Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. In this Doom benchmark, the CPU’s role is largely one of providing a high-frequency headroom that ensures the GPU is not starved of draw calls, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates climb above 200 FPS. The processor’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support help maintain consistent frame pacing, though the game’s 2016 engine is not particularly demanding on modern multi-core designs. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 35670 places it in the 85th percentile of all processors, with its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, scoring 35719 (a delta of -0.1%), indicating the Ultra 9 185H is statistically tied with that chip. In single-threaded workloads, which matter more for older game engines like Doom’s id Tech 6, the processor’s boost clock of 5.10 GHz is the critical factor; the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5 suggests strong per-core performance that can handle the game’s main thread without bottlenecking.

The 16 cores and 22 threads are largely underutilized in Doom, as the game scales well up to roughly four to six threads, but the processor’s high boost clock ensures that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the average FPS reaches 264, the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently. The L2 cache of 2 MB per core provides low-latency access to frequently used instructions, which is beneficial for the game’s entity and physics updates. The processor’s 45 W TDP, while a mobile-class figure, does not appear to limit sustained performance in this test, as the measured frame rates are consistently high. Compared to the Intel Core 7 250H, which scores 35728 (delta -0.2%), the Ultra 9 185H is effectively identical in overall compute, but the higher boost clock gives it a slight edge in the lightly threaded scenarios that Doom presents. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 56, the CPU is no longer the limiting factor; instead, the GPU’s rendering load dominates, but the processor’s consistent frame delivery prevents any sudden dips that would mar the experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the primary driver of Doom’s visual output, and its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is more than sufficient for the game’s texture-heavy environments at any resolution. The GPU’s base clock of 2295 MHz and boost clock of 2452 MHz, combined with 8960 shading units, deliver the raw compute needed to maintain high frame rates. In the measured data, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution scales upward. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 264 demonstrates that the RTX 5070 Ti is capable of extreme frame rates, but this is also where the CPU’s boost clock becomes relevant, as the GPU is not fully saturated. The GPU’s 43.94 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 686.6 GTexel/s texture rate ensure that even the most complex scenes, such as the fiery pits of Hell, are rendered without texture pop-in or shader stutter.

The RTX 5070 Ti’s 70 RT cores and 280 tensor cores are present, but Doom (2016) does not utilize ray tracing or DLSS, so these units remain idle during the benchmark. The GPU’s 96 ROPs and 235.4 GPixel/s pixel rate are more relevant, as they determine fill-rate limits at high resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 56 indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the pixel throughput required to render at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings exceeds what the card can sustain at higher frame rates. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 49957 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, scoring 50001 (delta -0.1%), suggesting the RTX 5070 Ti is slightly behind that older card in synthetic averages, but the modern architecture provides better feature support. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6604 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 225122 indicate strong DirectX 12 and Vulkan performance, which are the APIs Doom uses, ensuring the GPU’s drivers are well-optimized for this title.

The GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM is a key asset, as Doom’s Ultra textures can consume over 8 GB at 4K, and the measured frame rates show no signs of memory swapping or stutter. The 1750 MHz memory clock (28 Gbps effective) provides the bandwidth necessary to feed the 256-bit bus, and the 896.0 GB/s figure is more than double what the game requires. The RTX 5070 Ti’s TDP of 300 W and dual-slot design are typical for this performance class, but the data does not indicate any thermal throttling, as the frame rates are consistent across runs. Compared to the Intel Arc A550M, which scores 49737 (delta 0.4%), the RTX 5070 Ti is slightly faster, but the real-world gap in Doom is likely larger due to driver maturity. The GPU’s performance in PassMark G3D (32974) and GPU Compute (20203) further confirms its position as a high-end part that can handle Doom’s demands without breaking a sweat, except at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K, with the RTX 5070 Ti and Ultra 9 185H combination showing a predictable drop as pixel count increases. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 264, which drops to 171 at 1440p Low (a 35% reduction) and further to 93 at 4K Low (a 65% reduction from 1080p). This scaling indicates that at Low settings, the GPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1080p, as the CPU’s boost clock and the game’s relatively simple geometry allow the GPU to run at near-peak efficiency. However, as resolution increases, the GPU’s fill-rate and shading units become the limiting factor, and the frame rate drops proportionally to the pixel count. The 1080p to 1440p drop of 35% is close to the theoretical 44% pixel increase, suggesting the GPU is becoming more saturated, but the 1440p to 4K drop of 46% (from 171 to 93) is steeper, indicating that the GPU is now fully utilized.

At High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values: 194 FPS at 1080p, 126 FPS at 1440p (a 35% drop), and 68 FPS at 4K (a 65% drop from 1080p). This consistency across settings suggests that the resolution scaling is primarily driven by GPU load, not by CPU limitations, as the CPU’s frame delivery remains constant. The Medium settings show a slightly different pattern, with 230 FPS at 1080p, 149 FPS at 1440p (a 35% drop), and 81 FPS at 4K (a 65% drop). The Ultra settings show the most significant drop: 159 FPS at 1080p, 103 FPS at 1440p (a 35% drop), and 56 FPS at 4K (a 65% drop). This uniform scaling percentage across all settings is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component at every resolution above 1080p, and the CPU’s role is consistent regardless of graphical load.

The data shows that at 4K, the frame rates are playable but not high-refresh-rate territory. The 4K High average of 68 FPS is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but the 4K Ultra average of 56 FPS dips below it, indicating that the RTX 5070 Ti cannot fully handle the highest preset at native 4K without compromises. The 1080p and 1440p results, however, are exceptionally high, with even 1440p Ultra averaging 103 FPS, which is well within the range of high-refresh-rate monitors. The scaling from 1080p to 4K across all settings is remarkably linear, with a consistent 65% reduction in FPS, which suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and pixel rate are the primary constraints, not the CPU. This pattern is typical for a game that is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, and the measured data confirms that the Ultra 9 185H provides sufficient headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck even at the lowest settings where frame rates exceed 250 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 264 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play on a 240 Hz or 360 Hz monitor, but the Medium preset at 230 FPS still provides a significant visual upgrade with only a 13% performance penalty. The High preset at 194 FPS is the best balance for most users, as it offers improved textures and lighting while still exceeding 144 Hz refresh rates. The Ultra preset at 159 FPS is the highest visual quality option, but the 18% drop from High may not be worth the marginal visual improvement in a fast-paced FPS where frame rate matters more than subtle shadow details. For 1080p, the High preset is recommended as it provides a smooth experience on any high-refresh-rate display without sacrificing visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 171 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming, but the Medium preset at 149 FPS is a better choice for visual quality, as it remains above 144 Hz and offers improved texture filtering and draw distances. The High preset at 126 FPS is the sweet spot for 1440p, as it maintains a frame rate above 120 Hz, which is the target for most gaming monitors, while providing near-Ultra visuals. The Ultra preset at 103 FPS is also viable, as it stays above 100 FPS, but the drop from High is noticeable, and the visual differences between High and Ultra in Doom are subtle, mostly affecting shadow resolution and ambient occlusion. For 1440p, the High preset is recommended, as it delivers a buttery-smooth experience with no compromise on the game’s core visual identity.

At 4K, the situation is more nuanced. The Low preset averages 93 FPS, which is above 60 FPS and provides a playable experience, but the visual downgrade is severe, with low-resolution textures and simplified lighting. The Medium preset at 81 FPS is a better compromise, as it restores some texture detail while still maintaining a frame rate above 60 FPS. The High preset at 68 FPS is the recommended choice for 4K, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium while keeping the frame rate comfortably above 60 FPS, which is the minimum for a smooth experience on a 60 Hz display. The Ultra preset at 56 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended, as the slight visual improvement over High does not justify the frame rate drop. For 4K, the High preset is the best experience, offering a balance of visual fidelity and performance that keeps the game responsive. In summary, the data suggests that High settings are the optimal choice across all three resolutions, with Medium as a fallback for 4K users who prioritize texture quality over frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 194 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 scores 50001, a delta of -0.1%, meaning the Vega 64 is slightly faster on average.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K?

A: The 4K Ultra preset averages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, so it is not recommended for a consistent experience.

Q: What is the CPU’s percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35670.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s, using 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 230 at 1080p to 81 at 4K, a reduction of approximately 65%.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 264 FPS, the Medium preset averages 230 FPS with a minimum of 196 FPS and a maximum of 265 FPS, the High preset averages 194 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 159 FPS. These figures indicate that at 1080p, the hardware is capable of driving high-refresh-rate displays, with even the Ultra preset exceeding 144 Hz. The Medium preset’s minimum of 196 FPS shows that frame pacing is consistent, with no major dips that would cause stutter.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 171 FPS, the Medium preset averages 149 FPS with a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, the High preset averages 126 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 103 FPS. The 1440p results show a clear step down from 1080p, but all presets remain above 100 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset’s minimum of 127 FPS indicates that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 120 FPS, which is the target for many gaming monitors. The High and Ultra presets at 126 and 103 FPS, respectively, provide ample headroom for G-Sync or FreeSync displays to eliminate tearing.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 93 FPS, the Medium preset averages 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS, the High preset averages 68 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 56 FPS. The 4K results are the most demanding, with only the Low and Medium presets exceeding 60 FPS on average. The Medium preset’s minimum of 69 FPS ensures that the frame rate never drops below 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience on a standard 60 Hz display. The High preset’s average of 68 FPS is borderline, but the lack of a reported minimum makes it uncertain whether it dips below 60 FPS in heavy combat. The Ultra preset’s 56 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold, making it unsuitable for a consistently smooth experience. Overall, the data shows that the RTX 5070 Ti and Ultra 9 185H combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring a reduction in settings to maintain playable frame rates.