Doom

The pairing of Intel’s top-tier Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with AMD’s Polaris-era Radeon RX 580 creates a stark contrast in capabilities. The data from Doom shows a system where the CPU is dramatically overqualified for the graphical workload, leaving the GPU as the definitive performance boundary. This analysis examines the measured frames per second across resolutions and settings, focusing on how this specific combination behaves.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern: performance degrades predictably as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation points squarely at the GPU as the limiting factor. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average is 75 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset drops the average to 49 FPS, a reduction of 26 FPS. Scaling further to 3840x2160 yields just 26 FPS on average, which is less than half of the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the fill rate and memory bandwidth of the RX 580 are exhausted.

The delta between resolutions is more telling when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system produces 102 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 66 FPS. At 4K Low, it falls to 36 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is roughly 65%, which is a substantial hit. This behavior indicates that even when the game’s graphical load is reduced, the RX 580’s 256-bit memory interface and 8 GB of GDDR5 cannot keep pace with the pixel throughput demanded by 4K. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock, is not the bottleneck here; if it were, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, which is not the case.

The Medium preset shows the same trend with a wider spread. At 1080p Medium, the average is 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 and a maximum of 66. At 4K Medium, the average is 31 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 36. The minimum FPS values at 4K are particularly low, suggesting that the GPU is not just limited in average throughput but also experiences frame time spikes under load. The data indicates that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo can maintain a consistently smooth experience, while 4K is effectively unplayable for competitive or fast-paced action.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance between visual quality and playability for this combo is the High preset at 1920x1080. The data shows an average of 75 FPS at High, which is above the 60 FPS threshold often considered playable for an FPS. This preset provides a significant visual upgrade over Low, which averages 102 FPS, without the performance penalty of Ultra, which drops to 62 FPS. The 13 FPS difference between High and Ultra at 1080p is not worth the marginal visual gains, especially given the importance of frame rate in Doom.

For users willing to sacrifice some visual fidelity for higher frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p is the best choice, delivering 102 FPS. This is the only configuration that pushes past the 100 FPS mark, which is beneficial for high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 89 FPS, offers a better compromise for most players, providing increased detail while still maintaining a high frame rate. The minimum FPS of 76 at Medium is also acceptable, ensuring fewer hitches than the 4K Medium minimum of 27.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that the High preset at 49 FPS is borderline. The Low preset at 66 FPS is the only 1440p option that consistently stays above 60 FPS. Therefore, for 1440p gaming, it is recommended to use Low settings to ensure fluidity. The Ultra preset at 1440p, which averages 40 FPS, and the High preset at 49 FPS, are both below the ideal playable threshold. At 3840x2160, the data shows no playable options; the highest average is 36 FPS at Low, which is not suitable for a fast-paced shooter. The recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this GPU, as even the lowest settings cannot provide a stable experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580’s role in this pairing is to be the sole determinant of gaming performance. Its specifications are modest by modern standards, but they are the key to understanding the measured FPS. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, which are relatively low compared to newer architectures. It features 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, which handle the pixel and texture processing. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

This memory bandwidth is crucial for Doom’s high-resolution textures. The data shows that at 4K, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates, which is a direct result of the 256.0 GB/s bandwidth being insufficient for the 3840x2160 pixel count. The GPU’s compute power, rated at 6.175 TFLOPS FP32, is also a limiting factor. The benchmark results for the GPU in other tests, such as a Passmark G3D score of 8813, place it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. This percentile ranking confirms that it is a mid-range performer, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which is only 0.4% faster in average benchmark score.

The GPU’s VRAM capacity of 8 GB is not directly challenged in Doom, as the game’s requirements are not extreme at these settings. However, the combination of memory bandwidth and compute throughput is what holds the system back. The measured FPS at 1080p High (75 FPS) versus 4K High (26 FPS) shows a 65% reduction in performance, which is a classic symptom of a GPU that is overwhelmed by pixel fill rate demands. The GPU’s production status is End-of-life, and its successor is Vega, which further contextualizes its age relative to the CPU. The 185 W TDP and 1x 8-pin power connector are consistent with its performance class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of the system’s capabilities. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a low of 62 at Ultra to a high of 102 at Low. The High preset sits at 75 FPS, while Medium is at 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. This shows a linear progression where each step down in settings yields a significant FPS gain. The jump from Ultra to High is 13 FPS, from High to Medium is 14 FPS, and from Medium to Low is 13 FPS. This consistent scaling suggests that the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as each reduction in graphical load translates directly to higher frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 40 FPS at Ultra, 49 FPS at High, 58 FPS at Medium, and 66 FPS at Low. The Medium preset again has the only recorded min/max values, with a minimum of 49 and a maximum of 66. The scaling pattern here is similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 26 FPS, which is the same absolute difference as at 1080p, but as a percentage of the base, it is larger. This indicates that the GPU is working harder at 1440p, and each setting change has a more pronounced effect on the frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 22 FPS at Ultra, 26 FPS at High, 31 FPS at Medium, and 36 FPS at Low. The Medium preset is the only one with min/max data, showing a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 36. This is the most constrained situation. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 14 FPS, which is a smaller absolute difference than at lower resolutions. This is because the GPU is so heavily bottlenecked that it cannot fully utilize the reduced workload of lower settings; it is simply maxed out on pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The minimum FPS of 27 at 4K Medium confirms that the experience is stuttery and inconsistent.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested hardware combinations for Doom, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 2675 out of 2930 combos. This places it in the bottom 9% of all configurations tested. This low ranking is entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU’s own benchmark scores are exceptionally high. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 84003, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, are only 0.2% faster on average, and the AMD EPYC 4584PX is 1.1% slower.

The GPU, on the other hand, has an average benchmark score of 12928, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. The ranking of 2675 out of 2930 for the combo reflects the GPU’s mid-range standing, which is dragged down by the fact that the CPU is so powerful that it cannot compensate for the GPU’s limitations in a game like Doom. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the fact that the same CPU with a faster GPU would rank significantly higher. The combo’s position in the bottom 10% is a direct result of the RX 580’s performance ceiling, which is confirmed by its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile is 0.1% faster, and the GTX 1660 SUPER is 0.4% faster.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can maintain consistently playable frame rates. At this resolution, the average FPS ranges from 62 at Ultra to 102 at Low, with High at 75 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Doom?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 36 at Low settings, and the Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 27. These figures are too low for a smooth FPS experience.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX. It is also 1.3% higher than the AMD EPYC 9135.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and how does it affect performance?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. This figure is directly related to the FPS drop at higher resolutions, as the bandwidth is insufficient to feed the pixel pipeline at 4K, leading to average FPS below 36.

Q: Which settings preset offers the highest frame rate?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 offers the highest average FPS at 102. This is the only configuration that exceeds 100 FPS in the dataset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU’s high benchmark scores and the fact that FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, from 75 FPS at 1080p High to 26 FPS at 4K High, confirm that the RX 580 is the limiting component.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a powerhouse that is entirely underutilized in this gaming scenario. It features 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 36 MB of L3 cache. The CPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. Its Passmark multithread score is 60860, and its single-thread score is 4823.

These scores place the CPU in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, is only 0.2% faster on average. This indicates that the CPU is at the top of its class. However, in Doom, the CPU’s role is minimal because the game’s frame rate is dictated by the GPU’s ability to render frames. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 102 FPS, which is a high frame rate, but it is still limited by the GPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers at 4K as at 1080p, but that is not the case.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth is also irrelevant to the gaming performance here, as the GPU’s 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth is the limiting factor. The CPU’s high core count and clock speeds are designed for multi-threaded workloads like rendering and compilation, not for the single-threaded, GPU-bound nature of Doom. The 17,800 million transistors on a 3 nm process at TSMC highlight its modern design, but this does not translate to gaming gains when paired with an older GPU. The CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data, which it does effortlessly, leaving the RX 580 as the sole determinant of the measured FPS. The data confirms that this is a severely unbalanced pairing, where the CPU’s potential is wasted in this specific game.