Doom

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a dominant performance in Doom, with the data showing a clear GPU-bound progression as resolution increases. The transition from 1080p to 1440p yields a substantial performance hit, while the jump to 4K further emphasizes the graphics card’s role as the primary bottleneck. This combination ranks in the top 38% of all tested configurations, proving it is a formidable setup for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable and steep scaling curve across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 168.7 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Ultra drops the average to 110.1 FPS, a reduction of 58.6 frames. The most dramatic shift occurs at 4K (3840x2160) with Ultra settings, where the average falls to 59.1 FPS. This represents a 49.6% performance loss from the 1440p figure and a 64.9% loss from the 1080p result.

This scaling pattern strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT becomes the limiting component at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings, suggesting the CPU has ample headroom. The Core i7-12700K’s 12 cores and 20 threads, along with its 5.00 GHz boost clock, are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions. However, as pixel count increases, the GPU’s workload expands, and the data shows that the RX 7800 XT’s capabilities are the deciding factor in final output.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings also widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (282.3 FPS) and Ultra (168.7 FPS) is 113.6 FPS. At 4K, this delta shrinks to 39.3 FPS (98.4 FPS on Low vs 59.1 FPS on Ultra). This compression of the settings gap at 4K further confirms that the GPU is saturated, as even reducing graphical fidelity cannot fully compensate for the raw pixel throughput required.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting the highest refresh rates at 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 243.8 FPS while still providing a significant visual upgrade over Low. The High preset at 207.8 FPS is also excellent for 1440p high-refresh monitors. At 2560x1440, the High setting achieves 134.4 FPS, which is ideal for smooth gameplay on 144Hz displays. Pushing to Ultra at this resolution yields 110.1 FPS, still playable but with diminishing returns for the performance cost.

At 4K, the data suggests that the High preset is the optimal choice for a smooth experience. The measured 72.7 FPS average is above the 60 FPS threshold for standard displays and provides a much better visual experience than the Medium (83.9 FPS) or Low (98.4 FPS) presets. The Ultra preset at 4K, averaging 59.1 FPS, is borderline, and the data indicates that the High preset is the sweet spot for maintaining fluidity while maximizing visual quality. The drop from High to Ultra at 4K is 13.6 FPS, a 18.7% performance penalty for what is typically a modest visual gain.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 637 out of 1681 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the 62nd percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms a majority of the systems tested. While not a top-tier enthusiast setup, this ranking confirms that the i7-12700K and RX 7800 XT form a highly capable pairing for this game.

The ranking is consistent with the measured performance data, which shows the combo delivering high frame rates at mainstream resolutions. The GPU’s 76th percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggest a well-matched pair. The CPU’s strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1043, ensures it does not hold back the GPU in most scenarios, while the GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth provide ample resources for high-resolution textures.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset for this combo in Doom is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 282.3 FPS
• Medium: 243.8 FPS
• High: 207.8 FPS
• Ultra: 168.7 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 181.3 FPS
• Medium: 157.4 FPS
• High: 134.4 FPS
• Ultra: 110.1 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 98.4 FPS
• Medium: 83.9 FPS
• High: 72.7 FPS
• Ultra: 59.1 FPS

These numbers show a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions, with Low being the fastest and Ultra the slowest. The relative performance gaps between presets remain similar across resolutions, though the absolute frame rates drop substantially as pixel count increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 67.3%, while at 4K, it is 66.6%. This consistency indicates that the GPU’s scaling with settings is uniform regardless of resolution, further supporting the conclusion that it is the primary performance limiter.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K a bottleneck for the RX 7800 XT in Doom?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck at any tested resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 282.3 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 59.1 FPS, showing that the GPU is the limiting factor as resolution increases.

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

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo delivers 134.4 FPS, which is close to but not quite 144. For a solid 144 FPS experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset at 243.8 FPS or High preset at 207.8 FPS are the reliable options.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 59.1 FPS, while High averages 72.7 FPS. This is a 13.6 FPS difference, making High the recommended preset for maintaining a stable frame rate above 60 FPS.

Q: Does this combo rank well among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 637th out of 1681 tested configurations, placing it in the top 38% of all combinations for Doom.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between presets?

A: The largest absolute gap is at 1080p, where the Low preset (282.3 FPS) is 113.6 FPS faster than the Ultra preset (168.7 FPS). The relative gap remains similar across resolutions.

Q: Is the RX 7800 XT’s 16 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K in this game?

A: The measured data shows playable frame rates at 4K, with the High preset achieving 72.7 FPS. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for the game’s demands at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It features a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 25 MB shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29241 and a single-core score of 4128. The processor’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it is a high-performing part.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is to supply the GPU with data quickly. The data shows that at 1080p, the combo can exceed 280 FPS on Low settings, which indicates the CPU is not a limiting factor. Even at the highest settings, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures that it can keep up with the GPU’s demands. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2065 and 4-thread score of 4011 highlight its responsiveness in lightly-threaded workloads, which is typical for game engines. The processor’s performance relative to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (0.3% slower) and the Intel Core i7-13700T (0.6% faster), shows it remains competitive in its class.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip. It features 3840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2430 MHz, with a game clock of 2124 MHz. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory operates on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU’s compute power is rated at 37.32 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

The GPU’s 76th percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in the Doom results. The data clearly shows that the RX 7800 XT is the primary driver of performance, with frame rates scaling directly with resolution. The GPU’s texture rate of 583.2 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 233.3 GPixel/s are sufficient for the game’s demands, but the 4K Ultra result of 59.1 FPS shows its limits at the highest fidelity and resolution. The GPU’s 96 ROPs are a key factor in fill-rate-limited scenarios, which explains the significant drop from 1080p to 4K. The consistent performance scaling across settings indicates that the GPU’s architecture handles the game’s rendering efficiently, but the raw pixel throughput at 4K is its primary challenge.