Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, but the data shows a significant drop-off at 4K that shifts the bottleneck from the CPU to the GPU. The combination ranks in the 47th percentile of tested combos, indicating solid mid-pack performance that is well-matched for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the most dramatic performance hit occurring between 1440p and 4K. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 167 FPS at 1920x1080 to 108 FPS at 2560x1440, a decline of 59 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the average falls further to 59 FPS, showing that the 4K barrier cuts performance by nearly half compared to the 1440p result. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4060, with its 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus, becomes the limiting component at 4K resolution.

The scaling behavior at the Low preset is even more revealing. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 228 FPS, which drops to 147 FPS at 1440p and then to 80 FPS at 4K. The fact that 1080p Low produces over 200 FPS suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU effectively at lower resolutions, but the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth constraints become apparent as pixel count increases. The 4K Low result of 80 FPS is still playable, but it represents a 65% reduction from the 1080p Low figure, highlighting that the RTX 4060 is not designed for native 4K gaming in this title.

At the Ultra preset, the pattern intensifies. The combo delivers 137 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and only 48 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only configuration in the measured data that is not consistently smooth for fast-paced FPS gameplay. The Medium preset shows similar characteristics, with 198 FPS at 1080p, 128 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K, where the minimum recorded frame rate dips to 59 FPS. These numbers collectively demonstrate that 4K is the point of diminishing returns for this hardware combination.

The data indicates that the CPU, with its 14 cores and 24 MB of L3 cache, has ample headroom for this game at lower resolutions. The extremely high frame rates at 1080p, particularly the 228 FPS Low result, suggest the processor is not the primary constraint. However, at 4K, the GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain the frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The scaling curve shows a classic GPU-bound scenario at 4K, while the 1080p and 1440p results are more balanced between CPU and GPU capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At 1920x1080, the High preset at 167 FPS is the optimal choice for competitive play, as it delivers well above the refresh rate of most standard monitors while maintaining a reasonable level of graphical fidelity. The Ultra preset at 137 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing image quality, but the 30 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual improvement in a fast-paced game like Doom.

For 2560x1440, the High preset again emerges as the recommended setting, achieving 108 FPS. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience on 144Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 128 FPS is an alternative for players who prefer higher frame rates, but the jump from High to Medium yields diminishing returns in visual quality. The Ultra preset at 89 FPS is playable but represents a noticeable compromise in smoothness, especially during intense combat sequences where frame drops can be detrimental.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations shift dramatically. The Medium preset at 70 FPS is the highest playable option, with the minimum frame rate recorded at 59 FPS indicating occasional dips below 60. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline, while the Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended for serious gameplay. For 4K, the Low preset at 80 FPS is the most sensible choice if maintaining a high frame rate is the priority, as the visual differences between Low and Medium are less impactful than the 10 FPS average gain.

The data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot for this hardware across all resolutions. At 1080p it provides 167 FPS, at 1440p it delivers 108 FPS, and even at 4K it manages a playable 59 FPS. For players with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors at 1080p, the Low preset at 228 FPS or Medium at 198 FPS could be justified for maximum responsiveness, but the High preset offers the best overall experience without sacrificing too much visual detail. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p gaming, where the 137 FPS result remains competitive.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 plays a central role in shaping this combo's performance profile in Doom, particularly regarding VRAM capacity and clock speeds. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Doom, as evidenced by the high frame rates at those resolutions, but the 4K results suggest the memory subsystem becomes a limiting factor when texture and geometry demands increase.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable for their boost behavior. The base clock is 1830 MHz, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz, and the memory operates at 2125 MHz with an effective speed of 17 Gbps. The boost clock represents a 34% increase over the base clock, indicating that the GPU can sustain high performance under load when thermal and power conditions allow. This aggressive boosting is likely responsible for the strong 1080p results, where the GPU can maintain high clock speeds without hitting memory bandwidth limits.

The RTX 4060's architecture, based on the AD107 chip with 3072 shading units, provides a theoretical FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS. In Doom, a game optimized for efficient rendering, this compute power translates into excellent frame rates at lower resolutions. However, the 4K results indicate that raw compute is not the only factor; the 48 ROPs and 96 TMUs on the GPU are insufficient to fully saturate 4K pixel throughput, as shown by the 118.1 GPixel/s pixel rate being stretched thin at 3840x2160.

The GPU's 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are present but largely irrelevant for this game, as Doom does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS features in the measured configurations. Instead, the rasterization performance is what matters, and the data shows that the GPU excels at 1080p and 1440p but struggles at 4K. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for Doom's textures at all settings, as no memory-related stuttering is evident in the frame rate data, but the bandwidth limitation becomes apparent at 4K where the 60 FPS barrier is barely crossed on High settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination holds a rank of 1540 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the 47th percentile of all hardware pairings. This mid-pack ranking indicates that while this combo is competent for the game, it does not represent the upper echelon of performance. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's strong single-thread performance and the GPU's mid-range capabilities, with the overall result being a system that excels at 1080p but falls short of top-tier 4K performance.

The CPU's individual benchmark scores support its contribution to this ranking. The Core Ultra 5 235 achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 with a delta of 0.1% and the Intel Core i9-13900HX with a delta of -0.1%, showing that the CPU is competitive with other high-end processors. This strong CPU performance helps push the combo's 1080p frame rates to very high levels.

However, the GPU's ranking tempers the overall combo position. The RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with a delta of -0.2% and the AMD Radeon 780M with a delta of 0.3%, indicating that the GPU is positioned in the mid-range segment. This GPU performance level is the primary reason the combo does not rank higher, as the 4K results demonstrate the GPU's limitations.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's mid-range percentile explains the combo ranking. At 1080p, the CPU's strength allows the GPU to reach its maximum potential, resulting in frame rates that exceed many higher-ranked combos with weaker processors. At 4K, however, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the combo's rank is constrained by the RTX 4060's inability to maintain high frame rates at that resolution. The overall rank of 1540 out of 2930 suggests this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming but not for 4K enthusiasts.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Doom?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the best resolution, with average FPS ranging from 137 at Ultra to 228 at Low. At 2560x1440, the combo still performs well with a High preset average of 108 FPS, but 3840x2160 results drop below 60 FPS on Ultra (48 FPS) and barely reach 59 FPS on High.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 137 FPS, which is 30 FPS lower than the High preset's 167 FPS. The visual difference between Ultra and High is typically minor in Doom, so the High preset offers a better performance-to-quality trade-off.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The CPU's strong benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14769, allow it to feed the GPU effectively at lower resolutions, but the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 3840x2160.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 48 FPS at 4K Ultra settings. The minimum frame rate data is only available for Medium settings, showing 59 FPS at 4K, 109 FPS at 1440p, and 168 FPS at 1080p, but the Ultra preset at 4K has the lowest overall average.

Q: How does this combo's CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX. This places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a high-performing processor.

Q: Can this combo achieve 144 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 147 FPS. The Medium preset also comes close at 128 FPS, but the High preset at 108 FPS and Ultra at 89 FPS fall below the 144 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 228 FPS average
• Medium: 198 FPS average, with a minimum of 168 FPS and maximum of 228 FPS
• High: 167 FPS average
• Ultra: 137 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 147 FPS average
• Medium: 128 FPS average, with a minimum of 109 FPS and maximum of 148 FPS
• High: 108 FPS average
• Ultra: 89 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 80 FPS average
• Medium: 70 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and maximum of 80 FPS
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 48 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions, with Low settings providing the highest frame rates and Ultra providing the lowest. The Medium preset at each resolution shows the only available minimum and maximum frame rate data, indicating a range of approximately 20-21 FPS variation between the lowest and highest recorded frames. This variance is consistent across resolutions, suggesting stable frame pacing regardless of pixel count. The 1080p results are uniformly above 137 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even at the highest settings, while the 4K results show a clear division between playable (Low, Medium, High) and marginal (Ultra) performance.