Doom

Doom, a 2016 FPS built on the id Tech 6 engine, remains a demanding title for modern hardware at high refresh rates. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070, based strictly on the provided benchmark data. The results show a combination that scales predictably with resolution, but the relationship between CPU and GPU workload shifts significantly depending on the settings and resolution chosen.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p, the combo delivers exceptionally high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting an average of 296 FPS. This drops to 258 FPS at Medium and 218 FPS at High, before settling at 178 FPS on the Ultra preset. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 118 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the primary scaling factor even at this lower resolution, though the sheer frame rates suggest the CPU is still feeding the GPU adequately.

Moving to 1440p, the average frame rates decrease across all presets. The Low preset averages 192 FPS, which is a 104 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium averages 167 FPS, High averages 141 FPS, and Ultra averages 115 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a reduction of roughly 35% across all presets, which is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where pixel count is the dominant variable. The 1440p results still remain highly playable, with even the Ultra preset staying above the 100 FPS threshold.

At 4K (3840x2160), the performance curve flattens out considerably. The Low preset averages 104 FPS, Medium 90 FPS, High 76 FPS, and Ultra 62 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more pronounced, with the High preset losing 65 FPS and the Ultra preset losing 53 FPS. This scaling behavior indicates that at 4K, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 is firmly the limiting component. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 42 FPS, a much smaller absolute difference than at 1080p, confirming that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are the bottlenecks. The 4K results also show that the combo is not capable of hitting high refresh rate displays at this resolution, with only the Low preset managing to exceed 100 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 840 out of 2930 tested combos for Doom. This ranking puts the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 9070 pairing in the 71st percentile of all tested systems, indicating it is a solidly above-average performer for this title. The combo’s position is likely driven by the GPU’s strong raw performance, as the CPU’s 96th percentile ranking against all CPUs suggests it is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

The rank of 840 out of 2930 means that a significant number of combinations outperform it, likely those pairing higher-end GPUs with similar or better CPUs. However, the data also suggests that this combo sits comfortably ahead of a large majority of systems, particularly those with older or lower-tier graphics cards. The ranking is a holistic measure, meaning that while the CPU is a top-tier part, the GPU’s 69th percentile ranking against all GPUs pulls the overall combo down from the top echelons. For a game like Doom, which is known for its scalability, this rank reflects a strong but not flagship-level experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the decisive component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the measured frame rates. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. This bandwidth is crucial for Doom’s texture-heavy environments at high resolutions, and the 4K results show that the GPU is still able to maintain playable frame rates, though it is clearly taxed. The GPU’s boost clock of 2520 MHz and game clock of 2070 MHz, based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, deliver an FP32 performance of 36.13 TFLOPS, which is the primary driver for the raw pixel throughput seen in the benchmarks.

The data indicates that the GPU’s performance ceiling is reached at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 62. This is a direct reflection of the GPU’s compute load and memory pressure. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor at these settings, as Doom’s maximum VRAM usage is likely well below this threshold, but the sheer fill rate and shader work required at 4K are what cap performance. In contrast, at 1080p, the GPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by the 296 FPS average on Low settings, which suggests that the CPU is able to keep up with the GPU’s output. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (with a deltaPct of -1.2) and the AMD Radeon RX 6800S (with a deltaPct of -0.8), show that the RX 9070 is positioned in a competitive performance tier, though it is not a top-tier card.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user’s target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 218 FPS. This is high enough to take advantage of 144Hz or 165Hz monitors, and the visual quality improvement over Medium (258 FPS) is significant, while the drop from the Low preset’s 296 FPS is not as impactful. The Ultra preset at 1080p, while offering the best visuals at 178 FPS, sacrifices too much performance for the marginal graphical gains, especially when the High preset is already well above the refresh rate of most 1080p panels.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, providing an average of 167 FPS. This ensures a smooth experience on 144Hz monitors while maintaining a good balance of visual fidelity. The High preset at 141 FPS is also viable, but it pushes the average closer to the 144Hz limit, leaving less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 115 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for competitive play where higher frame rates are preferred.

At 4K resolution, the situation is more constrained. The High preset, with an average of 76 FPS, is the recommended option for a balance of quality and performance. The Medium preset at 90 FPS offers a more responsive experience, but with a noticeable reduction in visual detail. The Low preset at 104 FPS is the only option that approaches 100 FPS, but the graphical sacrifices are substantial. The Ultra preset at 62 FPS is only suitable for slower-paced gameplay or for users who prioritize visual fidelity over fluidity. For 4K gaming, the data suggests that High is the best overall experience, as it remains above the 60 FPS playability threshold while retaining most of the game’s graphical features.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Doom at 4K with high settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 76 FPS at 4K with the High preset. This is above the standard 60 FPS playability threshold, making it a smooth experience for most players.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144Hz 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset, with an average of 167 FPS, is the best option. It stays comfortably above 144 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience without the performance drop seen on the High preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the GPU is still the primary limiting factor, as evidenced by the 118 FPS difference between Low (296 FPS) and Ultra (178 FPS). However, the high frame rates suggest the CPU is not a bottleneck.

Q: How does the RX 9070 compare to the RTX 2080 SUPER in this game?

A: According to the nearest rivals data, the RX 9070 has a deltaPct of -1.2 compared to the RTX 2080 SUPER, meaning it performs roughly 1.2% slower in average benchmark score. In practical terms, performance is nearly identical.

Q: What is the expected frame rate on the Ultra preset at 1440p?

A: The measured average FPS for the Ultra preset at 1440p is 115 FPS. This is playable but may not be ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM on the RX 9070 ever become a limiting factor in Doom?

A: The data does not indicate that VRAM capacity is a limiting factor. The performance drops at 4K are more attributable to compute and memory bandwidth limits rather than VRAM capacity, as Doom is not typically a VRAM-heavy title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a high-end processor with 24 cores and 24 threads, based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and a single-core score of 2439. This places the CPU in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it has substantial processing power. For Doom, which is a game that can be sensitive to single-thread performance, the 5.50 GHz boost clock and strong single-core score are critical.

The CPU’s role in these benchmarks is primarily to ensure that the GPU is not starved of data. The data suggests that this is the case, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s 24 threads are more than sufficient for Doom’s engine, which typically utilizes fewer threads. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (296 FPS) shows that the CPU can handle very high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck.

However, the CPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark multi-thread score of 68574 and a single-thread score of 5068, shows its overall capability. The nearest rivals for this CPU are server-grade parts like the Intel Xeon 6520P and AMD EPYC 4564P, with deltaPct values of 0 and -1.5, respectively. This indicates that the Ultra 7 270K Plus is in a performance tier that is far above what is necessary for gaming, making it a future-proof choice. In the context of Doom, the CPU’s primary job is to maintain high minimum frame rates, which the data shows it does effectively, as the lowest recorded minimum FPS across all tests is 77 FPS at 4K Medium. The CPU is not the limiting factor in any of the tested configurations, confirming its role as a robust foundation for the RX 9070.