Doom

The data for Doom with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER shows a pairing that is heavily defined by the graphics card. The CPU is a modern, high-core-count part, but the GPU is an older, mid-range model from the Turing generation. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings tell a clear story of where the bottleneck lies and how to best configure the game for a playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 141 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High preset drops the average to 91 FPS, a reduction of 50 FPS. The jump to 3840x2160 at High is even more punishing, with the average falling to 50 FPS. This steep, linear decline with increasing pixel count is the signature of a system where the graphics card is the primary limiting factor.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 192 at 1080p to 124 at 1440p, and finally to 67 at 4K. This shows that even when the graphical load is reduced, the GPU still struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low is 68 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 57 FPS. While not perfectly linear, the trend is clear: every step up in resolution costs a significant number of frames.

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is not the limiting factor at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster. Instead, the frame rates continue to climb as resolution drops, all the way up to 192 FPS at 1080p Low. This suggests that the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU with data, and the RTX 2060 SUPER's rendering throughput is what caps performance.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 3840x2160, even the Medium preset only manages an average of 59 FPS, with the Ultra preset dropping to 40 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is a stretch for this GPU in Doom. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings is 75 FPS, a 65% reduction. This is a strong indicator that the GPU's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for smooth 4K performance in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers an excellent experience with an average of 141 FPS. This is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset still delivers a very playable 115 FPS, but the jump from High to Ultra costs 26 FPS for what may be a marginal visual improvement. The Medium preset, while faster at 167 FPS, is unnecessary for most users at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the High preset provides a solid 91 FPS average. This is a good target for a 1440p monitor, offering a balance between visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset drops to 75 FPS, which is still playable but shows a more significant performance hit. The Low preset at 124 FPS is an option for competitive play, but it sacrifices a considerable amount of visual quality. The Medium preset at 108 FPS is a middle ground, but High seems to be the sweet spot for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. The High preset averages 50 FPS, which is borderline playable for a slower-paced single-player game. The Low preset at 67 FPS is the only way to get closer to a 60 FPS experience, but it comes with a significant visual downgrade. The Medium preset sits in between at 59 FPS, but it is not a stable 60. For 4K, the data suggests that Low settings are the most practical choice for a smoother experience, while High is acceptable if the user prioritizes visuals over frame rate. The Ultra preset at 40 FPS is not recommended for comfortable play.

Based on the measured rows, the best experience in terms of frame rate and visual quality is the High preset at 1440p. It provides a 91 FPS average, which is a good balance. For users with 1080p displays, the High preset at 141 FPS is the clear recommendation, as it provides a high frame rate without the unnecessary performance cost of Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the central figure in these benchmark results. Its specifications, such as 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, are directly relevant to the performance observed. The GPU's boost clock of 1650 MHz and its 2176 shading units determine its raw processing power.

The VRAM capacity appears to be sufficient for Doom at the tested settings. The game's textures and geometry at 4K can be demanding, but the data does not show a catastrophic failure that would indicate memory overflow. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is more consistent with a pure compute and fill-rate limitation rather than a memory capacity issue. The 8 GB frame buffer is likely large enough to hold the necessary assets, but the GPU's processing power is not.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in a specific performance tier. Its Passmark G3D score of 16462 and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 are consistent with a mid-range card. Its percentileVsAllGpus of 62 indicates that it performs better than 62% of all GPUs in the database. However, its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile with a deltaPct of -0.4 and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 with a deltaPct of -0.5, are very close in performance, showing that the RTX 2060 SUPER sits at a specific performance point.

The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor in this combo. The frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The Ultra preset at 4K produces only 40 FPS, while the Low preset at 1080p produces 192 FPS. This wide variance is entirely due to the GPU's workload. The CPU is not holding it back.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and the RTX 2060 SUPER holds a comboRankInGame of 2617 out of 3712 combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum for Doom. This ranking is unsurprising given the GPU's age and performance class.

The combo rank is a holistic measure of how well these two components work together in this specific game. While the CPU is a high-end, modern processor, the GPU is a previous-generation mid-range card. The overall performance of the combo is therefore dragged down by the GPU. A system with a less powerful CPU but a stronger GPU would likely rank higher in this game.

The rank of 2617 out of 3712 means that roughly 70% of tested combos perform better in Doom. This is a direct reflection of the RTX 2060 SUPER's position in the GPU hierarchy. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 35850 and a Geekbench multicore score of 23085, are not fully utilized in this game because the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's processing capabilities.

This ranking is a useful metric for users to understand the expected performance level of this combo. It indicates that while the system is capable of playing Doom, it will not provide a top-tier experience. Users considering this combo should expect performance that is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but not for high-refresh-rate 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a powerful processor that is not the limiting factor in this game. With 20 cores and 20 threads, it has an abundance of processing power. Its boost clock of 5.50 GHz and 30 MB of shared L3 cache are also impressive specifications that contribute to its high benchmark scores.

In Doom, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The data shows that it performs this task with ease. The fact that frame rates continue to scale with resolution suggests that the CPU is not capping performance. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 192 FPS. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at a lower value, regardless of resolution or settings.

The CPU's benchmark results put it in a high-performance tier. Its avgBenchmarkScore of 70879 and percentileVsAllCpus of 94 indicate that it is faster than 94% of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-14700KF with a deltaPct of 1 and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F with a deltaPct of 1.3, are all high-end parts. The CPU's performance in synthetic tests like Cinebench R23 multicore (35850) and Passmark multithread (58594) shows it is a formidable workstation and gaming chip.

The CPU's capabilities are underutilized in this specific pairing. The RTX 2060 SUPER cannot produce frames fast enough to stress the Ultra 7 265K. The data indicates that the CPU is ready for a more powerful GPU. If a user were to upgrade the graphics card, they would likely see a significant increase in frame rates, as the CPU would not be a limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 91 FPS at 2560x1440 with the High preset.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Doom?

A: Yes, but with compromises. The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 50 FPS, while the Low preset averages 67 FPS. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as it only averages 40 FPS.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck for this combo in Doom?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting factor. The frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings, indicating a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1080p display?

A: The High preset provides an average of 141 FPS, which is an excellent experience. The Ultra preset is also playable at 115 FPS, but the performance cost may not be worth the visual gain.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It has a comboRankInGame of 2617 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum for Doom.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 59 at 3840x2160 with the Medium preset, with a minimum FPS of 50 and a maximum FPS of 67.