Doom

The Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination delivers a formidable gaming experience in Doom, with the system’s 20 cores and 28 threads providing ample headroom. While Doom is not traditionally a CPU-intensive title, the i7-14700F’s architecture, based on Raptor Lake, ensures that frame pacing remains consistent even when the GPU is pushed to its limits. The processor’s boost clock of 5.40 GHz is particularly relevant for maintaining high minimum frame rates, though the data here focuses on averages. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35443 and a single-core score of 5003, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. This high percentile indicates that the processor is unlikely to bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios, a conclusion supported by the FPS measurements across different resolutions.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070, with its RDNA 4.0 architecture and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, is the primary driver of performance in this pairing. Its 3584 shading units and boost clock of 2520 MHz allow it to handle Doom’s Vulkan-based engine with ease. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 25381 places it in the 79th percentile of all GPUs, which, while lower than the CPU’s percentile, is still robust for 1440p and 4K gaming. The combination of this CPU and GPU results in a combo rank of 569 out of 1681 tested combinations, placing it in the top third of all systems tested by this database. This ranking suggests that while not the absolute fastest, the pairing offers a balanced profile that excels in high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and remains capable at 4K.

CPU Role

The Core i7-14700F’s role in Doom is to provide a stable foundation for the GPU to operate without interruption. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the processor has significant multi-threading capability, which is reflected in its Geekbench multi-core score of 16571. However, Doom’s engine primarily relies on a few high-performance threads, making the CPU’s single-core performance more critical. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5003 and PassMark single-thread score of 4261 indicate strong per-core performance that can keep up with the RX 9070’s frame generation.

The CPU’s 33 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial, as it reduces latency when the GPU requests draw calls. At 1080p, the data shows the system achieving 295.7 FPS on Low settings, which is a clear indicator that the CPU is not holding back the GPU in less demanding scenarios. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is typically the limiting factor, the system still manages 60.8 FPS, showing that the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to maintain playable frame rates. The processor’s 65 W TDP is modest, but its architecture allows for sustained boost clocks, which is crucial for long gaming sessions.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core i7-14700F compare to its nearest rival in synthetic tests?

A: The i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 54097, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X’s 54450. It is also 1.1% behind the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681), but 1.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53469) and 1.7% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P (53206).

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking and what does it mean for Doom?

A: The RX 9070 is in the 79th percentile of all GPUs. This means it performs better than approximately 79% of GPUs in the database, indicating it is a high-end part suitable for demanding titles like Doom at high resolutions.

Q: Can this system achieve 4K 60 FPS in Doom?

A: Yes, at 4K Ultra settings, the system averages 60.8 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K High settings, it averages 73.7 FPS, providing more headroom for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system achieves 295.7 FPS, which is exceptionally high. This suggests the GPU is still the primary driver, as the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates. The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking supports this, as it is less likely to bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the combo rank compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 569th out of 1681 tested combinations. This places it in the 66th percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of the systems tested in this database.

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

A: At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 192.7 on Low to 115.5 on Ultra. This is a 40% reduction in performance, showing that Ultra settings impose a significant load on the GPU but still maintain high frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the user’s refresh rate and resolution preference. For 4K gaming, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers 73.7 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 60.8 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves little room for frame drops in intense scenes. The Medium preset at 4K offers 88.2 FPS, which is a better balance for 60 Hz displays, but High provides a more visually complete experience.

At 1440p, the data suggests that the Ultra preset is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors. The system averages 115.5 FPS on Ultra, which is sufficient for 120 Hz displays. The High preset at 140.1 FPS is also excellent, but the visual fidelity gain from Ultra is worth the 24.6 FPS difference for many users. For 1080p, the Ultra preset at 179.8 FPS is the best choice for 165 Hz or 180 Hz monitors, as it provides both high frame rates and maximum visual quality. The Low preset at 295.7 FPS is only recommended for competitive players who prioritize raw frame rate over visuals, as the difference between Low and Ultra is substantial in terms of graphical fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 achieves a rank of 569 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This places the system in the top 34% of all configurations tested, which is a respectable position given the game’s age and the high performance of many newer GPUs. The rank is primarily driven by the GPU’s strong performance, as the CPU’s 94th percentile ranking is higher than the combo’s overall percentile, indicating that the GPU is the more limiting component in this pairing.

When compared to the CPU’s nearest rivals, the i7-14700F is nearly identical in performance to the Ryzen 9 9900X, with a delta of just -0.6%. This means that swapping to a Ryzen 9 9900X would not materially change the system’s rank. The GPU’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA A2, which is 0.2% faster in average score, but this does not reflect real-world gaming performance where the RX 9070’s architecture is better suited for DirectX 12. The combo rank suggests that this system is well-balanced, with neither component holding the other back significantly.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 217.3 at 1080p to 140.1 at 1440p, a 35.5% reduction, and then to 73.7 at 4K, a 66.1% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RX 9070’s rendering workload increases exponentially with pixel count. The 4K resolution has four times the pixels of 1080p, and the data shows that the frame rate does not scale linearly, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s and shading units are the limiting factors.

At Low settings, the scaling is slightly different, with FPS dropping from 295.7 at 1080p to 192.7 at 1440p and 105.8 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 64.2%, which is similar to the High preset. This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all settings, and the CPU’s performance does not meaningfully influence the scaling. The fact that the system can achieve over 60 FPS at 4K even on Ultra settings indicates that the RX 9070 has sufficient headroom for this resolution, though users seeking higher frame rates will need to reduce settings or resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 295.7 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings reduce this to 256.4 FPS, a 13.3% decrease, while High settings yield 217.3 FPS, a further 15.2% decrease. Ultra settings bring the average down to 179.8 FPS, which is 39.2% lower than Low but still far above the refresh rate of most monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected impact of increased resolution. Low settings average 192.7 FPS, which is 34.8% lower than at 1080p. Medium settings drop to 169.9 FPS, High to 140.1 FPS, and Ultra to 115.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 77.2 FPS, or 40.1%, which is slightly larger than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more stressed at higher resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the system still delivers playable frame rates, but the overhead is reduced. Low settings average 105.8 FPS, which is 45.1% lower than at 1440p. Medium settings produce 88.2 FPS, High 73.7 FPS, and Ultra 60.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 45 FPS, or 42.5%, showing that even at this resolution, the settings have a significant impact on performance. The data confirms that the system is capable of 4K gaming, but users will need to choose between visual fidelity and frame rate, with High settings offering the best balance at 73.7 FPS.