Doom

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process. It runs at a 2.40 GHz base clock and boosts up to 5.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This CPU is ranked in the 93rd percentile among all processors, and its average benchmark score of 64,640 places it just 0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 4464P and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F. Compared to the AMD EPYC 7343, it holds a 0.7% lead, while the AMD EPYC 9124 edges it out by 0.7%.

In Doom, a game released in May 2016, the CPU's role is less about raw thread count and more about single-core performance and consistent frame delivery. The 20 cores with 20 threads (no hyperthreading) provide ample headroom for background tasks, but the game's engine primarily relies on strong per-core throughput. The 5.30 GHz boost clock is the key differentiator here, allowing the processor to keep up with the high frame rates this game can produce. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS reaches 271, which indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond typical monitor refresh rates.

The benchmark data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the CPU's influence diminishes relative to the GPU. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is 108 FPS (271 vs 163), suggesting the CPU handles even the most demanding geometry and draw calls without becoming a bottleneck. The L3 cache of 30 MB shared and L2 cache of 3 MB per core further support this, ensuring that frequently accessed game data stays close to the execution units. The processor's PassMark single-thread score of 4,689 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,960 confirm strong per-core capability, which is exactly what a fast-paced FPS like Doom requires for stable frame pacing.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its closest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has an average benchmark score of 64,640, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD EPYC 4464P's 64,823. This difference is negligible in real-world gaming, meaning performance parity is expected.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this CPU can achieve in Doom at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS is 271. This is the highest recorded average FPS for this combo across all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 95, and at Ultra settings it drops to 57. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 40% reduction in FPS, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, not the CPU.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 7 265's 20-core configuration benefit Doom specifically?

A: While Doom may not use all 20 cores, the processor's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that the primary game thread runs with minimal latency. The additional cores handle background processes, preventing frame drops from system overhead.

Q: What is the measured FPS difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce an average of 153 FPS, while High settings produce 129 FPS. This 24 FPS difference (about 16%) shows that Medium settings offer a meaningful performance boost without a massive visual penalty.

Q: Is the Core Ultra 7 265's single-thread performance sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming?

A: Yes. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,960 and PassMark single-thread score of 4,689 indicate strong single-core throughput, which correlates with the ability to sustain 200+ FPS in Doom at 1080p High settings.

# Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset delivers the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1080p, the High preset yields an average of 200 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on modern monitors. The Ultra preset drops to 163 FPS, still smooth but with a 18.5% performance penalty for marginal visual gains. For most users, High at 1080p is the sweet spot, offering 200 FPS while maintaining solid image quality.

At 1440p, High settings produce 129 FPS, which is still suitable for high-refresh displays. Medium settings bump this to 153 FPS, a 18.6% improvement, while the visual difference between Medium and High in Doom is often subtle given the game's fast pace. If frame rate is the priority, Medium at 1440p is the recommended choice, as it stays above 150 FPS and keeps the experience fluid.

At 4K, the situation changes. High settings yield 70 FPS, which is playable but below the 90+ FPS that many competitive players prefer. Medium settings offer 83 FPS, while Low jumps to 95 FPS. Given the diminishing returns at this resolution, Medium at 4K provides the best trade-off, delivering 83 FPS with decent visual fidelity. Ultra at 4K drops to 57 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced shooter, so it is not recommended despite its visual appeal.

The data suggests that the "High" preset is the default recommendation across all resolutions, as it consistently offers a balanced experience: 200 FPS at 1080p, 129 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K. For users with 144 Hz monitors at 1440p, dropping to Medium unlocks the full refresh rate potential.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 999th out of 2,930 tested combos in Doom. This places it in the 66th percentile of all combinations, meaning roughly one-third of tested setups perform better in this specific game. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's strong 93rd percentile standing and the GPU's 75th percentile standing.

The RTX 3070 Ti's average benchmark score of 29,945 places it 0.1% ahead of the RTX 5070 Mobile, 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6800, and 0.5% ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti. Given that the GPU is the primary driver of Doom's frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions, the combo's rank is largely determined by the GPU's mid-tier position in the current landscape.

The 999th rank out of 2,930 indicates that this is a solid mid-range pairing, capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, but not competitive with top-tier GPU combinations at 4K Ultra settings. The CPU's 20 cores and high boost clock ensure that it is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the 271 FPS at 1080p Low, which exceeds what many GPUs can deliver.

This rank also reflects the age of the RTX 3070 Ti, released in 2021, versus newer GPUs that have entered the market. The CPU, being a 2025 release, is future-proof for gaming, but the GPU holds the combo back at higher resolutions. In Doom specifically, the game's 2016 release date means it is not overly demanding by modern standards, which helps the combo achieve a respectable rank despite the GPU's age.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 200 at 1080p to 129 at 1440p, a 35.5% reduction, and then to 70 at 4K, a further 45.7% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly the bottleneck as pixel count grows.

At Low settings, the scaling is similar: 271 FPS at 1080p, 176 FPS at 1440p (35.1% drop), and 95 FPS at 4K (46.0% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that the GPU's rendering throughput scales predictably with resolution, and the CPU is not introducing variability.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution decreases. At 1080p, the gap is 108 FPS (271 vs 163), at 1440p it is 70 FPS (176 vs 106), and at 4K it is 38 FPS (95 vs 57). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the impact of settings diminishes when the GPU is already saturated with pixel work.

The scaling data points to the CPU being more than sufficient for Doom at any resolution. The 1080p Low result of 271 FPS demonstrates that the CPU can push frame rates far beyond what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The bottleneck analysis is clear: at 1080p, the combo is balanced; at 1440p, the GPU becomes the primary constraint; at 4K, the GPU is decisively the limiting component.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS across settings is as follows: Low produces 271 FPS, Medium produces 236 FPS with a minimum of 201 and maximum of 272, High produces 200 FPS, and Ultra produces 163 FPS. The Medium setting's min/max range (201-272) shows that even at 1080p, frame times can vary, but the average remains well above refresh rate thresholds.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 176 FPS, Medium at 153 FPS (min 130, max 176), High at 129 FPS, and Ultra at 106 FPS. The Medium setting's min of 130 FPS still clears the 120 Hz threshold, making 1440p Medium a viable option for high-refresh displays.

At 3840x2160, the averages drop significantly: Low at 95 FPS, Medium at 83 FPS (min 70, max 95), High at 70 FPS, and Ultra at 57 FPS. The Medium setting's min of 70 FPS is the lowest recorded minimum across all tests, indicating that 4K can produce noticeable frame dips during intense scenes.

The full breakdown shows a clear hierarchy: Low > Medium > High > Ultra at every resolution. The step from Low to Medium costs about 13% performance at 1080p (271 to 236), 13% at 1440p (176 to 153), and 12.6% at 4K (95 to 83). The step from High to Ultra is more costly: 18.5% at 1080p (200 to 163), 17.8% at 1440p (129 to 106), and 18.6% at 4K (70 to 57). This suggests that the Ultra preset has diminishing returns relative to its performance cost.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, fabricated on an 8 nm process by Samsung. It features 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation units, along with 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1575 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus delivering 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

The RTX 3070 Ti ranks in the 75th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,945. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 5070 Mobile (0.1% ahead), AMD Radeon RX 6800 (0.5% ahead), and RTX 2080 Ti (0.5% behind). The GPU's 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 339.8 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample compute for Doom's Vulkan-based rendering.

In Doom, the GPU's role is paramount at higher resolutions. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this 2016 title, as the game does not demand large texture pools. The memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s ensures that texture streaming and frame buffer operations are not constrained. The GPU's 169.9 GPixel/s pixel rate directly correlates with the 4K performance observed: 70 FPS at High settings and 57 FPS at Ultra, which aligns with the pixel throughput required at 3840x2160.

The GPU's boost clock of 1770 MHz is modest by modern standards, but the Ampere architecture's efficiency allows it to maintain high frame rates in older titles like Doom. The 290 W TDP and 600 W suggested PSU indicate the power draw is substantial, but the performance delivered at 1080p (200+ FPS on High) justifies this for gamers targeting high-refresh monitors. The GPU's end-of-life production status and 2021 release date mean it is now a mid-range option, but its 75th percentile ranking shows it still outperforms a quarter of all GPUs in the database.