Doom

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a balanced mid-range combination, and the measured data for Doom (2016) shows exactly how that balance shifts depending on resolution and settings. At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound, delivering exceptionally high frame rates. As resolution increases, the load transfers to the GPU, and the performance curve becomes more about the graphics card's capabilities. The data indicates this combo performs well above average for the game, ranking 977th out of 1681 tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance delta between 1080p and 4K is substantial and reveals the bottleneck characteristics of this pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 229.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 145 FPS, a 36.9% reduction. The jump to 4K brings the average down to 80.9 FPS, which is a 64.8% decrease from the 1080p result. This steep decline is typical of a system where the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 168.9 FPS at 1080p to 107.1 FPS at 1440p, and then to 56.4 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling, with a 47.3% drop in performance at High settings. This indicates that the RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are working hard to feed the pixel count at 4K, and the data suggests that 4K gaming is only viable at the lowest settings for this specific title.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution also highlights the GPU's role. At 1080p, the gap between Low (229.8 FPS) and Ultra (140 FPS) is 89.8 FPS. At 4K, the same settings gap is only 31.2 FPS (80.9 vs 49.7). This compression of the settings range at 4K shows that the GPU is saturated regardless of quality level, whereas at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to let the GPU render more detailed scenes without a proportional frame rate penalty.

CPU Role

The Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. The 3DMark results also show solid scaling, from a single-thread score of 1136 to a max-thread score of 12412.

In Doom, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p. The game's Vulkan engine is well-known for its multi-threaded scaling, and the 13700K's 16 cores are more than sufficient to keep the RTX 4060 fed at lower resolutions. The fact that the system reaches 229.8 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz also helps ensure that even single-threaded tasks within the game engine are handled with minimal latency.

However, the CPU's influence diminishes as resolution increases. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, indicating that the GPU is taking over as the primary bottleneck. The 13700K's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample bandwidth for game data, but at 4K, the sheer volume of pixel work required by the RTX 4060 means the CPU is waiting on the GPU. The data shows the 13700K is not holding the system back until the GPU is fully saturated.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process and features 3072 shading units. It has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2302, and its Passmark G3D score is 19545, placing it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution rises. At 1440p, the RTX 4060 delivers a solid 107.1 FPS at High settings, which is a playable experience for a fast-paced FPS. The jump to 4K, however, shows the card's limitations. At 4K High, the average FPS drops to 56.4, which is below the 60 FPS threshold many players consider ideal for a smooth experience. The 4K Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding just 49.7 FPS.

The memory bandwidth is a key factor here. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is modest for 4K workloads, and the 8 GB VRAM capacity can be strained by high-resolution textures. The data shows that the RTX 4060 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1440p Ultra, it still manages 86.4 FPS, which is respectable. The card's boost clock of 2460 MHz helps maintain performance, but it cannot overcome the memory bandwidth limitations at 4K. The 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for this title, but the memory subsystem is the bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K smoothly?

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 80.9 FPS. At Medium, the average drops to 66.4 FPS, and at High it is 56.4 FPS. Ultra settings yield just 49.7 FPS, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 1080p, all settings exceed 140 FPS, with Low reaching 229.8 FPS. At 1440p, Low and Medium presets achieve 145 FPS and 125.3 FPS respectively, which are also suitable for high refresh rate displays.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, scores 23321, which is 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 23338, also 0.7% higher.

Q: Is the Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for the RTX 4060?

A: The CPU benchmark data suggests it is not. The 13700K scores 39000 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 5505 in single-core, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. In-game data shows FPS scaling that is primarily GPU-limited at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings average 145 FPS, while Ultra averages 86.4 FPS. This represents a 40.4% decrease in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance affect the game?

A: The 13700K's 3DMark single-thread score is 1136, and its Cinebench R20 single-core score is 2312. This strong single-thread performance helps maintain high frame rates at 1080p, where the CPU is more involved in frame pacing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 229.8 FPS, Medium drops to 198.2 FPS, and High further reduces to 168.9 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding at 1080p, averaging 140 FPS. All of these results are well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p an ideal resolution for this combo.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still strong. Low settings average 145 FPS, Medium hits 125.3 FPS, and High maintains 107.1 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 86.4 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, with even the most demanding preset remaining playable.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060's limitations become apparent. The Low preset averages 80.9 FPS, which is playable. Medium drops to 66.4 FPS, and High falls to 56.4 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging 49.7 FPS. The data shows a clear linear progression of performance degradation as settings increase at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the 1080p resolution is the clear choice. The High preset at 168.9 FPS is recommended, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low (229.8 FPS) while still maintaining frame rates well above 144 FPS. The Ultra preset at 140 FPS is also viable if you prefer maximum visual quality and your monitor's refresh rate is close to that number.

At 1440p, the Medium preset offers the best balance. At 125.3 FPS, it provides a smooth experience on high refresh rate monitors while delivering better visual quality than Low (145 FPS). The High preset at 107.1 FPS is also a strong option for those who prioritize visuals over maximum frame rates. Ultra at 86.4 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive in fast-paced combat.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only sensible choice for a smooth experience, averaging 80.9 FPS. The Medium preset at 66.4 FPS is workable, but you will be closer to the edge of acceptable performance. High (56.4 FPS) and Ultra (49.7 FPS) are not recommended for competitive play, as frame times may be inconsistent. The data clearly indicates that this system is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, with 4K reserved for less demanding titles or when visual fidelity is not the primary concern.