Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 pairing delivers a playable but aging experience in Doom, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The combination ranks in the 18th percentile of tested configurations, and the data shows that while the CPU has ample headroom, the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM and Pascal-era architecture limit performance to 41 FPS at 4K High. This is a system that can handle 1080p Ultra at 95 FPS, but it falls short of the 144 Hz mark that many FPS players target.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which places it in the top 10% of all CPUs according to its 90th percentile ranking. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide substantial data throughput for game logic and AI calculations.

In Doom, this CPU's raw compute headroom is evident from synthetic benchmarks. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,924 and single-core score of 4,648 indicate strong per-thread performance, which matters for a game engine that relies heavily on a few primary threads. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,394 reinforces this capability. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ultra 5 245 sits within a narrow band: it trails the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G by 0.4% and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 by 0.5% in average benchmark score, while leading the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 0.6% and the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

The implication for Doom is that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. Even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 158 FPS, the processor is likely not saturated. The 14 threads are more than sufficient for Doom's multi-threaded rendering and physics tasks, and the high boost clock ensures responsive frame pacing. Data shows that moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings only drops the average from 116 to 75 FPS, a 35% reduction that is more consistent with GPU limitation than CPU constraint. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate falls to 33 FPS, further confirming that the CPU's role is to feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal-architecture GPU built on a 16 nm process, featuring 1,920 shading units, 120 texture units, and 64 ROPs. It operates at a base clock of 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, and its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory runs at an effective 8 Gbps across a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The card's 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 202.0 GTexel/s texture rate are modest by modern standards, reflected in its 47th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

In Doom, the GTX 1070's performance is heavily influenced by settings and resolution. At 1080p, the card delivers 158 FPS on Low, 137 FPS on Medium, 116 FPS on High, and 95 FPS on Ultra. The 63 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p demonstrates that the GPU is sensitive to graphical fidelity changes. Moving to 1440p, the averages drop to 102 FPS on Low, 89 FPS on Medium, 75 FPS on High, and 61 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the card struggles: 55 FPS on Low, 48 FPS on Medium, 41 FPS on High, and 33 FPS on Ultra.

The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Doom at these settings, as the game's texture requirements are manageable, but the underlying compute throughput is the limiting factor. The GTX 1070's nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD FirePro W5000 (0.2% ahead), the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (0.5% ahead), the NVIDIA Tesla M10 (0.6% behind), and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 (0.7% behind). These comparisons show that the GTX 1070 sits in a performance tier that is now considered entry-level for 1440p gaming, and its 4K capabilities are marginal at best.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combined CPU-GPU pairing ranks 2,413 out of 2,930 tested combinations in Doom, placing it in the bottom 18% of all systems tested. This low ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU's age, as the CPU's 90th percentile standing suggests it is far more capable than the average processor in this benchmark database. The data indicates that this combo is outclassed by most modern pairings, but it still delivers a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p.

The rank of 2,413 out of 2,930 means that 517 combinations performed worse, which is a small fraction of the total. This suggests that while the GTX 1070 is old, it is not the weakest GPU tested. The combo's performance is best understood through the measured frame rates: at 1080p Ultra, it achieves 95 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay but below the 144 FPS that competitive FPS players often desire. At 1440p High, the 75 FPS average is acceptable for casual play, but the 4K results (41 FPS High, 33 FPS Ultra) are not suitable for a fast-paced shooter.

Comparatively, the CPU's nearest rivals do not change the combo's ranking meaningfully. The Ultra 5 245's performance parity with the Ryzen 9 7900 and Core i5-14600K means that swapping the CPU would not alter the overall ranking much, as the GPU remains the dominant constraint. The data suggests that the combo's rank is essentially determined by the GTX 1070's capabilities, and any CPU upgrade would yield diminishing returns in Doom.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Doom at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: At 4K, the system achieves 55 FPS on Low settings and 41 FPS on High settings. The Ultra preset drops to 33 FPS. For a smooth experience, 4K Low is the only viable option, and even then, the frame rate is below the 60 FPS target that most players prefer.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination?

A: The data shows that 1080p provides the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1080p High, the average is 116 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it is 95 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops the average to 75 FPS, which is still playable but less fluid.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in this benchmark?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 9,780. It trails the AMD FirePro W5000 by 0.2% and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M by 0.5%, while leading the NVIDIA Tesla M10 by 0.6% and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 by 0.7%. These are all within a 1.2% band, indicating similar performance tiers.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 a bottleneck for the GTX 1070 in Doom?

A: No. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking and strong single-thread performance (4,648 in Cinebench R23 single-core) mean it can feed the GPU effectively. The frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU limitation, not CPU constraint.

Q: What are the measured frame rates at 1440p across all settings?

A: At 1440p, the averages are 102 FPS on Low, 89 FPS on Medium, 75 FPS on High, and 61 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS, providing a range of performance.

Q: How does the combo's ranking compare to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 2,413 out of 2,930 total tested combos, placing it in the 18th percentile. This means 82% of tested systems perform better, highlighting the GTX 1070's age as the primary limitation.

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

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 116 at 1080p to 75 at 1440p (a 35.3% reduction) and then to 41 at 4K (a 64.7% reduction from 1080p). This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is saturated by pixel throughput, as the CPU's workload does not increase proportionally with resolution.

At Low settings, the trend is similar but with higher absolute values: 158 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 55 FPS at 4K. The jump from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings represents a 35.4% drop, nearly identical to the High setting drop, which suggests that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck regardless of visual complexity. The 4K Low result of 55 FPS is the only 4K setting that approaches playability, but it still falls short of 60 FPS.

At Medium settings, the measured data includes minimum and maximum values: 1080p shows an average of 137 FPS with a minimum of 117 and maximum of 158, while 1440p shows an average of 89 FPS with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 102. The 4K Medium average is 48 FPS. The spread between minimum and maximum at each resolution is narrow (about 30% of the average), indicating consistent frame delivery without severe stuttering.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 95 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K. The 42 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (a 35.8% reduction) is again consistent with GPU limitation. The 4K Ultra result of 33 FPS is below the playable threshold for a fast-paced shooter, confirming that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming.

The data collectively shows that the CPU has headroom to spare. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain similar across resolutions, as the same number of draw calls and physics calculations would be processed. Instead, the frame rates scale inversely with pixel count, which is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For the best experience with this combination, the 1080p High preset offers the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance. The measured average of 116 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a fluid experience for Doom's fast-paced combat. The 1080p Medium preset at 137 FPS is also a strong choice, offering a higher frame rate with only a modest reduction in visual quality. The 1080p Ultra preset at 95 FPS remains playable and is suitable for players who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but it does not meet the 144 Hz refresh rate that many competitive monitors support.

At 1440p, the High preset at 75 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a playable experience while maintaining reasonable visual quality. The Medium preset at 89 FPS is a better option for those who prefer smoother motion, but the difference between Medium and High is less pronounced than at 1080p. The 1440p Ultra preset at 61 FPS is borderline, and players may notice occasional dips during intense scenes, so it is not recommended for competitive play.

At 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset at 55 FPS approaches playability, but it is still below 60 FPS and will feel sluggish in a fast-paced shooter. The High preset at 41 FPS and Ultra at 33 FPS are not viable for gameplay. Therefore, 4K is not recommended for this combination unless the player is willing to accept significant frame rate compromises.

The Medium presets at each resolution provide the most consistent frame delivery, as evidenced by the measured minimum and maximum values. At 1080p Medium, the range is 117-158 FPS, at 1440p Medium it is 75-102 FPS, and at 4K Medium it is 41-55 FPS. These narrower ranges indicate more predictable performance, which is beneficial for avoiding frame-time spikes. Overall, the data suggests that 1080p High or Medium is the sweet spot, with 1440p High as a viable alternative for users with higher-resolution displays who prioritize resolution over maximum frame rate.