Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a compelling experience in the 2016 FPS classic Doom, with benchmark results showing a system well-balanced across most resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this mobile CPU and desktop GPU combination offers high refresh rate potential at 1080p and 1440p, while demanding 4K Ultra settings push the limits of the hardware. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance data, focusing on where the bottlenecks lie and how to best configure the game for your display.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Doom?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 227 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This drops to a still-very-high 198 FPS at Medium settings and 167 FPS at High settings at the same resolution.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 48 FPS on Ultra settings to 80 FPS on Low settings. The High preset averages 59 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced competitive play. The Medium preset offers a more comfortable 69 FPS average.

Q: How does the RTX 4070's performance compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 37648, placing it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. It is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (deltaPct of 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (deltaPct of 0.4%). It is 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile and 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6400.

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

A: The difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 147 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 89 FPS. This represents a performance drop of approximately 39% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H compare to its direct competitors?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 29093, placing it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. It is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X (deltaPct of -0.1%) and is 0.5% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT. It lags the Intel Xeon Phi 7210 and Intel Core i5-13500HX by 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively.

Q: Is the frame rate more consistent at higher or lower resolutions?

A: The data shows that consistency improves at lower resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges from a minimum of 168 FPS to a maximum of 228 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 109-148 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 59-80 FPS, indicating a more consistent but lower overall performance level, likely due to a more stable GPU-bound workload.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance in Doom, a game known for its scalability. The GPU's specifications in the FACT PACK show a 12 GB GDDR6X memory pool on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for Doom's texture loads, even at 4K resolution, as evidenced by the playable frame rates at that resolution. The GPU's core clocks are listed as 1920 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost, with memory running at an effective 21 Gbps.

The benchmark results demonstrate the GPU's capability. With a PassMark G3D score of 26927 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854, the RTX 4070 sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, scores nearly identically (37628 vs 37648), showing that the 4070's performance is well-established in this tier. The GPU's compute performance is also strong, with a PassMark GPU Compute score of 14720.

In the context of Doom, the GPU's raw power translates directly to frame rates. As settings increase from Low to Ultra, the workload on the GPU intensifies, which is reflected in the decreasing average FPS across all resolutions. For example, at 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 227 FPS on Low to 137 FPS on Ultra. This scaling indicates that the RTX 4070 is the component that determines the ceiling for visual quality and frame rate, particularly at higher settings where the GPU's shading units (5888) and texture mapping units (184) are fully utilized.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling from 1080p to 4K. The frame rate drop is primarily attributable to the GPU becoming the limiting factor as pixel count increases. At 1080p, the system is less GPU-bound, allowing for very high frame rates that could potentially be limited by CPU performance in certain scenarios. At 4K, the GPU's pixel fill rate (158.4 GPixel/s) and memory bandwidth are taxed much more heavily.

The data shows the following average FPS for the High preset: 167 FPS at 1920x1080, 108 FPS at 2560x1440, and 59 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where the number of pixels rendered is the dominant factor.

The scaling pattern also indicates that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat as resolution increases. Instead, the steep decline in FPS as resolution rises confirms that the RTX 4070's workload is scaling with pixel count. The 4K Medium preset's minimum FPS of 59 and maximum of 80, compared to the 1080p Medium's range of 168-228, highlights how the frame time consistency changes. At lower resolutions, the system can produce a wider burst of frames, while at 4K, it settles into a more consistent but lower output, suggesting a fully saturated GPU pipeline.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on your target resolution and refresh rate. For players with a 1080p 144Hz or higher monitor, the High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 167 FPS. This provides a great balance between visual fidelity and performance, well above the 144 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 1080p still averages 137 FPS, which is also excellent, but the 30 FPS gain from dropping to High is significant.

For 1440p users, the High preset is again the sweet spot, averaging 108 FPS. This is ideal for a 100Hz or 120Hz display. The Medium preset offers a higher 128 FPS average, but the visual quality reduction is notable. The Ultra preset at 89 FPS is playable but may not be smooth enough for fast-paced action on high refresh rate displays. The data suggests that High at 1440p is the recommended setting for a competitive edge without sacrificing too much visual detail.

At 4K, the situation changes. The Medium preset is the recommended choice, averaging 69 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate that remains above 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The High preset averages 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stutters. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 59 also indicates that it can hold close to 60 FPS. The Low preset at 4K averages 80 FPS, but the visual compromise is severe. Therefore, for a 4K display, the Medium preset offers the best playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following breakdown details the exact average frame rates recorded for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 227 FPS average. This is the absolute highest performance configuration, ideal for maximum refresh rates.
• Medium: 198 FPS average, with a minimum of 168 FPS and a maximum of 228 FPS. This shows a broad range, indicating moments of both high and lower load.
• High: 167 FPS average. A significant drop from Medium, but still extremely smooth.
• Ultra: 137 FPS average. The most demanding setting at this resolution, but still well above 100 FPS.

2560x1440:

• Low: 147 FPS average. The only configuration at this resolution that approaches the 144Hz refresh rate mark.
• Medium: 128 FPS average, with a minimum of 109 FPS and a maximum of 148 FPS. The minimum FPS shows it can dip below 120 FPS in intense scenes.
• High: 108 FPS average. A good balance for 100Hz displays.
• Ultra: 89 FPS average. The gap between High and Ultra is 19 FPS, which is a noticeable cost for the extra visual effects.

3840x2160:

• Low: 80 FPS average. The only 4K setting that breaks 80 FPS, but visual quality is severely reduced.
• Medium: 69 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS. The minimum FPS is the key metric here, as it shows the system can stutter below 60 FPS.
• High: 59 FPS average. This is right on the edge of the 60 FPS target, making it a borderline choice.
• Ultra: 48 FPS average. Not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls well below 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores indicate that it is a strong performer, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11875.5 and a single-core score of 1700. The data shows it sits in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29093, placing it right between the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT in performance.

In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The high single-core performance (PassMark single-thread score of 3521) is crucial for this, as the game's engine is not fully optimized for multi-threading. The benchmark data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this system for most settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 227 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that begins to put more pressure on the CPU. However, the fact that the frame rate scales down significantly with resolution (to 80 FPS at 4K Low) confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s help ensure that data is readily available for the GPU. The benchmark results show that the CPU's performance is comparable to desktop processors like the Ryzen 7 5800X, meaning it is more than capable of handling the demands of Doom. The data indicates that the Core Ultra 5 135H provides a solid foundation for the RTX 4070, enabling the high frame rates seen at 1080p and 1440p, while the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K.