Doom

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 presents a compelling study in bottleneck dynamics within Doom. This combination ranks 1397th out of 1681 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of configurations. The data reveals a system where the CPU's substantial headroom is frequently capped by the GPU's output, particularly as resolution increases. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to show exactly where this pairing excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern: performance degrades as resolution climbs, but the rate of that degradation tells the real story. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 106.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 67.9 FPS, a reduction of roughly 36%. The jump to 4K further reduces the average to 38 FPS, another 44% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2060 becomes the primary limiting factor well before 4K is reached.

At 1080p, the i7-13700K's strength is more visible. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p is 66.8 FPS (173.4 vs 106.6), showing that the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to allow settings to matter. However, at 4K, the same settings gap narrows to 21.5 FPS (59.5 vs 38). This compression of the settings-based performance delta at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames, so reducing CPU load via lower settings yields diminishing returns.

The data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo if you want to maintain high frame rates. At 1440p High, the system delivers 82 FPS, which is playable but far from the 100+ FPS that competitive players often target. The 4K results, with a maximum of 59.5 FPS on Low, are only suitable for slower-paced play or for those who prioritize visual fidelity over responsiveness. The scaling pattern is typical: the RTX 2060's 6 GB frame buffer and 336 GB/s of bandwidth simply cannot sustain the fill rate required at 4K, regardless of the CPU's capability.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060 is built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The memory runs at an effective 14 Gbps across a 192-bit bus, yielding 336 GB/s of bandwidth. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, the card is positioned at the entry level of the RTX 20-series, and the Doom results reflect this positioning.

The GPU's 1920 shading units and 48 ROPs are tasked with rendering the game's fast-paced environments. The pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s are modest by modern standards, which explains why Ultra settings at 4K result in just 38 FPS. The card's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is a raw measure of its compute capability, but in Doom, the more relevant limits are memory bandwidth and fill rate.

In this pairing, the RTX 2060 is clearly the dominant constraint. The i7-13700K's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4333, indicate a CPU that is far more capable than what the GPU can utilize in Doom. The GPU's percentile rank of 58 against all GPUs is significantly lower than the CPU's 93rd percentile rank, confirming an imbalance. At 1080p Low, the system hits 173.4 FPS, but this is likely near the practical limit for this GPU's geometry and rasterization throughput; the CPU is not the limiting factor at any tested setting.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1397 out of 1681 tested configurations places it in the bottom 17% of systems tested for Doom. This is a low ranking, driven almost entirely by the GPU's age and position in the product stack. The i7-13700K is a high-end processor, but it cannot compensate for the RTX 2060's limitations in a game that scales heavily with GPU fill rate and memory bandwidth.

Looking at the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 16074. The AMD Radeon RX 7600S scores 15996, a delta of 0.5% in favor of the RTX 2060. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 16351, which is 1.7% faster. This places the RTX 2060 in a tight cluster of mid-range GPUs. The CPU's rivals similarly show a close grouping: the i7-13700K has an average score of 47282, while the i7-13700KF scores 47334 (0.1% faster) and the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 47131 (0.3% slower). This data confirms that the CPU is performing at the expected level for its class, but the GPU is holding the entire system back in this specific game benchmark.

The combination of a 93rd percentile CPU with a 58th percentile GPU creates a system where the CPU's potential is largely wasted in Doom. The rank would be significantly higher if the GPU were upgraded to match the CPU's tier. The data suggests that users with this combo are leaving a substantial amount of performance on the table, specifically at lower resolutions where the CPU could theoretically push higher frame rates if the GPU could keep up.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on your target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. It delivers 150.4 FPS, which is a 23 FPS improvement over High settings (127.4 FPS) while only sacrificing a small amount of visual fidelity. The jump from Medium to Ultra costs 43.8 FPS (150.4 down to 106.6), which is a steep price for marginal visual gains in a fast-paced game.

At 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice. It produces 82 FPS, which is smooth for most players. The Ultra preset drops to 67.9 FPS, which is still playable but may feel less responsive in intense firefights. The Low preset at 1440p yields 110.7 FPS, but the visual downgrade is significant and not worth the frame rate increase for most users. The Medium preset at 96.9 FPS is a viable alternative if you want to prioritize frame rate and are willing to accept some detail reduction.

For 4K, the data shows that this combo is not well-suited for high-refresh gaming. The best result is 59.5 FPS on Low settings, which is barely above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset offers 53.5 FPS, and High drops to 44.6 FPS. Ultra is the worst at 38 FPS. If you must play at 4K, Low settings are the only option that approaches playability. However, the visual compromise is severe, and most users would be better served by playing at 1440p High for a more consistent and enjoyable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured average FPS values is as follows:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 173.4 FPS
• Medium: 150.4 FPS
• High: 127.4 FPS
• Ultra: 106.6 FPS

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 110.7 FPS
• Medium: 96.9 FPS
• High: 82 FPS
• Ultra: 67.9 FPS

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 59.5 FPS
• Medium: 53.5 FPS
• High: 44.6 FPS
• Ultra: 38 FPS

The 1080p results show a healthy range of performance, with Low being 63% faster than Ultra. This wide spread indicates that the CPU is capable of pushing high frame rates when the GPU is not the bottleneck. The 1440p results show a tighter spread, with Low being 63% faster than Ultra, but the absolute values are lower. The 4K results are compressed, with Low being only 57% faster than Ultra, and all values fall below the 60 FPS line.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: each settings tier costs roughly 15-20% of the frame rate compared to the tier below it. However, the absolute cost in FPS is much higher at 1080p (e.g., 43.8 FPS difference between Medium and Ultra) than at 4K (e.g., 15.5 FPS difference between Medium and Ultra). This is because at lower resolutions, the CPU can deliver a high baseline, making the GPU's settings-dependent workload changes more noticeable. At 4K, the GPU is so saturated that changing settings has a smaller absolute impact, even though the relative impact remains similar.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K smoothly?*

A: No. The best 4K result is 59.5 FPS on Low settings. All other 4K presets fall below 54 FPS, with Ultra at just 38 FPS. This is not suitable for smooth, high-refresh gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: 1440p High is the best overall choice, delivering 82 FPS. It provides a good balance of visual quality and responsiveness. 1080p Medium is better if you prefer higher frame rates (150.4 FPS).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The i7-13700K ranks in the 93rd percentile of CPUs, while the RTX 2060 ranks in the 58th percentile of GPUs. The FPS scaling with resolution and settings confirms the GPU is limiting performance, especially at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 16074. The AMD Radeon RX 7600S is 0.5% slower (15996), while the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 is 1.7% faster (16351). The differences are small, indicating the RTX 2060 performs at the expected level for its class.

Q: What settings should I use for 1080p competitive play?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 150.4 FPS, which is ideal for fast-paced play. The Low preset gives 173.4 FPS, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. High (127.4 FPS) is acceptable if you prefer better visuals.

Q: Is the i7-13700K a good match for the RTX 2060?

A: Not for Doom. The CPU is far more powerful than the GPU can utilize, as shown by the wide FPS gaps at 1080p that narrow at 4K. The combo ranks 1397th out of 1681, indicating the GPU is holding the system back from its potential.