Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 combination delivers a robust experience in Doom, though the data reveals a clear division of labor between the processor and graphics card depending on the resolution. At 1080p, the system excels with high frame rates, while the transition to 4K exposes the GPU as the primary constraint. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and provides actionable settings recommendations based solely on the benchmark data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts. At the "High" settings preset, the average frame rate drops from 142 FPS at 1920x1080 to 92 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 50 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 35% performance hit when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% reduction when stepping up to 4K. The scaling is consistent with the GPU's rendering load increasing exponentially with pixel count.

The behavior is even more pronounced at the "Ultra" settings preset, where the average FPS falls from 116 at 1080p to 75 at 1440p, and then plummets to 41 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling, as it is the only measured configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that the combination of maximum graphical fidelity and 4K resolution overwhelms the RX 7600. In contrast, the "Low" preset shows the least severe drop, going from 193 FPS at 1080p to 125 FPS at 1440p and 68 FPS at 4K, indicating that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is still the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The pattern across all settings presets is unambiguous: the RX 7600 is the bottleneck when resolution increases. The CPU's role diminishes as pixel count rises, as the frame rate becomes increasingly dependent on the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The 4K results, ranging from 41 to 68 FPS depending on settings, show that this combo is only viable for 4K gaming at lower presets, and even then, it barely maintains playable frame rates. The 1440p results offer a much more comfortable margin, with all presets exceeding 75 FPS, while 1080p provides the headroom for high refresh rate displays, especially at Low and Medium settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. In the context of Doom, a game known for its id Tech engine efficiency, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The benchmark data suggests that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor in this pairing, as the FPS drops are almost entirely attributable to resolution changes rather than scene complexity.

The processor's performance metrics are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648. These scores place the Ultra 5 245 in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it has ample headroom for gaming workloads. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and Intel Core i5-14600K, show a deltaPct of -0.5% and +0.8% respectively, meaning the Ultra 5 245 is essentially on par with these alternatives in synthetic benchmarks. This parity suggests that in a game like Doom, which can utilize multiple cores but also benefits from strong single-thread performance, the CPU will not create a bottleneck.

The 14 threads and high boost clock are sufficient to maintain high frame rates even at 1080p Low, where the system reaches 193 FPS. At this resolution and settings level, the CPU is likely the more active component, but the fact that the FPS scales down smoothly with resolution increases indicates that the GPU takes over as the primary limiter. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support are also adequate for feeding the GPU with data, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across the measured presets. In summary, the Core Ultra 5 245 is a capable partner that does not hold back the RX 7600 in Doom, even at the highest frame rates measured.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600, based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip, is the decisive component in this system's performance at higher resolutions. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock of 2655 MHz and 2048 shading units are key specifications that influence its raw rendering power. The benchmark results show that the RX 7600's capabilities are well-matched to 1080p and 1440p gaming, but its 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become limiting factors at 4K.

The data shows that the GPU's performance scales predictably with the settings presets. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 116 (Ultra) to 193 (Low), demonstrating that the GPU has sufficient headroom for high refresh rate gaming at this resolution. At 1440p, the range is 75 to 125 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. However, at 4K, the average FPS drops to 41 (Ultra) and 50 (High), indicating that the GPU is struggling to fill the 8.3 million pixels per frame. The 68 FPS at 4K Low shows that reducing graphical fidelity can make 4K playable, but it is far from ideal.

The GPU's 57th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15171, places it in the mid-range tier. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, has a deltaPct of -0.2%, which is essentially a statistical tie. This comparison reinforces that the RX 7600 is a solid 1080p and capable 1440p card, but not a 4K powerhouse. The 8 GB VRAM is adequate for Doom at all settings, as the game is older and not VRAM-hungry, but the memory bandwidth and pixel fill rate (169.9 GPixel/s) are the likely culprits for the steep 4K performance drop. The GPU's 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but the memory subsystem is the bottleneck at high resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Doom with this combo for a consistent 60+ FPS experience?

A: The data shows that all four settings presets at 2560x1440 exceed 60 FPS, with the lowest being 75 FPS at Ultra. Therefore, 1440p is the highest resolution that guarantees a smooth experience across all presets.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 193 on Low to 116 on Ultra. This represents a 40% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest settings preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the frame rate drop at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter. The frame rate drops consistently across all presets when moving to 3840x2160, and the CPU's strong benchmark scores (90th percentile) suggest it is not the bottleneck.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom at all?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The measured results show 68 FPS at 4K Low and 59 FPS at 4K Medium, which are playable, but the Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the RX 7600 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7600's average benchmark score is 15171, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, resulting in a deltaPct of -0.2%. This means the two GPUs perform nearly identically in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 193, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. The Medium preset at the same resolution also shows a maximum FPS of 193 in its range.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS (and min/max where provided) for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 50 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 68 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 59 | 50 | 68 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 41 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 92 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 125 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 109 | 92 | 125 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 75 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 142 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 193 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 168 | 143 | 193 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 116 | - | - |

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the strongest resolution, with all presets delivering over 116 FPS on average. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a tight min/max range of 143 to 193 FPS, indicating stable performance. At 1440p, the Ultra preset still maintains an average of 75 FPS, which is respectable, but the gap between Low (125 FPS) and Ultra (75 FPS) widens to 40%. The 4K results are the most varied, with a 27 FPS difference between Low (68 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS), underscoring the GPU's struggle at this resolution. The min/max data for the Medium presets provides insight into frame pacing; at 4K, the range is 50 to 68 FPS, while at 1080p, it is 143 to 193 FPS, showing that higher resolutions not only lower the average but also compress the variance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice for visual fidelity, as it still delivers a high average of 116 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. If a higher refresh rate monitor is in use, the Medium preset at 168 FPS or the Low preset at 193 FPS provide the necessary headroom for 144Hz or faster displays, though the visual trade-off may not be worth it for a game like Doom.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset remains viable with an average of 75 FPS, offering the best visual experience without compromising playability. The High preset at 92 FPS is a more conservative choice that provides additional headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 109 FPS is a balanced option for those who prioritize frame rate over absolute visual quality, while the Low preset at 125 FPS is unnecessary unless targeting 120Hz+ refresh rates. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only recommendation that consistently delivers a playable experience, with an average of 68 FPS. The Medium preset at 59 FPS is borderline, but the risk of dropping below 60 FPS in intense scenes makes it a less optimal choice. The High and Ultra presets at 50 and 41 FPS respectively are not recommended for a smooth experience.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved by matching the preset to the resolution's capabilities: Ultra at 1080p, High at 1440p, and Low at 4K. These choices maximize visual quality while keeping the average FPS at or above 68, ensuring a responsive and fluid gameplay experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Doom, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 1991 out of 2930 total combos. This places it in the 68th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it performs above the median but is far from the top tier. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's high processing power and the GPU's mid-range capabilities, which results in a system that excels at 1080p and handles 1440p well, but falls behind at 4K compared to higher-end graphics cards.

The ranking is influenced by the GPU's 57th percentile position among all GPUs, which drags down the overall performance relative to systems with more powerful graphics cards. Conversely, the CPU's 90th percentile ranking helps boost the combo above the middle of the pack. The deltaPct comparisons for the CPU show it is neck-and-neck with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (-0.5%) and Intel Core i5-14600K (+0.8%), suggesting that any bottleneck is not due to the processor. The GPU's comparison to the RTX 3050 OEM (-0.2%) indicates that the RX 7600 is a typical mid-range performer, and the 1991 rank is a direct result of this hardware pairing.

The data shows that this combo is not optimized for 4K gaming, as the rank would likely be lower if the measured FPS at that resolution were the sole criterion. However, for 1080p and 1440p gaming, the combo's performance is solid, and the rank reflects its versatility across multiple resolutions. The 1991st position out of 2930 is a reasonable outcome for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU, and it indicates that users seeking 4K performance should consider a more powerful GPU, while those targeting 1080p or 1440p will find this combo well-suited to their needs. Overall, the ranking confirms the balanced nature of the system, with its strengths and weaknesses clearly delineated by the resolution scaling data.