Doom

The pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF with the AMD Radeon RX 580 in Doom presents a striking study in component imbalance. The data reveals a processor operating far above the graphics card's performance class, creating a bottleneck that shifts dramatically depending on resolution and settings. This analysis examines the measured frames per second (FPS) to understand how this 2023 CPU, with a launch MSRP of $384, interacts with a 2017 GPU that was end-of-life, and what the results mean for the gaming experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 101.2, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only measured configuration that breaks the 100 FPS barrier.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700K?

A: The Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70104, while its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700K, scores 70074. The deltaPct is 0, indicating they perform at a statistical dead heat.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile when compared to all other GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 13559.

Q: Which resolution provides a playable 60 FPS experience on High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 47.2 FPS, which is below 60. To reach a 60+ FPS average, you must drop to 1920x1080 with High settings, where it hits 76 FPS.

Q: What is the performance delta between the RX 580 and its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950?

A: The RX 580's average score of 13559 is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950's score of 13549. The two cards are effectively equal in overall benchmark terms.

*Q: How does the combo's rank of 1559 out of 1681 in Doom compare to the CPU's 96th percentile ranking?*

A: The CPU is in the top 4% of all processors, yet the combo ranks in the bottom 8% (1559/1681) for this game. This massive discrepancy highlights that the graphics card, not the processor, is the dominant limiting factor in Doom.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the clear anchor on performance in this configuration. Its specifications reveal a GPU from a different era: 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and its GCN 4.0 architecture operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The data shows that this GPU, which sits at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, is the primary determinant of the FPS results.

The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 6.175 TFLOPS, are modest by modern standards. This is reflected in the benchmark results; for instance, its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1005, and its Passmark G3D score is 8813. In Doom, the GPU's workload scales directly with resolution. At 1080p, the GPU is often the sole bottleneck, but at 4K, its limitations are laid bare. The 22.4 FPS average at 3840x2160 on Ultra settings is a direct consequence of the RX 580's inability to process the increased pixel count and shading complexity. The data indicates that the GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this title, as the FPS drops are more consistent with raw compute and fillrate limitations rather than memory capacity issues. The GPU's performance relative to its rivals, such as the GTX 950 and GTX 570, shows it is a mid-range part from its generation, and its age is the defining factor in this pairing.

CPU Role

In stark contrast to the GPU, the Intel Core i7-14700KF is a high-end, modern processor. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it is a computational powerhouse. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44557 and a single-core score of 6290, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The data suggests that this CPU is never the limiting factor in Doom at any of the tested settings.

The processor's high boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures that its single-threaded performance, which is critical for game logic and draw calls, is more than sufficient to feed the RX 580. Evidence of this can be seen in the FPS scaling. When moving from 1080p Low (101.2 FPS) to 1080p Ultra (62.3 FPS), the FPS drops by 38.9 FPS. This significant drop is entirely attributable to the increased load on the GPU, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see more consistent FPS across different settings at the same resolution. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4480 and Geekbench single-core score of 2972 further underscore its ability to handle the game's processing demands without breaking a sweat. This pairing is a classic example of a CPU that could easily support a much more powerful GPU; the i7-14700KF is effectively waiting for the RX 580 to catch up.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: 101.2 FPS
• Medium: 89.1 FPS
• High: 76 FPS
• Ultra: 62.3 FPS

This is the only resolution where the combo consistently delivers playable frame rates. The drop from Low to Ultra is 38.9 FPS, showing how much headroom the CPU has.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 65.3 FPS
• Medium: 58.9 FPS
• High: 47.2 FPS
• Ultra: 39.7 FPS

At this resolution, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. Only the Low preset manages to stay above the 60 FPS threshold, and the Ultra preset falls to nearly 40 FPS.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 37.7 FPS
• Medium: 32.9 FPS
• High: 27.6 FPS
• Ultra: 22.4 FPS

4K is not a viable experience for this combo. Even the lowest settings yield an average of just 37.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an unplayable 22.4 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is the most telling data point in this analysis. Looking at High settings, performance drops from 76 FPS at 1080p to 47.2 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 27.6 FPS at 4K. This is a reduction of 37.8% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41.5% from 1440p to 4K.

This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. The i7-14700KF has more than enough processing power to handle the game's logic at any resolution; the limiting factor is the RX 580's pixel throughput. As the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The data shows that the RX 580 simply cannot maintain its performance as this workload grows. The FPS at 4K Ultra (22.4) is only about 22% of the FPS at 1080p Low (101.2), which points to the GPU's raw compute limits being the sole reason for the performance cliff. The CPU is not "saving" the experience at higher resolutions; it is merely an observer to the GPU's struggle.

Settings Recommendations

Given the data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate.

For a smooth 60+ FPS experience, the only viable options are at 1920x1080. The Ultra preset at 1080p achieves 62.3 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS line. This is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance at this resolution. If a higher refresh rate is desired, the Medium preset (89.1 FPS) or Low preset (101.2 FPS) are available, but they sacrifice the game's visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that hits an average above 60 FPS, coming in at 65.3 FPS. This is the recommended setting for this resolution. The Medium preset at 58.9 FPS is a viable alternative if the user can tolerate a slightly lower frame rate for better visuals, but it is on the edge of playability.

At 3840x2160, no settings yield a playable experience. The highest average FPS is 37.7 on Low, which is well below the standard for a smooth FPS. The data suggests that 4K should be avoided entirely with this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank within the database for Doom is 1559 out of 1681 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 7.3% of all tested systems. This low ranking is a direct result of the RX 580, which, despite being paired with a top-tier CPU, anchors the system's overall performance.

The contrast is stark when considering the components individually. The i7-14700KF is in the 96th percentile of CPUs, while the RX 580 is in the 53rd percentile of GPUs. The GPU's nearest rival, the GTX 950, has an almost identical average benchmark score, but in a game like Doom, the combination's rank is dragged down by the GPU's age. The data implies that this specific pairing is a poor match for a demanding FPS title, as the CPU's potential is almost entirely wasted. The ranking of 1559 is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, but rather evidence of the RX 580's inability to keep up in a modern gaming workload. This combo is severely GPU-limited, and its rank indicates that most other tested combinations, even those with much weaker CPUs, would outperform it in Doom if they had a more capable graphics card.