Doom

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a lopsided combination for Doom, but benchmark results show it can still deliver playable frame rates at mainstream resolutions. The CPU, a 12-core Alder Lake part, is far more capable than the GPU, a Turing-based entry-level card with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory. In Doom (2016), a game known for its optimization, the data shows a clear pattern: 1080p Medium at 80 FPS average is the best balance of smoothness and visual quality, while 4K Ultra is effectively unplayable at 19 FPS. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the GPU and CPU roles, and how the combo ranks among tested configurations.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows 1920x1080 with Medium settings delivers an average FPS of 80, with a minimum of 68 and maximum of 92. This offers the best combination of smooth gameplay and visual fidelity for the GTX 1650. Lower settings at 1080p push the average to 92 FPS, but the jump to 80 FPS at Medium is a worthwhile trade for better visuals.

Q: Can this combo handle 1440p gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 2560x1440, Low settings achieve an average of 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience. Medium settings drop the average to 52 FPS (min 44, max 60), and High runs at 44 FPS. Ultra settings dip to 36 FPS, which may feel less fluid. For the best 1440p experience, Low settings are the only preset that keeps the game near playable frame rates.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the GTX 1650 in Doom?

A: No, 4K is not viable for smooth gameplay. At 3840x2160, even Low settings yield only a 32 FPS average, and Medium drops to 28 FPS (min 24, max 32). High settings average 24 FPS, and Ultra is the worst at 19 FPS. All of these are below the acceptable threshold for a fast-paced FPS like Doom.

Q: How does the GTX 1650's VRAM limit the game?

A: The GTX 1650 has only 4 GB of GDDR5 memory. In Doom, this can become a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a significant average FPS drop from 80 at 1080p Medium to 52 at 1440p Medium, and 28 at 4K Medium. This suggests that texture and memory bandwidth demands increase with resolution, and the 4 GB buffer is not sufficient for the higher demands of 4K.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings average 92 FPS, while Ultra settings average 55 FPS. This is a difference of 37 FPS, or about 40% lower performance at Ultra. The Min FPS is not provided for Low or Ultra, but the average shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck for the GTX 1650 in Doom?

A: No, the CPU is not a bottleneck in this scenario. The i7-12700KF has high benchmark scores, such as 28838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 4071 in single-core. The GPU is the limiting factor, as the FPS drops significantly with increasing resolution, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios. The CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU in this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3585 out of 3712 tested combinations in Doom. This places it in the bottom 96% percentile, meaning only a small fraction of combos perform worse. The rank reflects the GPU's limited capabilities, as the CPU is certainly not the weak link. In fact, the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 40th percentile of all GPUs.

The i7-12700KF's average benchmark score is 35,365, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. For instance, the Intel Core i7-13700T has an average score of 35,403 (a -0.1% difference), and the Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35,305 (0.2% higher). This CPU is a strong performer, but it is held back by the GTX 1650.

The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7,472, and its nearest rivals are also in similar ranges. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7,447 (0.3% delta), the Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 7,441 (0.4% delta), and the AMD Radeon R7 350 scores 7,425 (0.6% delta). The Intel Arc A310 scores 7,550 (-1% delta). This places the GTX 1650 in the lower tier of discrete GPUs, as it is only slightly above integrated graphics solutions in terms of raw performance.

The low combo rank is a direct result of the GPU's performance. The CPU provides excellent computational power, but the GPU limits the frame rates. This is a classic example of a CPU-overkill, GPU-limited build for Doom, where the game is much more dependent on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

For an optimal balance of visual quality and performance, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the recommended setting. The measured data shows an average FPS of 80, with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92. This is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a smooth experience for a fast-paced FPS. The Medium preset retains enough visual quality to ensure a good experience, and the 80 FPS ensures the game remains responsive.

At 1080p, the Low preset yields 92 FPS, which is even higher, but the visual quality is reduced. The difference from Medium to Low is a 12 FPS drop, but the Medium preset is a better balance. High settings at 1080p drop to 68 FPS, which is still playable, but the 12 FPS drop from Medium might not be worth the visual gain for some. Ultra settings at 1080p are 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, so it is not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 1440p, the only viable setting is Low, which averages 59 FPS. This is just below 60 FPS, but it may be acceptable for some players. Medium at 1440p is 52 FPS, which is less ideal, and High and Ultra are 44 and 36 FPS respectively.

At 4K, the only setting worth trying is Low, which averages 32 FPS, but this is still below the desired 60 FPS. Medium 28 FPS, High 24 FPS, and Ultra 19 FPS are all too low for a smooth gameplay experience.

For most players, 1920x1080 Medium is the best choice. It provides an average FPS of 80, which is smooth and responsive, with a minimum of 68 FPS, ensuring that even the most demanding scenes remain playable. The game's optimization means that even a mid-range GPU like the GTX 1650 can offer a good experience at this resolution and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Doom with this combo is detailed below.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average FPS of 92, with no min or max data provided. This is the highest average FPS at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is capable of delivering high frame rates when settings are reduced.
• Medium: Average FPS of 80, with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92. This is the recommended setting for a balance of performance and visual quality. The min of 68 FPS ensures a relatively stable experience.
• High: Average FPS of 68, with no min or max data. This is a noticeable drop from Medium, but it still provides a playable experience for most users.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 55, with no min or max data. This is below the 60 FPS target, but it may be acceptable for some players who prioritize visual quality over smoothness.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average FPS of 59, with no min or max data. This is right at the edge of the 60 FPS target, and it may be playable for some users, but the lack of headroom means that demanding scenes could cause drops.
• Medium: Average FPS of 52, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60. The min of 44 FPS indicates that the experience can become choppy in some scenes.
• High: Average FPS of 44, with no min or max data. This is a significant drop from Medium, and it is likely to be less playable for most.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 36, with no min or max data. This is well below the 60 FPS target and is not recommended for a smooth experience.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average FPS of 32, with no min or max data. This is the highest average at 4K, but it is still below 40 FPS, which is the minimum for a playable FPS for many players.
• Medium: Average FPS of 28, with a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 32. The min of 24 FPS indicates that the experience can be very choppy.
• High: Average FPS of 24, with no min or max data. This is below the playable threshold.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 19, with no min or max data. This is the lowest measured, and it is not playable.

The data shows a clear trend: the FPS drops as resolution and settings increase. The GPU's limitations are evident at 4K, where even Low settings cannot achieve a playable frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the primary performance bottleneck in this combo for Doom. It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit memory bus and a bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1485 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and it has 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs.

The GPU's memory is a significant limitation. 4 GB of VRAM is insufficient for high-resolution textures and settings in modern games, and Doom is no exception. The benchmark results show that at 4K, the average FPS is below 40 FPS at all settings, with the best being 32 FPS at Low. This is a clear indication that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are stretched too thin at higher resolutions.

The GTX 1650's performance is also reflected in its benchmark scores. Its PassMark G3D score is 7,880, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 33,042. These scores place it in the 40th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it is a low-end GPU. The nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (deltaPct 0.3), Intel UHD Graphics 750 (deltaPct 0.4), and AMD Radeon R7 350 (deltaPct 0.6). These are all similar in performance, further highlighting the GTX 1650's low-tier positioning.

In Doom, the GPU is the bottleneck. At 1080p, the CPU is not a limiting factor, and the GPU's performance is what determines the FPS. The drop in FPS from 1080p to 1440p and 4K is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the GPU's rendering capabilities and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors. The GPU's power is also a consideration, with a 75 W TDP and no power connectors, meaning it draws power directly from the PCIe slot. This is a low-power, entry-level card, which is reflected in its performance.

Ultra Settings

At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 55, which is below the 60 FPS target. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 36 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it is a mere 19 FPS. These numbers indicate that the GPU cannot handle Ultra settings at any resolution above 1080p, and even at 1080p, it is barely playable. The GPU's limited VRAM and processing power make Ultra settings a poor choice for this combo.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The processor is based on the Alder Lake architecture and is built on a 10 nm process. It has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 25 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory and has a PCIe Gen 4 interface with 20 lanes.

In Doom, the CPU is not a limiting factor. The game is single-threaded, and the i7-12700KF's single-core performance is strong, as shown by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1,043 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,071. The CPU's multi-core performance is also excellent, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28,838, and a PassMark multi-thread score of 34,092.

The CPU's role in this combo is to provide enough processing power to keep the GPU fed. In GPU-bound scenarios, the CPU has sufficient power to handle the game's logic and rendering commands without bottlenecking the GPU. The CPU's percentile rank of 85th among all CPUs indicates that it is a high-end processor, and it is definitely not the weak point in this configuration.

The CPU's rivals are closely matched. The Intel Core i7-13700T has a deltaPct of -0.1, the Intel Core i5-13600T has a deltaPct of 0.2, and the Intel Core i7-12700K has a deltaPct of 0.2. This means that the i7-12700KF is essentially tied with these CPUs in terms of average benchmark score, but its high single and multi-core performance ensures it can handle Doom's requirements with ease.

The CPU's performance is more than enough for Doom, and the game's frame rate is solely limited by the GPU. This is evident from the FPS scaling with resolution: at 1080p, the GPU can push 68 FPS at High settings, but at 1440p, it drops to 78 FPS at High settings, and at 4K, it drops to 24 FPS. The CPU is not the cause of these drops; it is the GPU's raw performance and memory bandwidth that are the limiting factors.

In summary, the i7-12700KF is a high-end CPU that provides more than enough performance for Doom. The game's frame rate is dictated by the GPU's capabilities, and the CPU's role is to provide the necessary processing power without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU's dual-channel memory support, PCIe Gen 4, and 20 lanes ensure that the GPU can communicate with the system efficiently, but the GPU's performance is still the limiting factor.

The CPU's power consumption of 125W TDP is significant, but the CPU is not the main power draw in this system; the GPU's 75W TDP is modest. The CPU's performance in Doom is more than sufficient, but the GTX 1650's limitations cannot be overcome by the CPU alone.

Conclusion

The Intel Core i7-12700KF with the GTX 1650 is a mismatched combination for Doom. The GPU is the bottleneck, limiting the frame rates to 80 FPS at best at 1080p Medium. While the CPU is more than capable, the GPU's 4 GB VRAM and low core count prevent it from achieving high frame rates at higher resolutions. The best experience is at 1080p Medium, where the combo can provide a smooth 80 FPS average. For players seeking higher resolutions or settings, a more powerful GPU is required to fully utilize the CPU's potential. The data shows that the combo ranks 2,585th out of 3,712, highlighting the GPU's limitations. For Doom, the CPU is not a bottleneck, and the GPU is the primary factor determining the frame rate. The combo is a clear example of a CPU that is far ahead of the GPU, leading to a GPU-bound scenario.