Doom

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread Alder Lake-S desktop processor with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its architecture uses a hybrid design, and the chip carries 25 MB of shared L3 cache, with 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 80 KB of L1 per core. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and it includes integrated UHD Graphics 770, though the measured results here pair it with a discrete GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB.

In Doom, the CPU's role is substantial but not dominant at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo averages 136 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra it drops to 82 FPS. This spread of 54 FPS across settings at the same resolution indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as graphical load increases, even while the CPU has ample headroom. The i7-12700K's single-thread performance, as reflected in its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1850.5 and PassMark single-thread score of 4013, is strong enough to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 3050 in this title. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and 2-thread score of 2065 further confirm that the CPU's per-core speed is well-suited for the game's threading model.

The processor's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant, though less so for a 2016-era FPS. With a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a PassMark multithread score of 34404, the i7-12700K ranks in the 84th percentile among all CPUs. This headroom means that even if Doom were to spawn background threads for physics or streaming, the chip has spare capacity. However, the measured FPS pattern—where 1080p Low yields 136 FPS but 4K Low yields only 48 FPS—demonstrates that the GPU's rendering workload, not CPU throughput, is the primary constraint across all tested configurations. The CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for this game, and the data suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield larger FPS gains than any CPU change.

FAQ

Q: What average FPS does this combo achieve at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 100 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is a playable frame rate for a fast-paced FPS, comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 3050 4 GB perform at 4K in Doom?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 29 on Ultra to 48 on Low. The Ultra preset falls below 30 FPS, making it unsuitable for competitive play, while the Low preset at 48 FPS is marginally playable but not ideal for a twitch shooter.

Q: Is the i7-12700K a bottleneck for the RTX 3050 4 GB in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate no CPU bottleneck. The FPS scales almost entirely with resolution and settings, not with CPU load. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 136 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what the RTX 3050 can render at higher settings.

Q: What is the difference between Medium and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium averages 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS, while Ultra averages 53 FPS. The 24 FPS gap between these presets shows that Ultra imposes a significant cost on the GPU, pushing it closer to its limits.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 3255 out of 3712 tested combinations. This places it in the lower 12% of all systems tested, reflecting the RTX 3050 4 GB's modest performance rather than any deficiency in the CPU.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only row with a min FPS value is Medium settings: 35 FPS at 4K, 65 FPS at 1440p, and 100 FPS at 1080p. These minimums match the average FPS of the next lower preset, indicating stable frame pacing without severe dips.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for optimizing the experience. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 100 FPS average, which is excellent for a competitive FPS. The Medium preset at 118 FPS offers a 18% improvement over High, but the Low preset at 136 FPS is the fastest 1080p option. However, the visual downgrade from High to Low is substantial, and 100 FPS is already above the refresh rate of most standard monitors. For most players, High at 1080p strikes the best balance between fluidity and visual fidelity, as the 100 FPS average is well within the range where the game feels responsive.

At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 65 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh displays. The Medium preset at 77 FPS is a better choice for 1440p gaming, as it maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still offering improved textures and effects over Low. The Low preset at 88 FPS is the smoothest 1440p option, but the visual compromise is noticeable. For a game like Doom, where fast movement demands clarity, Medium at 1440p provides the best trade-off: 77 FPS average with a 65 FPS minimum, ensuring no severe drops during intense combat.

At 3840x2160, all presets struggle to maintain playable frame rates. Ultra averages 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. High at 35 FPS is marginally better but still choppy. Medium at 41 FPS is the most playable 4K option, but it remains below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for competitive play. Low at 48 FPS is the only preset that approaches a playable range, but even that falls short of ideal smoothness. The data suggests that 4K is not viable for this combo in Doom, and players should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB combination ranks 3255 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems in the benchmark database, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's entry-level positioning. The CPU itself is far from the limiting factor—it sits in the 84th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 35287. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35305, a delta of -0.1%, while the i7-12700KF scores 35365 (-0.2%), and the i7-13700T scores 35403 (-0.3%). These tiny deltas show that the i7-12700K is essentially performance-equivalent to its closest peers, meaning the CPU is not the reason for the low combo rank.

Instead, the rank is driven by the RTX 3050 4 GB, which sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs. In a game like Doom, which is not particularly demanding by modern standards, this GPU still struggles at higher resolutions. The combo's 4K Ultra score of 29 FPS is below the minimum playable threshold, and even 1440p Ultra at 53 FPS is borderline. At 1080p, the combo performs respectably, but the overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's inability to handle higher resolutions. For context, the combo's 1080p High score of 100 FPS is solid, but the 4K High score of 35 FPS is a severe drop that highlights the GPU's 4 GB memory and 128-bit bus as limiting factors.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High, the combo averages 100 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 65 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 35 FPS, a 65% drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern is consistent with the GPU being the primary bottleneck, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, yet the FPS drops by roughly two-thirds rather than one-quarter. The CPU's performance headroom is evident in the fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 136 FPS, which is close to the GPU's maximum output at that resolution.

The Low preset shows a similar trend: 136 FPS at 1080p, 88 FPS at 1440p (a 35% drop), and 48 FPS at 4K (a 65% drop from 1080p). This consistent proportional decrease across settings indicates that the GPU's rendering pipeline, not the CPU or memory bandwidth, is the limiting component. The RTX 3050 4 GB's 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 128-bit bus are simply insufficient for 4K workloads, even with lowered settings. The data suggests that players seeking higher resolutions should either reduce settings to Low or consider a more powerful GPU, as the i7-12700K has ample headroom to support a faster graphics card without becoming a bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 136 FPS average
• Medium: 118 FPS average, 100 FPS minimum, 136 FPS maximum
• High: 100 FPS average
• Ultra: 82 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 88 FPS average
• Medium: 77 FPS average, 65 FPS minimum, 88 FPS maximum
• High: 65 FPS average
• Ultra: 53 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 48 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average, 35 FPS minimum, 48 FPS maximum
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

The data shows a clear progression: at each resolution, the Low preset delivers the highest FPS, while Ultra delivers the lowest. The Medium preset's minimum FPS values align exactly with the next resolution's High preset average, indicating stable frame delivery. At 1080p, all presets exceed 80 FPS, making this the sweet spot for the combo. At 1440p, only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below. At 4K, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and only Low approaches a playable range at 48 FPS. The RTX 3050 4 GB's 4 GB GDDR6 memory is likely a contributing factor at 4K, where texture data exceeds the available VRAM, causing the GPU to rely on slower memory paging. This breakdown confirms that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with acceptable performance at 1440p on lower presets, and marginal performance at 4K only on the lowest settings.