Doom

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a formidable combination for Doom, delivering frame rates that comfortably exceed the demands of high-refresh-rate monitors. This pairing of a 24-core, 32-thread processor with a 12 GB GDDR6X graphics card produces results that are consistently strong across all tested settings, though the balance of responsibility shifts clearly from the CPU to the GPU as resolution increases.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1700 platform. Its boost clock reaches 6.00 GHz, while the base clock sits at 3.20 GHz. The processor has a 36 MB shared L3 cache, and the integrated UHD Graphics 770 is present but irrelevant for this gaming workload, as the dedicated RTX 3080 Ti handles all rendering.

For a game like Doom, which is known for its highly optimized id Tech engine, the CPU's raw single-thread performance is critical for maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions. The benchmark data confirms this processor has the headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck: at 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 312.7 FPS, indicating the engine is being fed an enormous number of frames per second without the CPU limiting throughput. The processor's high boost clock and substantial cache are the key attributes enabling this. In the broader context of CPU performance, the i9-14900K ranks in the 97th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79824. Its nearest rivals in average score include the AMD EPYC 7413 (score 80041, deltaPct -0.3) and the Intel Core i9-14900KF (score 79245, deltaPct 0.7). This places the i9-14900K at the very top tier of available processors for gaming, ensuring that in most scenarios, the graphics card will be the limiting factor.

The processor’s 24 cores and 32 threads are far more than Doom requires, but the high per-core clocks are what make the difference. The data shows that moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K, the frame rate drops in a pattern that is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, not a CPU-bound one. The CPU's job is to prepare frames, and with a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, it does so with ample speed to keep the RTX 3080 Ti saturated, even at the highest frame rates observed in the 1080p Low preset test.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo if I prioritize maximum frame rate?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 312.7 FPS. This is the highest measured average FPS in the dataset, making 1080p the optimal resolution for squeezing out maximum performance.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 41224. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which has an average score of 41441, representing a deltaPct of -0.5%. This means the RTX 3080 Ti is essentially on par with the RTX 3090 in aggregate benchmark performance.

Q: Does the CPU become a bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: No, the data indicates the opposite. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 65.4, which is significantly lower than the 187.7 FPS seen at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This substantial drop with increasing resolution is a classic sign that the GPU is the limiting component, not the CPU.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields an average of 201 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields an average of 122.5 FPS. This shows a performance cost of roughly 78.5 FPS for the visual fidelity increase from Low to Ultra.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 436 out of 1681 tested combos in this game. This places it in the top quarter of all systems benchmarked, indicating strong overall performance.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has a launch MSRP of $589.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary performance limiter. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces 231.7 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 with the same High preset, the average drops to 150.5 FPS, a reduction of approximately 35%. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 80.2 FPS, which is a 65% reduction from the 1080p result.

This behavior is textbook GPU-bound scaling. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increased, because the CPU's workload (draw calls, physics, game logic) is largely independent of resolution. Instead, the frame rate drops sharply with each increase in pixel count, demonstrating that the RTX 3080 Ti's rendering throughput is the constraint. The gap between settings also narrows at higher resolutions; at 1080p, the difference between Low (312.7 FPS) and Ultra (187.7 FPS) is 125 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (112 FPS) and Ultra (65.4 FPS) is only 46.6 FPS. This further confirms that as resolution increases, the GPU's fill-rate limits performance, making the CPU's speed less relevant to the final output.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti achieves a rank of 436 out of 1681 tested combinations in Doom. This places it in approximately the top 26% of all systems in the database. The rank is a holistic measure of the average FPS achieved across all tested resolutions and settings, weighted toward the overall experience.

This result is strong but not at the absolute top, which is expected given the GPU's position in the market. The RTX 3080 Ti, while a high-end card, is not the fastest available; it sits in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. The CPU, however, is in the 97th percentile. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a very capable but not flagship GPU results in a system that is well-balanced, with the GPU being the likely limiter in most scenarios, as indicated by the resolution scaling data. The rank of 436 suggests that while there are many systems that are faster, this combo is significantly ahead of the majority of the field, making it a high-performance choice for Doom.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured FPS at each resolution and preset reveals an optimal setting for a smooth and responsive experience. At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset delivers an average of 187.7 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many gaming monitors. The Low preset at this resolution pushes to 312.7 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play on 240 Hz or higher displays. For most users at 1080p, the Ultra preset is recommended, as it provides the highest visual quality while still maintaining frame rates that will not be a limiting factor for standard high-refresh displays.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 150.5 FPS, which is a sweet spot for 144 Hz monitors, offering a balance between visual fidelity and high frame rate. The Ultra preset at 122.5 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays, but the High preset provides extra headroom. At 3840x2160, the High preset yields 80.2 FPS, which is suitable for a 60 Hz or 75 Hz display. The Ultra preset at 65.4 FPS is playable but leaves less margin for demanding scenes. For 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it maintains a higher average frame rate than Ultra while still offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following table breaks down the average FPS for each resolution and preset combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 312.7 FPS
• Medium: 275.3 FPS
• High: 231.7 FPS
• Ultra: 187.7 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 201 FPS
• Medium: 175.8 FPS
• High: 150.5 FPS
• Ultra: 122.5 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 112 FPS
• Medium: 97.2 FPS
• High: 80.2 FPS
• Ultra: 65.4 FPS

The data shows a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions, with the Low preset providing the highest frame rate and Ultra providing the lowest. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is pronounced, with the 4K Ultra setting at 65.4 FPS representing the most demanding configuration tested.