Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a predictable bottleneck profile in Doom, where the GPU is the clear limiting factor at higher resolutions. The data shows a 65-watt, 20-core processor paired with a 6 GB GDDR6 graphics card, resulting in a combination that is firmly mid-pack, ranking 2497th out of 2930 tested combos. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, focusing strictly on the provided benchmark data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and consistent decline as resolution increases, a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 148 FPS. Scaling up to 2560x1440 drops that to 96 FPS, a reduction of 52 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160 further reduces the average to 52 FPS, which is a 96 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This pattern, where performance is nearly halved at each major resolution step, indicates that the GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary constraint.

The scaling behavior is less severe when moving between higher settings presets. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 59 FPS (148 to 89). At 1440p, that spread narrows to 38 FPS (96 to 58). At 4K, the spread between Low and Ultra is only 21 FPS (52 to 31). This tightening of the FPS range at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU's shading and memory bandwidth are saturated, making the CPU’s high clock speed and core count largely irrelevant to the final framerate.

The 4K Ultra result of 31 FPS is the lowest measured value in the dataset, and the 4K High result of 38 FPS is barely above it. These figures suggest that the 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are insufficient for smooth 4K gameplay in Doom, regardless of the CPU's capabilities. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear; the drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings is 38 FPS (83 to 45), which is a larger absolute loss than the 46 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (129 to 83). This non-linear degradation points to the GPU hitting a hard memory bandwidth wall.

In contrast, the CPU shows no signs of being a limiting factor at any resolution. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz and 20 threads, can feed frames far faster than the GPU can render them. The benchmark results are entirely dictated by the GPU's fill rate and memory throughput, making this a textbook case of a GPU-limited system in Doom.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves in Doom?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 148, which occurs at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next best is 129 FPS at the same resolution with Medium settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 52 on Low settings to 31 on Ultra settings. The High preset yields 38 FPS, and Medium yields 45 FPS. None of these 4K results approach a smooth 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, which is a GPU-bound behavior. The CPU's performance metrics are not reflected in the FPS scaling, as the framerate collapses at 4K regardless of settings.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 96 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 58 FPS. This is a 38 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset costs a significant amount of performance on this GPU.

Q: How does the GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 12986. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, has a score of 12940, which is 0.4% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 580 scores 12928, also 0.4% higher, while the AMD Radeon 740M scores 12870, which is 0.9% lower.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among all tested configurations?

A: This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 2497th out of 2930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the lower portion of the database.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the central component in determining this combo's Doom performance. Its benchmark data shows a Passmark G3D score of 12699 and a Passmark GPU Compute score of 5076, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. The card's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, which is a key specification for a fast-paced FPS like Doom.

The GPU's clock speeds are 1530 MHz base and 1785 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). These figures translate to a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s. In the measured FPS data, the GPU's limits become apparent at higher settings. For instance, at 1080p, the Ultra preset drops the average FPS to 89, compared to 148 on Low. This 59 FPS penalty is a direct result of the GPU's shader and memory subsystem being overwhelmed by the increased visual fidelity.

At 4K, the GPU's VRAM capacity and bandwidth are insufficient. The data shows a maximum average FPS of 52 at 4K Low, which falls to 31 at 4K Ultra. The 6 GB frame buffer is likely a limiting factor at this resolution, as the game's textures and geometry exceed the available memory, causing the GPU to rely on slower system memory. The 48 ROPs and 88 TMUs are also pushed to their limits, resulting in frame times that are not competitive for high-refresh-rate displays.

Comparing the GPU to its nearest rivals, the GTX 1660 SUPER's average score of 12986 is nearly identical to the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940, +0.4%) and the RX 580 (12928, +0.4%). This indicates that the GPU is a middle-of-the-road performer, and its measured FPS in Doom aligns with its synthetic benchmark standing. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1278 further confirms its position as an entry-level to mid-range part for modern titles.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a full picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable framerates on all presets. The Low preset achieves 148 FPS, Medium achieves 129 FPS (with a min of 110 and max of 148), High achieves 109 FPS, and Ultra achieves 89 FPS. All 1080p results are above 60 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for this hardware.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains mostly playable. The Low preset averages 96 FPS, Medium averages 83 FPS (min 71, max 96), High averages 70 FPS, and Ultra averages 58 FPS. The Ultra preset dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that high-detail gaming at 1440p will require some settings adjustments. The Low and Medium presets are the only ones that maintain a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal across the board. The Low preset manages an average of 52 FPS, Medium averages 45 FPS (min 38, max 52), High averages 38 FPS, and Ultra averages 31 FPS. None of the 4K results are suitable for smooth gameplay, as even the lowest settings fail to reach a consistent 60 FPS. The minimum FPS of 38 at 4K Medium highlights the stutter risk at this resolution.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is fully playable, 1440p is playable at lower presets, and 4K is not viable for competitive or smooth play. The spread between the best and worst measured results is 117 FPS (148 at 1080p Low vs 31 at 4K Ultra), which underscores the GPU's sensitivity to both resolution and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end desktop processor with 20 cores and 20 threads, a base clock of 2.40 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its synthetic benchmarks are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42216 and a single-core score of 5960. The Passmark multithread score is 49682, and the single-thread score is 4689. These figures place the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, making it an exceptionally capable processor.

However, in Doom, the CPU's role is minimized due to the GPU bottleneck. The measured FPS does not change in a way that reflects CPU performance. For example, the difference between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is 96 FPS (148 to 52), which is entirely attributable to the GPU. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, which is not the case here.

The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and DDR5 memory support (with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth) are more than sufficient for Doom's engine. The processor's nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P (avg score 64823, -0.3% delta) and Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (avg score 64438, +0.3% delta), show that the 265 is a top-tier part. Yet, this raw compute power does not translate into higher FPS in this game because the GTX 1660 SUPER cannot keep up with the CPU's frame generation capability.

The data suggests that the CPU is effectively idle, waiting for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks. The 65-watt TDP and 3 nm process node are irrelevant to the gaming outcome here, as the bottleneck is clearly on the graphics side. For a game like Doom, which is well-optimized and not heavily threaded, the 20-core CPU provides no advantage over a simpler part when paired with this GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is viable, with an average FPS of 89. This allows for the highest visual quality while still maintaining a framerate above 60 FPS. The High preset at 109 FPS is also excellent, offering a good balance for users with high-refresh-rate monitors (up to 100 Hz).

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS. This provides a smooth experience without the significant FPS drop seen at High (70 FPS) or Ultra (58 FPS). The Low preset at 96 FPS is an option for competitive play, but Medium offers a better visual experience with only a 13 FPS penalty.

At 3840x2160, no preset provides a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 52 FPS is the best available, but it is below the 60 FPS target and will result in noticeable frame pacing issues. The Medium preset at 45 FPS is playable for slower-paced sections, but it is not recommended for fast action. The Ultra preset at 31 FPS is effectively unplayable for an FPS.

The data indicates that Medium settings at 1440p are the best overall compromise, offering a solid balance of visual fidelity and performance. For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low at 148 FPS is the maximum achievable, but the Medium preset at 129 FPS is a better choice for most players, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade with only a 19 FPS cost.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 2497th out of 2930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 15% of all configurations. This low rank is surprising given the high-end CPU, but it is entirely explained by the GPU's mid-range performance. The GTX 1660 SUPER's percentile rank of 53% against all GPUs is the primary driver of this outcome.

The combo's rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities, as the Core Ultra 7 265 is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Instead, it highlights the severe imbalance of this pairing for Doom. A weaker CPU with a stronger GPU would likely rank higher, as the game's performance is dictated by the graphics card. The data shows that the CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P (-0.3% delta) and Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (+0.3% delta), would produce nearly identical FPS results when paired with the same GPU.

The 2497th rank is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows the combo struggling to maintain high frame rates at 1440p and failing at 4K. For a game released in 2016, this hardware combination is sufficient for 1080p gaming, but it does not hold up well at higher resolutions. The GPU's 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are the key limitations, and the CPU's 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock cannot compensate for these hardware constraints. The ranking serves as a clear indicator that this is a GPU-bound system, and any upgrade should focus on the graphics card first.