Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a robust experience in Doom, with frame rates that scale predictably across resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this combination is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p and smooth 1440p gameplay, while 4K requires careful settings management to maintain playability. This analysis examines the measured performance data to determine optimal configurations and the respective roles of the CPU and GPU.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how settings impact performance at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 137 FPS, which is already well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. However, the High preset at 167 FPS and the Medium preset at 198 FPS offer progressively higher headroom, making them better choices for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Low preset reaches 228 FPS, but this comes at a significant visual cost that is likely unnecessary given the performance available.

For 2560x1440, the High preset at 108 FPS provides an excellent balance between visual fidelity and performance, comfortably exceeding 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 128 FPS offers even more margin, while the Ultra preset at 89 FPS remains playable but with less headroom for demanding scenes. The Low preset at 147 FPS is excessive for most users, as the visual downgrade outweighs the frame rate benefit.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. The Ultra preset drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stuttering. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline, while the Medium preset at 70 FPS provides a playable experience with acceptable visual quality. The Low preset at 80 FPS offers the smoothest 4K experience but sacrifices significant graphical detail.

The best experience per the measured rows depends on the user's display and priorities. For 1080p, the High preset is recommended as it delivers 167 FPS with strong visual quality, leaving ample performance headroom. For 1440p, the High preset at 108 FPS is the optimal choice, balancing frame rate and fidelity. For 4K, the Medium preset at 70 FPS is the best compromise, offering playable performance without the visual degradation of Low settings. Users prioritizing frame rate above all else can drop to Low at 4K for 80 FPS, but the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot for this resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 2460 MHz, with a base clock of 1830 MHz. These specifications, combined with the Ada Lovelace architecture, contribute to the frame rates observed in Doom.

The GPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution increases. At 1080p, the RTX 4060 has ample headroom, with even the Ultra preset achieving 137 FPS. The GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution, as evidenced by the wide spread between Low (228 FPS) and Ultra (137 FPS) — a difference of 91 FPS that indicates the GPU is handling the workload efficiently.

At 1440p, the GPU's workload intensifies, and the frame rate spread narrows. The difference between Low (147 FPS) and Ultra (89 FPS) is 58 FPS, showing that the GPU is being pushed harder. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this resolution, as the Medium preset's minimum FPS of 109 indicates stable performance.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Ultra preset drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, while the Low preset achieves 80 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM may be a limiting factor at this resolution, as higher settings likely require more memory than available. The GPU's 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth may also struggle with the increased data throughput required at 4K.

The RTX 4060's performance data shows it ranks in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (with a deltaPct of -0.2%), the AMD Radeon 780M (+0.3%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (+0.5%). These rivals are all within 0.7% of the RTX 4060's average score, indicating that the GPU sits in a competitive mid-range tier.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. It features 36 MB of L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and a single-core score of 2439.

In Doom, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with data and handle game logic. At 1080p, the CPU is likely not the bottleneck, as the GPU is able to achieve high frame rates. The difference between the Low preset (228 FPS) and the Ultra preset (137 FPS) suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU can maintain high frame rates even at lower settings.

At 1440p, the CPU's workload increases slightly, but the GPU remains the primary constraint. The frame rate difference between Low (147 FPS) and Ultra (89 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the limiting component. The CPU's 24 cores and high boost clock ensure that it can keep up with the GPU's demands.

At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes further, as the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck. The frame rate difference between Low (80 FPS) and Ultra (48 FPS) is 32 FPS, which is smaller than at lower resolutions. This indicates that the GPU is struggling to keep up, regardless of the CPU's performance.

The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 93785. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6520P (with a deltaPct of 0%), the AMD EPYC 4564P (-1.5%), the AMD EPYC 9175F (-1.9%), and the AMD EPYC 4565P (-2.1%). These rivals are all within 2.1% of the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus's average score, indicating that the CPU is a top-tier performer.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The High preset at 1920x1080 delivers 167 FPS on average, which is an excellent balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 137 FPS is also playable, but the High preset offers more headroom for demanding scenes.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset achieves 70 FPS on average, which is playable. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline, while the Ultra preset at 48 FPS may be too low for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 80 FPS is the smoothest option but sacrifices visual quality.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1440p?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 2560x1440. The frame rate difference between Low (147 FPS) and Ultra (89 FPS) indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder as settings increase, while the CPU has sufficient headroom to keep up.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, ranking in the 61st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (-0.2%), the AMD Radeon 780M (+0.3%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (+0.5%), all within 0.7% of its score.

Q: What is the CPU's performance relative to other processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus ranks in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 93785. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta), the AMD EPYC 4564P (-1.5%), and the AMD EPYC 9175F (-1.9%).

Q: Does the GPU's VRAM capacity affect performance at 4K?

A: The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, which may be a limiting factor at 3840x2160. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 48 FPS, while the Medium preset achieves 70 FPS. The VRAM capacity likely contributes to the performance drop at higher settings, as more memory is required for higher resolution textures and effects.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the High preset achieves 167 FPS, which drops to 108 FPS at 1440p and 59 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 65% drop from 1080p to 4K. The frame rate scaling is not linear, indicating that the GPU is becoming increasingly constrained as resolution increases.

The Low preset shows a similar trend: 228 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 80 FPS at 4K. This is a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 65% drop from 1080p to 4K. The consistency of these percentages suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor across all settings, with the CPU having minimal impact on the scaling.

The Medium preset provides additional insight, with 198 FPS at 1080p, 128 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS at 1440p is 109, while at 4K it is 59, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame rates at higher resolutions. The Ultra preset shows the most significant drop: 137 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K. This is a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 65% drop from 1080p to 4K, consistent with the other presets.

The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting component across all resolutions. The CPU's performance is sufficient to support high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU's capabilities are stretched at 4K. The RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus likely contribute to the performance drop at higher resolutions, as the GPU must process more data with limited memory bandwidth.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS data shows a clear hierarchy across settings. The Low preset achieves the highest average FPS at 228, with the Medium preset at 198, the High preset at 167, and the Ultra preset at 137. The Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 168 and a maximum of 228, indicating stable performance. The difference between Low and Ultra is 91 FPS, showing that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across all settings. The Low preset achieves 147 FPS, the Medium preset 128 FPS, the High preset 108 FPS, and the Ultra preset 89 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 109 and a maximum of 148, indicating consistent performance. The difference between Low and Ultra is 58 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU is being pushed harder.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop significantly. The Low preset achieves 80 FPS, the Medium preset 70 FPS, the High preset 59 FPS, and the Ultra preset 48 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 59 and a maximum of 80, showing that performance can fluctuate. The difference between Low and Ultra is 32 FPS, which is the smallest across all resolutions, indicating that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at 4K.

The data shows that the RTX 4060 can handle Doom at 1080p with high frame rates across all settings, at 1440p with playable frame rates on High and above, and at 4K with playable frame rates on Medium and below. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as 48 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus combined with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1540 out of 2930 tested combinations in Doom. This places the combo in the 52nd percentile of all tested systems, indicating a mid-range performance level. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's strong benchmark scores and the GPU's mid-tier performance.

The CPU's 96th percentile ranking among all processors is offset by the GPU's 61st percentile ranking among all graphics cards. This disparity suggests that the combo is CPU-heavy, with the processor having more performance headroom than the graphics card. In Doom, this means that the GPU is likely the limiting factor in most scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions.

The combo's rank of 1540 out of 2930 suggests that there are many systems with similar or better performance. The nearest rival CPUs, such as the Intel Xeon 6520P and AMD EPYC 4564P, have similar average benchmark scores, but their pairing with different GPUs could result in different in-game performance. The RTX 4060's nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and AMD Radeon 780M, are all within 0.7% of its average score, indicating that the GPU is a mid-tier performer.

The data shows that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the ability to maintain high frame rates at these resolutions. At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain 60 FPS on higher settings, but remains playable on Medium and Low presets. The ranking reflects this performance profile, placing it in the middle of the pack among tested combinations.