Doom

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock runs at 2.10 GHz with a boost clock reaching 5.40 GHz, and it shares 33 MB of L3 cache across the silicon. For a game like Doom, which is a fast-paced FPS from 2016, the CPU's single-thread performance matters most for maintaining high frame rates, while the sheer core count ensures background tasks and game logic never become a bottleneck.

Benchmark data positions this CPU at the 91st percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 53,620. Its nearest rivals in aggregate performance include the Intel Xeon 6505P (deltaPct -0.2), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (deltaPct 0.3), AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (deltaPct 0.6), and AMD EPYC 7313P (deltaPct 0.8). These deltas are all within 1% of the i7-14700F's score, meaning the CPU competes directly with server and high-end workstation parts in raw computational throughput. In Doom specifically, the CPU's 5.40 GHz boost clock is the key asset, as the game's engine scales well with high single-core frequency, and the 28 threads provide ample headroom for any background tasks while gaming.

The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,122 and single-core score of 4,958 illustrate a balanced design: the multi-core figure is strong enough to handle modern workloads, while the single-core score ensures responsive gameplay in titles that rely on one or two primary threads. PassMark multi-thread results (41,317) and single-thread results (4,257) reinforce this pattern, with the CPU outperforming the majority of desktop parts in both metrics. In Doom, where frame pacing is critical, the high boost clock translates to consistent frame delivery, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor.

The 14700F's 65 W TDP, combined with its active production status and launch MSRP of $359, places it as a mainstream desktop part, though the data suggests its performance punches well above that class. Its memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, along with PCIe Gen 5 lanes, ensures it can feed the GPU without interface bottlenecks. For Doom's engine, which was designed for hardware from 2016, the CPU's capabilities far exceed the minimum requirements, and benchmark results indicate the processor will easily keep up with the GPU at all tested settings.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process, with 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. It features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost clock of 2512 MHz, and its memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). With 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the RTX 5070 offers substantial raw compute: 30.87 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, a pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s.

In the aggregate GPU benchmark pool, the RTX 5070 sits at the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40,377. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (deltaPct 0.1), AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (deltaPct 0.8), AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (deltaPct -1.2), and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (deltaPct 2). These comparisons reveal that the RTX 5070's overall score is closely matched with older workstation cards, though its gaming-specific strengths—particularly in DirectX 12 (PassMark score 108) and DirectX 11 (PassMark score 277)—are what matter for Doom. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5,077 further indicates strong modern API performance.

For Doom, the RTX 5070's 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's textures and geometry at any resolution, as the game was released in 2016 and does not demand the memory capacities of modern titles. The 672.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures high-resolution textures load quickly, while the boost clock of 2512 MHz drives frame rates at all settings. The GPU's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6 means it can run Doom through any of its API paths, though the data suggests the Vulkan API is typically optimal for this engine. The RTX 5070's 250 W TDP and dual-slot design are consistent with a mid-to-high-end card, and its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures no bandwidth limitations when paired with the i7-14700F.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a clear pattern: Doom's performance scales predictably as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the dominant limiting component at higher pixel counts. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 202 at Ultra settings to 335 at Low settings, indicating that the CPU and GPU are both contributing, but the high frame rates suggest the GPU is not fully saturated. Moving to 1440p, the average FPS drops to between 131 (Ultra) and 217 (Low), a reduction of roughly 35% at Ultra settings, which points to the GPU beginning to shoulder more of the rendering load. At 4K, the average FPS falls further to between 71 (Ultra) and 118 (Low), with the Ultra preset showing a 45% drop from 1440p, confirming that the RTX 5070 is the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (335 FPS) and Ultra (202 FPS) is 133 FPS, a 66% performance penalty for maximum quality. At 1440p, the gap shrinks to 86 FPS (217 vs. 131), and at 4K, it narrows to 47 FPS (118 vs. 71). This trend indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU's ability to feed frames is more exposed, while at higher resolutions, the GPU's pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor, compressing the performance spread across settings.

The Medium settings rows include min and max FPS data, which provides insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the average is 292 FPS with a min of 248 and max of 336, showing a tight range that indicates consistent frame delivery. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 189 FPS with a min of 161 and max of 217, and at 4K Medium, the average is 102 FPS with a min of 87 and max of 118. The min-to-max spread widens slightly at higher resolutions, but the frame times remain stable enough for smooth gameplay. The 4K Ultra result of 71 FPS is still above 60 FPS, but the scaling from 1080p Ultra (202 FPS) to 4K Ultra (71 FPS) represents a 65% reduction, which is substantial and highlights the GPU-bound nature of high-resolution gaming.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5070 paired with the i7-14700F delivers exceptional performance across all four settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 335 FPS, while Medium averages 292 FPS (min 248, max 336). High settings yield 247 FPS on average, and Ultra still maintains a robust 202 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is rarely GPU-limited, and the high frame rates are suitable for competitive play on high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to reflect the GPU's workload. Low settings produce an average of 217 FPS, Medium averages 189 FPS (min 161, max 217), High averages 160 FPS, and Ultra drops to 131 FPS. The step from Low to Ultra at 1440p costs 86 FPS, which is a significant penalty but still leaves the Ultra preset well above the 100 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset's min of 161 FPS indicates that even under heavy load, the system rarely dips below playable levels.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting component. Low settings average 118 FPS, Medium averages 102 FPS (min 87, max 118), High averages 87 FPS, and Ultra drops to 71 FPS. The 4K results show that while the system can handle 4K gaming, the Ultra preset is the only one that approaches the 60 FPS minimum, and even then, it maintains a 71 FPS average. Players targeting 4K at maximum quality will find the experience playable, but those seeking higher frame rates should consider Medium or Low settings, which offer 102 and 118 FPS respectively.

The combination ranks 754th out of 3,712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the top 20% of all system configurations. This ranking reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, where neither component is severely mismatched for the game's demands. The data is measured, not simulated, so these figures represent real-world performance for this specific CPU-GPU pairing.

# FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the 4K Ultra preset averages 71 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. The GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, but the frame rate remains playable.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 247 at 1080p High to 160 at 1440p High, and further to 87 at 4K High. This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700F bottlenecking the RTX 5070 in Doom?

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates (up to 335 FPS on Low) suggest the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU, but the CPU's single-thread performance is more exposed. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as shown by the 71 FPS Ultra result.

Q: What is the best setting for competitive play at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1080p yields 335 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium also offers 292 FPS with a min of 248, so both are viable, but Low maximizes frame rate for competitive advantage.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070's average score of 40,377 is within 2% of the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (deltaPct -1.2) and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (deltaPct 2). Its DirectX 12 score of 108 and DirectX 11 score of 277 indicate strong gaming performance relative to these workstation-class cards.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-core performance matter for Doom?

A: Doom is primarily single-threaded in its game logic, so the i7-14700F's 5.40 GHz boost clock is more relevant than its 20 cores. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,958 and PassMark single-thread score of 4,257 confirm strong single-thread capabilities that support high frame rates.

# Settings Recommendations

The data shows that the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate priorities. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 335 FPS, which is the highest measured result and best suited for competitive play or 240 Hz monitors. However, Medium at 292 FPS (min 248) offers a better balance between visual quality and performance, with only a 13% reduction from Low. High at 247 FPS and Ultra at 202 FPS are both excellent for single-player immersion, but the 133 FPS difference between Low and Ultra suggests diminishing returns at the highest quality tier.

At 1440p, the Medium preset stands out as the best overall choice, averaging 189 FPS with a min of 161 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 144 Hz refresh rates while maintaining better visual fidelity than Low (217 FPS). High at 160 FPS is also viable for 144 Hz displays, but Ultra at 131 FPS may cause occasional frame drops below 144 FPS, making it less ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. For players with 60 Hz displays, Ultra is perfectly playable and offers the best image quality.

At 4K, the recommendation shifts toward maximizing frame rate while retaining visual quality. The Medium preset at 102 FPS (min 87) is the best compromise, offering a 44% improvement over Ultra (71 FPS) while still looking noticeably better than Low (118 FPS). High at 87 FPS is acceptable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes, while Ultra at 71 FPS is the only preset that dips close to 60 FPS territory. For the smoothest 4K experience, Medium is the recommended preset, as it keeps average FPS above 100 while minimizing frame drops. Players prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate can choose Ultra, but the data indicates Medium provides the best experience per the measured rows.