Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a robust gaming experience in Minimum, a third-person shooter released on 2014-06-25. Benchmark data shows this pairing is well-suited for high-refresh-rate play at standard resolutions, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. The measured FPS figures, derived from actual testing rather than estimation, reveal a system that comfortably handles the game's demands across most settings, though 4K Ultra presents a notable challenge.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces exceptional frame rates across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 230.9 FPS, while Medium reaches 178.8 FPS. High settings still deliver 149.8 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains a strong 110.9 FPS average. These numbers indicate the CPU-GPU pairing is far from being a bottleneck at 1080p, with headroom for very high refresh rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains impressive but scales down as expected. Low settings produce 147.6 FPS, Medium drops to 114.9 FPS, and High achieves 95.5 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p still manages a playable 72.4 FPS, confirming that this resolution is well within the combo's comfort zone. The step from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 35-40% of the average FPS at each preset, which aligns with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3070's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth begin to show limits. Low settings average 81.5 FPS, Medium drops to 62.9 FPS, and High falls to 53.3 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, but it does so in the wrong direction—averaging just 38 FPS. This resolution clearly stresses the GPU, with the gap between Low and Ultra representing a 43.5 FPS difference.

The data shows no min or max FPS values recorded, only averages, so variance information is unavailable. However, the consistent scaling across resolutions suggests stable performance without major frame-time spikes. The 4K Ultra result of 38 FPS is the only figure that falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold used in this analysis.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all 3,712 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Minimum, this pairing ranks 1,565th. The percentile placement indicates the combo sits in the upper-middle tier of tested systems, which is notable given the game's age and the hardware's specifications. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a top-tier CPU with a 3DMark max-threads score of 10,067 and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,230, while the RTX 3070 holds a PassMark G3D score of 22,214.

The ranking suggests that while this combo is not among the absolute fastest tested, it outperforms a majority of systems. The CPU's 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs is significantly higher than the GPU's 61st percentile among all GPUs, which helps explain the strong 1080p and 1440p results. The system's overall performance is likely constrained more by the GPU at higher resolutions, whereas the CPU provides ample headroom for lower-resolution, high-FPS scenarios.

Relative to other tested combos, this pairing delivers frame rates that are competitive with systems featuring newer GPUs. The 4K Low result of 81.5 FPS is particularly strong, suggesting the game is not overwhelmingly demanding at lower settings. The rank of 1,565 out of 3,712 places this combo in the 58th percentile of tested systems, meaning roughly 58% of tested combos perform worse.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the RTX 3070 depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU's strength dominates. The jump from Low to Ultra only reduces average FPS from 230.9 to 110.9, a 52% drop, which indicates the GPU is handling the increased load without the CPU becoming a limiting factor. The CPU's 16 threads and high single-core performance, evidenced by a PassMark single-thread score of 4,430, ensure that even at 230 FPS, there is no CPU bottleneck.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU becoming more significant. The scaling from Low to Ultra results in a 50.9% performance drop (147.6 to 72.4 FPS), which is slightly less severe than at 1080p. This suggests the GPU is starting to feel the load, but the CPU still has enough headroom to keep frame rates high. The RTX 3070's 5,888 shading units and 20.31 TFLOPS FP32 performance are sufficient for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The performance drop from Low to Ultra is 53.4% (81.5 to 38 FPS), and the absolute numbers are much lower. The RTX 3070's 8 GB memory capacity and 256-bit bus width are likely limiting factors at this resolution. The CPU, which ranks in the 87th percentile, is clearly not the constraint here—the GPU's 61st percentile ranking aligns more closely with the observed 4K performance.

The scaling between resolutions reinforces this analysis. From 1440p to 4K at Low settings, FPS drops from 147.6 to 81.5, a 44.8% reduction. At Ultra settings, the same resolution step causes a 47.5% drop (72.4 to 38 FPS). This consistent scaling indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the CPU stays underutilized.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum at 60 FPS or above in most configurations. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 110.9 FPS. The system is fully capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at this resolution, and even the most demanding settings provide a comfortable margin above the playability threshold.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is equally positive. High settings average 95.5 FPS, Medium achieves 114.9 FPS, and Low reaches 147.6 FPS. The Ultra preset, while the most demanding, still delivers 72.4 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS target. All four presets are playable at 1440p, making this resolution a strong choice for this combo.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Low settings at 81.5 FPS and Medium at 62.9 FPS are playable, but High at 53.3 FPS and Ultra at 38 FPS fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict for 4K is that only Low and Medium presets are viable for smooth gameplay. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, with an average of 62.9 FPS.

Overall, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D + RTX 3070 combo is a capable system for Minimum, with 1080p and 1440p offering full preset flexibility and 4K requiring reduced settings for playable frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals based on average benchmark scores are all AMD processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS has an average score of 39,603, which is 0.4% lower than the 9800X3D's 39,768 average. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40,048, 0.7% higher, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 scores 39,485, 0.7% lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 scores 40,081, 0.8% higher. These processors would deliver similar CPU-bound performance in Minimum, meaning the 9800X3D's closest alternatives are within 1% of its overall benchmark score.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a range of deltaPct values. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 17,083, 0.7% higher than the RTX 3070's 17,208 average. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17,037, 1% lower, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17,019, 1.1% lower. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17,468, 1.5% higher. These GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Minimum at the same settings and resolutions, making them suitable alternatives for users looking for similar performance.

A system pairing the 9800X3D with any of these GPUs would likely yield FPS numbers within a few percent of the measured results, assuming no other bottlenecks. Conversely, pairing an RTX 3070 with any of the rival CPUs would also produce similar results, as the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios tested.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 110.9 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and it delivers more than 50 FPS of headroom above the playability threshold. No settings need to be sacrificed at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the best playable setting, averaging 72.4 FPS. This exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by 12.4 FPS, providing a comfortable margin. The next step down, High, offers 95.5 FPS, but Ultra is clearly the recommended choice for maximum visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 62.9 FPS. This barely clears the 60 FPS threshold, leaving only 2.9 FPS of headroom. High settings at 53.3 FPS and Ultra at 38 FPS are not playable per the 60 FPS standard. For 4K gaming, Medium is the only preset that balances quality with acceptable performance.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 60 FPS on a 4K display?*

A: Yes, but only at Low and Medium settings. Low averages 81.5 FPS and Medium averages 62.9 FPS at 3840x2160. High at 53.3 FPS and Ultra at 38 FPS fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best quality preset at 1440p?

A: Ultra is the best playable preset at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 72.4 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39,768. The closest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 at 40,081 (0.8% higher), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 at 40,048 (0.7% higher), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS at 39,603 (0.4% lower), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 at 39,485 (0.7% lower).

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. At 1920x1080, even Ultra settings average 110.9 FPS, and Low reaches 230.9 FPS. The CPU's high single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 4,430) ensures no CPU bottleneck at these frame rates.

Q: What GPU alternatives offer similar performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 0.7% higher, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 1% lower, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 1.1% lower based on average benchmark scores.

Q: How many total combos does this ranking consider?

A: The combo ranks 1,565th out of 3,712 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Minimum.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Low settings?

A: 81.5 FPS. This is the highest average FPS recorded at 3840x2160 across all presets.