Doom

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is a 16-core, 16-thread mobile processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which places it in the upper tier of mobile CPUs for single-threaded responsiveness. Its cache hierarchy includes a 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache, providing a substantial pool for game data that benefits from fast reuse patterns.

In synthetic testing, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18,911 and a single-core score of 2,200.5. The multi-core result suggests strong parallel throughput for a 16-thread part, though the single-core score is the more relevant metric for Doom's frame pacing in lower-resolution scenarios. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,280 reinforces this: the processor's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics updates at high frame rates is directly tied to this figure. The CPU's overall percentile ranking against all CPUs is 88, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database on aggregate benchmark scores.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals in the database, the Core Ultra X9 388H sits within a tight band. Its average benchmark score of 44,466 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D (44,573, delta -0.2%), the Intel Core i9-13950HX (44,342, delta +0.3%), the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (44,309, delta +0.4%), and the Intel Core i5-13600 (44,240, delta +0.5%). These deltas are all under 1%, indicating that in general compute workloads, the 388H is functionally indistinguishable from these rivals. For Doom specifically, this means any performance differences at 1080p will be driven more by the GPU and memory subsystem than by CPU compute superiority.

The 388H has a TDP of 25 W, which is notably low for a processor with 16 threads, and it supports LPDDR5X memory over a dual-channel bus with 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. That memory bandwidth is a potential constraint for a game like Doom, which relies on streaming textures and geometry. However, at 1080p with the GPU being the dominant factor, the CPU's clock speed of 5.10 GHz boost will allow it to keep up with frame generation demands, as evidenced by the high average FPS figures across all settings at that resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 910th out of 2,930 tested combos in Doom, placing it in the 69th percentile of all system pairings in the database. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier placement, though not top-tier, which reflects the fact that the mobile CPU is paired with a desktop-class GPU. The rank indicates that while the RTX 4080 is a high-end part, the overall combo is held back by the CPU's mobile nature in certain scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU must work harder to feed frames.

In the context of the GPU's standing, the RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54,247 and a percentile rank of 86 against all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54,209 (delta +0.1%), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (delta -1.1%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (delta -2.6%). These deltas show the RTX 4080 is within 3% of its closest competitors, meaning the GPU itself is not a bottleneck in this combo's ranking; rather, the CPU's 88th percentile standing pulls the combined rank below what the GPU alone would suggest.

The combo rank of 910 out of 2,930 means that roughly 69% of tested systems perform better in Doom. This is a notable gap from the top, but it is important to consider that many of those higher-ranked combos likely pair the RTX 4080 with higher-end desktop CPUs. The data shows that the 388H's multi-core score of 18,911 in Cinebench R23 is strong, but Doom's engine benefits more from raw single-thread performance, where the 388H's score of 2,200.5 is good but not exceptional among the top CPUs. The result is a combo that delivers excellent playable frame rates but does not dominate the leaderboard.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K across all settings. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 173 (Ultra) to 288 (Low), with High at 212 and Medium at 251. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop to 112 (Ultra), 137 (High), 162 (Medium), and 186 (Low). At 3840x2160, the averages fall further to 61 (Ultra), 74 (High), 88 (Medium), and 101 (Low).

The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are substantial. For Ultra settings, the drop is from 173 to 61 FPS, a reduction of approximately 65%. High settings drop from 212 to 74 FPS, a 65% reduction. Medium drops from 251 to 88 FPS, a 65% reduction, and Low drops from 288 to 101 FPS, a 65% reduction. The consistency of this ~65% drop across all settings is telling: it indicates that the limiting component at 4K is overwhelmingly the GPU, as the frame rate reduction is proportional to the pixel count increase from 1080p (2.07 million pixels) to 4K (8.29 million pixels), which is roughly a 4x increase in pixel load.

However, the fact that the 4K Ultra average is 61 FPS while 4K Low is 101 FPS shows that the GPU still has headroom when settings are lowered. The 1080p results, where Low hits 288 FPS and Ultra hits 173 FPS, suggest that the CPU is not fully maxed out even at the highest settings, as the frame rates remain very high. The data implies that at 1080p, the combo is GPU-bound at Ultra (173 FPS) and potentially CPU-bound at Low (288 FPS), where the CPU's single-thread performance becomes the ceiling. The consistent ~65% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings reinforces that the RTX 4080's pixel throughput is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, not the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 288 FPS, while Medium yields 251 FPS with a minimum of 213 and maximum of 289. High settings average 212 FPS, and Ultra averages 173 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors even at Ultra, with the Low setting far exceeding any standard display's refresh rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages scale down predictably. Low averages 186 FPS, Medium averages 162 FPS with a range of 138 to 187, High averages 137 FPS, and Ultra averages 112 FPS. The 1440p results show that Ultra is still comfortably above 100 FPS, which is a strong outcome for a demanding game at this resolution. The minimum FPS recorded for Medium at 1440p is 138, which is the only min/max data point at this resolution, but it suggests that frame pacing remains smooth even under load.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 101 FPS for Low, 88 FPS for Medium (with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 101), 74 FPS for High, and 61 FPS for Ultra. The 4K Ultra result of 61 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, making it playable but not ideal for competitive play. The 4K Medium average of 88 FPS is a much more comfortable target, and 4K Low at 101 FPS shows that the GPU can still push well past 100 FPS if settings are reduced. The min FPS data at Medium (75 at 4K, 138 at 1440p, 213 at 1080p) shows that minimums stay within 85% of averages, indicating no major stuttering issues at these settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, featuring 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. It has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and memory runs at 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). With 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, the RTX 4080 delivers a pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute is rated at 48.74 TFLOPS.

In Doom specifically, the GPU's role is evident in the resolution scaling analysis. The 65% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings is a classic GPU-bound signature, as the RTX 4080's pixel rate and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors at higher pixel counts. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Doom, which is not a VRAM-heavy title, and the 716.8 GB/s bandwidth ensures texture streaming is not a bottleneck.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it is a high-end part, with a PassMark G3D score of 34,457 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 263,779. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 is a solid result for a previous-generation flagship. Compared to its nearest rivals in the database, the RTX 4080's average score of 54,247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209, delta +0.1%), meaning the two cards perform within 0.1% of each other on average. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% higher, though these are likely different workload profiles. The GPU's 86th percentile ranking against all GPUs confirms its position as a top-tier part, and the measured FPS results in Doom reflect that, with even 4K Ultra achieving 61 FPS.

The RTX 4080 has a TDP of 320 W and requires a 700 W power supply, with a triple-slot cooler design. It was released in September 2022 with a launch MSRP of 1,199 USD. For Doom, the GPU's 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are largely unused, as the game does not heavily rely on ray tracing or DLSS, but the raw rasterization performance is what drives the high frame rates observed.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate goal. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS, which is just at the edge of playability for a fast-paced FPS. The High preset at 4K averages 74 FPS, providing a 21% improvement over Ultra with presumably minimal visual degradation. However, the Medium preset at 4K averages 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS, which is a much safer margin for maintaining smooth gameplay. Given that Doom is a fast-moving game where frame drops are noticeable, the Medium preset at 4K is the recommended choice, as it offers a 44% FPS increase over Ultra while likely retaining most visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 112 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target and suitable for high-refresh-rate displays. The High preset at 137 FPS offers a 22% improvement and is also excellent. For competitive play at 1440p, the Low preset at 186 FPS maximizes frame rate, but the Medium preset at 162 FPS with a minimum of 138 FPS provides a strong balance of visuals and performance. The data suggests that at 1440p, the Ultra preset is fully playable, and players with 144 Hz monitors can use High without issue.

At 1920x1080, all settings exceed 170 FPS, with Ultra at 173 FPS and Low at 288 FPS. Since even Ultra is above 170 FPS, the recommendation is to use the Ultra preset for the best visual experience, as the frame rate remains high enough for most displays. For players with 240 Hz or higher refresh monitors, the Medium preset at 251 FPS is a better choice, as it stays above 240 FPS with a minimum of 213 FPS, though the Low preset at 288 FPS is the only option that consistently exceeds 240 FPS. Overall, the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best combination of visual quality and frame rate headroom, given the 213 FPS minimum is still very high.

The key takeaway is that the combo is GPU-bound at 4K, so reducing settings from Ultra to Medium yields a significant FPS boost at a modest visual cost. At 1440p and below, the GPU has enough headroom that Ultra settings are viable, and the choice comes down to monitor refresh rate and personal preference.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 173 FPS, with no minimum or maximum recorded in the data.

Q: How much does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K on High settings?

A: On High settings, the average FPS drops from 212 at 1080p to 74 at 4K, a reduction of approximately 65%.

Q: What is the combo's rank in Doom among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 910th out of 2,930 tested combinations, placing it in the 69th percentile of all systems.

Q: Which settings preset at 4K provides the highest average FPS above 100?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 provides an average FPS of 101, which is the only 4K setting that exceeds 100 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings at 2560x1440?

A: The minimum FPS for Medium settings at 2560x1440 is 138 FPS, with a maximum of 187 FPS and an average of 162 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average score of 54,247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209), and 1.1% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54,828).