Doom

The AMD Radeon RX 580 paired with the Intel Core i7-14700K presents a study in extreme imbalance for Doom. The data shows a classic case where a modern, high-end CPU is paired with an older, mid-range GPU, resulting in performance that is almost entirely dictated by the graphics card. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings are firmly in the territory of the RX 580, with the i7-14700K's substantial processing power remaining largely untapped. This combination ranks at 1555 out of 1681 tested combos in the game, placing it in the lower percentile of overall system performance, a direct consequence of the GPU bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling data point in this analysis is the dramatic frame rate collapse as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 100.6 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p, that average drops to 65 FPS, a 35.4% reduction. Moving to 4K, the average plummets to 37.5 FPS, which is a 62.7% drop from the 1080p result. This steep decline is the definitive signature of a GPU-limited scenario.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not scale with pixel count. Instead, the consistent and severe drop-off with each increase in resolution points directly to the RX 580's rendering capabilities being saturated. The GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel workload, particularly at 4K where even the highest settings fail to maintain a playable 30 FPS. The i7-14700K is clearly capable of feeding the GPU with data; the bottleneck lies entirely in the GPU's ability to process those frames.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system achieves consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, average FPS ranges from 64.2 on Ultra to 100.6 on Low, all comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the average drops below 60 FPS on High and Ultra settings, while at 4K, every setting results in an average below 40 FPS.

Q: How large is the performance gap between the lowest and highest settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the difference is significant. Moving from Low settings (37.5 FPS average) to Ultra settings (22.1 FPS average) results in a 41% decrease in performance. This shows that the GPU is so heavily taxed at this resolution that even the modest increase in workload from Low to Ultra has a substantial impact on frame rate.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K a bottleneck for the RX 580 in this game?

A: No, benchmark results indicate the opposite. The CPU is not the limiting factor. The i7-14700K has 20 cores and 28 threads, and its benchmark scores (e.g., 44534 in Cinebench R23 multicore) are far beyond what Doom requires. The performance is constrained by the GPU, as evidenced by the steep frame rate declines at higher resolutions, which is a characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the RX 580's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RX 580's average benchmark score of 13559 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is statistically tied with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which has a deltaPct of 0, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950, which is 0.1% lower. Against the AMD Radeon Pro 455, it is 1.1% faster, showing that the RX 580 is positioned squarely within its performance tier.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS for 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 59.3. This is just below the 60 FPS target, suggesting that for a smoother experience, players would need to either drop to Low settings (65 FPS) or reduce the resolution to 1080p.

Q: Given the data, what is the highest playable setting at 1080p?

A: All settings at 1080p produce averages above 60 FPS. The highest setting, Ultra, yields an average of 64.2 FPS. This indicates that the system can handle the maximum visual fidelity at this resolution while maintaining a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a flagship-tier processor in terms of raw compute. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it is built for heavy multi-threaded workloads. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 44534 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2932. The CPU's percentile of 96 means it outperforms 96% of all CPUs in the database, positioning it as a top-tier part.

However, in this specific game configuration, its role is almost entirely secondary. Doom is a title that scales well with GPU power, and the data shows that the RX 580 is the primary determinant of the final frame rate. The CPU's single-core performance, which is critical for game logic, is more than sufficient. The i7-14700K's boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures it can process game instructions without creating a bottleneck. The measured frame rates at 1080p, where the CPU's influence is strongest, are still limited by the GPU, as evidenced by the fact that the 100.6 FPS Low setting is not a staggeringly high number for a CPU of this caliber. The data shows that the CPU is performing its part admirably, but its power is simply not being utilized to its full potential due to the GPU's limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured FPS provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities.

At 1920x1080, the system is most viable. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 100.6 FPS. Moving to Medium yields 86.4 FPS, while High settings produce 79 FPS. The most demanding setting, Ultra, still manages an average of 64.2 FPS. All of these results are above 60 FPS, making 1080p the target resolution for this setup.

At 2560x1440, performance begins to waver. The Low setting produces an average of 65 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings result in 59.3 FPS, and High drops to 49.4 FPS. The Ultra setting falls to 40.6 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. The Low setting yields an average of just 37.5 FPS. Medium settings produce 34 FPS, and High drops further to 23.7 FPS. The Ultra setting brings up the rear with a 22.1 FPS average, which is not a playable experience.

The pattern is consistent: a clear correlation between decreasing resolution and increasing frame rate, with the GPU being the sole constraint.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the definitive limiting factor in this system. Its average benchmark score of 13559 places it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, which is a mid-range standing. Its closest rivals, the GTX 570 and GTX 950, have nearly identical average scores, confirming its performance class. The card's specifications, such as its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus (256.0 GB/s bandwidth), are insufficient for the demands of 4K gaming in Doom.

The GPU's role is evidenced by the FPS data. At 4K, even the lowest settings cannot maintain a 40 FPS average, showing that the fill rate and shading power are maxed out. The architecture, GCN 4.0, is from 2017, and its 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is simply not enough for high-resolution rendering in this title. The RX 580's performance is the ceiling for this entire system. Upgrading the CPU would have zero impact on these results, as the GPU is already working at 100% capacity. The data suggests that the GPU is the component that needs to be upgraded to achieve higher frame rates at any resolution above 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the recommended settings are straightforward. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is the optimal choice, yielding an average of 64.2 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining a smooth frame rate. If a higher frame rate is desired for competitive play, dropping to Low settings at the same resolution will produce an average of 100.6 FPS, though the visual fidelity will be significantly reduced.

At 1440p, the system cannot reliably maintain 60 FPS. The only setting that gets close is Low, with an average of 65 FPS. For users with a 1440p monitor, this is the only viable preset, but they will have to accept the lowest graphical quality. The Medium preset at 59.3 FPS is borderline, but the closeness to the 60 FPS threshold makes it a risky choice. All other settings at this resolution are not recommended for a smooth experience.

4K gaming is not a viable option for this hardware combination. Even at the lowest settings, the average frame rate is below 40 FPS. The data clearly shows that this resolution is out of reach for the RX 580 in Doom. The best experience is unequivocally at 1080p, where the system can leverage its full CPU potential without being overly constrained by the GPU, providing a playable and visually pleasing experience on the Ultra preset.