Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a formidable performance profile in Doom, placing the combo in the top tier of tested hardware configurations. This pairing combines a modern 10-core Arrow Lake processor with a high-end Ada Lovelace GPU, resulting in frame rates that are consistently above playable thresholds across all tested settings and resolutions. The benchmark data indicates a system that is well-balanced for this title, though the scaling patterns reveal where each component’s influence is most pronounced.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a combo rank of 215 out of 3712 tested configurations in Doom. This places the pairing in the top 5.8% of all combos, a strong result that reflects the hardware’s capability in this specific FPS title. The ranking is a composite measure of the CPU and GPU’s collaborative performance, and the data suggests that neither component acts as a significant bottleneck in this game’s engine.

To contextualize this rank, the CPU alone sits at the 85th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores nearly identically at 36945, a delta of 0%. The GPU also performs admirably, sitting at the 86th percentile with an average benchmark score of 54247, which places it just 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4080 SUPER. These individual percentile scores are high, but the combo rank of 215 suggests that in Doom specifically, the synergy between the two parts is even better than their standalone averages might imply. The data shows that this combo outranks a significant majority of alternatives, making it a compelling choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p and solid 4K gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and its performance is supported by a 20 MB shared L3 cache. For a game like Doom, which is known for its id Tech 6 engine, the CPU’s single-thread performance is often a critical factor for maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary constraint.

The processor’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 and multi-core score of 25891 indicate strong per-thread capabilities. This is reflected in the measured FPS, particularly at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 401 FPS. This exceptionally high number indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls to hit frame rates well beyond typical display refresh rates. The PassMark single-thread score of 4412 further corroborates this strength. While the CPU’s multi-threaded score of 30459 in PassMark is respectable, Doom’s engine does not heavily scale with thread count beyond a certain point, so the 10-core/10-thread configuration is more than sufficient. The data suggests the CPU’s role is to provide a high-frequency, low-latency foundation that allows the RTX 4080 to operate at its full potential, a task it handles admirably given the frame rates observed.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant force in this pairing, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. Its GPU clock boosts to 2505 MHz, and it houses 9728 shading units. With a PassMark G3D score of 34457, the GPU is a top-tier performer, sitting just 0.1% ahead of its direct successor, the RTX 4080 SUPER, in average benchmark scores. This raw compute power is essential for pushing high resolutions and visual fidelity.

In Doom, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly apparent as resolution scales. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 85, indicating that the GPU is being heavily taxed by the combination of high resolution and maximum settings. Conversely, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS jumps to 401, showcasing the GPU’s headroom when the resolution is lowered. The video memory capacity of 16 GB is also a significant asset; although Doom is not typically a VRAM-heavy title, having this much memory ensures that texture loading and rendering at 4K Ultra do not encounter capacity-related stutters. The data shows that the RTX 4080 provides the muscle necessary to maintain high frame rates even at 4K, though the drop from 1080p to 4K Ultra is substantial, highlighting the GPU as the primary scaling factor in this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combo scales with resolution and settings. The results are consistent and show a clear hierarchy of performance.

At 1920x1080, the combo is exceptionally fast. The Low preset yields an average of 401 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 350 FPS, with a minimum of 297 FPS and a maximum of 402 FPS. The High preset delivers 295 FPS on average, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 241 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is never constrained by the CPU, and the GPU is capable of delivering frame rates that far exceed even the fastest 1080p monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains extremely high. The Low preset averages 260 FPS, while Medium averages 226 FPS (with a min of 192 FPS and max of 260 FPS). High settings produce an average of 191 FPS, and Ultra still manages a very playable 156 FPS. These results show that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, offering high visual fidelity without sacrificing the high refresh rate experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to feel the load. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, which is still excellent for 4K. Medium averages 123 FPS (min 104 FPS, max 141 FPS), and High averages 104 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 85 FPS. While 85 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold, it represents a significant performance cost for the highest settings at 4K, suggesting that users with 4K displays may need to dial back settings if they desire higher frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Doom?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 401, achieved at a resolution of 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 85, which is still playable but represents the most demanding configuration tested.

Q: Is this combo better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming in Doom?

A: The data shows excellent performance at both. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 156 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra, the average is 241 FPS. Both are high, but the 1440p result offers a better balance of resolution and frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F's score of 36945, a delta of 0%. This indicates they are statistical equals in general performance.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 85, recorded at 3840x2160 with the Ultra settings preset. The minimum FPS recorded for any setting is 104, seen at 3840x2160 Medium and 2560x1440 Medium.

Q: Does the GPU outperform its direct successor?

A: Yes, in average benchmark scores, the RTX 4080 scores 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER's score of 54209.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this combo. At 1920x1080, the system is so powerful that even the Ultra preset, with an average of 241 FPS, is far beyond what is needed for smooth gameplay. The recommendation here is to use the Ultra preset, as there is no meaningful performance penalty and the visual fidelity is maximized. The jump from High (295 FPS) to Ultra (241 FPS) is a modest 18% reduction, but the visual upgrade is worth it.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is still the best choice, yielding an average of 156 FPS. This is well above the threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors, and the visual quality is excellent. The High preset at 191 FPS is an option for those seeking even higher frame rates, but the Ultra setting offers a better experience for most users. The data shows that the combo has ample headroom at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the choice becomes more nuanced. The Ultra preset averages 85 FPS, which is playable but might not be ideal for users with 144Hz or 165Hz 4K monitors. The High preset, averaging 104 FPS, provides a significant performance boost of roughly 22% over Ultra with a minor visual compromise. For a smoother 4K experience, the High preset is the recommended balance, as it maintains an average above the 100 FPS mark while retaining high-quality visuals. The Medium preset at 123 FPS is also a strong option for maximizing frame rate, but High offers the best trade-off between fidelity and performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080, the average FPS across all settings is exceptionally high, with the Low preset hitting 401 FPS. At 2560x1440, the average drops to 260 FPS on Low, a reduction of about 35% from 1080p. At 3840x2160, the Low preset average falls to 141 FPS, which is a 65% reduction from the 1080p Low result.

This scaling pattern indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions; the bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU as resolution increases. The data shows that the RTX 4080’s performance scales predictably with pixel count. For instance, moving from 1440p High (191 FPS) to 4K High (104 FPS) results in a 45% drop, which is roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count. This confirms that the GPU is the primary component determining performance at higher resolutions, and its 16 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth prevent any memory-related stutters from emerging. The CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is fed with data, and given the high frame rates even at 1080p, it performs this role effectively. The limiting component in this combo for 4K gaming is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom to spare.