Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, but 4K gaming requires compromises. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, explores the GPU's role, and provides actionable settings recommendations based strictly on the benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the bottleneck lies in this pairing. At Low settings, the system produces 202 FPS at 1920x1080, which drops to 130 FPS at 2560x1440, and further down to 71 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a significant 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the graphics card is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern becomes more telling when examining the High preset. The system achieves 148 FPS at 1080p, falls to 96 FPS at 1440p, and bottoms out at 52 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K is a 46% performance loss, which is substantial but not unexpected for a GPU in this class. This suggests that while the CPU has ample headroom at lower resolutions, the RX 7600 XT's rendering capabilities are exhausted as resolution climbs.

Comparing the Medium settings across resolutions provides the clearest view of scaling efficiency. At 1080p, the average FPS is 176, dropping to 114 at 1440p, and then to 62 at 4K. The step from 1440p to 4K represents a 45.6% decrease, nearly identical to the High preset's drop. This consistency across presets confirms that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the constraining factors at higher resolutions, rather than any specific game setting.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling loss. Starting at 121 FPS in 1080p, it falls to 78 FPS at 1440p, and then plummets to 43 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that dips below what most users would consider playable. The data indicates that 1080p and 1440p are the sweet spots for this combo, with 4K reserved for lower presets or users who can tolerate sub-60 FPS performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 33 chip. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1980 MHz, a game clock of 2470 MHz, and a boost clock of 2755 MHz. These specifications position the card as a capable mid-range solution, and the benchmark data reflects this positioning.

The 16 GB VRAM allocation is noteworthy for Doom, as the game's texture-heavy environments can benefit from larger memory pools. However, the 128-bit bus width limits the effective throughput at higher resolutions. The measured FPS drops at 4K align with this memory subsystem limitation, as the GPU struggles to feed the render pipeline efficiently at 3840x2160.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest, with 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The pixel rate of 176.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 352.6 GTexel/s contribute to the card's performance at lower resolutions. The FP32 performance of 22.57 TFLOPS provides adequate compute for Doom's rendering demands, but the data shows this is insufficient for high-refresh 4K gaming.

The card's benchmark scores place it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 17132. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, scores 17208, representing a 0.7% performance difference. This close competition indicates that the RX 7600 XT is not a top-tier performer but rather a solid mid-range option that excels at 1080p and handles 1440p well.

Settings Recommendations

For users targeting 4K, the data suggests that Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 62 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is the only 4K configuration that approaches playable frame rates, with the measured range spanning from 52 to 71 FPS. High settings at 4K drop to 52 FPS, which is borderline, while Ultra falls to 43 FPS, which is generally considered too low for smooth gameplay.

At 1440p, High settings deliver an excellent experience with an average of 96 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Low settings while maintaining smooth frame pacing. The Medium preset at 1440p achieves 114 FPS, which is smoother but comes with reduced visual fidelity. For users prioritizing frame rate over graphics, Low settings at 1440p reach 130 FPS, but the visual compromise is substantial.

The 1080p resolution offers the most flexibility. Ultra settings achieve 121 FPS, providing near-maximum visual quality while still exceeding 120 FPS for high-refresh monitors. High settings at 148 FPS offer a good balance, while Medium at 176 FPS and Low at 202 FPS cater to competitive players seeking maximum frame rates. For most users, High or Ultra at 1080p represents the best experience, as the visual improvements are noticeable while frame rates remain high.

Across all resolutions, the data suggests avoiding Ultra settings at 4K and being cautious with High at that resolution. The Medium preset at 4K, High at 1440p, and Ultra at 1080p form the recommended configuration tiers for this hardware combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers consistently high frame rates across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 202 FPS, while Medium achieves 176 FPS with a range of 149 to 202 FPS. High settings average 148 FPS, and Ultra settings average 121 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 81 FPS, demonstrating that the CPU and GPU combination has ample headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings average 130 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS with a range of 97 to 131 FPS, and High averages 96 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 78 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant step down from the lower presets. The 52 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p indicates that the GPU is beginning to feel the pressure of higher pixel counts.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes dramatically. Low settings average 71 FPS, Medium averages 62 FPS with a range of 52 to 71 FPS, and High averages 52 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 43 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced FPS. The 28 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K highlights the GPU's limitations at this resolution.

The Medium preset data provides the most complete picture, with min and max FPS recorded at every resolution. At 1080p, the range is 149 to 202 FPS; at 1440p, it is 97 to 131 FPS; and at 4K, it is 52 to 71 FPS. This data shows that frame pacing remains consistent, with no severe stuttering or frame drops, even at 4K where the average FPS is lower.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination ranks 1827 out of 2930 tested combos for Doom. This places the pairing in the 62nd percentile of all configurations, which is respectable but not exceptional. The ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU is well above average in its own benchmarks.

The CPU itself performs admirably, with a percentile ranking of 93 among all processors. Its average benchmark score of 64640 places it slightly below the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823, a 0.3% difference) and above the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438, a 0.3% difference). This CPU is clearly not the limiting factor in this gaming configuration.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 60 among all graphics cards tells a different story. Its average benchmark score of 17083 is closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17037, a 0.3% difference) and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (17019, a 0.4% difference). The RTX 3070 edges it out with a score of 17208, representing a 0.7% advantage. This GPU is solidly mid-range, which explains the combo's overall ranking.

The combo's rank of 1827 out of 2930 indicates that there are many faster configurations, but also a significant number of slower ones. This positioning suggests that the pairing is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the understanding that 4K performance will be limited. Users seeking higher rankings would need to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with High settings provides the best experience, achieving an average of 96 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with the GPU still having enough headroom for smooth gameplay.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the system averages 62 FPS, which is playable. Low settings at 4K reach 71 FPS, while High drops to 52 FPS and Ultra falls to 43 FPS. Users should stick to Medium or Low for acceptable 4K performance.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to its closest rival, the RTX 3070?

A: The RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083, while the RTX 3070 scores 17208, giving the RTX 3070 a 0.7% advantage. This is a marginal difference that translates to only a few frames per second in real-world gaming.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU ranks in the 93rd percentile of all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 60th percentile. The significant FPS drops from 1080p to 4K confirm that the graphics card is the primary constraint.

Q: What settings should I use for competitive play at 1080p?

A: For maximum frame rates, Low settings at 1920x1080 deliver an average of 202 FPS. Medium settings achieve 176 FPS, which still provides a competitive advantage while offering better visuals. Both options exceed the refresh rates of most gaming monitors.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1827 out of 2930 tested combos for Doom, placing it in the 62nd percentile. This is a mid-range ranking that reflects the GPU's performance class, despite the CPU being a top-tier performer in its own benchmarks.