Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a mid-range desktop combination built around a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 processor and an Ampere-generation GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. For the 2014 third-person shooter Minimum, this combo ranks 2593rd out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the lower third of the database’s tested hardware pool. That ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU’s 59th percentile standing among all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 77th percentile, indicating a system where the graphics card is the primary constraint for achieving high frame rates. The measured frame data confirms that this pairing is capable of smooth play at 1080p and 1440p, but it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K across all tested presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 8400F and RTX 3060 Ti achieves a rank of 2593 out of 3712 combos tested for Minimum. This places it in the 30th percentile of all tested systems, which is a modest result for a setup that includes a CPU from 2024 and a GPU from late 2020. The gap between the CPU’s relative strength (77th percentile) and the GPU’s (59th percentile) is the key story here. The processor has headroom to feed a faster graphics card, but the RTX 3060 Ti is the limiting factor in this pairing. In practice, this means the system performs better in CPU-light scenarios and struggles more as resolution increases and GPU load grows.

Benchmark data reinforces this asymmetry. The Ryzen 5 8400F posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20851 and a single-core score of 2943, with a PassMark multithread score of 24389 and a single-thread score of 3685. Its average benchmark score is 25005. On the GPU side, the RTX 3060 Ti scores 20349 in PassMark G3D and 10006 in PassMark GPU compute, with an average benchmark score of 16129. The GPU’s percentile ranking is 18 points lower than the CPU’s, which is a substantial gap. This means that in a game like Minimum, which has moderate system requirements due to its 2014 release, the CPU will rarely be the bottleneck at lower resolutions, but the GPU will cap performance at higher settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS data shows the combo’s actual behavior. At 1080p, the system delivers 168.3 FPS on Low, 130.3 FPS on Medium, 107.5 FPS on High, and 85.7 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, those numbers drop to 112.8, 83.9, 72.8, and 52 FPS respectively. At 4K, the system only manages 56.9 FPS on Low, 46 FPS on Medium, 39 FPS on High, and 28 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p results are strong, with even Ultra clearing 60 FPS by a wide margin. The 1440p results are mixed, with Ultra falling below the threshold. The 4K results are uniformly below 60 FPS, confirming that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for what other hardware would behave similarly. The Ryzen 5 8400F’s closest competitors, based on average benchmark scores, are the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (average score 24964, 0.2% slower), the Intel Core i7-11850H (average score 24935, 0.3% slower), the Intel Core i7-13620H (average score 24911, 0.4% slower), and the AMD EPYC 9474F (average score 25103, 0.4% faster). All four are within a fraction of a percent of the 8400F’s average score of 25005, meaning that swapping the CPU for any of these would produce nearly identical frame rates in Minimum. The differences are negligible in real-world gaming, so users with any of these CPUs should expect the same performance profile.

For the GPU, the RTX 3060 Ti’s nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (average score 16014, 0.7% slower), the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (average score 16351, 1.4% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (average score 16361, 1.4% faster), and the AMD Radeon R9 370X (average score 15862, 1.7% slower). The two AMD cards that are slightly faster (the Pro 5600M and RX 5700 XT) would push frame rates up by roughly one to two frames per second at most, which is within the margin of error for the measured data. The two slower cards (RX 9060 and R9 370X) would pull frame rates down by a similar amount. None of these alternatives represent a meaningful upgrade or downgrade for Minimum; they all sit within 2% of the RTX 3060 Ti’s average score of 16129.

In practical terms, a system with a Ryzen 5 7500F or an Intel Core i7-13620H would perform almost identically to the 8400F. Similarly, a system with an RX 5700 XT or a Radeon Pro 5600M would be indistinguishable from the RTX 3060 Ti in this game. The R9 370X, despite being a much older card, is surprisingly close in average benchmark score, so it would also deliver similar frame rates. The takeaway is that this combo occupies a well-populated performance tier, and users should not expect large differences when substituting any of these rivals.

CPU and GPU Roles

The balance between CPU and GPU for Minimum shifts dramatically across resolutions, as shown by the scaling of measured FPS values. At 1080p, the system is clearly GPU-bound at higher settings but has CPU headroom at lower settings. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs 82.6 FPS (from 168.3 down to 85.7), which is a 49% reduction. This large drop indicates that the GPU is doing most of the work, and the CPU is capable of feeding it at all settings. The fact that Ultra still holds above 60 FPS suggests the CPU is not limiting performance at this resolution.

Moving to 1440p, the GPU’s load increases. The Low preset delivers 112.8 FPS, which is a 33% drop from the 1080p Low result of 168.3 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 52 FPS, which is a 39% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result of 85.7 FPS. This shows that the GPU is now the primary constraint, as the CPU’s role diminishes with higher resolution. The system still clears 60 FPS on Low, Medium, and High at 1440p, but Ultra falls below the threshold, indicating that the GPU cannot sustain that workload.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the overwhelming bottleneck. The Low preset yields 56.9 FPS, which is just under the 60 FPS threshold, and every other preset is well below. The drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low is 49.5% (from 112.8 to 56.9), and the drop from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra is 46.2% (from 52 to 28). These large reductions confirm that the RTX 3060 Ti’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering in this game. The CPU’s role is minimal at this resolution; even a faster processor would not improve these frame rates because the GPU is saturated.

Comparing presets within each resolution shows consistent GPU scaling. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Medium is 37.8 FPS (168.3 to 130.3), and between Medium and High is 22.8 FPS (130.3 to 107.5). At 1440p, the same gaps are 28.9 FPS (112.8 to 83.9) and 11.1 FPS (83.9 to 72.8). At 4K, the gaps shrink to 10.9 FPS (56.9 to 46) and 7 FPS (46 to 39). This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound system: higher resolutions compress the differences between presets because the GPU is already near its limit. The CPU’s contribution is most visible at 1080p Low, where the 8400F’s single-thread performance (2943 in Cinebench R23 single-core) allows the system to reach 168.3 FPS, but that advantage fades as resolution increases.

The Verdict

The verdict for this system is clear from the measured data and the verdictByResolution field. At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable at all four tested presets. The playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 85.7 FPS. This means users can run the game at maximum quality and still maintain a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the system is playable on High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best playable setting at 72.8 FPS. Ultra at this resolution drops to 52 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, so users should avoid that preset.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The verdictByResolution field lists an empty array for playable settings, and the best settings are null, meaning no preset achieves 60 FPS or higher. The closest result is Low at 56.9 FPS, which is still short of the 60 FPS threshold. Therefore, this PC cannot run Minimum at 4K with acceptable performance. Users with a 4K display should either lower the resolution to 1440p or accept sub-60 FPS frame rates at 4K.

In summary, this combo is a solid 1080p and capable 1440p system for Minimum. It delivers 85.7 FPS at 1080p Ultra and 72.8 FPS at 1440p High, which are both strong results. It is not a 4K system, as even the lowest settings fail to reach 60 FPS. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, so any upgrade path would involve replacing the RTX 3060 Ti rather than the Ryzen 5 8400F.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 85.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Ultra is listed as the best playable setting at this resolution.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, which delivers an average of 72.8 FPS. Medium and Low are also playable, with averages of 83.9 FPS and 112.8 FPS respectively. Ultra falls below the threshold at 52 FPS.

Q: Is this combination suitable for 4K gaming in Minimum?

A: No. At 3840x2160, none of the tested presets reach 60 FPS. The highest result is Low at 56.9 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The system is not recommended for 4K play in this game.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to its nearest rival, the RX 5700 XT?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361, which is 1.4% higher than the RTX 3060 Ti’s average score of 16129. This translates to a negligible difference in Minimum, with the RX 5700 XT producing roughly one to two frames per second more.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 8400F bottleneck the RTX 3060 Ti in this game?

A: The data suggests no. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 25005, which is 55% higher than the GPU’s average score of 16129. At 1080p, the system reaches 168.3 FPS on Low, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively. The bottleneck occurs at higher resolutions, where the GPU’s performance limits frame rates.

Q: What frame rate can users expect at 1080p Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the system delivers an average of 130.3 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is identified below, based on the measured average FPS values.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, which achieves an average of 85.7 FPS. This is the highest quality preset that maintains a frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold. The system also achieves 107.5 FPS on High, 130.3 FPS on Medium, and 168.3 FPS on Low, all of which are playable, but Ultra offers the maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 72.8 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium delivers 83.9 FPS, and Low delivers 112.8 FPS, both of which are also playable. Ultra drops to 52 FPS, which is below the threshold, so it is not recommended for 1440p play.

At 3840x2160, there is no playable setting. The highest average FPS is 56.9 on Low, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium (46 FPS), High (39 FPS), and Ultra (28 FPS) are all significantly lower. Users should avoid 4K resolutions with this combination for Minimum, or they must accept frame rates below 60 FPS.