Doom

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti delivers a highly playable Doom experience across most configurations, though the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that this combination performs best when the user prioritizes frame rate over visual fidelity, with the sweet spot being 1440p Medium or 1080p Ultra, depending on your monitor's refresh rate. The measured results indicate a system that can handle the game's fast-paced action smoothly, but requires careful settings management to avoid dipping below 60 FPS at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data points to the High preset at 2560x1440 as the best overall balance, delivering an average of 104.7 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear winner, achieving 128.6 FPS on average, which is high enough for most high-refresh-rate monitors while still offering the best image quality. For those with 4K displays, the Low preset is the only viable option that maintains playability, hitting 78 FPS on average, though you will sacrifice most graphical enhancements. The Medium preset at 4K (68.9 FPS) is a compromise that stays above 60 FPS, but the jump to High (56.7 FPS) and Ultra (47.9 FPS) makes those settings unsuitable for competitive play. Given the data, the recommendation is to run Ultra at 1080p or High at 1440p; the performance headroom at these settings suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck, allowing the GTX 1080 Ti to stretch its legs.

GPU Role

The GTX 1080 Ti's specifications are central to understanding these results. The GPU features 11 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 352-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 484.4 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Doom's textures at all tested settings, meaning VRAM capacity is not the primary constraint. The GPU's core clocks are rated at a base of 1481 MHz and a boost of 1582 MHz, which directly influence the frame rates seen in the data. The measured FPS scaling across settings shows that the GPU's compute power, rated at 11.34 TFLOPS FP32, is the determining factor. For instance, moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p drops the average FPS from 215.5 to 128.6, a clear indication that the shading units (3584) and texture units (224) are being pushed harder. The GPU's percentile rank of 61 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19402, suggests it is a mid-range performer in the current landscape, but its performance in Doom is respectable. The data indicates that the GTX 1080 Ti handles the game's Vulkan API well, as evidenced by the strong frame rates, but it is not a card that can brute-force Ultra settings at 4K, where the 47.9 FPS average falls short of playable standards.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 161.2 at 1920x1080 to 104.7 at 2560x1440, and then down to 56.7 at 3840x2160. This represents a drop of roughly 35% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings, though the percentage drop is larger at higher presets. For example, at Ultra settings, the FPS goes from 128.6 at 1080p to 87.1 at 1440p and then to 47.9 at 4K. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting component; the Intel Core i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, is not the bottleneck here. The CPU's high single-thread performance (evidenced by a passmark single-thread score of 4333) ensures it can feed the GPU at all resolutions. The performance degradation is almost entirely due to the GTX 1080 Ti's inability to handle the increased pixel count at 4K, particularly with the higher fill rate requirements. This is typical for a GPU of this era, as the data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for high-quality gameplay, while 1080p remains the resolution for maximum frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 983 out of 1681 tested combinations in Doom, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's age and performance, not the CPU. The Intel Core i7-13700K is a top-tier processor, ranking in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 47282. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700KF (deltaPct -0.1), AMD EPYC 4364P (deltaPct 0.3), and Intel Core i9-12900F (deltaPct 0.4), all of which have nearly identical average scores. In contrast, the GTX 1080 Ti ranks in the 61st percentile among GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19402, and is closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (deltaPct 0), AMD Radeon Pro 560X (deltaPct -0.1), and NVIDIA TITAN Xp (deltaPct 1.1). The combination of a high-end CPU with a mid-range GPU results in a system that is unbalanced for a game like Doom, which scales well with GPU power. The data shows that the combo's rank is dragged down by the GPU, as the CPU's performance is more than sufficient to keep up, but the frame rates are ultimately capped by the GTX 1080 Ti's limits. The 983rd rank out of 1681 indicates that there are many other combos that achieve higher FPS, primarily due to more modern GPU architectures.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 78. At Medium settings, it drops to 68.9 FPS, which is still playable, but High (56.7 FPS) and Ultra (47.9 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate monitors?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 215.5 FPS and the Medium preset reaches 190.9 FPS, making these the best options for 144Hz or higher displays. At 2560x1440, the Low preset hits 139.9 FPS, which is suitable for 120Hz monitors.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K holding back the GTX 1080 Ti?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 39000, indicate it has ample headroom. The FPS drops are consistent with GPU limitation, as seen in the scaling from 1080p to 4K.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in this game's context?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 19402, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (19405) and AMD Radeon Pro 560X (19426). It is slightly ahead of the NVIDIA TITAN Xp, which has a deltaPct of 1.1, meaning the 1080 Ti is about 1.1% faster.

Q: What settings should I use for a balance of visuals and performance at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 offers an average FPS of 104.7, which is the best balance. Ultra drops to 87.1 FPS, which is still playable, but High provides a smoother experience with only a slight visual trade-off.

Q: Will the 11 GB of VRAM in the GTX 1080 Ti be sufficient for Doom?

A: Yes, the 11 GB of GDDR5X memory with a bandwidth of 484.4 GB/s is more than enough for Doom's texture requirements at all tested settings, as the FPS drops are not indicative of memory bottlenecks.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for each resolution and settings preset:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | High | 56.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 78.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 68.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 47.9 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 104.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 139.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 121.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 87.1 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 161.2 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 215.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 190.9 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 128.6 |

The data reveals a consistent pattern: the GTX 1080 Ti provides the highest frame rates at 1080p, with the Low preset delivering 215.5 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play. The Medium and High presets at 1080p also exceed 160 FPS, making them viable for high-refresh gaming. At 1440p, the Low preset remains above 140 FPS, but the High preset's 104.7 FPS is the most balanced for visual quality. The 4K results are the most demanding, with only Low and Medium presets staying above 60 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial at every resolution, showing that the GPU's shader and texture units are heavily taxed by the higher quality presets. The CPU's performance remains constant, ensuring that the frame rate differences are entirely attributable to the GPU's workload.