Minimum

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a capable combination for playing Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. The measured data shows that this system handles the game well across most settings, with the primary limitation appearing only at 4K resolution with higher quality presets. At 1080p and 1440p, the hardware provides substantial headroom, while 4K requires a lighter preset to maintain smooth gameplay. The following analysis breaks down the exact performance figures, compares the components to similar alternatives, and provides clear guidance on the best settings for each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this CPU and GPU combination in Minimum were measured across three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160) and four quality presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra). At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance across the board. The Low preset averages 214 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this configuration. Medium averages 164 FPS with a minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 188 FPS, indicating smooth frame pacing. High averages 137 FPS, and even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 105 FPS. Notably, the 1080p Medium preset is the only configuration in the entire dataset that reports both minimum and maximum frame values, suggesting that this setting was tested with particularly detailed frame capture.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but predictably drops from the 1080p figures. The Low preset averages 138 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium averages 106 FPS with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS, showing that even the lowest frames stay comfortably high. High averages 89 FPS, and Ultra averages 68 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly linear: Low drops from 214 to 138 FPS (a reduction of 76 FPS), Medium from 164 to 106 FPS (58 FPS less), High from 137 to 89 FPS (48 FPS less), and Ultra from 105 to 68 FPS (37 FPS less). The smaller absolute drop at higher presets indicates that the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor as settings increase, but the CPU still provides enough headroom to keep frame rates high.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which still clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 57 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS, meaning that frame rates dip below the playable threshold during demanding scenes. High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra drops further to an average of 36 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 4K is steep: Low falls from 138 to 74 FPS (a 46% reduction), Medium from 106 to 57 FPS (a 46% reduction), High from 89 to 48 FPS (a 46% reduction), and Ultra from 68 to 36 FPS (a 47% reduction). This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as the relative performance loss is nearly identical across all presets.

The data shows that for 1080p and 1440p gameplay, this system has ample performance for Minimum, with even the Ultra preset maintaining averages above 60 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset remains playable, while Medium, High, and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS target. The minimum frame rates reported for the Medium preset at each resolution (139 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K) provide additional context, showing that even the worst-case frames at 1080p and 1440p remain comfortably above the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this system have been benchmarked against similar hardware, providing context for how this combination compares to other components. The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494 and sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355, which scores 13492 (a 0% difference), the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452 (0.3% slower), the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13594 (0.7% faster), and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 13351 (1.1% slower). These rivals are all within a narrow 1.8% performance band, meaning that swapping the i3-12100F for any of these processors would produce nearly identical frame rates in Minimum.

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852 and sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X at 15862 (0.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 at 16014 (1% faster), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 at 15679 (1.1% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129 (1.7% faster). The performance deltas are small, so any of these GPUs would deliver very similar FPS in Minimum. The RTX 3060 Ti is the fastest of the group, but the difference of 1.7% translates to only a few frames per second at most in the measured settings.

For the specific combination of the i3-12100F and RX 7700, the overall combo rank in Minimum is 1717 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the 46th percentile. This means that roughly 54% of hardware combinations tested would perform better in this game, while 46% would perform worse. However, the measured FPS data shows that this system still achieves playable performance at most settings, and the ranking reflects the broader hardware landscape rather than any deficiency in this particular pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured FPS data, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is as follows for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 105 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and the system maintains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, so there is no need to compromise on visual quality. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best option, averaging 68 FPS. While this is closer to the threshold than at 1080p, it still clears the 60 FPS target with enough headroom for typical gameplay fluctuations.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Low preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 74 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 57 FPS on average, which is below the playable threshold, so it is not recommended for consistent 60 FPS gameplay. High and Ultra are even further behind at 48 FPS and 36 FPS respectively. The data indicates that 4K users should stick to the Low preset if they prioritize smooth frame rates, as the jump to Medium sacrifices too much performance.

The verdict data confirms these recommendations. For 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) are listed as playable, with Ultra being the best settings at each resolution. For 3840x2160, only Low is listed as playable, with a best average of 74 FPS. This suggests that the system is well-suited for 1440p gaming with maximum quality, and 1080p users can enjoy even higher frame rates with the same settings.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum successfully at the majority of tested configurations. According to the verdict by resolution, at 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the Ultra preset achieving an average of 105 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 68 FPS. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 74 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra fall below.

For gamers targeting 1080p, this system provides exceptional performance. Even the most demanding Ultra preset runs at nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, meaning that there is significant headroom for any future patches or additional background tasks. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 139 FPS, indicating that frame drops are unlikely to be noticeable even in hectic third-person shooter scenarios.

For 1440p gaming, the Ultra preset remains viable at 68 FPS, though the margin above 60 FPS is thinner. Players who prefer a more stable experience might consider the High preset at 89 FPS, but the data shows that Ultra is still playable. At 4K, the system is limited to the Low preset for smooth gameplay. The 74 FPS average provides some buffer, but the Medium preset’s 57 FPS average and 48 FPS minimum are clear signs that this hardware is stretched beyond its comfortable range at higher quality settings.

The overall ranking of this combo at 1717 out of 3712 combinations (46.3rd percentile) reflects that many other systems outperform it, but the practical FPS data shows that it is more than adequate for Minimum at standard gaming resolutions. The game’s 2014 release date means that modern hardware like the RX 7700 has substantial performance reserves, even with a budget-oriented CPU like the i3-12100F.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the CPU and GPU each contribute to performance in Minimum across different resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves very high frame rates across all settings, with Low averaging 214 FPS and Ultra averaging 105 FPS. The large gap between Low and Ultra (109 FPS) suggests that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at this resolution, as increasing settings demands more shader work and memory bandwidth. However, the CPU’s role should not be underestimated. The i3-12100F’s 4 cores and 8 threads, with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, provide enough single-thread performance to keep the GPU fed at these high frame rates. The 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674 indicate that the CPU can handle the game logic and draw call processing without becoming a bottleneck.

At 2560x1440, the performance scaling shows a more balanced picture. The average FPS drops from 214 to 138 for Low (a 35% reduction), and from 105 to 68 for Ultra (a 35% reduction). This consistent percentage decrease across presets indicates that the GPU is still the main limiting factor, as the increased resolution places more demand on pixel shading and memory bandwidth. The CPU’s workload remains relatively constant regardless of resolution, so its contribution is steady. The i3-12100F’s multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11860 and a PassMark multithread score of 14015, ensures that the 8 threads are sufficient for the game’s threading model.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The FPS drops from 138 to 74 for Low (a 46% reduction) and from 68 to 36 for Ultra (a 47% reduction), which is a larger relative drop than the 1440p to 1080p transition. This indicates that the RX 7700’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated at 4K, especially with higher presets that increase texture detail and post-processing effects. The GPU’s 2560 shading units and 96 ROPs struggle to maintain 60 FPS at Medium and above, while the CPU has ample headroom—the i3-12100F’s performance at 4K is identical to its performance at 1080p in terms of workload, as resolution does not affect CPU duties.

The scaling between resolutions and presets also highlights the CPU’s role. At 1080p Low (214 FPS) versus 1440p Low (138 FPS), the 76 FPS drop is substantial, but at 1080p Ultra (105 FPS) versus 1440p Ultra (68 FPS), the 37 FPS drop is smaller. This pattern suggests that at lower presets, the CPU can push very high frame rates, and the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At higher presets, the GPU is already working harder, so the resolution increase has a proportionally smaller impact. The CPU’s maximum multi-threaded score of 4023 in 3DMark and its 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicate that it is a mid-range processor, but for a game like Minimum that is nearly a decade old, it provides more than enough processing power.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: Yes, but only with the Low preset. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 74 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset drops to 57 FPS average, and High and Ultra are even lower at 48 FPS and 36 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 68 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that stays above the playable threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are listed as playable at this resolution.

Q: How does the Intel Core i3-12100F compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494. Its closest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, scores 13492 (0% difference). The Intel Core i5-9500 is 0.3% slower, the Intel Core 5 120UL is 0.7% faster, and the Intel Core i7-1250U is 1.1% slower.

Q: What GPU performance is similar to the Radeon RX 7700?

A: The RX 7700 scores 15852 on average. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (0.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16014 (1% faster), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679 (1.1% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129 (1.7% faster).

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 105 FPS, making it the best choice for maximum visual quality while still maintaining a high frame rate. All presets at this resolution are playable, with Low averaging 214 FPS and Medium averaging 164 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 4K?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 3840x2160. The FPS drops by approximately 46-47% when moving from 1440p to 4K across all presets, indicating that the RX 7700’s rendering capabilities are the limiting factor. The CPU’s workload does not change with resolution, so the i3-12100F has sufficient headroom.