Doom

# Doom — Intel Core i7-12700K + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

This pairing combines a high-end 12-core Alder Lake processor with an entry-level Turing GPU, and the benchmark data makes the bottleneck unmistakable: the GTX 1650 is the limiting factor at every resolution, though the i7-12700K's single-thread strength keeps 1080p performance respectable. The combo ranks 3585th out of 3712 tested configurations in Doom, placing it in the bottom 4% of all tested combos — a reflection of the GPU's 40th percentile standing among all GPUs, rather than any CPU deficiency.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, confirming that the GTX 1650's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 128-bit bus are the primary constraints. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 68 FPS at 1920x1080 to 44 FPS at 2560x1440 — a 35% reduction — and then to 24 FPS at 3840x2160, which is a further 45% drop. The scaling between 1440p and 4K is particularly punishing, as the pixel count doubles while the GPU's 128.1 GB/s bandwidth and 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput cannot keep pace with the fill rate demands.

Low settings tell a similar story, though the absolute numbers are higher. At 1080p Low, the average sits at 92 FPS; at 1440p Low it drops to 59 FPS; at 4K Low it falls to 32 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 13 FPS (32 vs 19), which indicates that even at the lowest settings the GPU is saturated — reducing quality cannot overcome the fundamental pixel throughput limitation. At 1080p, however, the settings spread is much wider: 92 FPS on Low versus 55 FPS on Ultra, a 37 FPS difference that shows the GPU has headroom at lower resolutions but not at higher ones.

The min/max data available for Medium settings reinforces this pattern. At 1080p Medium, the range spans 68 to 92 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it narrows to 44 to 60 FPS; at 4K Medium, it tightens further to 24 to 32 FPS. This shrinking variance as resolution climbs is a classic symptom of a GPU-bound scenario — frame pacing becomes more consistent because every frame is waiting on the same saturated resource. The i7-12700K, with its 5.00 GHz boost clock and 20 threads, is clearly not the constraint; if the CPU were limiting, we would expect the frame rate to remain flat across resolutions rather than collapsing so dramatically.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 3585 out of 3712 tested combos places this configuration in the bottom 3.4% of all pairings tested in Doom. This is a poor result for a system built around a CPU that itself ranks in the 84th percentile among all CPUs. The disconnect is explained entirely by the GPU's position: the GTX 1650 sits in the 40th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (0.3% slower), Intel UHD Graphics 750 (0.4% slower), and AMD Radeon R7 350 (0.6% slower) — all of which are integrated or low-end discrete parts. The only faster adjacent GPU is the Intel Arc A310, which beats it by 1%.

In the context of Doom specifically, this rank means the combo is outperformed by nearly every other configuration in the database. The game itself is from 2016 and is known for being well-optimized, but the GTX 1650's 4 GB VRAM is a hard ceiling at higher resolutions — the 4K Ultra result of 19 FPS is effectively unplayable, and even 1440p Ultra at 36 FPS is marginal. The i7-12700K's average benchmark score of 35287 is within 0.4% of its nearest rivals (the Core i5-13600T at 35305, Core i7-12700KF at 35365, and Core i7-13700T at 35403), which means the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class. The bottleneck is not the processor; it is the GPU's 40th-percentile standing dragging the entire combo down.

For a 1080p gamer, this rank is misleading — the measured 68 FPS at High settings is playable. But the database rank reflects all resolutions, and the 4K results (19-32 FPS) pull the aggregate score down sharply. The practical takeaway is that this combo is a 1080p solution that cannot stretch beyond that resolution without significant settings compromises.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings 12 cores and 20 threads from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 25 MB of shared L3, which is ample for a game like Doom that was designed for much older hardware. The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its capability: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5, with a Geekbench multicore result of 15790 and single-core of 2308.

In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and the data shows it is doing so without breaking a sweat. The 1080p Low result of 92 FPS is close to what the GTX 1650 can physically output at that resolution — pushing higher would require a stronger GPU. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4013 and 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 indicate strong per-core performance, which matters for older games like Doom that may not scale perfectly across many threads. The 20-thread count is overkill for this title, but it ensures no frame drops from CPU stalls.

The CPU's 125 W TDP and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory mean it can be paired with a wide range of platforms, but in this specific combo the memory bandwidth is irrelevant — the GPU's 128.1 GB/s is the bottleneck, not the system memory. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 is present but unused in this configuration, and the CPU's Gen 4 PCIe lanes are likewise underutilized by the GTX 1650's PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The i7-12700K is effectively wasted in this pairing for Doom, as even a much weaker CPU would achieve identical frame rates at 1440p and 4K where the GPU is fully saturated.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the GTX 1650 delivers playable performance across all settings. Low averages 92 FPS, Medium averages 80 FPS with a range of 68 to 92 FPS, High averages 68 FPS, and Ultra averages 55 FPS. The step from High to Ultra costs 13 FPS, which is significant but not crippling — 55 FPS is still smooth enough for single-player Doom. The 1080p results show a clear diminishing returns curve: the jump from Low to Medium costs 12 FPS, from Medium to High costs 12 FPS again, but from High to Ultra costs 13 FPS while providing the smallest visual gain.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low averages 59 FPS, which is just above the 60 Hz threshold for many monitors but with no headroom for dips. Medium averages 52 FPS with a range of 44 to 60 FPS, meaning even the best case barely hits 60. High drops to 44 FPS, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that only Low and Medium are viable for consistent play, and even Medium will drop to 44 FPS in demanding scenes. The GTX 1650's 4 GB VRAM is likely a factor here, as Doom's textures at 1440p can exceed that capacity on higher presets.

At 3840x2160, the results are poor across the board. Low averages 32 FPS, Medium averages 28 FPS with a range of 24 to 32 FPS, High averages 24 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. None of these are playable for an action FPS — even the 32 FPS Low result is below the 30 FPS baseline that many consider the absolute minimum for playability, and it comes with significant visual compromises. The 4K data confirms that this combo is not a 4K solution by any measure, regardless of settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes. At 1080p High, the average is 68 FPS, and at Medium it is 80 FPS. Even Ultra averages 55 FPS, which is playable for a single-player FPS. Low reaches 92 FPS, so there is headroom for competitive play if needed.

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

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings presets remain playable. At 2560x1440, only Low (59 FPS) and Medium (52 FPS) are viable, while High and Ultra drop below 45 FPS. At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 33 FPS, making it unsuitable for play.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score is 7472, placing it in the 40th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (0.3% slower), Intel UHD Graphics 750 (0.4% slower), AMD Radeon R7 350 (0.6% slower), and Intel Arc A310 (1% faster). This places it at the very bottom of discrete GPU performance tiers.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 84th percentile and scores 19784 in Cinebench R23 multicore. The frame rate drops by roughly 40-50% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 40-50% from 1440p to 4K, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is capable of far higher frame rates than the GTX 1650 can output.

Q: What should I do if I want to play Doom at 1440p with this combo?

A: Use Low settings for 59 FPS average or Medium for 52 FPS average. High and Ultra are not recommended as they drop to 44 and 36 FPS respectively. The Medium preset offers a balanced experience with a 44 FPS minimum, though you will need to accept occasional dips below 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank overall in Doom?

A: It ranks 3585th out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 3.4%. This low rank is driven by the GPU's 40th-percentile performance, not the CPU, which is in the 84th percentile. The ranking reflects the combo's inability to handle high resolutions, not its 1080p capability.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p, the High preset at 68 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it maintains a smooth frame rate while preserving most of Doom's graphical features. Medium at 80 FPS is the safer choice if you prefer extra headroom for frame rate dips, and its 68 FPS minimum matches the High average. Ultra at 55 FPS is playable but leaves little margin for demanding scenes, so it is only recommended for players who prioritize visuals over consistency. Low at 92 FPS is unnecessary for a single-player title but useful if you want maximum responsiveness.

For 1440p, the Low preset at 59 FPS is the only way to approach 60 FPS, but it sacrifices most visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 52 FPS with a 44 FPS minimum is the more practical recommendation, as it keeps the game looking acceptable while maintaining playable performance in most situations. High at 44 FPS and Ultra at 36 FPS are not recommended — the visual improvements do not justify the frame rate penalties, and the 4 GB VRAM may cause texture pop-in on these presets.

For 4K, no settings preset is recommended. The best result is Low at 32 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS floor for playability and still requires significant visual compromises. The data indicates that this combo should be used at 1080p exclusively, with 1440p possible only on Low or Medium presets if you are willing to accept frame rates in the 44-59 FPS range. The GTX 1650's 4 GB VRAM and 128.1 GB/s bandwidth are simply insufficient for Doom at 4K, regardless of the i7-12700K's capabilities.