Doom

Doom, the 2016 reboot, remains a demanding title at high resolutions. When paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, the data reveals a system that scales predictably from high-refresh 1080p gaming to more challenging 4K territory. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, interpreting what the frame rates indicate about the balance between the CPU and GPU in this specific configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the transition from a CPU-bound scenario to a GPU-bound one. At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the combo delivers an average of 262 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings, the average drops to 170 FPS, a reduction of 92 FPS. The jump to 3840x2160 sees the average fall further to 92 FPS. This steep decline, particularly the 78 FPS drop between 1440p and 4K, strongly indicates that the GeForce RTX 3080 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The pattern holds across all settings. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 221 FPS at 1080p to 143 FPS at 1440p, and then to 78 FPS at 4K. The 4K result represents a 64.7% drop from the 1080p figure, a substantial penalty that points directly at the GPU's rendering load. The pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the measured performance suggests the RTX 3080's architecture is struggling to maintain the same level of throughput.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story, albeit at lower absolute numbers. The average frame rate goes from 181 FPS at 1080p to 117 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 63 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling pattern across all presets confirms that resolution is the dominant factor in performance variation. The gap between 1440p and 4K is consistently larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, which is expected given the exponential increase in pixel count.

The data suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has ample headroom at 1080p, as evidenced by the very high frame rates exceeding 300 FPS on the Low preset. However, as resolution increases, the demand on the GPU grows, and the system's overall performance becomes increasingly tied to the RTX 3080's capabilities. The 4K results, while playable, show that this combination is not designed for maximum refresh rates at that resolution, with the Ultra preset dipping to an average of 63 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For a balanced experience prioritizing high refresh rates, the High preset emerges as the most sensible choice. At 1920x1080, it produces an average of 221 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor. The step up to Medium offers a 41 FPS average improvement (262 FPS), but the visual fidelity gains from High are often worth the slight performance trade-off. At 2560x1440, the High preset's 143 FPS average remains excellent, placing it firmly in the territory of smooth, responsive gameplay.

The Ultra preset, while visually superior, demands a significant performance cost. At 1440p, it yields an average of 117 FPS, a 26 FPS reduction compared to High. At 4K, the Ultra preset's 63 FPS average falls below the 70 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for a comfortable experience. Therefore, for 4K gaming, the High preset is strongly recommended, as its 78 FPS average provides a much more stable and fluid experience than the Ultra preset's 63 FPS.

The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, reaching 301 FPS at 1080p and 195 FPS at 1440p. However, the visual compromises are significant and generally unnecessary given the hardware's capabilities. The Medium preset provides a more balanced middle ground, with a 262 FPS average at 1080p and 170 FPS at 1440p, but it still sacrifices some visual quality. The measured data suggests that High is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a superior balance of visual fidelity and performance across all three resolutions.

At 4K, the choice becomes more critical. The difference between High (78 FPS) and Medium (92 FPS) is a 14 FPS average, which is noticeable. However, the High preset likely includes more advanced lighting and texture effects that are particularly impactful at higher resolutions. Given that both are playable, the decision hinges on personal preference for visual quality versus a slightly higher frame rate. The data leans toward High as the optimal preset for this resolution, as it maintains a solid frame rate while offering the best visual experience that remains playable.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the primary driver of performance in this system. Its 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s, which is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures in Doom. The benchmark results indicate that this memory configuration is sufficient for the game, as no performance anomalies or stutters are indicated by the data. The GPU's boost clock of 1710 MHz, combined with its 8704 shading units, contributes to its raw computational power.

The RTX 3080's performance in this game is substantial, but its position relative to other GPUs is noteworthy. The data places it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and NVIDIA P106-100, have average scores that are 0.4% and 0.3% lower, respectively. This indicates that while the RTX 3080 is a capable card, it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy in this dataset.

The GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU likely becomes a factor, but the data shows the RTX 3080 can still push well over 200 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops. The architecture, based on the Ampere design, is showing its age in this scenario, but it still delivers playable performance in Doom at 4K with adjusted settings.

The measured FPS data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's workload and the resulting frame rates. The transition from Medium to High settings at 4K results in a 14 FPS average drop (92 to 78 FPS), while the jump from High to Ultra results in a further 15 FPS drop (78 to 63 FPS). This demonstrates the GPU's sensitivity to the increased graphical demands of each preset. The RTX 3080 is the component that dictates the ultimate performance ceiling in this title, especially at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance. The Low preset averages 301 FPS, with the Medium preset at 262 FPS (min 223, max 301). The High preset drops to an average of 221 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 181 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors, with even the most demanding preset staying well above 144 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 195 FPS, and the Medium preset follows at 170 FPS (min 144, max 195). The High preset produces an average of 143 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. The Ultra preset sees a more significant drop to 117 FPS, but this remains a very playable frame rate for a visually demanding title.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 100 FPS barrier, achieving an average of 105 FPS. The Medium preset averages 92 FPS (min 78, max 106), while the High preset falls to 78 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 63 FPS, which is at the lower edge of what is considered acceptable for a smooth experience. This breakdown shows that 4K gaming is possible, but it requires a careful selection of settings to maintain a consistent frame rate.

The min and max FPS data for the Medium preset provides insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the range is 223 to 301 FPS, a variance of 78 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 144 to 195 FPS, a variance of 51 FPS. At 4K, the range narrows to 78 to 106 FPS, a variance of 28 FPS. This suggests that the frame rate is more stable at higher resolutions, likely because the GPU is more consistently saturated with work, reducing the impact of CPU-driven frame time spikes.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Doom, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 787th out of 2930 combos. This places it in the top 26.9% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a solid, above-average performer for this specific game. The rank reflects the overall capability of the system to handle Doom's demands across various settings and resolutions.

This ranking is a composite measure, likely weighted towards higher resolutions and settings where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The RTX 3080's performance is above the 68th percentile for all GPUs, but the specific combination with this CPU yields a result that is better than nearly three-quarters of the other tested systems. This suggests a well-balanced pairing for this title, where neither component is severely holding back the other.

The rank also implies that while this system is not in the top tier of performers, it offers a compelling experience. Combos ranked higher likely feature more powerful GPUs, such as newer generations or higher-tier models, which would provide a significant advantage at 4K. However, for the vast majority of the 2930 combos tested, this system would be considered a high-performing option.

It is important to note that this rank is specific to Doom. The performance characteristics of this game, which is well-optimized and can be CPU-bound at lower resolutions, may not translate directly to other titles. In more CPU-intensive games, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225's performance would play a larger role, potentially altering the combo's relative rank. In GPU-bound titles, the RTX 3080 would be the determining factor, and its ranking might be more consistent.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide substantial single-threaded performance, which is critical for gaming. The benchmark data shows a strong single-core score, with a Cinebench R23 single-core result of 3655 points. This is a key metric for Doom, which relies heavily on a single primary thread for game logic and physics.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 points. However, in this game, the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 301 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate. This indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to saturate its rendering pipeline at this resolution.

The CPU's role becomes less critical as resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, and the CPU's performance has a minimal impact on the average frame rates. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s help ensure that the CPU can quickly access game data, reducing potential stutters. The processor's performance places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rivals being the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which have nearly identical average benchmark scores.

In summary, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 provides more than enough processing power for Doom. Its high single-thread performance ensures that it will not hold back the RTX 3080 at 1080p, and it becomes a non-factor at 1440p and 4K. The data confirms that this is a well-matched CPU for this GPU in this title, as it allows the graphics card to be the primary determinant of performance, which is the ideal scenario for a gaming system.