Doom

# FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this CPU-GPU combo in Doom at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers an average of 267 FPS. This is the lowest average among the four tested settings at this resolution, but it still far exceeds the refresh rates of most high-end monitors.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution compared to 1440p?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 94 on Ultra to 156 on Low. At 2560x1440, the same settings yield averages between 173 and 287 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is roughly 46% lower than the 1440p Ultra result, reflecting the significantly higher pixel count and GPU load at 4K.

Q: Which setting provides the highest average FPS?

A: Low settings consistently produce the highest average FPS across all three tested resolutions. At 1080p, Low reaches 444 FPS; at 1440p, it hits 287 FPS; and at 4K, it achieves 156 FPS. Medium settings sit between Low and High, while Ultra is the most demanding.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in Doom?

A: This combination ranks 88th out of 3,712 tested combos in the database for Doom. This places it in the top 2.4% of all tested configurations, indicating excellent performance relative to the broader field.

Q: Are there any measured minimum or maximum FPS values available?

A: The data includes min and max FPS only for Medium settings at each resolution. At 4K Medium, the range is 115 to 156 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 213 to 288 FPS; and at 1080p Medium, it is 329 to 445 FPS. Other settings only have average FPS values.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU hold the combo back more in this game?

A: The data shows the RTX 4090 is the primary driver of frame rates, as FPS scales strongly with resolution changes. The i7-14700K's high single-thread and multi-thread scores (2,160 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 33,440.5 in multi-core) are more than sufficient to feed the GPU, even at 1080p Low where the combo reaches 444 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 33 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark results are strong: it scores 33,440.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,160 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 20,767 and single-core of 2,569. Its Passmark multithread score is 52,392, and it ranks in the 94th percentile among all CPUs.

In Doom, a fast-paced FPS, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The i7-14700K's high boost clock of 5.60 GHz is critical for maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 444 FPS, a figure that demands extremely rapid CPU processing to keep up with the GPU's output. The processor's 28 threads also provide ample headroom for background tasks and streaming, ensuring consistent frame delivery.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-14700K is closely matched. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX by 0.7% and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F by 0.9% in average benchmark scores, but it leads the AMD EPYC 9115 by 0.1% and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.2%. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning the i7-14700K's performance in Doom is effectively on par with these alternatives. The CPU's 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile choice, though the data does not show memory-specific impacts on FPS.

The architecture's efficiency is also notable. With a die size of 257 mm² and 10 nm process, the i7-14700K balances power and performance. In Doom, the bottleneck analysis from the FPS data indicates that at 4K Ultra (94 FPS), the GPU is heavily loaded, while at 1080p Low (444 FPS), the CPU must work at its peak. The processor's Passmark physics score of 2,964 and floating-point math score of 134,222 further underscore its capability to handle the computational demands of a modern FPS without introducing frame pacing issues.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the centerpiece of this combo, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It packs 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, with 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. The GPU's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory operates on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and memory runs at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6.

In Doom, the RTX 4090's massive memory bandwidth and raw compute power are the primary drivers of frame rates. The FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 4K Ultra, the average is 94 FPS; at 4K High, it rises to 115 FPS; at 4K Medium, 136 FPS; and at 4K Low, 156 FPS. This 66% increase from Ultra to Low at 4K demonstrates how the GPU's load decreases as settings are lowered, freeing up performance. The same pattern holds at 1440p and 1080p, where the RTX 4090's capabilities are less taxed.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its strength. It achieves 38,194 in Passmark G3D, 26,613 in GPU compute, and 255,416 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 9,223, and it ranks in the 88th percentile among all GPUs. Interestingly, its nearest rivals in the database are professional workstation cards like the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M and Intel Arc Pro A60, with delta percentages of -2.5% and 0%, respectively. This suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4090's gaming-focused architecture performs similarly to these pro cards, but in Doom, its gaming optimizations shine.

The 24 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Doom at any setting, even at 4K Ultra, where texture-heavy scenes benefit from the ample memory pool. The 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets do not cause stutters. The pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s are key metrics for a game like Doom, which relies on fast rendering of detailed environments and effects. The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are not directly utilized in Doom, but they contribute to the card's overall compute capability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, even Ultra settings deliver 267 FPS, which is far above any current monitor's refresh rate. For competitive play, Low settings at 444 FPS offer the lowest latency, but High at 327 FPS provides a better visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. Medium at 387 FPS is a balanced choice, though the difference between settings is minimal at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, High settings at 211 FPS are recommended for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. Ultra at 173 FPS is still excellent for high-refresh-rate QHD monitors, while Medium at 250 FPS and Low at 287 FPS are options for those prioritizing frame rate above all. The data shows that the RTX 4090 handles 1440p with ease, so users can comfortably choose High or Ultra without worrying about drops below 144 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the choice is more nuanced. Ultra settings at 94 FPS are playable but may dip below 60 FPS in intense scenes, given that the min FPS for Medium is 115 FPS. High at 115 FPS is a safer bet for 4K gaming, providing a smooth experience on 120 Hz displays. Medium at 136 FPS offers a good middle ground, while Low at 156 FPS is the best option for maximizing frame rate at 4K. For most users, High settings at 4K offer the best experience, as they balance visual quality with a 115 FPS average that exceeds typical 4K display refresh rates.

The min and max FPS data for Medium settings provide additional insight. At 4K Medium, the range is 115 to 156 FPS, indicating consistent performance without major dips. At 1440p Medium, the range is 213 to 288 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it is 329 to 445 FPS. These ranges suggest that the combo maintains stable frame delivery across resolutions, making Medium a reliable choice for those who want a smooth experience without the highest visual settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 88th out of 3,712 tested combos in Doom. This ranking places it in the top 2.4% of all configurations, which is an exceptional result. The data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, with only 87 combinations achieving higher average frame rates. Given that the RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product and the i7-14700K is a current-generation CPU, this ranking reflects the high-end nature of both components.

The rank is particularly impressive when considering the GPU's percentile standing. The RTX 4090 ranks in the 88th percentile among all GPUs, and the CPU ranks in the 94th percentile. Together, they form a synergistic pair that maximizes Doom's performance. The combination's rank of 88 suggests that there are a few systems with even more powerful components, likely featuring newer GPUs or higher-clocked CPUs, but the difference in FPS is likely minimal for most users.

In terms of rival comparisons, the CPU's nearest rivals show negligible performance deltas, meaning the i7-14700K does not bottleneck the RTX 4090 in Doom. The GPU's nearest rivals are professional cards, which are not typically used for gaming, so the RTX 4090's gaming-specific advantages are fully realized in this title. The data shows that this combo is a top-tier choice for Doom, capable of delivering high frame rates at all resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 115 on High, 156 on Low, 136 on Medium, and 94 on Ultra. The Medium setting has a measured min of 115 FPS and max of 156 FPS, while other settings have no min/max data. This shows a clear progression: moving from Ultra to Low increases performance by 66%, from 94 to 156 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 211 FPS on High, 287 FPS on Low, 250 FPS on Medium, and 173 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting ranges from 213 to 288 FPS. The jump from Ultra to Low is 66% again, from 173 to 287 FPS, but the absolute numbers are much higher than at 4K, confirming that the GPU is less stressed at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the averages are 327 FPS on High, 444 FPS on Low, 387 FPS on Medium, and 267 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting ranges from 329 to 445 FPS. The difference between Ultra and Low is 66% as well, from 267 to 444 FPS, but the raw frame rates are exceptionally high, making this resolution ideal for esports or high-refresh-rate monitors.

The data also reveals a consistent pattern: the ratio between settings is similar across resolutions. For example, High is always about 23% faster than Ultra, and Low is always about 66% faster than Ultra. This consistency suggests that the bottleneck is well-balanced between CPU and GPU, with neither component causing disproportionate scaling issues. The min and max FPS values for Medium settings show tight ranges, indicating stable performance without severe frame drops, which is crucial for a fast-paced game like Doom.