Doom

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers an exceptionally strong performance in Doom, ranking 716th out of 2930 tested combos, placing it in the top 24.4% of all configurations. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU’s 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock providing ample headroom to push the RTX 3080 Ti to its limits. At 1080p, the combo achieves triple-digit frame rates across all settings, with the Low preset reaching an average of 312 FPS, indicating that this pairing is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors. The measured results reveal a predictable scaling pattern where lowering resolution increases FPS, but the primary bottleneck shifts clearly to the GPU as pixel count rises.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 716 out of 2930 tested combinations places it in the 75.6th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the field. This is a strong result, though not a top-tier one, as the RTX 3080 Ti, while powerful, is an older generation card that has been surpassed by newer offerings. The CPU, however, is a current-generation flagship that contributes significantly to the overall position. Benchmark results indicate that the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a top performer in its own right, sitting in the 96th percentile against all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scores 83,807, a negligible 0.2% difference, while the AMD EPYC 4584PX is 1.1% behind at 83,090. The EPYC 9135 trails by 1.2% at 82,980, and only the AMD EPYC 7F72 beats it, scoring 85,072, which is 1.3% higher. This shows the 290K Plus is at the very top of the desktop CPU hierarchy, providing a solid foundation for gaming.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3080 Ti holds an 83rd percentile rank among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41,187. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which scores 40,870 (0.8% lower), and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB at 41,707 (1.2% higher). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is 2% behind at 40,377, while the Tesla M40 is 1.7% ahead at 41,897. This places the 3080 Ti in a competitive mid-to-high tier, but it is not a top-10 GPU by any measure. The combination’s rank is therefore a product of a top-tier CPU paired with a solidly upper-mid-range GPU. In Doom, which is known for its excellent optimization, this results in very high frame rates, as the measured data confirms. The combo’s rank suggests that while it is not the absolute fastest system available, it offers a level of performance that will satisfy most gamers, especially at 1440p and 4K where the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 offers the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 149, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while 4K High drops to 81 FPS. For those seeking the highest frame rates, 1080p Low hits 312 FPS, but 1440p Medium at 176 FPS provides a superior visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The measured FPS indicates a substantial drop. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 230 at 1080p to 149 at 1440p and then to 81 at 4K. This represents a 35% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a further 46% decrease from 1440p to 4K, showing that the GPU is heavily taxed at higher resolutions.

Q: Which graphics preset is recommended for 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 66 FPS, which may be playable but is less consistent. High at 81 FPS is also viable, but Medium offers the best combination of frame rate and visual fidelity.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS scales significantly with resolution, from 312 FPS at Low to 188 FPS at Ultra, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU fast enough. However, at 4K, the FPS range narrows to 66-109, showing the GPU is struggling to keep up with the pixel count.

Q: Does the CPU’s 24-core configuration benefit Doom?

A: Doom is not a heavily multithreaded game, and the benchmark results show that the CPU’s single-core performance, with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, is more critical. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303 is excellent, allowing it to keep up with the GPU’s demands without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: How does this combo compare to a system with a newer GPU?

A: Based on the benchmark scores, the RTX 3080 Ti is 2% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 in average GPU score. In Doom, this means the 3080 Ti should provide comparable or slightly better frame rates, though the actual gaming performance will depend on other system components.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that highlights the GPU as the dominant limiting component. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves extremely high frame rates across all settings, with the Low preset reaching an average of 312 FPS. This indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution, as it can easily process the game’s logic and feed the GPU with enough frames. Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by roughly 35% across all settings, with High falling from 230 to 149 FPS. This is a significant decrease, but the frame rates remain very high, suggesting the GPU is still able to handle the increased pixel load without major issues. At 3840x2160, the drop is even more pronounced, with High falling to 81 FPS, a 65% decrease from 1080p. The Low preset at 4K still manages 109 FPS, but the Ultra setting drops to 66 FPS, showing that the GPU is clearly struggling with the 4K resolution.

The scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti is the performance limiter. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 124 FPS (312 vs 188), while at 4K, the difference narrows to 43 FPS (109 vs 66). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions is a classic sign of GPU saturation. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock, has more than enough processing power to handle Doom’s workload, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The GPU’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth are also sufficient, but the raw compute power of the GA102 chip is simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K. For gamers using a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this combo will provide an excellent experience, but at 4K, compromises in settings are necessary to maintain smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, all presets deliver playable frame rates, but the Ultra preset at 188 FPS average is the best choice for those seeking maximum visual quality without sacrificing performance. The High preset at 230 FPS is also excellent, and the Medium preset at 272 FPS offers a great balance for competitive play. For 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 149 FPS, which is smooth and visually appealing. The Ultra preset at 122 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset at 176 FPS provides a higher frame rate for a minimal visual trade-off, making it a better choice for fast-paced action. The Low preset at 202 FPS is ideal for esports-style play where frame rate is paramount.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers an average of 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS, ensuring consistent gameplay. The High preset at 81 FPS is also playable, but the Ultra preset at 66 FPS may result in noticeable frame drops during intense scenes. For 4K, the data suggests that sacrificing some visual fidelity is necessary to maintain a smooth experience. The Low preset at 109 FPS is the fastest option, but the visual quality will be significantly reduced. The Medium preset strikes the best balance, offering a good visual experience while keeping the frame rate above 90 FPS. Overall, the combo is best utilized at 1440p, where it can run the High preset with ease, providing a premium gaming experience without the need for compromises.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low setting achieves an average of 312 FPS, with a maximum of 313 FPS and a minimum of 231 FPS recorded for the Medium preset. The Medium setting averages 272 FPS, while High averages 230 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging 188 FPS. All 1080p results are well above 144 FPS, indicating that this resolution is not a challenge for the system.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low setting averages 202 FPS, with the Medium preset averaging 176 FPS and a minimum of 150 FPS. High averages 149 FPS, and Ultra averages 122 FPS. These numbers show a consistent drop from 1080p, but all presets remain above 60 FPS, making 1440p a viable option for high-refresh-rate gaming. At 3840x2160, the Low setting averages 109 FPS, while Medium averages 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. High averages 81 FPS, and Ultra averages 66 FPS. The 4K results show that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rates are significantly lower than at lower resolutions. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset are particularly useful, as they show that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate does not drop below 81 FPS at 4K, ensuring a mostly smooth experience. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with higher resolutions and settings leading to lower frame rates, as expected.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus plays a supportive but crucial role in this combo’s performance in Doom. With 24 cores and 24 threads, the CPU offers massive parallel processing capabilities, but Doom is not a game that scales well with core count. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s single-core performance is more important, and the 290K Plus excels in this area with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303 is exceptional, allowing it to handle the game’s main thread with ease. The CPU’s high clock speed ensures that it does not bottleneck the GPU, especially at lower resolutions where the frame rate is high. At 1080p, the combo achieves an average of 312 FPS with Low settings, which would be impossible if the CPU were struggling to keep up.

The CPU’s cache configuration, with 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, provides low-latency access to frequently used data, further reducing potential bottlenecks. The 3 nm process node and 17,800 million transistors also contribute to the CPU’s efficiency, though this is less relevant to gaming performance. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 demonstrates its overall strength, but in Doom, the single-core performance is what drives the high frame rates. The data shows that at 1440p and 4K, the CPU has plenty of headroom, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The combo’s rank of 716 out of 2930 is largely due to the GPU’s capabilities, but the CPU ensures that the system does not suffer from processing bottlenecks. For Doom, the 290K Plus is more than sufficient, providing a solid foundation for the RTX 3080 Ti to deliver its best performance.