Doom

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on Intel's Arrow Lake architecture and TSMC's 3 nm process node. It operates at a base clock of 3.90 GHz and reaches a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and it includes an integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU solution, though discrete graphics are used in this test configuration.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 265K posts strong numbers: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50009 and a single-core score of 7060, alongside a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 21003 and single-core score of 2965. The PassMark multi-thread score sits at 58838, with a single-thread score of 4904. Its average benchmark score is 79102, placing it in the 97th percentile among all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 265KF scores 79240 (a -0.2% delta), the Core i9-14900KF scores 79245 (also -0.2%), the Core i9-14900K scores 79824 (-0.9%), and the AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041 (-1.2%). This means the 265K is effectively neck-and-neck with the 265KF and i9-14900KF, while trailing the i9-14900K and EPYC 7413 by less than 1% to just over 1%.

For Doom, the CPU's role is largely about feeding the GPU with enough data to keep frame rates high. The game is a 2016 FPS title, and its engine scales well with strong single-thread performance. The 265K's 5.50 GHz boost clock and 4904 PassMark single-thread score indicate it can handle the game's per-frame logic without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The 20 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for a title of this era, which typically uses only a handful of threads. The 97th percentile standing versus all CPUs reinforces that this processor is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. At 1080p, where CPU load is proportionally higher, the data shows the GPU becomes the dominant constraint — the CPU's headroom allows the RTX 3050 to reach its maximum output.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is an Ampere-architecture GPU built on Samsung's 8 nm process, featuring 2048 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It has 16 ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1545 MHz and a boost clock of 1740 MHz, with memory clocked at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). It uses 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 192.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The card's pixel rate is 55.68 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 111.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 7.127 TFLOPS. It has a TDP of 90 W and connects via PCIe 4.0 x8. The GPU sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, indicating mid-pack performance.

In Doom, the 4 GB VRAM capacity is a critical constraint, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows the GPU's limits clearly. At 1080p with Low settings, the card achieves 134.9 FPS, but this drops to 99.7 FPS at High and 81.5 FPS at Ultra. The step from Low to Medium costs 17.8 FPS, while the step from Medium to High costs another 17.4 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 18.2 FPS. This linear degradation suggests the GPU is compute-bound at this resolution, with VRAM pressure becoming more severe as settings increase. At 1440p, the pattern continues: Low yields 86.3 FPS, Medium 74.9 FPS, High 62.6 FPS, and Ultra 54.6 FPS. The 4 GB VRAM likely causes texture thrashing at Ultra settings, where the memory footprint exceeds available capacity.

The GPU's 50th percentile ranking versus all GPUs places it in the middle of the pack, which aligns with its measured performance in Doom. The card lacks the raw throughput to push high refresh rates at 1440p or 4K, but it handles 1080p adequately. The 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is modest by modern standards, and the 128-bit bus width limits memory-intensive scenarios. In Doom's fast-paced action, the GPU's 7.127 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is sufficient for medium settings at 1080p, but it falls short of holding 60 FPS at 4K even on Low settings (48.9 FPS).

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Examining the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 99.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops this to 62.6 FPS, a 37.1% reduction. At 4K High, the FPS falls to 35.3, which is 64.6% lower than 1080p. This steep scaling indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck — if the CPU were limiting, the FPS drop would be less severe as resolution increases, since the CPU workload stays constant.

At Low settings, the trend is similar: 134.9 FPS at 1080p, 86.3 FPS at 1440p (a 36.0% drop), and 48.9 FPS at 4K (a 63.8% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors, not the CPU. The 265K's strong single-thread performance (4904 PassMark single-thread score) means it can maintain frame pacing even at 1080p, where CPU overhead is highest.

At Medium settings, the FPS progression is 117.1 (1080p), 74.9 (1440p), and 43.8 (4K). The 4K-to-1080p ratio is 37.4%, which is slightly better than High's 35.4% ratio, indicating that lower settings reduce memory pressure and allow the GPU to scale more efficiently. At Ultra settings, the pattern holds: 81.5 FPS at 1080p, 54.6 at 1440p, and 28.2 at 4K. The 4K figure of 28.2 FPS is below playable thresholds, confirming that this combo is not suited for 4K Ultra gaming in Doom.

The data indicates that the CPU is never the limiting component in this configuration. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU's role is most pronounced, the 134.9 FPS result is well within the 265K's capability. The GPU's 50th percentile ranking and 4 GB VRAM capacity are the defining factors in this combo's performance envelope.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 134.9, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. At 2560x1440 Low, it drops to 86.3 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 48.9 FPS.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the combo achieves 35.3 FPS on High, 43.8 FPS on Medium, 48.9 FPS on Low, and 28.2 FPS on Ultra. Only Low settings come close to 50 FPS, and none reach 60 FPS, indicating 4K gaming is only viable at the lowest settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 79102. The Core Ultra 7 265KF scores 79240 (-0.2% delta), the Core i9-14900KF scores 79245 (-0.2%), the Core i9-14900K scores 79824 (-0.9%), and the AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041 (-1.2%). The differences are all within about 1%.

Q: What is the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the combo delivers 99.7 FPS at 1920x1080, 62.6 FPS at 2560x1440, and 35.3 FPS at 3840x2160. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 64.4 FPS, representing a 64.6% reduction.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination is closest to 60 FPS?

A: At 2560x1440 High, the combo achieves 62.6 FPS, which is the closest measured value above 60 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, it achieves 74.9 FPS, and at 1920x1080 Ultra, it achieves 81.5 FPS.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 97th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 50th percentile. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows consistent percentage drops across settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB ranks 1525 out of 1681 tested combos in Doom. This places the combo in the 9th percentile of all combinations, meaning roughly 91% of tested combos perform better. The ranking reflects the significant mismatch between the high-end CPU and the entry-level GPU. The 265K's 97th percentile CPU ranking contrasts sharply with the RTX 3050's 50th percentile GPU ranking, and the overall combo rank is dragged down by the GPU's limited performance.

The combo's position at 1525 out of 1681 suggests that most other configurations, even those with mid-range CPUs and GPUs, outperform it in this game. The RTX 3050 4 GB is the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the FPS data: at 1080p High, the combo achieves 99.7 FPS, which is respectable, but at 1440p High it drops to 62.6 FPS, and at 4K High it falls to 35.3 FPS. The GPU's 4 GB VRAM and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for higher resolutions and settings in Doom, which demands more memory bandwidth as texture quality increases.

The rank indicates that users seeking better performance in Doom would need to upgrade the GPU rather than the CPU. The 265K provides ample headroom, and its synthetic scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core 50009, single-core 7060) are far above what Doom requires. The combo's rank is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-pack standing, not the CPU's capability. The 1525 rank out of 1681 combos puts this configuration in the lower tier for this game, suitable for 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings but not for higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 134.9 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all configurations. Medium settings yield 117.1 FPS, a 17.8 FPS reduction from Low. High settings drop further to 99.7 FPS, another 17.4 FPS loss. Ultra settings bring the average down to 81.5 FPS, representing a total 53.4 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. This resolution is clearly the sweet spot for this combo, with all settings above 80 FPS and Low settings exceeding 130 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down significantly. Low settings average 86.3 FPS, which is a 36.0% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings achieve 74.9 FPS, a 36.1% reduction from 1080p Medium. High settings come in at 62.6 FPS, a 37.2% decrease from 1080p High. Ultra settings average 54.6 FPS, a 33.0% drop from 1080p Ultra. All 1440p settings remain above 50 FPS, but only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS, making High and Ultra less desirable for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings average 48.9 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration above 45 FPS. Medium settings achieve 43.8 FPS, a 10.4% drop from Low. High settings fall to 35.3 FPS, a 19.4% reduction from Medium. Ultra settings average 28.2 FPS, the lowest measured value, representing a 42.3% drop from Low. None of the 4K settings reach 60 FPS, and even Low settings are borderline playable. The 4K Ultra result of 28.2 FPS is below typical playability thresholds, confirming this combo is not intended for 4K gaming in Doom.

The FPS progression across resolutions and settings shows a consistent pattern: the GPU's performance scales inversely with resolution, and the CPU's contribution remains stable. The 265K's high single-thread score (4904 PassMark) ensures that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU is most taxed, the combo achieves 134.9 FPS without CPU-induced stuttering. The RTX 3050's 4 GB VRAM is the primary limitation at 4K, where texture data exceeds memory capacity, causing the steep drops from 1440p to 4K (e.g., 62.6 to 35.3 FPS at High, a 43.6% reduction).