Doom

Doom, id Software’s 2016 reboot, remains a demanding benchmark for modern hardware, particularly at high refresh rates. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The data shows a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which also possesses the CPU headroom to push extreme frame rates at 1080p. The measured results across three resolutions and four quality presets provide a clear picture of how this combo handles the game’s Vulkan-based engine.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic shift in system bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 399 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 259 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 140 FPS, which is a 46% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the graphics card is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced on the High preset. The system delivers 294 FPS at 1080p, which is a very high number that suggests the CPU is doing substantial work to feed the GPU. At 1440p, the average is 190 FPS, and at 4K, it settles at 103 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46%. This consistent scaling curve points to a well-balanced system where the GPU load increases predictably with resolution, but the absolute values show that the RTX 4080 SUPER is still capable of high refresh rate gaming even at 4K.

Looking at the Ultra preset, the highest quality setting, the frame rates are 240 FPS at 1080p, 155 FPS at 1440p, and 84 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46%. This consistency across all presets suggests that the game’s engine scales resolution demands uniformly, regardless of the graphics settings. The 4K Ultra result of 84 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but it is a significant step down from the 103 FPS seen on High.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor. The gap between Low and Ultra presets at 1080p is 159 FPS (399 vs 240), which is a massive difference. This shows that the GPU has enough headroom to render the scene quickly when settings are low, but the CPU cannot feed it data fast enough to reach its theoretical maximum. At 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 56 FPS (140 vs 84), confirming that the GPU is now the bottleneck, as it is fully occupied with pixel shading. For users targeting 4K, the limiting component is clearly the RTX 4080 SUPER, but it is a capable 4K performer. At 1440p, the system hits a sweet spot, offering high frame rates even on Ultra settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the star of this show for most resolutions. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, it features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock is rated at 2550 MHz, and it has 10240 shading units. These specifications translate into a passmark G3D score of 34245, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 54209 puts it in a tight race with the standard RTX 4080, which scores 54247, a delta of -0.1%.

In Doom, the GPU’s role becomes more critical as resolution increases. At 4K, the difference between presets is substantial. The Low preset yields 140 FPS, Medium yields 122 FPS, High yields 103 FPS, and Ultra yields 84 FPS. This shows that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are heavily taxed at this resolution. The 4K Medium result of 122 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS shows that even the lower presets provide a very playable experience, but the frame time consistency degrades slightly as settings increase.

The GPU’s 16 GB VRAM buffer is not a limiting factor in this game, as even the Ultra preset at 4K does not appear to cause a performance collapse. The memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s is also sufficient to feed the processor. The data suggests that the RTX 4080 SUPER is a strong 4K card for Doom, but it is not powerful enough to max out a 144Hz 4K display on Ultra settings, as the 84 FPS average falls short of that target. However, on a 120Hz 4K display, the High preset at 103 FPS is an excellent match.

The GPU’s performance relative to its rivals is interesting. While its average benchmark score is slightly lower than the RTX 4080, the difference is negligible at 0.1%. The data shows that in synthetic benchmarks, it is also closely matched with the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, but those are different market segments. For Doom specifically, the measured FPS numbers are the definitive guide, and they show a highly capable card that scales well with settings, albeit with a predictable performance cost for higher quality presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a supporting role that becomes most evident at 1080p. This processor, part of the Arrow Lake architecture, has 14 cores and 14 threads. It runs at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. With 24 MB of shared L3 cache and a TDP of 65W, it is a power-efficient desktop chip. Its benchmark results are solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085. It also achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 4516, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs.

In Doom, the CPU’s influence is most visible at 1920x1080. At this resolution, the GPU is often not the bottleneck. The jump from Low (399 FPS) to High (294 FPS) is 105 FPS, which is a significant performance hit. This indicates that the CPU is working hard to process game logic and draw calls, and the higher fidelity settings increase the CPU workload. The fact that the system can push beyond 240 FPS on the Ultra preset shows that the Core Ultra 5 235 has excellent single-threaded performance, which is critical for this game’s engine.

The CPU’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz is likely the key to its high frame rate capability. Although it lacks hyper-threading (14 cores for 14 threads), this does not appear to hinder performance in Doom, which is a title that typically scales well with a few strong cores rather than many weak ones. The CPU’s performance is competitive with its nearest rivals. Its average benchmark score of 46062 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, +0.1%) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, -0.1%). This places it in the same performance tier as those mobile and desktop parts.

The data suggests that the CPU will not hold back the GPU at 1440p or 4K. At these resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU has enough headroom to maintain high frame rates. However, for esports-style gaming at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is the wall that stops the system from hitting even higher numbers. The 399 FPS average on Low is impressive, but it is far from the GPU’s potential. This is a classic pairing where the CPU is sufficient for high-end gaming, but the GPU is the dominant component for visual quality.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset to choose for different priorities. At 3840x2160, the High preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The 103 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a smooth experience. The Ultra preset drops to 84 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 122 FPS is also a strong choice if you prefer higher frame rates over visual details, but the jump from Medium to High only costs 19 FPS while providing a noticeable visual upgrade.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear winner. The 190 FPS average is excellent for a high refresh rate monitor. The Ultra preset still delivers a very respectable 155 FPS, making it a viable option for those who want maximum quality. The Low preset at 259 FPS is overkill for most displays, and the visual sacrifices are too significant for a single-player title. The Medium preset at 225 FPS is a good middle ground, but High offers a better experience for the small performance cost.

At 1920x1080, the decision depends on your monitor’s refresh rate. If you have a 240Hz display, the Ultra preset at 240 FPS is the perfect match. If you have a 360Hz monitor, the High preset at 294 FPS is more appropriate. The Low preset at 399 FPS is only relevant for competitive play where every frame counts and visual quality is secondary. In general, the High preset appears to be the sweet spot across all resolutions, offering a significant visual improvement over Medium with a manageable frame rate penalty. The data shows that the step from High to Ultra is consistently the most expensive in terms of FPS, costing roughly 20-30% performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 182nd out of 2930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the top 6.2% of all configurations in the database. This is a strong ranking, reflecting the high performance of both components. The GPU’s position in the 86th percentile and the CPU’s position in the 89th percentile suggest a well-matched pair that delivers top-tier results in this title.

The ranking indicates that this combo is faster than the vast majority of systems. It is likely that many of the combos ranked above it feature higher-end CPUs like the Core i9 series or more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090. However, the 182nd position confirms the RTX 4080 SUPER’s raw power and the Core Ultra 5 235’s strong gaming capabilities. This is not a budget system; it is a high-end configuration that can handle Doom at maximum settings with high frame rates.

The data shows that this combo is particularly strong at 1440p, where it achieves over 150 FPS on the Ultra preset. The ranking also suggests that the system is well-balanced, as the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at lower resolutions. The 2930 combos in the database include a wide range of hardware, and being in the top 200 is a significant achievement. For a user looking at this data, the 182nd rank should provide confidence that this system will not struggle with this game, even at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 provides the best balance. At this resolution, the High preset averages 190 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 155 FPS, both of which are ideal for high refresh rate monitors. While 4K is playable, 1440p maximizes the system's potential.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings in Doom?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. The 4K Ultra preset averages 84 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but it may not fully utilize a 120Hz or 144Hz 4K display. For higher refresh rates at 4K, the High preset at 103 FPS is a better option.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The CPU is the main bottleneck at 1080p. The evidence is the large frame rate drop between Low (399 FPS) and Ultra (240 FPS) presets. This indicates the GPU is not fully saturated, and the processor's ability to handle draw calls is limiting the maximum frame rate.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The average benchmark score for the RTX 4080 SUPER is 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080's score of 54247. This indicates that the SUPER variant offers essentially identical synthetic performance, with differences within the margin of error.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The data only includes minimum FPS values for the Medium preset. At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 296 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 191 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 104 FPS.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 5 235 hold back the GPU at 4K?

A: No. The data shows that at 4K, the frame rate scales predictably with settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's performance at 4K is sufficient to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the 103 FPS result on High settings, which is a GPU-bound figure.