Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 sits at the center of this Doom test system, and its specifications explain why frame pacing remains stable even when the GPU is pushed hard. This is a 20-core, 20-thread processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The core count is split across performance and efficiency clusters, but the key takeaway for a game like Doom is that the CPU has massive headroom. The L3 cache is 30 MB shared, while L2 is 3 MB per core and L1 is 192 KB per core. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, yielding 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. That memory bandwidth is not a bottleneck in Doom, which relies more on single-thread responsiveness than on massive data streaming, but it does ensure the CPU can feed the GPU without stalling.

The processor’s benchmark results reflect its position in the broader market. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 42216, while single-core reaches 5960. PassMark multi-thread score is 49682, and single-thread is 4689. The average benchmark score across all tests is 64640, which places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. When compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight cluster. The AMD EPYC 4464P averages 64823, which is 0.3% higher, meaning the Ultra 7 265 is essentially tied with that server chip. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64438, a 0.3% deficit, and the AMD EPYC 7343 scores 64202, a 0.7% deficit. On the other side, the AMD EPYC 9124 sits at 65104, which is 0.7% higher. These deltas are tiny, so in CPU-bound scenarios, the Ultra 7 265 will perform within a rounding error of those rivals.

For Doom specifically, the CPU’s job is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The 20 threads are overkill for a 2016 title, but the high boost clock of 5.30 GHz matters more for the single-threaded portions of the engine. The benchmark results show that this processor is not going to be the limiting factor at any resolution in this game. The PassMark physics score of 2923, while not directly a gaming metric, indicates solid computational throughput. The integer math score of 134773 and floating point score of 172776 further suggest that any CPU-side calculations in Doom will be completed well ahead of the GPU’s frame output. The processor also has a 65 W TDP, which is modest for a 20-core part, but that is irrelevant to gaming performance except for thermal management in a compact chassis.

The GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, is the other half of this combo. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD104 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. The transistor count is 35,800 million on a 294 mm² die, which gives a density of 121.8M per mm². The base clock is 1920 MHz, and the boost clock is 2475 MHz. Memory is 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is listed as 1313 MHz, which translates to 21 Gbps effective. That 12 GB capacity is more than enough for Doom at any settings, even at 4K, because the game’s textures are not demanding by modern standards. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and frame buffer operations do not become a bottleneck.

The RTX 4070 has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It also includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 158.4 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 455.4 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 29.15 TFLOPS, with FP16 at the same rate due to a 1:1 ratio. These numbers are far beyond what Doom requires. The game relies on traditional rasterization, and the RTX 4070’s 64 ROPs are sufficient to push high frame rates even at 4K. The GPU’s TDP is 200 W, and it uses a single 16-pin power connector with a suggested PSU of 550 W. In terms of market position, the GPU sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 at 37507 (0.4% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile at 38135 (1.3% higher), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 at 37157 (1.3% lower). The RTX 4070 is clearly in a performance band where small deltaPct values translate to nearly identical real-world frame rates.

Looking at the combo ranking, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 651 out of 2930 tested combinations in Doom. That places it in the top 22% of all combos, which is strong but not elite. The rank reflects the fact that the RTX 4070 is a mid-to-high-end GPU, while the CPU is near the top of the desktop stack. The data shows that the CPU is not holding back the GPU in this game, so the rank is primarily determined by the GPU’s raw rasterization power. Combos ranked above this one likely feature faster GPUs like the RTX 4080 or RTX 4090, which have higher pixel rates and more memory bandwidth. The 651 ranking means there are 650 other pairings that deliver higher average frame rates in Doom, but the gap to the top is not enormous, as the measured FPS will show.

Now, the measured FPS data breaks down by resolution and settings. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 314. With Medium settings, the average drops to 273, and the minimum is 232 with a maximum of 314. High settings yield 231 average FPS. Ultra settings produce 189 average FPS. These numbers are all well above the refresh rate of any standard monitor, so the limiting factor at 1080p is the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls and the game’s engine frame rate cap, not the GPU. The RTX 4070 is barely stressed at this resolution, and the Ultra 7 265’s high boost clock ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay above 180 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the FPS drops are noticeable but still leave plenty of headroom. Low settings average 203 FPS. Medium settings average 177 FPS, with a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 204. High settings average 150 FPS. Ultra settings average 122 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU starts to become more relevant, but the RTX 4070 still has enough pixel throughput to maintain high frame rates. The drop from Low to Ultra is about 40%, which is a typical scaling for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is still not the bottleneck, as the minimum FPS at Medium (150) is higher than the average FPS at Ultra (122), indicating that the GPU is the one feeling the pressure from increased shading and texture work.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. Low settings average 110 FPS. Medium settings average 96 FPS, with a minimum of 81 and a maximum of 110. High settings average 81 FPS. Ultra settings average 66 FPS. The trend from Low to Ultra shows a 40% reduction in FPS, similar to 1440p, but the absolute numbers are lower because the pixel count nearly doubles. The RTX 4070’s 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate are being taxed at 4K, especially with Ultra settings that increase shader complexity. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 81, which is still playable, but the Ultra preset dips to 66 average, which is below the 70 FPS threshold that many players consider smooth for a fast-paced FPS.

Resolution scaling reveals the balance between CPU and GPU. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the FPS drops from 314 to 203, a 35% reduction. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, the FPS drops from 203 to 110, a 46% reduction. From 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra, the drop is from 189 to 122, a 35% reduction. From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra, the drop is from 122 to 66, a 46% reduction. This pattern shows that the scaling is consistent across settings, which indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU’s performance is flat across all resolutions because the game’s logic and draw call processing do not change with resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see similar FPS at 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows a clear decline with each resolution step, confirming that the RTX 4070 is the primary constraint above 1080p.

The limiting component analysis is straightforward. At 1080p, the CPU is not the bottleneck, but the GPU is also not fully utilized. The frame rates exceed 300 FPS on Low settings, which means the game engine or the driver is likely capping performance. At 1440p, the GPU becomes more engaged, and the FPS scales down as settings increase, but the CPU still has headroom. At 4K, the GPU is fully saturated, as evidenced by the FPS dropping to 66 on Ultra. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is sufficient for Doom, but the pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra. The CPU’s 30 MB L3 cache and high boost clock ensure that frame times are consistent, but they do not contribute to higher FPS once the GPU is maxed out.

For settings recommendations, the data provides clear guidance. At 1080p, any preset is playable, but Ultra gives 189 FPS, which is still above 144 Hz. For competitive play, Low at 314 FPS offers the lowest input latency, but the visual difference between Low and Medium is substantial in Doom’s dark environments. Medium at 273 FPS is a good balance, as it provides better lighting and texture detail while still staying well above 240 Hz. At 1440p, High at 150 FPS is the sweet spot for most players, as it maintains a high refresh rate while delivering good visuals. Ultra at 122 FPS is also acceptable for 120 Hz displays, but the drop to 122 from 150 is noticeable in fast motion. Low at 203 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing maximum refresh rates, and Medium at 177 FPS is a solid middle ground.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. High at 81 FPS is playable, but it is not ideal for a game that benefits from high frame rates. Medium at 96 FPS is better, as it stays above 90 FPS and provides a smoother experience. Low at 110 FPS is the best option for 4K if you prioritize frame rate over visuals, as it gives a 36% improvement over High. Ultra at 66 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 70 FPS threshold and can feel sluggish in intense combat. The data shows that Medium at 4K offers the best compromise, with a minimum of 81 FPS and an average of 96, which is smooth enough for most players. The difference between Medium and High at 4K is 15 FPS, which is significant, but the visual upgrade may not be worth the frame rate loss for a fast-paced shooter.

The overall performance of this combo in Doom is strong. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 provides ample CPU headroom, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers high frame rates across all resolutions. The 651st rank out of 2930 combos reflects that this is a well-balanced system, but not an extreme one. The CPU’s 93rd percentile ranking and the GPU’s 81st percentile ranking show that the GPU is the weaker link, which is expected for a mid-to-high-end card paired with a top-tier processor. The measured FPS data confirms that the system can handle Doom at 1440p Ultra with 122 FPS and at 4K Medium with 96 FPS, which are both playable and enjoyable.

For players with a 144 Hz monitor, the best experience is at 1440p High, with 150 FPS. For those with a 240 Hz display, 1080p Medium at 273 FPS is the way to go. For 4K, Medium at 96 FPS is the recommended preset, as it balances visuals and performance. The data does not support using Ultra at 4K, as the 66 FPS average is too low for a game that rewards quick reactions. The RTX 4070’s 12 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor at any settings, as Doom’s texture requirements are modest. The GPU’s 192-bit memory bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, and the 46 ray tracing cores are irrelevant since Doom does not use ray tracing.

In summary, this combo is a capable Doom machine. The CPU’s high boost clock and 20 threads ensure that the GPU is never starved, and the GPU’s rasterization performance is strong enough to push high frame rates at 1440p and playable frame rates at 4K. The resolution scaling data shows a clear GPU-bound trend above 1080p, which is typical for a modern title. The settings recommendations based on the measured rows point to Medium or High presets for the best experience, with Ultra reserved for lower resolutions. The benchmark database ranks this combo in the top 22%, which is a solid result for a system built around a $394 launch MSRP CPU and a $599 launch MSRP GPU. The data is measured, not estimated, so the frame rates reflect real-world performance. This combination is a good example of a balanced build where the CPU and GPU complement each other, with neither component becoming a bottleneck in Doom.