Doom

# Doom — Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

This combination pairs a 24-core Arrow Lake Refresh flagship desktop processor with a Turing-based mid-range GPU from 2019, producing a fascinating bottleneck dynamic in a fast-paced 2016 FPS. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested, while the RTX 2060 SUPER lands in the 62nd percentile of GPUs — a substantial gap that suggests the graphics card will govern most performance ceilings. Benchmark results across Doom's four presets and three resolutions confirm this asymmetry, though the data reveals some unexpected behavior at the highest settings.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus brings 24 cores and 24 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a 3 nm TSMC part with a 125 W TDP, and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 places it firmly in enthusiast territory. The single-core R23 result of 2439 demonstrates strong per-thread performance, which matters for a game like Doom that relies heavily on a handful of primary threads for game logic and physics.

Interestingly, the nearest rivals to this CPU in average benchmark score are all server-class EPYC and Xeon parts: the Intel Xeon 6520P scores 93786 (0% delta), the AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95183 (-1.5%), the AMD EPYC 9175F scores 95615 (-1.9%), and the AMD EPYC 4565P scores 95764 (-2.1%). The Core Ultra 7's avgBenchmarkScore of 93785 sits essentially tied with the Xeon 6520P, which is remarkable given that the Xeon targets entirely different workloads. This CPU's PassMark multi-thread score of 68574 and single-thread score of 5068 indicate it can feed even a demanding GPU without breaking a sweat.

In Doom specifically, the CPU's role appears largely secondary. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 192 FPS average — the highest measured row in the entire dataset. That figure is nearly identical to the 192 FPS max observed at 1080p Medium, suggesting the CPU can push well beyond what this GPU delivers even at minimum settings. The 24-core design provides massive headroom for background tasks and future workloads, but Doom's engine simply cannot utilize all 24 threads effectively. The PassMark physics score of 4064 and data compression score of 804322 indicate strong general-purpose compute, yet these capabilities rarely translate into higher frame rates in a GPU-bound scenario.

The real question is whether the CPU ever becomes the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the 192 FPS average represents the practical ceiling for this GPU at that resolution and preset. Had the CPU been the constraint, we would expect to see similar frame rates across multiple resolutions at Low settings. Instead, the data shows 192 FPS at 1080p, 124 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K — a clear pattern of GPU scaling. The CPU's 96th percentile standing means it outclasses the vast majority of processors tested in this database, providing ample insurance against CPU-induced stutters or frame drops in Doom's most chaotic firefights.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the TU106 chip with Turing architecture, fabricated on a 12 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU clocks at 1470 MHz base and 1650 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). Its 2176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs produce a pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 throughput of 7.181 TFLOPS.

This GPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are instructive: the RTX 3060 Mobile scores 18159 (-0.4%), the Radeon Pro 5700 scores 18189 (-0.5%), the Radeon RX 460 scores 18373 (-1.5%), and the Intel Arc A770M scores 18383 (-1.6%). The RTX 2060 SUPER's avgBenchmarkScore of 18093 places it just below all four rivals, yet in Doom it delivers playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra (40 FPS average). This suggests the game's Vulkan-based engine scales well with this GPU's architecture, and the 8 GB VRAM capacity proves sufficient even at 4K with High settings.

The 62nd percentile GPU ranking versus the CPU's 96th percentile creates a clear delineation: the RTX 2060 SUPER is the bottleneck in virtually every measured scenario. At 1080p Ultra, the GPU produces 115 FPS average, which is respectable for a 2019 mid-range card. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 and PassMark G3D score of 16462 both indicate a GPU that performs in the upper-middle tier of the database. Doom's relatively modest requirements for a 2016 title mean the RTX 2060 SUPER can maintain high frame rates, but the gap between Low and Ultra presets reveals the GPU's compute limits.

One notable observation is the memory bandwidth advantage. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth appears well-matched to Doom's texture streaming needs, as evidenced by the relatively small frame rate drops when moving from Medium to High settings at each resolution. The 8 GB VRAM capacity also proves adequate — there are no signs of texture pop-in or memory-related stutters in the measured data, even at 4K Ultra where the frame rate drops to 40 FPS but remains stable (no min/max data suggests consistent performance).

FAQ

Q: Can this combo achieve 144 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at Low settings the average FPS is 192, and at Medium it is 167. However, at High settings the average drops to 141 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 115 FPS. The 144 FPS target is achievable at Medium and below, but not at High or Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Doom?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested, while the GPU is in the 62nd percentile. Frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes, which is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 2060 SUPER's nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER scores 18093 on average, slightly below the RTX 3060 Mobile (18159, -0.4%), Radeon Pro 5700 (18189, -0.5%), Radeon RX 460 (18373, -1.5%), and Intel Arc A770M (18383, -1.6%). In Doom, the GPU still delivers playable frame rates across all tested presets.

Q: What is the best preset for smooth gameplay at 4K?

A: At 4K, the Medium preset provides 59 FPS average with a minimum of 50 FPS, which is the highest average above 60 FPS at that resolution. Low settings yield 67 FPS average, but Medium offers a better visual experience with only an 8 FPS penalty.

Q: Does the 24-core CPU benefit Doom specifically?

A: Doom's engine does not appear to scale with all 24 cores. The CPU's high single-thread performance (5068 PassMark single-thread score) is more relevant, ensuring the game's primary threads run without delays. The multi-core capabilities provide headroom for background tasks but do not directly translate to higher frame rates in this title.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 2056 out of 2930 tested combinations, placing it in the lower third of the database. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-tier status rather than the CPU's high-end positioning.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides average FPS for four presets across three resolutions, with min/max values available only for the Medium preset at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest performance: Low settings produce 192 FPS average, Medium produces 167 FPS (with min 142 and max 192), High produces 141 FPS, and Ultra produces 115 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 77 FPS, representing a 40% drop from the lowest to highest preset.

At 2560x1440, frame rates decrease noticeably: Low settings yield 124 FPS, Medium yields 108 FPS (min 92, max 125), High yields 91 FPS, and Ultra yields 75 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, a 39.5% reduction.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent: Low settings produce 67 FPS, Medium produces 59 FPS (min 50, max 67), High produces 50 FPS, and Ultra produces 40 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 27 FPS, a 40.3% drop.

The Medium preset consistently shows the tightest min/max range relative to its average — at 1080p the min is 142 (85% of average), at 1440p the min is 92 (85%), and at 4K the min is 50 (85%). This consistency suggests the engine's frame pacing remains stable across resolutions when using Medium settings.

Resolution Scaling

Moving from 1080p to 1440p produces the following drops: Low falls from 192 to 124 FPS (-35.4%), Medium from 167 to 108 (-35.3%), High from 141 to 91 (-35.5%), and Ultra from 115 to 75 (-34.8%). This remarkably uniform ~35% reduction across all presets indicates a purely GPU-bound scaling pattern — the CPU cannot compensate for the increased pixel count.

The jump from 1440p to 4K shows a different pattern: Low falls from 124 to 67 FPS (-46.0%), Medium from 108 to 59 (-45.4%), High from 91 to 50 (-45.1%), and Ultra from 75 to 40 (-46.7%). The larger relative drop at 4K reflects the RTX 2060 SUPER's memory bandwidth and compute limits being stressed more severely as pixel count quadruples.

When comparing 1080p to 4K directly, the total reduction is: Low at -65.1%, Medium at -64.7%, High at -64.5%, and Ultra at -65.2%. The consistency of these figures — all within 0.7 percentage points of each other — strongly suggests that the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput scale predictably with resolution, with no unexpected bottlenecks emerging at any preset level.

The medium preset's min/max data at each resolution reveals that frame consistency also scales predictably. At 1080p, the min of 142 FPS represents 85.0% of the 167 average; at 1440p, the min of 92 represents 85.2%; and at 4K, the min of 50 represents 84.7%. This near-identical ratio indicates the game's frame pacing remains stable regardless of resolution, with no sudden stutters or hitches introduced by increased pixel loads.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal preset depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 141 FPS average — comfortably above the 120 FPS threshold for high-refresh monitors while providing significantly better visual fidelity than Medium's 167 FPS. For players prioritizing maximum smoothness, Medium at 167 FPS offers a substantial 18% improvement over High, but the visual downgrade may not justify the extra frames. Ultra at 115 FPS remains playable but sacrifices 26 FPS compared to High for marginal visual gains.

At 1440p, the High preset's 91 FPS average provides a balanced experience for most gamers, though those with 120 Hz displays may prefer Medium's 108 FPS. The Medium preset's min of 92 FPS ensures the frame rate rarely dips below 90, making it the safer choice for competitive play. Ultra at 75 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced exploration, but the 21% drop from High makes it less attractive for fast combat scenarios.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. Medium's 59 FPS average (min 50) is the only preset that approaches the 60 FPS target, while Low's 67 FPS offers the smoothest experience. High at 50 FPS and Ultra at 40 FPS both fall below the 60 FPS threshold, making them less suitable for Doom's fast-paced action. For 4K gameplay, Low or Medium provides the best balance, with Medium offering improved visuals at a cost of only 8 FPS compared to Low.

The data suggests that Medium is the "sweet spot" preset across all resolutions — at 1080p it delivers 167 FPS, at 1440p 108 FPS, and at 4K 59 FPS. The consistent min/max ratio of approximately 85% across all resolutions indicates stable frame delivery, which is crucial for maintaining aim and reaction times in a fast-paced FPS. Players seeking the best visual experience while staying above 60 FPS should choose Medium at 4K, High at 1440p, and either High or Medium at 1080p depending on their refresh rate.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 2056 out of 2930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the 70th percentile of all configurations (or, conversely, in the bottom 30%). This ranking reflects the GPU's position as the dominant constraint — the RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile GPU score drags the overall ranking down despite the CPU's 96th percentile standing.

The rank of 2056 means that approximately 874 other combinations perform worse in Doom, while 2055 perform better. Given that the CPU is vastly more powerful than the GPU, this ranking suggests that pairing this processor with a more capable graphics card would yield substantially higher frame rates, particularly at 1440p and 4K. The data shows the GPU is fully utilized across all presets, so there is no CPU-related headroom being wasted — rather, the GPU simply cannot push frame rates higher.

Comparing to the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 2060 SUPER trails the RTX 3060 Mobile by 0.4%, the Radeon Pro 5700 by 0.5%, the Radeon RX 460 by 1.5%, and the Intel Arc A770M by 1.6%. These small deltas in synthetic benchmarks translate to similarly small differences in Doom, meaning this combo's ranking would likely shift by only a few positions if paired with any of those GPUs. The CPU's rivals — all EPYC and Xeon server parts — have no bearing on gaming performance, as their multi-core scores are comparable but their gaming-relevant single-thread performance differs from the Core Ultra 7's 5068 PassMark score.

The 2056 rank out of 2930 places this combo in the lower-middle tier for Doom specifically. For a game released in 2016, this is somewhat surprising given the modern hardware involved, but it accurately reflects the RTX 2060 SUPER's mid-range positioning. Players using this combo should expect solid 1080p and 1440p performance, with acceptable 4K only at reduced settings. The CPU provides exceptional headroom for future GPU upgrades, making this a well-balanced pairing for current gaming needs with clear upgrade paths for higher resolutions.