Doom

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a study in contrasts for Doom: a modern, high-core-count CPU from 2021 driving a 2016-era GPU, with benchmark results showing exactly where each component matters. This combo ranks 1407th out of 1681 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the lower-middle tier overall, but the FPS data reveals that the experience is highly resolution-dependent. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent playability across all settings, while at 4K, it struggles to maintain smooth frame rates. The GTX 1070’s 8 GB of VRAM and Pascal architecture are the limiting factors at higher resolutions, but the i7-12700K’s strong single-thread performance ensures that lower resolutions remain highly fluid.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Doom at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?*

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 94.6, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This is the highest quality preset tested at this resolution and remains playable.

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Doom?*

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot. At this resolution, High settings yield 77.7 FPS, and even Ultra settings produce 63.4 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining respectable frame rates.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1070’s average benchmark score is 12331. It is 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K4200, 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M, and 1.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER. Its percentile ranking is 51, meaning it sits near the middle of all tested GPUs.

Q: Is the i7-12700K a bottleneck for the GTX 1070 in this game?

A: Based on the FPS data, the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 157.8 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU effectively. At higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor as frame rates drop significantly.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: The jump from Low to Ultra settings costs 63.2 FPS. Low settings average 157.8 FPS, while Ultra drops to 94.6 FPS. The mid-range presets fall in between: Medium averages 139.3 FPS and High averages 114.7 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to the nearest rival?

A: The i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35684. It is 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (score 35802) and 0.7% behind the Intel Core i5-14500HX (score 35940). It is 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13700T and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13800H.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1700 platform. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with 25 MB of shared L3 cache. In Doom, a fast-paced FPS, the CPU’s single-thread performance is critical for maintaining high frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions. The benchmark scores reflect this: the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 4128, while the multi-core score is 29241, showing a strong balance that benefits both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads.

For this game, the CPU’s role is primarily to keep up with the GPU’s output requests. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the measured 157.8 FPS indicates that the i7-12700K can drive the GTX 1070 to its limits. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 and the max-thread score of 9979 suggest that even if Doom were to use more cores, the processor has ample headroom. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms its high performance tier, making it a strong match for a mid-range GPU like the GTX 1070 in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i7-12700K and GTX 1070 ranks 1407th out of 1681 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the lower 16% of all pairings. This rank may seem low, but it is primarily dragged down by the GPU’s age and tier. The GTX 1070 sits at the 51st percentile among all GPUs, meaning half of the tested graphics cards are faster. However, the CPU is in the 89th percentile, so the pairing is heavily CPU-favored.

When comparing to other combos, the data indicates that this system is not optimized for 4K gaming, where it ranks poorly due to low FPS. At 2560x1440, the performance is more competitive, with High settings producing 77.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. The combo’s overall rank suggests that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is capable of delivering a playable experience at mainstream resolutions and settings. The rank also implies that users with this setup should consider lowering resolution or settings to achieve their desired frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably: Low settings average 157.8 FPS, Medium 139.3 FPS, High 114.7 FPS, and Ultra 94.6 FPS. All presets at this resolution exceed 60 FPS, making it fully playable. The gap between Low and Ultra is 63.2 FPS, showing that the GPU has enough headroom to handle quality increases without falling below playability thresholds.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop but remain playable on most presets. Low settings average 102 FPS, Medium 86.5 FPS, and High 77.7 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 63.4 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS line. This resolution offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, with the High preset providing a comfortable margin. At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles: Medium settings average 45.8 FPS, High 42.4 FPS, and Low 57.7 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 34.6 FPS, which is not smooth for a fast-paced shooter. The data shows a steep performance cliff between 1440p and 4K, indicating that 4K is only viable with Low settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is built on the Pascal architecture with a GP104 chip, featuring 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, and its FP32 performance is 6.463 TFLOPS. In Doom, the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops at 3840x2160 compared to 1920x1080.

The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game at all tested settings, as Doom does not require excessive memory. The GPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals is tight: it is 0.7% ahead of the Quadro K4200, 1.3% behind the GTX 880M, and 1.4% behind the GTX 1650 SUPER. The 51st percentile ranking indicates mid-pack performance. The GPU’s pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s and texture rate of 202.0 GTexel/s are the specifications that directly influence Doom’s rendering, and the data suggests these are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but not for 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience for this combo is at 2560x1440 with High settings. This preset yields 77.7 FPS, which is smooth for an FPS and provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p. The High preset at 1440p is the recommended balance because it offers a 14.3 FPS improvement over Ultra (63.4 FPS) while maintaining a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. If a higher frame rate is preferred, the Medium preset at 1440p averages 86.5 FPS, sacrificing some visual quality for a 8.8 FPS gain.

For users with a 1920x1080 monitor, the Ultra preset at 94.6 FPS is the optimal choice, as it delivers the best visual fidelity while still maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS. At 4K, the data suggests avoiding this resolution unless the user is willing to accept compromises. The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 57.7 FPS, which is borderline for playability. The Medium preset at 45.8 FPS is too low for a smooth experience. Therefore, the practical recommendation is to stick to 1440p High or 1080p Ultra for the best combination of performance and quality.