Doom

Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 place at rank 2,270 out of 3,712 tested combos in Doom. That puts this pairing in the lower half of the database, but the context matters: this is a mobile CPU paired with an entry-level desktop GPU, and the game is from 2016. The ranking reflects the hardware's absolute position, not its suitability for the title. The combo sits in the 39th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 61% of tested systems deliver higher average frame rates. That sounds worse than it plays, because the measured FPS numbers show this setup is entirely playable at most settings, and the bottleneck shifts dramatically depending on resolution and preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The rank of 2,270 out of 3,712 combos places this configuration in the bottom 40% of the database for Doom. The data shows a clear pattern: the RTX 4060 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the Core Ultra 7 165H has headroom that the GPU cannot exploit. The CPU's own benchmark percentile is 84th among all processors, while the GPU's percentile is 61st among all graphics cards. That 23-point gap tells the story. The processor is a strong mobile part, but the GPU is a mainstream desktop card, and in a game like Doom, the GPU carries the load at 1440p and 4K.

Nearest rival comparisons for the CPU show it is essentially tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, trailing by just 0.3% in average benchmark score. It also sits within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, a desktop chip from an older generation. The GPU's nearest rivals are older or integrated parts: the AMD Radeon HD 7790 is 0.2% behind, the AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics is 0.3% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 is 0.5% ahead. These deltas are small enough to be noise, but they indicate the RTX 4060 is not a standout performer in the database's aggregate scoring. What matters for Doom is the measured FPS, which shows the GPU can still deliver smooth gameplay when settings and resolution are managed properly.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 28 W TDP that suggests it is designed for thin-and-light laptops rather than desktop replacement machines. The cache layout is 112 KB per core for L1, 2 MB per core for L2, and 24 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5, dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG 128EU graphics are present, but the dedicated RTX 4060 makes them irrelevant for this game.

Benchmark results show the CPU is capable of heavy multi-threaded work. Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 14,551, and single-core is 1,759. PassMark multi-thread score is 25,933, with single-thread at 3,509. These numbers place the chip in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, which is respectable for a mobile part. In Doom, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data. The game's id Tech 6 engine is well-optimized for multi-threading, so the 16 cores and 22 threads provide ample headroom. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 203 FPS average, which is far beyond what a 60 Hz display needs and indicates the CPU is not the constraint even at low settings where GPU load is minimal.

The boost clock of 5.00 GHz is critical for single-thread performance, which still matters in older games like Doom. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,509 is strong, and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,759 confirms the chip can handle the game's main thread without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU's nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, is nearly identical in aggregate score, which suggests that the 165H's extra cores are not a major differentiator in this title. The data shows the CPU is not the limiting component in any of the measured FPS rows; the GPU saturates first at higher resolutions, and at lower resolutions the frame rate climbs high enough to prove the CPU can keep up.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is an Ada Lovelace architecture chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It has 3,072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units, with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores. The base clock is 1,830 MHz, boost clock is 2,460 MHz, and memory runs at 2,125 MHz with 17 Gbps effective speed. The 8 GB GDDR6 memory sits on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has a 115 W TDP and requires a 300 W power supply, with a single 12-pin connector.

The GPU's benchmark scores are modest. PassMark G3D is 19,545, and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 2,302. Geekbench OpenCL is 95,057, Vulkan is 48,643. The percentile ranking is 61st among all GPUs, and the nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics, which is only 0.3% ahead in aggregate score. That is a telling comparison: the RTX 4060 is only marginally faster than a high-end integrated GPU in synthetic tests, though in real gaming the dedicated card's drivers and memory bandwidth give it an edge. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Doom, which was released in 2016 and does not require large texture pools even at Ultra settings.

The GPU's clock behavior is the key to its performance. The boost clock of 2,460 MHz is high, and the data shows the card can sustain performance across different settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 203, which is close to the CPU's limit. At 1080p Ultra, it drops to 122 FPS, showing the GPU is doing more work but still delivering a smooth experience. The pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are adequate for this game's geometry and texture demands. The 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are not bottlenecks in Doom, as evidenced by the strong performance at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong results across all settings. Low averages 203 FPS, Medium averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 150 and maximum of 203, High averages 149 FPS, and Ultra averages 122 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 81 FPS, which shows a clear scaling curve. The 1080p numbers are all above 120 FPS, meaning the system can drive high refresh rate monitors without issue. The minimum FPS at Medium is 150, which is excellent for 1% lows, though the data does not specify if that is a 1% or 0.1% low.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. Low averages 131 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 and maximum of 132, High averages 97 FPS, and Ultra averages 79 FPS. The 1440p numbers show a similar pattern to 1080p, but the gaps between settings are smaller in absolute terms. The drop from Low to Ultra is 52 FPS, compared to 81 FPS at 1080p. This indicates the GPU is becoming more of a factor at higher resolution, but the CPU is still providing enough headroom to keep frame rates high.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes significantly. Low averages 71 FPS, Medium averages 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 and maximum of 71, High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 43 FPS. The 4K results show the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The drop from Low to Ultra is 28 FPS, which is less than at lower resolutions, but the absolute numbers are much lower. At 4K Ultra, the average of 43 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and even at High, the 52 FPS average is borderline. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 53, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 149 at 1080p to 97 at 1440p to 52 at 4K. That is a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 46% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, which indicates the GPU is hitting memory bandwidth or compute limits as pixel count increases. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth and 8 GB VRAM are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the card struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings.

At Low settings, the scaling is similar but with higher absolute numbers. From 203 FPS at 1080p to 131 FPS at 1440p to 71 FPS at 4K, the drops are 35% and 46% respectively. This consistent scaling pattern suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor across all settings, and the CPU is not contributing to the frame rate drop. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the scaling from 1440p to 4K would be smaller because the CPU would already be saturated at lower resolutions. Instead, the data shows a steady decline that tracks pixel count, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

The limiting component is clearly the RTX 4060 at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push the GPU to its limits, as evidenced by the 203 FPS at Low. At 4K, the GPU's 3,072 shading units and 128-bit memory bus are overwhelmed, and the frame rate drops to 71 FPS at Low settings. The 16-core CPU is not the issue; it has the single-thread performance and multi-threading to handle Doom's engine at any resolution. The data suggests that users with a 1080p or 1440p display will see excellent performance, while 4K users will need to lower settings to Medium or Low to stay above 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p, the Ultra preset at 122 FPS average is the best choice. It delivers high visual quality and remains above 120 FPS, which is smooth on any monitor. The High preset at 149 FPS is also viable, but Ultra adds visual fidelity without a significant performance penalty. The Medium preset at 177 FPS is unnecessary unless the user has a 240 Hz display and wants to maximize frame rate. The Low preset at 203 FPS is only useful for competitive play where every frame matters, but the visual degradation is not worth it for most players.

For 1440p, the High preset at 97 FPS average is the sweet spot. It stays above 90 FPS, which is smooth for most users, and offers good visual quality. The Ultra preset at 79 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive on high refresh rate displays. The Medium preset at 114 FPS is a good alternative if the user prioritizes frame rate over visuals. The Low preset at 131 FPS is excessive for the visual quality loss, but it ensures maximum frame rate for competitive play. The minimum FPS at Medium is 97, which is excellent, and the maximum of 132 shows the GPU can burst higher when the scene is less demanding.

For 4K, the Low preset at 71 FPS average is the only option that reliably stays above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 62 FPS is close, but the minimum of 53 FPS means there will be dips below 60, which can cause stutter in fast-paced combat. The High preset at 52 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay, and the Ultra preset at 43 FPS is only suitable for screenshots or slow exploration. The data shows that 4K is not this combo's strength, and users with a 4K display should either drop to 1440p or accept the visual compromises of Low settings. The RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM is enough for the game's textures, but the memory bandwidth and compute power are insufficient for 4K Ultra. The best overall experience is at 1440p High, which balances visual quality and frame rate.