Doom

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a playable experience in Doom across most settings, but the data reveals a clear performance ceiling dictated by the GPU. At 1080p, the combo produces high frame rates that exceed typical display refresh rates, while 4K performance drops to a level that requires setting adjustments for smooth gameplay. This analysis breaks down the measured results, focusing on how the components interact and what the frame rates indicate about system balance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a substantial performance decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 202 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low reduces that to 131 FPS, a 35% drop. At 4K Low, the average falls to 71 FPS, which represents a 65% reduction from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern is steep, indicating that the RTX 5050’s rendering throughput is heavily taxed by the increased pixel count.

The relative performance gaps between resolutions remain consistent across all settings. For High settings, the averages are 149 FPS at 1080p, 96 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K. The 1440p result is 36% lower than 1080p, and 4K is 65% lower than 1080p. This uniformity suggests that the game’s engine scales predictably with resolution, and the limiting factor is the GPU’s fill rate and shading capacity rather than any CPU-related constraint. The i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is unlikely to be the limiting component at any resolution in this title.

The data implies that for a 60 FPS target at 4K, only the Low preset (71 FPS) comfortably exceeds the threshold, while Medium (62 FPS) is close, and High (52 FPS) and Ultra (43 FPS) fall short. At 1440p, all presets except Ultra (79 FPS) exceed 90 FPS, with High at 96 FPS and Medium at 114 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows that the RTX 5050’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become significant factors at the higher resolution, as the average FPS drops by roughly half in most cases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. Its memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz. These specifications position the card in the mid-range segment, and the benchmark results confirm that it can handle Doom’s engine effectively up to 1440p, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K.

Looking at the GPU’s synthetic benchmarks, its PassMark G3D score is 17326, with a PassMark GPU Compute score of 9184. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 2502. These figures correlate with the measured FPS data, showing that the card’s raw compute power translates into playable performance at lower resolutions. The nearest rival comparisons show the RTX 5050 is closely matched with the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which has a deltaPct of 1.6, meaning the RX 5600 XT is 1.6% faster in average benchmark score. The RTX 5050 also sits within 1.6% of the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile and within 1% of the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, indicating a tight competitive cluster.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a relevant factor for Doom, particularly at 4K where texture memory demands are higher. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the average FPS is 62, with a minimum of 52 and maximum of 71. The spread between minimum and maximum at this setting suggests some frame time variance, which could be attributed to memory bandwidth limitations or texture swapping. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 150 and maximum 203, showing a wider range but still maintaining high averages. The GPU’s 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 205.8 GTexel/s texture rate are sufficient for the game’s id Tech 6 engine, but the 4K results indicate that the card is operating near its limits.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved with this combo in Doom?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 202, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only with the Low preset, which averages 71 FPS. The Medium preset averages 62 FPS, while High (52 FPS) and Ultra (43 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. Its closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT with a score of 20713, which is 1.6% slower. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL is 0.6% faster with a score of 21153.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 149. At 1440p High, the average FPS drops to 96, which is a 36% reduction.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The i7-14700K has a PassMark multithread score of 52392 and a single-thread score of 4472, which are ample for the game. The steep FPS drops with resolution increases point directly to GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the measurements?

A: The lowest average FPS is 43, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 2281 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places the system in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the RTX 5050 being a mid-range graphics card paired with a high-end CPU. The rank of 2281 suggests that while the CPU is capable of supporting higher-performing GPUs, the overall system performance is constrained by the graphics card.

The CPU itself is a strong performer, ranking in the 94th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which is 0.2% faster in average score, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, which is 0.7% faster. The AMD EPYC 9115 is 0.1% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is 0.9% faster. This shows the i7-14700K is competitive with top-tier processors, but its potential is not fully utilized in this pairing for Doom.

The GPU ranks in the 66th percentile against all GPUs, which is a solid mid-range position. Given that the combo rank is 2281 out of 3712, the system is less competitive in the overall database than its components individually suggest. This indicates that for Doom, the bottleneck is the GPU, and users seeking higher frame rates at 4K would need a more powerful graphics card to improve the system’s standing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K features 20 cores and 28 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. It is built on the Raptor Lake architecture using a 10 nm process node from Intel. The CPU has 33 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 33440.5 and a single-core score of 2160. The Geekbench multicore score is 20767, and the single-core score is 2569.

For Doom, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The i7-14700K’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by its PassMark single-thread score of 4472, ensures that the game’s main thread is not a bottleneck. The multicore capabilities are also relevant, as modern game engines can utilize multiple cores for various tasks. Given the FPS data, the CPU is never the limiting factor; even at 4K Low, where the GPU is pushing 71 FPS, the CPU has ample headroom.

The CPU’s 125 W TDP and support for PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes provide a robust platform. The data shows that switching from Low to Ultra settings at the same resolution results in a consistent FPS drop, which is purely a GPU workload increase. For example, at 1080p, moving from Low (202 FPS) to Ultra (122 FPS) reduces performance by 40%, while the CPU’s utilization likely remains similar. This confirms that the i7-14700K is more than sufficient for this game, and any performance limitations are attributable to the RTX 5050.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measurements show a clear progression across presets. With Low settings, the average FPS is 202. Medium settings yield an average of 176 FPS, with a minimum of 150 and maximum of 203. High settings produce an average of 149 FPS. Ultra settings reduce the average to 122 FPS. The spread between Medium’s minimum and maximum (150-203 FPS) shows some variance, but all presets at this resolution deliver smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the averages are significantly lower. Low settings average 131 FPS. Medium averages 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 and maximum of 131. High settings average 96 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 79 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p shows a tighter range (97-131 FPS) compared to 1080p, indicating more consistent frame pacing at the higher resolution.

At 3840x2160, performance is heavily constrained. Low settings average 71 FPS. Medium averages 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 and maximum of 71. High settings average 52 FPS. Ultra settings average 43 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 52 FPS suggests occasional dips below 60 FPS, which could be noticeable on a 60 Hz display. The data at 4K shows that only the Low preset provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, while Medium is borderline.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the Low preset is the only reliable choice, with an average of 71 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 62 FPS, but its minimum of 52 FPS means there will be stutters during intense scenes. Users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate might accept Medium, but the data suggests Low is the safest option for consistent performance at 4K.

At 1440p, the High preset offers an excellent balance, averaging 96 FPS. This provides headroom above 60 FPS and allows for better visual fidelity than Medium (114 FPS) or Low (131 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 79 FPS, which is still playable, but the 18% performance drop from High may not justify the visual gains for most users.

For 1080p, the High preset is recommended for a balance of performance and quality, with an average of 149 FPS. The Ultra preset (122 FPS) is also viable for those with high refresh rate monitors, as it remains above 120 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p (202 FPS) is only necessary for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized over visuals. Overall, the data shows that High settings at 1440p provide the best combination of frame rate and visual quality, while the system requires Low settings to maintain 60 FPS at 4K.