Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination delivers exceptional performance in Doom, consistently producing high frame rates across all tested configurations. The data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures that even at 1080p, the system avoids becoming a bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS results, component roles, and scaling characteristics to provide a precise picture of the system’s capabilities.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which are critical for Doom's engine, known for its sensitivity to single-thread performance. The CPU's benchmark results reinforce this strength: in Cinebench R23, it scores 2085 points in single-core and 14769 points in multi-core. This single-core prowess is the primary reason the system does not become CPU-bound at 1080p, where the measured average FPS reaches as high as 368 on Low settings.

The processor’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache. For a game like Doom, which relies on rapid data access for geometry and physics calculations, this cache configuration helps reduce latency. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, ensuring that data can be fed to the cores without stalling. In terms of overall standing, the Core Ultra 5 235 holds an 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46030, a mere 0.1% difference, while the Intel Core i9-13900HX is 0.1% higher at 46098. This places the 235 in a tightly competitive performance tier, though the actual gaming results are more influenced by the GPU.

The fact that the CPU has 14 threads, equal to its core count, means no hyper-threading is utilized. For Doom, which is not heavily multi-threaded, this is not a disadvantage. The Passmark multi-thread score of 37816 indicates solid parallel performance, but the game’s engine benefits more from the high boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 4070 Ti, as the frame rates scale almost linearly with resolution changes, which is a sign of a GPU-limited scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, but the jump from 271 FPS at 1080p High to 175 FPS at 1440p High indicates the GPU is the primary driver of performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. For Doom, which is not particularly VRAM-hungry at these settings, 12 GB is more than sufficient, even at 4K Ultra. The GPU’s clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 2310 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz. These high frequencies, combined with 7680 shading units, allow the card to process the game’s Vulkan-based rendering pipeline with exceptional efficiency.

The RTX 4070 Ti achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5024 and a Passmark G3D score of 31624, placing it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 44795, with the nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile at 45152, a 0.8% difference. The GPU’s 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than adequate for Doom's graphical load. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the card still manages an average of 78 FPS, which is playable, but the jump to 112 FPS at Medium settings shows how much headroom there is when graphical load is reduced.

The GPU’s memory clock is listed as 1313 MHz, with an effective data rate of 21 Gbps, contributing to the high bandwidth. This is essential for high-resolution textures, though Doom's texture sizes are modest by modern standards. The card’s 60 RT cores and 240 tensor cores are largely irrelevant for this game, as Doom does not utilize ray tracing or DLSS in the tested configurations. The performance is purely rasterization-based, and the RTX 4070 Ti excels here. The GPU’s TDP of 285 W suggests it draws significant power, but the benchmark results indicate that this power is well-spent, delivering over 200 FPS at 1080p High settings.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of system scaling. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 35-36% across all settings. For example, at High settings, the frame rate falls from 271 FPS at 1080p to 175 FPS at 1440p. This is a typical scaling factor for a GPU-bound scenario, as the number of pixels increases by 78% (from 2.07 million to 3.69 million). The fact that the FPS does not drop by the same percentage as the pixel count increase suggests that the GPU still has some headroom, or the CPU is providing a slight assist at lower resolutions.

When moving from 1440p to 4K, the scaling is more pronounced. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 175 to 95, a 45.7% reduction. The pixel count increase from 1440p to 4K is 125% (from 3.69 million to 8.29 million). The FPS drop is less than the pixel count increase, indicating that the GPU is not fully saturated at 1440p, but the trend shows that the RTX 4070 Ti is becoming the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 78, which is a significant drop from the 143 FPS at 1440p Ultra. This 45.5% reduction is consistent with the High settings scaling, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

The data also shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were limiting, we would see the FPS at 1080p and 1440p to be closer together, as the CPU would max out before the GPU. Instead, the FPS scales consistently with resolution, which is a hallmark of a GPU-limited system. For instance, at Low settings, the FPS drops from 368 at 1080p to 238 at 1440p (a 35.3% drop) and then to 129 at 4K (a 45.8% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these drops across different settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) confirms that the system is balanced, but the GPU is the component that determines the final frame rate at each resolution. The frame time data, where available (Medium settings), shows min FPS values that are close to the average, indicating stable performance without significant stutters.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable at 1080p with this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 368, achieved at 1080p with Low settings. At High settings, the average is 271 FPS, and at Ultra, it is 221 FPS.

*Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system for Doom?*

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS scales consistently with resolution changes (e.g., from 271 FPS at 1080p High to 175 FPS at 1440p High), which is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's high single-thread score of 2085 in Cinebench R23 ensures it can keep up with the GPU's output.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 78, which is playable but not as fluid as lower settings. For a smoother experience, dropping to 4K High yields an average of 95 FPS, while 4K Medium provides 112 FPS.

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

A: At 1440p, the average FPS at Low settings is 238, while at Ultra it is 143. This is a 39.9% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

*Q: Does the CPU's 14-core configuration matter for Doom?*

A: Doom is not heavily multi-threaded, so the 14 cores are not fully utilized. The CPU's boost clock of 5.00 GHz and single-thread performance are more important. The Passmark single-thread score of 4516 confirms strong single-core capability.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 44795. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45152, which is 0.8% higher. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45384, a 1.3% difference.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset. Where available, min and max FPS values are also provided for the Medium preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: 368 FPS average
• Medium: 321 FPS average (min 273, max 369)
• High: 271 FPS average
• Ultra: 221 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 238 FPS average
• Medium: 208 FPS average (min 176, max 239)
• High: 175 FPS average
• Ultra: 143 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 129 FPS average
• Medium: 112 FPS average (min 96, max 129)
• High: 95 FPS average
• Ultra: 78 FPS average

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern of performance loss. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra results in a 39.9% drop (from 368 to 221 FPS). At 1440p, the drop is 39.9% as well (from 238 to 143 FPS). At 4K, the drop is 39.5% (from 129 to 78 FPS). This uniformity indicates that the settings presets scale the GPU workload proportionally, and the system’s response is predictable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal balance between visual fidelity and frame rate depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For a 1080p display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, the High preset (271 FPS) or Ultra preset (221 FPS) both provide ample headroom. The Ultra preset is recommended if visual quality is the priority, as the 221 FPS average still exceeds most high-refresh displays. The Low preset at 368 FPS is only necessary for 360 Hz panels, which are rare.

At 1440p, the High preset (175 FPS) is the sweet spot for 144 Hz and 165 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset (143 FPS) is sufficient for 144 Hz displays but may drop below the refresh rate in intense scenes. The Medium preset (208 FPS) offers a significant boost over High, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable. For 4K, the Medium preset (112 FPS) provides the best playable experience, as it maintains an average above 100 FPS. The High preset (95 FPS) is also viable for 60 Hz displays, but the Ultra preset (78 FPS) is best reserved for slower-paced single-player experiences where frame rate consistency is less critical.

The min FPS data at Medium settings provides insight into frame time stability. At 1080p, the min FPS is 273, which is 85% of the average, indicating smooth performance. At 1440p, the min FPS is 176, also 85% of the average. At 4K, the min FPS is 96, which is 86% of the average. This consistency across resolutions suggests that the system does not suffer from sudden drops, making the Medium preset a reliable choice for a stutter-free experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination ranks 333rd out of 2930 tested combos for Doom. This places it in the top 11.4% of all systems tested, which is an excellent result for a mainstream desktop pairing. The ranking reflects the high average FPS achieved across all resolutions and settings. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 84th percentile ranking both contribute to this strong showing.

The performance gap between this combo and the top-ranked systems is likely due to the GPU, as higher-end cards like the RTX 4090 would offer more headroom at 4K Ultra. However, the data shows that this combo delivers a very high level of performance that is suitable for competitive play at 1080p and 1440p, and for immersive single-player at 4K. The rank confirms the balance between the Core Ultra 5 235 and the RTX 4070 Ti, as neither component significantly bottlenecks the other in Doom. The system’s ability to maintain high average FPS with stable minimums, as seen in the Medium preset data, solidifies its position as a top-tier performer for this title.