Doom

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, but the data shows a steep performance cliff at 4K. This combination lands at rank 2346 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. The measured frames per second reveal a system that is clearly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s substantial headroom keeps minimums high at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a pronounced drop as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 148 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average falls to 96 FPS, a reduction of 52 FPS. At 4K High, the average drops further to 52 FPS, which is just 35% of the 1080p High result. This steep linear decline indicates that the Radeon RX 7600 XT is the limiting component; the Intel Core i9-14900K’s processing power is not being fully utilized at higher resolutions.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system produces 202 FPS at 1080p, 130 FPS at 1440p, and 71 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 35.6% drop, and from 1440p to 4K is another 45.4% drop. This pattern persists even at Ultra, where the averages are 121 FPS, 78 FPS, and 43 FPS respectively. The fact that the percentage drops are similar across all quality presets reinforces that resolution, not graphical complexity, is the primary bottleneck.

The data suggests that for 4K gaming, this combo is only viable for lower settings. The jump from Medium (62 FPS) to High (52 FPS) at 4K is a 10 FPS hit, while the jump from High to Ultra (43 FPS) is another 9 FPS. This indicates diminishing returns at the top end. For smooth 4K play, the user must accept Low settings to stay above 70 FPS. At 1440p, the system is much more comfortable, with the average staying above 78 FPS even at Ultra. At 1080p, the combo is overkill for this game, as even Ultra settings clear 120 FPS, likely hitting the refresh rate limits of most monitors.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is a key asset in Doom, where texture streaming and large assets can tax VRAM. The benchmark results show that the GPU’s performance ceiling is reached at 4K, where the average FPS at Ultra (43) falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The GPU’s boost clock of 2755 MHz and game clock of 2470 MHz are the drivers behind its compute throughput, which is rated at 22.57 TFLOPS FP32.

The GPU’s performance is directly reflected in the measured FPS scaling. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at any given resolution is substantial. At 1080p, the difference is 81 FPS (202 vs 121). At 1440p, it is 52 FPS (130 vs 78). At 4K, it is 28 FPS (71 vs 43). This shows that the GPU’s shading units (2048) and texture units (128) are working progressively harder as quality increases, but the frame rate penalties are manageable at lower resolutions. The 64 ROPs are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the pixel fill rate of 176.3 GPixel/s becomes a limiting factor.

The data also shows that the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is not a constraint in this title. Even at 4K Ultra, there is no indication of a memory-related performance collapse, as the FPS drop from High to Ultra (9 FPS) is consistent with the drop from Medium to High (10 FPS). This suggests that the 16 GB capacity is ample for Doom’s engine, and the bottleneck is purely computational. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2348 and Passmark G3D score of 17132 provide synthetic benchmarks that align with the in-game results, positioning this GPU in the 60th percentile of all GPUs.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 121 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K Low, the average is 71 FPS, while at 4K Medium it drops to 62 FPS, and at 4K High it falls to 52 FPS. Ultra at 4K is not recommended as it averages only 43 FPS.

Q: How much faster is 1440p compared to 4K on High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 High, the average FPS is 96, which is 84.6% higher than the 52 FPS average at 3840x2160 High.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only minimum FPS values provided are for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the min is 149 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the min is 97 FPS. At 4K Medium, the min is 52 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, scores 79371, which is a 0.3% difference, making them effectively equal in performance.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and size?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured averages for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 52 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 71 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 62 | 52 | 71 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 43 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 96 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 130 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 114 | 97 | 131 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 78 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 148 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 202 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 176 | 149 | 202 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 121 | - | - |

The data reveals a consistent pattern: Low settings provide the highest frame rates, while Ultra provides the lowest. At 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 81 FPS, indicating that the GPU has significant headroom even at the highest quality. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 52 FPS, and at 4K, it narrows further to 28 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint. The Medium settings provide a balanced middle ground, with the only recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a stable frame delivery.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination is ranked 2346 out of 3712 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the 63rd percentile of all combinations in the database. The ranking suggests that while this is not a top-tier configuration for this game, it is far from the bottom. The CPU is a top performer, sitting in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. However, the GPU, while respectable, only reaches the 60th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 17083.

This disparity in component performance is telling. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14900KF (0.3% faster) and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (0.6% faster), are all within a 1.2% delta, meaning the CPU is not the differentiating factor. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which scores 0.7% higher, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M, which scores 0.4% lower. These close margins indicate that the GPU is the limiting factor in the combo’s overall rank. The combination’s rank is likely pulled down by the GPU, as the CPU alone would rank much higher. In practical terms, the combo ranks in the middle of the pack because the GPU’s performance is not enough to leverage the CPU’s full potential in Doom, especially at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1440p gaming, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 96 FPS on average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and leaves headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 1440p still provides 78 FPS, which is playable, but the 18 FPS gain from dropping to High is substantial and likely imperceptible in visual quality. For users with 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 1440p (130 FPS) or Medium (114 FPS) would be better choices, as they push the frame rate closer to the refresh limit.

At 1080p, the system is over-provisioned for Doom. The High preset averages 148 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 176 FPS. For competitive play, the Low preset at 202 FPS is the best choice, as it provides the highest possible frame rate. The Ultra preset at 121 FPS is still smooth, but the performance cost is high relative to the quality gain. For 4K, the data strongly recommends the Low preset, which averages 71 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that reliably stays above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 62 FPS is borderline, and the High preset at 52 FPS is suboptimal. The Ultra preset at 43 FPS should be avoided for a smooth experience.

The overall recommendation is to prioritize High settings at 1440p for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. For those who prefer maximum smoothness, dropping to Medium or Low at 1440p yields superior frame rates. At 4K, only Low settings are recommended for consistent playability, as the GPU’s computational limits are clearly exposed. The 16 GB VRAM is not a concern, so users should focus on the shading and texture workload rather than memory capacity when adjusting settings.