Minecraft: Java Edition

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured data identifies the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 150.5 FPS average, which is well above the playability threshold. This makes Ultra the recommended setting for full HD, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still leaving substantial performance headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset remains viable with an average of 94.2 FPS. The data shows that this resolution still allows for maximum settings without dropping below 60 FPS. The gap between Ultra at 1440p and the threshold is significant, indicating that this combination has enough performance for demanding scenes even at this higher resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset falls to 51.4 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset, however, maintains 79.4 FPS average and becomes the optimal choice at 4K. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS at this resolution, balancing visual quality with playable frame rates. The recorded data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, the playable preset ceiling drops from Ultra to High.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results reveal how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all presets, with Low averaging 387.6 FPS and Ultra averaging 150.5 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p represents a 61% reduction in average FPS, which indicates that the GPU is handling a significant portion of the rendering load, but the CPU is also keeping pace with high draw call rates typical of this game's block-based world.

At 2560x1440, the same preset progression shows a smaller relative drop: Low averages 245.1 FPS while Ultra averages 94.2 FPS, a 62% reduction. The absolute numbers are lower than at 1080p, confirming that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor as pixel count increases. The Intel Core i5-9400 with its 6 cores and 6 threads appears sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution, as frame rates remain high even at Low settings.

The 3840x2160 results show the GPU taking a dominant role. Low averages 130.3 FPS, Medium 104 FPS, High 79.4 FPS, and Ultra 51.4 FPS. The progression at 4K shows a 60% drop from Low to Ultra, similar to the other resolutions, but the absolute values are much lower. This suggests that at 4K, the RTX 2060 SUPER becomes the limiting factor, while the CPU has enough headroom to handle the game's simulation logic. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU and GPU are more balanced, with the CPU able to maintain high frame rates even when the GPU is not heavily taxed. At 4K, the GPU's shading and texture throughput (224.4 GTexel/s and 7.181 TFLOPS FP32) becomes the bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded measurements provide a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four preset levels. Starting at 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 387.6 FPS average, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. Medium follows at 308.3 FPS, High at 245.6 FPS, and Ultra at 150.5 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the combination of the i5-9400 and RTX 2060 SUPER is rarely constrained by hardware limits.

At 2560x1440, the measurements show a predictable decline. Low averages 245.1 FPS, Medium 194.2 FPS, High 152.1 FPS, and Ultra 94.2 FPS. The step from High to Ultra at 1440p represents a 38% reduction, the largest single-preset drop at this resolution. This suggests that the Ultra preset includes effects that disproportionately impact the GPU at higher pixel counts.

The 3840x2160 results demonstrate the most demanding scenario. Low averages 130.3 FPS, Medium 104 FPS, High 79.4 FPS, and Ultra 51.4 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration in the entire dataset that falls below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The data shows that the High preset at 4K, with 79.4 FPS average, provides a comfortable margin above the threshold while still delivering enhanced visual quality.

Across all resolutions, the Low to Medium transition typically yields a smaller FPS drop than the High to Ultra transition, indicating that the higher presets include more GPU-intensive features such as advanced lighting and shadow rendering. The min and max FPS values were not recorded in the database, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates, which are sufficient to determine playability.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination ranks 1258 out of 1727 tested combos for this game, placing it in the 27th percentile of all configurations in the database. While this may sound low, it is important to consider the context: the database includes many high-end and enthusiast-level combinations, and this setup is positioned in the upper-mid range of tested hardware.

The CPU's individual percentile is 47 among all tested processors, meaning it sits near the median. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246) and within 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248). The closest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, a mere 0.2% higher. This indicates that the i5-9400's processing capability is comparable to several other mid-range parts, and the 0.4% difference from the nearest rivals is within measurement noise.

The GPU performs better relative to its peers, ranking in the 62nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 18093 is close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18159, 0.4% higher) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189, 0.5% higher). Interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 460 and Intel Arc A770M show scores of 18373 and 18383 respectively, which are 1.5% and 1.6% higher, despite being different classes of hardware. This suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER's direct competitors are slightly ahead in synthetic benchmarks, but the measured game performance shows this combo still delivers playable frame rates at all resolutions except 4K Ultra.

The combo's overall rank of 1258 out of 1727 reflects that many other configurations in the database are built around newer or higher-tier components. However, the actual game performance data shows that this pairing handles the game well at 1080p and 1440p, and even manages 4K at High settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minecraft: Java Edition at 60 FPS on 1080p?

A: Yes, all four presets at 1920x1080 exceed 60 FPS. The lowest performing preset, Ultra, still averages 150.5 FPS, while Low reaches 387.6 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gameplay?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 94.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This makes Ultra the recommended setting for 1440p, as it provides the highest visual quality without compromising playability.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: Yes, but not at the highest settings. The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 79.4 FPS, which is playable. The Ultra preset drops to 51.4 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold, so it should be avoided.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, which is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246) and 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248). The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 is 0.2% faster with a score of 2259.

Q: What GPU performance level does the RTX 2060 SUPER offer?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 18093, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. It is within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189) and 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18159).

Q: What is the highest FPS recorded in the dataset?

A: The highest average FPS is 387.6, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This demonstrates that the hardware is capable of extremely high frame rates when visual effects are minimized.

The Verdict

The data clearly indicates that this PC can run Minecraft: Java Edition with excellent performance at most settings. At 1920x1080, all presets clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra delivering 150.5 FPS and Low reaching 387.6 FPS. This resolution is fully playable at maximum settings with significant headroom.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is equally positive. The Ultra preset averages 94.2 FPS, remaining well above the playability threshold. Even the most demanding settings are viable at this resolution, making 1440p a strong choice for this hardware combination.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The High preset maintains 79.4 FPS, which is playable, and both Low (130.3 FPS) and Medium (104 FPS) also exceed the threshold. However, the Ultra preset drops to 51.4 FPS, which fails to meet the 60 FPS requirement. Users targeting 4K should stick to High settings or lower for a smooth experience.

Overall, this combination is well-suited for the game across most resolutions and presets. The only configuration that fails to maintain 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which is an extreme scenario. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, this setup offers substantial performance margins, and even 4K is playable at High settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-9400 provide insight into what other CPUs would behave similarly in this game. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 shows an average score of 2259, just 0.2% higher than the i5-9400, making it a direct equivalent in processing power. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3% lower, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% lower. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% higher, which is the closest rival from a performance standpoint. Any of these CPUs would likely produce similar frame rates in this game, given that the game's CPU demands are well within the capabilities of all these parts.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile has an average score of 18159, just 0.4% below the RTX 2060 SUPER's 18093. This mobile part would offer nearly identical performance in this game. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 18189, 0.5% higher, and would be a slightly faster alternative. The AMD Radeon RX 460 and Intel Arc A770M show scores of 18373 and 18383 respectively, which are 1.5% and 1.6% higher than the RTX 2060 SUPER, indicating they would deliver marginally better performance despite being different architectures. Users with any of these GPU alternatives can expect similar gameplay experiences, with frame rate differences of less than 2% in synthetic benchmarks translating to negligible differences in actual game performance.