headroom. The Low preset at 4K yields 109.8 FPS, but the visual downgrade is unnecessary when Medium provides a playable experience. Overall, the data indicates that High is optimal for 1080p and 1440p, while Medium is the right call for 4K, balancing frame rate and image quality.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 534th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 32% of all pairings. The rank reflects the CPU’s mid-tier position (50th percentile) and the GPU’s high-tier position (81st percentile), with the GPU doing most of the heavy lifting. The data shows that this combo outperforms many others that pair weaker GPUs with stronger CPUs, but it falls short of systems with newer high-end CPUs that can better feed the RTX 4070 at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU’s 6 threads may limit frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios, but the measured FPS of 256.4 at Low suggests this is not a practical concern for Doom. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the combo’s rank improves relative to lower-resolution tests because the CPU’s limitations are less exposed. The rank of 534 out of 1681 indicates that a substantial number of combos (1147) perform worse, while 533 perform better, meaning this setup is above average but not elite. The nearest GPU rival data shows the RTX 4070 is closely matched with the RX Vega 56 and MX570 A, so combos using those GPUs with similar CPUs would likely land in the same vicinity. The practical takeaway is that this combo is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output, but at 1080p, a faster CPU would yield higher frame rates, as evidenced by the diminishing returns from High to Low settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 in Doom?

A: The data does not indicate a significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 256.4 FPS, and at 1440p High it hits 148.5 FPS, showing the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The CPU’s 50th percentile ranking suggests it is average, but Doom’s engine is well-optimized for 6-core processors.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 144 FPS?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo delivers 148.5 FPS, which is above the 144 FPS target. At 1920x1080, all settings exceed 189 FPS, so 1440p High is the highest resolution where 144 FPS is achievable.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rival, the RX Vega 56?

A: The RX Vega 56 has an average benchmark score of 37507, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 4070’s 37283. In practice, the RTX 4070 offers newer features and lower power consumption, but the raw performance delta is negligible.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the combo delivers 64.8 FPS, which is above 60 FPS but not by a large margin. The Medium preset at 4K provides 97.1 FPS, so Ultra is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-core performance compared to its multi-core?

A: The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1125, while the multi-core score is 7969. This shows a roughly 7x scaling across 6 cores, which is typical for a 6-thread chip, meaning single-threaded game logic is adequately served by the 4.10 GHz boost clock.

Q: Does the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM matter for Doom?

A: The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for Doom, which was released in 2016. The measured FPS at 4K High (79.5 FPS) suggests no VRAM limitations, as the game’s textures are well within the 12 GB capacity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 256.4 FPS, Medium 244.3 FPS, High 230.7 FPS, and Ultra 189.5 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 66.9 FPS, showing that Ultra costs a significant 26% of the Low frame rate. The 1440p results show a similar pattern with more headroom: Low hits 200.7 FPS, Medium 179.7 FPS, High 148.5 FPS, and Ultra 122.3 FPS. The step from High to Ultra at 1440p costs 26.2 FPS, which is a 17.6% reduction, making High the clear choice for 144 Hz monitors. At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop more steeply: Low achieves 109.8 FPS, Medium 97.1 FPS, High 79.5 FPS, and Ultra 64.8 FPS. The difference between Medium and High at 4K is 17.6 FPS (22.1% reduction), while the drop from High to Ultra is 14.7 FPS (18.5% reduction). The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU’s role diminishes with increasing resolution. Across all resolutions, the scaling from High to Ultra is consistent: 1080p loses 41.2 FPS, 1440p loses 26.2 FPS, and 4K loses 14.7 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s load increases faster than the CPU’s at higher settings. For 1080p, the Low setting’s 256.4 FPS suggests the CPU can push beyond 250 FPS, but the practical benefit is limited by monitor refresh rates. The Ultra preset at 1080p still delivers 189.5 FPS, which is above 144 Hz, so even the most demanding settings are playable at that resolution. At 1440p, only Low and Medium exceed 144 FPS, with High at 148.5 FPS barely making the cut, while Ultra falls to 122.3 FPS, making it suitable for 120 Hz displays. For 4K, all settings except Ultra exceed 60 FPS, with Medium providing the best balance at 97.1 FPS. The measured data confirms that this combo is best utilized at 1440p with High settings, where it achieves 148.5 FPS, or at 4K with Medium settings, where it hits 97.1 FPS, offering a smooth experience in both scenarios.