Doom

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates for Doom across the three tested resolutions reveal a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern, with the integrated AMD Radeon 890M as the clear limiting factor. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces 70 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset drops the average to 45 FPS, a reduction of approximately 36%. The jump to 3840x2160 further compresses performance to 24 FPS average, which is roughly a 47% decline from the 1440p figure and a 66% drop from the 1080p result.

This scaling behavior is typical of a system where pixel throughput is the bottleneck. The 890M's 32 ROPs and 5.939 TFLOPS FP32 compute are simply not sufficient to maintain playable rates as pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The fact that even the Low preset at 4K only reaches 33 FPS average, while the same preset at 1080p hits 95 FPS, underscores that resolution scaling imposes a hard ceiling independent of graphics settings.

The data indicates that 1080p is the only resolution where this combination consistently exceeds 60 FPS across multiple presets. At 1440p, only the Low preset breaks the 60 FPS barrier, achieving 61 FPS average. At 4K, no preset reaches 35 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent penalty: at 1080p, Ultra is 40% slower than Low; at 1440p, the gap widens to 39%; at 4K, Ultra trails Low by 39%. This consistent percentage across resolutions suggests that the GPU's compute and memory subsystems are equally stressed regardless of resolution, with the absolute FPS deficit growing as resolution increases.

The measured variance at Medium settings provides additional insight. At 4K Medium, the frame time range spans 25 to 33 FPS, a 32% swing. At 1440p Medium, the range is 45 to 61 FPS, a 36% swing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 70 to 95 FPS, a 36% swing. This consistent relative variance indicates that the frame pacing is governed by the same underlying GPU workload characteristics at every resolution, rather than by CPU-side fluctuations or memory bandwidth limitations that would manifest differently across resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture with a 4 nm process node. Its 1024 shading units and 64 texture mapping units are paired with 32 ROPs, yielding a pixel rate of 92.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 185.6 GTexel/s. The GPU operates with a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, with a TDP of 15 W. Memory is system-shared, meaning the GPU draws from the same LPDDR5X pool as the CPU, with bandwidth designated as system dependent.

In Doom, the GPU's role is paramount. The benchmark results show that at 1080p High, the 890M sustains 70 FPS average, which is respectable for an integrated solution. However, the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 and the Passmark G3D score of 8076 place this GPU at the 45th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark score include the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (deltaPct -0.1), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (deltaPct -0.7), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (deltaPct -0.9), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M (deltaPct -1). The 890M's average benchmark score of 9210 is nearly identical to these older discrete GPUs, which explains why Doom's performance at higher resolutions mirrors what those older cards would produce.

The 16 ray-tracing cores are present in the hardware but Doom's 2016 engine does not leverage RT features, so they remain idle in this title. The DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) API support is technically sufficient, yet the game's rendering workload relies primarily on traditional rasterization. The GPU's FP16 throughput of 5.939 TFLOPS (1:1) matches its FP32 figure, indicating no half-rate penalty for any hypothetical FP16 workloads, though Doom's shaders predominantly use FP32.

The system-shared memory architecture means that the GPU's effective bandwidth is tied to the CPU's dual-channel LPDDR5X configuration, rated at 153.6 GB/s. This shared bandwidth creates a potential contention point when both CPU and GPU are under load, though Doom's measured results suggest the GPU's compute and ROP throughput, rather than memory bandwidth, are the primary constraints. The Passmark GPU compute score of 4157, relative to the G3D score of 8076, indicates that the GPU's compute capability is proportionally stronger than its graphics-specific rendering throughput, which aligns with the observed resolution scaling where fill-rate-limited scenarios degrade more sharply.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor from the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 25 W TDP. The cache hierarchy consists of 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. Memory support is dual-channel LPDDR5X with a bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s. The integrated graphics are listed as Arc B390, though the measured FPS data uses the AMD Radeon 890M as the active GPU.

In Doom, the CPU is not the bottleneck at any tested resolution. The game's engine is well-optimized for multi-threaded workloads, and the 16-core configuration with a 5.00 GHz boost provides ample headroom. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28221 and single-core score of 3984 place this CPU at the 87th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 253PE (deltaPct -0.1), Intel Core 5 223PE (deltaPct -0.2), AMD Ryzen 9 7940H (deltaPct 0.2), and Intel Xeon 6507P (deltaPct 0.2). The average benchmark score of 40518 is essentially tied with these rivals, indicating that the CPU's compute capabilities are competitive with a wide range of desktop and mobile parts.

The Passmark single-thread score of 4005 and multi-thread score of 32956 demonstrate strong per-core and aggregate performance. In Doom, even at 1080p Low where the GPU is least stressed, the CPU maintains frame rates of 95 FPS average without apparent CPU-side limits. The data does not show any scenario where reducing resolution or settings produces a CPU-bound plateau. At 4K Ultra, where the GPU produces only 20 FPS average, the CPU is clearly waiting on the GPU rather than the reverse.

The lack of hyper-threading (16 cores, 16 threads) is notable but does not appear to impact Doom's performance. The game's rendering threads are typically bounded by GPU submission and draw call processing, which the 16 physical cores handle efficiently. The Passmark physics score of 2857 and integer math score of 88083 suggest robust computational throughput for any game logic or physics calculations Doom might offload to the CPU.

The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache provides sufficient capacity for Doom's working set, and the dual-channel memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s is shared with the GPU but does not show as a limiting factor in the measured FPS data. The CPU's release date of 2026-01-04 and production status of Active indicate a current-generation part, and its 3 nm process node contributes to power efficiency, though the TDP of 25 W suggests that sustained boost clocks may be thermally constrained in thin-and-light chassis.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Doom?

A: The highest measured average is 95 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 82 FPS at the same resolution with Medium settings.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Only with Low settings, which produces 61 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 53 FPS average, High to 45 FPS, and Ultra to 37 FPS. No 1440p preset other than Low reaches or exceeds 60 FPS.

Q: How does the 890M compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The 890M's average benchmark score of 9210 is within 1% of the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (deltaPct -0.1), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (deltaPct -0.7), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (deltaPct -0.9), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M (deltaPct -1). These are all effectively equivalent in aggregate performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 20, while the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates as evidenced by its 1080p Low result of 95 FPS. The GPU's 32 ROPs and 5.939 TFLOPS cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K.

Q: What is the frame time variance at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the range is 70 to 95 FPS (36% variance). At 1440p Medium, the range is 45 to 61 FPS (36% variance). At 4K Medium, the range is 25 to 33 FPS (32% variance). The variance is consistent across resolutions.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations in Doom?

A: The combo ranks 3492 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 6% of all tested combos for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 82 FPS average with a measured range of 70 to 95 FPS. This exceeds the 60 FPS threshold comfortably while providing higher visual fidelity than Low (95 FPS average) at a cost of 13 FPS. The High preset at 1080p drops to 70 FPS average, still playable but with diminishing returns over Medium. The Ultra preset at 1080p falls to 57 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that maintains 60 FPS, achieving 61 FPS average. Medium drops to 53 FPS average, which may be acceptable for less demanding players but falls short of the 60 FPS standard. High at 45 FPS and Ultra at 37 FPS are not recommended for competitive or fast-paced play, as the frame rate dips could impair responsiveness. For players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate at 1440p, Medium is the highest preset that stays above 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 35 FPS average. The Low preset at 33 FPS is the highest achievable, followed by Medium at 29 FPS, High at 24 FPS, and Ultra at 20 FPS. These frame rates are below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced FPS like Doom. If 4K is a hard requirement, the Low preset is the only viable choice, though even that will present visible stuttering during intense combat sequences.

The overall recommendation is to run Doom at 1080p with Medium settings for the best combination of frame rate and visual quality. The 82 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, and the Medium preset includes moderate texture and shadow quality improvements over Low. For players with 1440p displays who insist on 60 FPS, the Low preset is mandatory. The data does not support any preset at 4K for a consistently playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings was measured. Low settings produce 95 FPS average, the highest figure in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 82 FPS average with a minimum of 70 FPS and maximum of 95 FPS. High settings reduce performance to 70 FPS average. Ultra settings deliver 57 FPS average, which is the only 1080p preset below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Low settings achieve 61 FPS average, narrowly exceeding the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings produce 53 FPS average with a range of 45 to 61 FPS. High settings drop to 45 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 37 FPS average, representing a 39% reduction from Low settings at the same resolution.

At 3840x2160, Low settings reach 33 FPS average, the best 4K result. Medium settings produce 29 FPS average with a range of 25 to 33 FPS. High settings deliver 24 FPS average. Ultra settings bottom out at 20 FPS average, the lowest measured value in the entire dataset.

The progression from 1080p to 4K at each settings level is consistent: Low drops from 95 to 61 to 33 FPS across resolutions; Medium drops from 82 to 53 to 29 FPS; High drops from 70 to 45 to 24 FPS; Ultra drops from 57 to 37 to 20 FPS. The relative penalty for each resolution step is roughly 36-47% per resolution doubling, which aligns with the pixel count increase.

The Medium settings are the only preset with measured minimum and maximum values at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the 70 FPS minimum ensures no drops below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p Medium, the 45 FPS minimum indicates occasional dips below playable levels. At 4K Medium, the 25 FPS minimum makes the experience borderline unplayable for a fast-paced shooter.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and AMD Radeon 890M ranks 3492 out of 3712 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the bottom 6% of all tested systems. This rank reflects the integrated GPU's limitations in a game that scales heavily with pixel throughput. The CPU's strong benchmark position (87th percentile) does not compensate for the GPU's modest performance (45th percentile) in this title.

The rank indicates that 220 tested combos perform worse than this configuration, while 3491 combos perform better. Given that this is an integrated graphics solution, the rank is expected. The 890M's nearest GPU rivals — all older discrete parts with similar aggregate scores — would likely produce comparable Doom results, though specific game performance could vary based on architectural differences.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 253PE and Intel Core 5 223PE, both with average benchmark scores within 0.2% of the Ultra X7 368H. In Doom, the CPU's performance headroom means that swapping to any of these equivalent CPUs would not meaningfully change the measured FPS, as the GPU remains the bottleneck across all tested resolutions and settings.

The combo's 4K performance, where the highest preset achieves only 20 FPS, is the primary driver of its low rank. In contrast, the 1080p Low result of 95 FPS demonstrates that the combo is capable of smooth frame rates when the GPU workload is reduced. The rank of 3492 out of 3712 reflects the aggregate experience across all tested settings, where the majority of configurations can achieve playable frame rates at some resolution, whereas this combo only reaches playable levels at 1080p with reduced settings.