Doom

Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience in Doom at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K remaining playable at reduced settings. The benchmark data shows a clear scaling pattern where the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor as resolution climbs, while the CPU provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable and steep drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 137 FPS at 1080p to 88 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 49 FPS, and then further to 48 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 40 FPS from 1440p. This pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the workload on the GPU increases significantly with pixel count.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average FPS at 1080p is 186, dropping to 120 at 1440p, and then to 65 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 35%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 46%. This steeper decline at 4K suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being saturated, as the 12 GB VRAM and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are pushed harder with each resolution increase.

The Medium settings row provides the most complete picture, with min and max FPS values recorded. At 1080p, the average is 162 FPS, with a minimum of 137 and a maximum of 186. At 1440p, the average drops to 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 and a maximum of 120. At 4K, the average falls to 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 and a maximum of 65. The consistency of the min-max range at each resolution indicates that frame pacing remains stable, with no severe stutters or hitches.

The overall scaling behavior shows that the combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where frame rates remain above the 60 FPS threshold even at Ultra settings. At 4K, only Low settings achieve an average above 60 FPS, while Medium and High fall below that mark. This suggests that the limiting component at 4K is the GPU, as the CPU's 10 cores and 10 threads are unlikely to be the constraint at these frame rates.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580's specifications play a direct role in the observed performance. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Doom's texture-heavy environments, even at 4K, where the data shows a 39 FPS average at Ultra settings. The 20 RT cores and 2560 shading units contribute to the card's overall compute capability, which is reflected in its Passmark G3D score of 15748.

The GPU's clock speeds are fixed at 2670 MHz for both base and boost, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). This consistent clocking helps maintain predictable performance across different resolutions. The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are key metrics that influence how quickly the GPU can fill frames, particularly at higher resolutions where pixel fill becomes more demanding.

The benchmark data shows that the Arc B580's performance relative to its rivals is competitive. In the Passmark G3D benchmark, the GPU scores 15748, placing it near the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which scores 23061 (a delta of -0.2%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which scores 22895 (a delta of 0.6%). This indicates that the Arc B580 performs in a similar tier to these established cards, despite being a newer architecture.

In Doom specifically, the GPU's role is highlighted by the 4K results. At Ultra settings, the average FPS of 39 is below the playable threshold, while dropping to Low settings raises it to 65 FPS. This 26 FPS difference between settings at 4K demonstrates that the GPU's rendering load is the primary factor. The 12 GB VRAM is not exhausted at any settings, based on the lack of min FPS drops that would indicate memory swapping, but the compute load still limits performance.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 137 FPS, with no minimum or maximum values recorded in the measured data.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 39, which is below the typically desired 60 FPS for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 120 at Low settings to 72 at Ultra settings. Given that the CPU has 10 cores and 10 threads with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, the data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor, as frame rates scale with settings changes.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Medium and High settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium settings produce an average of 162 FPS, while High settings produce an average of 137 FPS, a difference of 25 FPS.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60 FPS at any resolution with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 112, and at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average is 72. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average drops to 39 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 48, with an average of 57 and a maximum of 65.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, with Low at 186 FPS, Medium at 162 FPS, High at 137 FPS, and Ultra at 112 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, Low or Medium settings provide the highest headroom, while Ultra still offers a smooth experience above 100 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the data shows that Ultra settings maintain an average of 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings improve this to 88 FPS, Medium to 105 FPS, and Low to 120 FPS. For a balance between visual quality and performance, High settings are the recommended choice, as they offer a significant improvement over Ultra while remaining well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the scenario changes. Ultra settings drop to 39 FPS, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay. High settings raise this to 48 FPS, still below 60 FPS. Medium settings achieve 57 FPS, which is close to the target but not fully there. Low settings are the only option that exceeds 60 FPS, with an average of 65 FPS. For 4K gaming, Low settings are recommended to maintain playability, while Medium can be considered if minor frame drops are acceptable.

The data indicates that the Medium settings row provides the most stable frame pacing, with recorded min and max values that show a tight range. At 1080p, the range is 137 to 186 FPS, at 1440p it is 89 to 120 FPS, and at 4K it is 48 to 65 FPS. This consistency suggests that Medium settings avoid the extreme performance hits seen at Ultra, making it a reliable choice across all resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are as follows: Low settings yield 186 FPS, Medium settings yield 162 FPS, High settings yield 137 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 112 FPS. The Medium settings row also records a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 186 FPS, showing a consistent range.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low settings at 120 FPS, Medium at 105 FPS, High at 88 FPS, and Ultra at 72 FPS. The Medium settings row records a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This represents a drop of approximately 35% from the 1080p Medium average of 162 FPS, which is consistent with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are: Low settings at 65 FPS, Medium at 57 FPS, High at 48 FPS, and Ultra at 39 FPS. The Medium settings row records a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. The drop from 1440p Medium (105 FPS) to 4K Medium (57 FPS) is approximately 46%, indicating a significant performance penalty at the highest resolution.

The data shows a consistent pattern where each settings tier at a given resolution provides a distinct performance level. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS, at 1440p it is 48 FPS, and at 4K it is 26 FPS. This narrowing gap at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's processing power is being fully utilized, leaving less headroom for settings adjustments.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 plays a supporting role in this combo, with its 10 cores and 10 threads providing sufficient processing power for Doom's engine. The CPU's base clock is 3.30 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and it features 20 MB of shared L3 cache. In benchmark tests, the CPU scores 25891 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3655 in single-core, indicating strong performance for a desktop processor.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 85 vs all CPUs suggests it is in the upper tier of processors. Its average benchmark score of 36938 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, delta 0%), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, delta -0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093, delta -0.4%). This indicates that the CPU's performance is well-matched with its peers.

In Doom, the CPU's role is most apparent at lower resolutions where frame rates are higher. At 1080p Low settings, the average FPS of 186 suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The boost clock of 4.90 GHz helps ensure that single-threaded performance is sufficient for the game's logic and physics calculations.

However, as resolution increases, the CPU's influence diminishes. At 4K, frame rates drop significantly regardless of settings, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 3 nm process node from TSMC contribute to its efficiency, allowing it to maintain high clocks without excessive power draw. The lack of an unlocked multiplier means overclocking is not possible, but the stock performance is evidently sufficient for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B580 combo ranks 2175 out of 2930 tested combinations in Doom, placing it in the 74th percentile of all tested systems. This ranking reflects the overall performance of the pairing, which is strong at 1080p and 1440p but falls behind at 4K due to GPU limitations.

The combo's rank is influenced by the GPU's relative performance. The Arc B580's Passmark G3D score of 15748 places it at the 68th percentile vs all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061, delta -0.2%), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895, delta 0.6%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23172, delta -0.7%). This indicates that the GPU is competitive with mid-range to high-end cards from previous generations.

The CPU's rank of 85th percentile vs all CPUs is higher than the GPU's 68th percentile, suggesting that the processor is relatively stronger than the graphics card. This imbalance is reflected in the game's performance scaling, where the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The combo's rank of 2175 out of 2930 shows that it outperforms the majority of tested systems, but there is room for improvement in GPU-heavy scenarios.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates at most settings. At 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent, and the combo falls to the lower end of playable performance. For users prioritizing high refresh rates, this pairing delivers excellent results, while those targeting 4K will need to compromise on settings to maintain smooth gameplay.