Doom

Doom, the 2016 reboot of the iconic FPS franchise, remains a demanding title for older hardware, particularly at higher resolutions. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card. The data indicates a configuration that is heavily constrained by the GPU, with the CPU providing ample headroom even at lower settings and resolutions. The combo ranks 2934th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the lower third of all tested systems for this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall ranking of this combo in Doom is 2934th out of 3712 tested combinations. This places the system in the bottom 21% of all tested configurations, indicating that while the game is playable, the performance ceiling is relatively low compared to modern systems. The primary reason for this is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, which sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 15290 places it in direct competition with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (scoring 15283, a 0% delta), the AMD Radeon 680M (scoring 15270, a 0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (scoring 15199, a 0.6% delta). This indicates the GPU is a solid mid-range performer from its generation, but it is not designed for high-refresh-rate or high-resolution gaming at maximum settings in a demanding title like Doom.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265, by contrast, is a high-end processor. Its average benchmark score of 64640 places it at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. It performs nearly identically to its direct rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P (scoring 64823, a -0.3% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (scoring 64438, a 0.3% delta). This massive disparity in relative performance between the CPU and GPU is the defining characteristic of this combo. The data shows a significant bottleneck on the graphics side, meaning that in most scenarios, the frame rate is limited by the RTX 2060's ability to render frames, not the CPU's ability to feed it data. The CPU's high percentile ranking versus the GPU's more modest one suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield a substantial performance increase in this game, while upgrading the CPU would provide little to no benefit.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data is 175 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the system is playable but not optimal. The average frame rates range from 37 FPS at Ultra settings to 61 FPS at Low settings, with Medium settings yielding 53 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 a bottleneck for the RTX 2060 in this game?

A: No. The data does not show the CPU as a limiting factor. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, which is a classic indicator of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking versus the GPU's 58th percentile further supports this.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060's average benchmark score is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, with a 0% delta. It is also closely matched with the AMD Radeon 680M, which is a 0.1% delta ahead, and the RTX 3050 OEM, which the RTX 2060 leads by 0.6%.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, both High (83 FPS) and Medium (99 FPS) settings provide average frame rates well above 60 FPS. Ultra settings also exceed 60 FPS with an average of 68 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU's 20-core configuration beneficial for Doom?

A: While the CPU has 20 cores and 20 threads, Doom is a game that does not heavily scale with core count. The high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is more relevant for gaming performance. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not a limiting factor, as even at 1080p Low, the frame rate is likely capped by the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the user's display resolution and frame rate target. For a standard 60 FPS target, the system offers flexibility across most settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system has significant headroom. The High preset delivers an average of 129 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. For users with a 144Hz display, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds that threshold, with an average of 175 FPS. The Medium preset provides a balanced 152 FPS. Given the high frame rates, the Ultra preset, at 105 FPS, is also a viable option for those prioritizing visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

For 2560x1440, the system still performs admirably. The High preset yields an average of 83 FPS, making it the recommended setting for a smooth and visually pleasing experience. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 99 FPS, which could be preferred for competitive play. The Ultra preset, with an average of 68 FPS, remains above the 60 FPS threshold, but the margin is smaller. The Low preset provides 113 FPS, which is surprisingly high and suggests the GPU is still not fully stressed until higher settings are used.

At 3840x2160, the system becomes more constrained. To achieve a consistent 60 FPS, the Low preset is required, delivering an average of 61 FPS. The Medium preset dips to 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High and Ultra presets, at 45 FPS and 37 FPS respectively, are best avoided if a fluid experience is required. The optimal choice for 4K is the Low preset, as it is the only one that consistently hits the 60 FPS target.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data reveals a predictable performance scaling across resolutions and settings, characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high across the board. The Low preset averages 175 FPS, with Medium at 152 FPS. The High preset drops to 129 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 105 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 130 FPS and a maximum of 175 FPS, indicating some variance but overall very stable performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, there is a noticeable drop. The Low preset averages 113 FPS, which is a 35% decrease from the 1080p Low result. Medium average is 99 FPS (min 84, max 113), High is 83 FPS, and Ultra is 68 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is roughly 40%, showing that the GPU is beginning to feel the load of increased pixel count and graphical complexity.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a significant hit. The Low preset averages 61 FPS, a 46% drop from the 1440p Low result. Medium averages 53 FPS (min 45, max 61), High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at this resolution is 39%, demonstrating that the RTX 2060 is the definitive limiting factor. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium (45 FPS) shows that even the medium preset can experience noticeable stutters in demanding scenes.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K provides clear insight into the system's bottleneck. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS across all settings drops by roughly 35-37%. This is a substantial decrease, but the resulting frame rates are still playable. However, the transition from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is far more punishing. The average FPS drops by an additional 46-47% across all settings.

This non-linear scaling is a textbook sign of a GPU-limited system. The RTX 2060's 6 GB of VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are likely saturated at 4K, causing a more severe performance penalty than the pure pixel count increase would suggest. The CPU, with its high single-core performance (evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960) and multi-core capability (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216), is clearly not the constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU workload would stay constant. Instead, the FPS falls consistently with the GPU workload, confirming that the graphics card is the limiting component.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. In Doom, a game that prioritizes raw single-thread performance, the high boost clock is the most critical factor. The CPU's benchmark scores are exceptional, with a PassMark single-thread score of 4689 and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216, placing it at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs.

However, this processing power is largely wasted in this configuration. The measured FPS data shows no indication that the CPU is struggling to keep up with the GPU. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 175 FPS, which is a high frame rate but likely still below what the CPU could potentially deliver. The fact that the FPS drops so significantly when moving to 4K (where the CPU workload is identical, but the GPU workload is much higher) conclusively proves that the CPU is not the bottleneck. The data suggests that this processor would be able to support a much more powerful graphics card in this game without becoming a limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the definitive performance limiter in this combo. It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 1680 MHz, and it has 1920 shading units. The GPU's average benchmark score of 15290 places it at the 58th percentile, which is a solid mid-range standing but far from high-end. Its performance is nearly identical to the GTX 580, which is a much older card, highlighting its age.

The VRAM capacity is a significant concern at higher resolutions. The measured data shows a steep performance cliff between 1440p and 4K, which is often associated with VRAM capacity limits being reached. The 6 GB frame buffer is likely insufficient for 4K Ultra textures in Doom, leading to texture swapping and a severe drop in frame rates (37 FPS at 4K Ultra). Even at 4K Medium, the minimum FPS drops to 45, suggesting the GPU is under severe memory pressure. The GPU's role is clear: it provides adequate performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high settings, but it is not capable of delivering a smooth 4K experience in this title. The data suggests that for a better 4K experience, a GPU with more VRAM and higher compute throughput would be required.