Doom

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Doom, with the data showing that the system’s performance scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 4K, the combination remains playable but requires careful settings selection to maintain smooth frame rates, as the benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 1686 out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 93785 is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786, 0% delta), while it sits 1.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4564P (95183) and 2.1% behind the AMD EPYC 4565P (95764).

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile relative to all GPUs?

A: The Radeon RX 9060 falls in the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 17631, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Doom?

A: The 1080p resolution provides the highest frame rates, with the Ultra preset achieving 127 FPS and Low settings reaching 211 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the average FPS drops significantly compared to 1440p, while the CPU’s strong multi-core and single-core scores indicate it can handle the game’s processing demands.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded across all tested settings?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 55 FPS at 4K Medium settings, while the highest minimum is 156 FPS at 1080p Medium, showing the system maintains playable frame rates even in demanding scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1686 out of 2930 tested combinations places it in the 57th percentile of all systems tested for Doom. This is a respectable position, given that the GPU sits in the 59th percentile overall, while the CPU is in the 96th percentile among all processors. The discrepancy between CPU and GPU percentiles highlights that the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing, meaning the system’s overall ranking is largely determined by the RX 9060’s capabilities rather than the Ultra 7 270K Plus’s substantial processing power.

Benchmark results indicate that the GPU’s average score of 16014 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, -0.7% delta), placing it in direct competition with that previous-generation card. The RX 9060 also edges out the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, 1% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852, 1% delta), but trails the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, 2.1% delta behind). These close margins suggest the RX 9060 operates in a tightly contested performance band, where minor architectural differences can shift the balance.

From a CPU perspective, the Ultra 7 270K Plus’s 96th percentile ranking is exceptional, with its average score of 93785 placing it at the top of its class. The nearest rivals—all server-grade EPYC and Xeon processors—show that this desktop chip can match or nearly match enterprise silicon in synthetic workloads. However, in Doom, the game’s engine is unlikely to fully utilize 24 cores and 24 threads, so this CPU advantage may not translate directly into higher frame rates beyond what the GPU can deliver.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 155 at 1080p to 101 at 1440p (a 35% reduction), then further to 54 at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). This steep decline at 4K indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, demanding significantly more fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The RX 9060’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, where the data shows healthy frame rates. However, at 4K, the memory capacity and bandwidth may become constrained, especially with higher texture quality settings. The 128-bit memory bus is a notable limitation, as it halved the bandwidth compared to wider-bus alternatives, and this shows in the 4K results where the GPU struggles to maintain 60 FPS even at Medium settings.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more dramatic than the scaling from 1080p to 1440p, suggesting that the GPU hits a performance cliff at 4K. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 137 at 1440p to 74 at 4K (a 46% reduction), while at Ultra settings, it drops from 82 to 45 (a 45% reduction). This consistent percentage drop across settings indicates that the GPU’s raw compute and memory throughput are the limiting factors, rather than any specific setting that might disproportionately impact performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system delivers excellent performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 211 FPS, Medium reaches 184 FPS (with a minimum of 156 and maximum of 212), High achieves 155 FPS, and Ultra drops to 127 FPS. These numbers indicate that the combo can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining over 120 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain highly playable. Low settings average 137 FPS, Medium averages 119 FPS (ranging from 101 to 137), High averages 101 FPS, and Ultra averages 82 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 25-35% reduction in FPS across settings, which is expected given the 78% increase in pixel count. The system remains well above 60 FPS for all presets, making 1440p a viable option for smooth gameplay.

At 4K, the performance becomes more variable and requires settings management. Low settings average 74 FPS, Medium averages 65 FPS (with a minimum of 55 and maximum of 74), High averages 54 FPS, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. The 4K results show that the system can handle 4K gaming but with compromises: only Low and Medium settings maintain average FPS above 60, while High and Ultra dip below that threshold. The minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium (55) suggests that even at Medium settings, there may be occasional frame drops that could affect gameplay smoothness.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The GPU features 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, with 28 ray tracing cores. Its boost clock reaches 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz and base clock of 1700 MHz. These specifications position the card as a mid-range offering, which is reflected in its 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is modest by modern standards. In Doom, a game known for its fast-paced action and detailed environments, this memory configuration appears sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gameplay, as evidenced by the strong FPS numbers at those resolutions. However, at 4K, the combination of limited memory capacity and bandwidth becomes apparent, as the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates even at Medium settings.

The GPU’s compute capabilities, including 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, are adequate for Doom’s id Tech 6 engine, which was released in 2016 and does not require modern hardware. The card’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322 and Passmark G3D score of 17631 confirm its mid-range positioning. The GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, performs nearly identically, suggesting that the RX 9060 offers comparable performance to that popular previous-generation card.

The GPU’s VRAM usage in Doom is not explicitly measured, but the data suggests that 8 GB is adequate for the game’s requirements at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K with Ultra settings, the game may require more memory for high-resolution textures, which could explain the significant performance drop at that resolution. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth, while sufficient for lower resolutions, may become a bottleneck when the GPU needs to fetch large amounts of texture data at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data shows that all four presets deliver excellent performance, with even Ultra maintaining an average of 127 FPS. Given that the game runs smoothly at maximum settings, players with 1080p displays should opt for the Ultra preset to achieve the best visual quality without sacrificing frame rate. The 211 FPS at Low settings indicates that competitive players seeking maximum responsiveness could also consider lower settings, but the Ultra preset provides a balanced experience.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. High settings at 101 FPS offer a better balance between visual fidelity and performance, while Medium at 119 FPS is ideal for players who prioritize frame rate. The data suggests that 1440p Ultra is viable, but players with high-refresh-rate monitors may prefer High or Medium settings to maximize FPS.

For 4K, the recommendations shift toward lower presets to maintain playable frame rates. Medium settings average 65 FPS with a minimum of 55, making it the highest preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS on average. Low settings at 74 FPS provide a larger safety margin, while High and Ultra dip to 54 and 45 FPS respectively, which may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay but not ideal for Doom’s fast action. Players with 4K displays should use Medium settings as the default, with Low available for those who prioritize frame rate stability.

The best overall experience, considering both visual quality and performance, is 1440p with High settings, which delivers 101 FPS average while retaining substantial graphical fidelity. This configuration leverages the GPU’s strengths without pushing it to its limits, and the 1440p resolution provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p. For players with 4K displays, the Medium preset at 65 FPS offers the best compromise, though they should be prepared for occasional dips to 55 FPS in demanding scenes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and single-core score of 2439, placing it in the 96th percentile among all CPUs.

In Doom, the CPU’s role is less critical than the GPU’s, as the game’s engine is primarily graphics-bound. The processor’s high single-core performance (Passmark single-thread score of 5068) ensures that the game’s main thread can execute efficiently, while the 24 cores handle background tasks and any additional processing demands. The CPU’s 125W TDP and support for DDR5 memory with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provide a solid foundation for gaming workloads.

The CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals shows that it is competitive with server-grade processors. The data indicates that the Ultra 7 270K Plus scores 93785 on average, which is essentially identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786) and only 1.5-2.1% behind the AMD EPYC 4564P and 4565P. This suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor in Doom, as its processing power far exceeds what the game requires.

The 24 cores and 24 threads are likely underutilized in Doom, as the game was released in 2016 and may not scale well beyond a handful of threads. However, the CPU’s high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for maintaining high frame rates in games that are not heavily multi-threaded. The CPU’s L3 cache of 36 MB helps reduce memory latency, which can benefit games that access large amounts of data.

The CPU’s integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU is not used for gaming when a discrete GPU is present, but it provides a fallback option. The processor’s PCIe Gen 5 support with 20 lanes ensures that the RX 9060 can communicate with the CPU at full bandwidth, eliminating any potential bottleneck from the system bus. Overall, the CPU’s role in this combination is to provide ample headroom for the GPU, ensuring that frame rates are not limited by processor performance at any resolution or settings level.