Minimum

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 708 out of 3,712 tested combos for Minimum. This places the configuration in the top 19% of all tested systems, a strong result for a game that launched in 2014. The percentile data reinforces this: the CPU sits at the 68th percentile against all processors, while the GPU is at the 82nd percentile against all graphics cards. The combination of a mid-pack CPU with a high-tier GPU produces a system that is far more capable than the average tested combo, though the ranking also shows that a substantial number of more powerful configurations exist.

The average benchmark score for this pairing reflects the GPU's dominance. The RTX 5070 carries an average benchmark score of 40,377, while the i3-12100F averages 13,494. This gap is typical of a modern GPU paired with an older or lower-tier CPU, and it directly shapes the frame rates seen in Minimum. The combo's rank of 708 suggests that while the system is clearly above average, it is not near the top of the charts — a position consistent with a CPU that can occasionally limit the GPU's full potential at lower resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 shifts noticeably depending on resolution and preset. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the primary constraint. The frame rates scale from 50.2 FPS at Ultra to 105.3 FPS at Low, a swing of 55.1 FPS that is entirely driven by the graphics card's workload. The CPU's four cores and eight threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at this resolution, as evidenced by the fact that even the most demanding preset stays north of 50 FPS.

Dropping to 2560x1440 reveals the CPU beginning to exert more influence. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 96.6 FPS (193.8 vs. 97.2), but the absolute numbers climb well past the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the CPU's role becomes more pronounced. The Low preset hits 298.8 FPS, while Ultra drops to 150.1 FPS — a difference of 148.7 FPS. This larger spread at 1080p indicates that the CPU is increasingly able to push frames, but the GPU still determines the ceiling at higher presets. The i3-12100F's single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 893, Cinebench R23 single-core of 1,674) is strong enough to avoid becoming a hard bottleneck, but the scaling between resolutions shows that the GPU does most of the heavy lifting at 4K, while the CPU matters more as resolution drops.

The preset scaling at each resolution further clarifies the roles. At 4K, going from Low to Medium costs 24.1 FPS, Medium to High costs 13.8 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 17.2 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is the largest single drop, suggesting that the GPU's memory bandwidth (672.0 GB/s) and shading units (6,144) are the limiting factors. At 1440p, the same progression costs 46.7, 20.8, and 29.1 FPS respectively. At 1080p, the costs are 70.4, 35.8, and 42.5 FPS. The increasing cost per preset step at lower resolutions points to the CPU becoming a more significant contributor to frame pacing, though the absolute numbers remain high.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 4K High is 67.4, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. The verdict data confirms High is the best playable setting at this resolution, with Ultra falling to 50.2 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: Ultra is the best preset at 1440p, delivering an average of 97.2 FPS. All four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — remain above 60 FPS at this resolution, but Ultra offers the highest visual fidelity while still providing a comfortable margin above the threshold.

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

A: The i3-12100F's average benchmark score of 13,494 is nearly identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 (13,492, a 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13,452, a 0.3% delta). It is slightly ahead of the Intel Core i7-1250U (13,351, a 1.1% delta) and slightly behind the Intel Core 5 120UL (13,594, a -0.7% delta). In practical terms, these CPUs would behave almost identically in Minimum.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1920x1080?

A: The difference is 148.7 FPS. Low averages 298.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 150.1 FPS. This is the largest preset spread across all tested resolutions, reflecting the GPU's ability to render the game at very high speed when settings are reduced.

Q: Is the RTX 5070 significantly faster than its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 40,377 is within 2% of its nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40,318, 0.1% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063, 0.8% delta) are nearly identical, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40,870, -1.2% delta) is slightly faster. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39,568, 2% delta) is the closest trailing option. These differences are negligible for Minimum's performance.

Q: Does the game run smoothly at 4K with Medium settings?

A: Yes, with an average of 81.2 FPS. Medium at 4K is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and represents a good balance between visual quality and performance, though High (67.4 FPS) is still playable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide a clear picture of what other hardware would deliver comparable results in Minimum. For the Intel Core i3-12100F, the closest matches are the Intel Core 3 N355, the Intel Core i5-9500, the Intel Core 5 120UL, and the Intel Core i7-1250U. All four have average benchmark scores within 1.1% of the i3-12100F, meaning any of these processors would produce nearly identical frame rates when paired with the RTX 5070. The i5-9500 is particularly notable as a slightly older part that still matches the i3's performance, while the i7-1250U is a low-power mobile chip that surprisingly keeps pace.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5070's nearest rivals are all AMD Radeon Pro cards and a mobile NVIDIA part. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 and AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 are within 0.8% of the RTX 5070's average score, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% faster. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile trails by 2%. None of these are consumer gaming cards, but the benchmark data shows they would deliver essentially the same frame rates in Minimum. A user with any of these GPUs paired with a comparable CPU would see performance within roughly 2% of the i3-12100F + RTX 5070 combination.

The practical implication is that this exact combo sits in a dense cluster of hardware where small benchmark differences do not translate into perceptible FPS changes. The i3-12100F's percentile rank of 68 and the RTX 5070's rank of 82 both indicate above-average hardware, but the nearest rivals show that the specific choice of CPU or GPU model matters less than the overall tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5070 paired with the i3-12100F delivers an average of 67.4 FPS on High, 81.2 FPS on Medium, and 105.3 FPS on Low. The Ultra preset drops to 50.2 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration that fails to reach 60 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra is not linear: the step from Low to Medium costs 24.1 FPS, Medium to High costs 13.8 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 17.2 FPS. The largest single drop occurs between Low and Medium, indicating that the GPU's texture and shading workload increases sharply at that point.

At 2560x1440, all presets exceed 60 FPS. Low averages 193.8 FPS, Medium 147.1 FPS, High 126.3 FPS, and Ultra 97.2 FPS. The preset penalties are 46.7 FPS (Low to Medium), 20.8 FPS (Medium to High), and 29.1 FPS (High to Ultra). The 1440p Ultra result of 97.2 FPS is still 37.2 FPS above the playable threshold, providing substantial headroom for demanding scenes.

At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-bound at lower presets and CPU-influenced at higher ones. Low produces 298.8 FPS, Medium 228.4 FPS, High 192.6 FPS, and Ultra 150.1 FPS. The preset penalties are 70.4 FPS (Low to Medium), 35.8 FPS (Medium to High), and 42.5 FPS (High to Ultra). Even at Ultra, the frame rate is 150.1 FPS — two and a half times the playable threshold. The 1080p Low result of 298.8 FPS is the highest measured value in the entire dataset, approaching the typical refresh rate ceiling of high-end monitors.

The Verdict

The data shows that this system can run Minimum at 60 FPS or higher across most resolutions and presets. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best at 67.4 FPS. Ultra falls short at 50.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, every preset is playable, with Ultra delivering 97.2 FPS. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra delivering 150.1 FPS. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: this combo clears the 60 FPS threshold everywhere except 4K Ultra.

The only configuration that fails the playable threshold is 4K Ultra, where the GPU's workload exceeds what the RTX 5070 can handle for this title. The 50.2 FPS result is 9.8 FPS below the threshold, a modest shortfall that could be addressed by dropping to High settings. For users with 1080p or 1440p displays, this system provides a high-refresh-rate experience even at maximum settings. For 4K users, the game is fully playable at High, which is likely the intended target for a 2014 title with modern hardware.

The i3-12100F's four cores and eight threads are not a limiting factor at any resolution tested. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11,860 and Geekbench multi-core score of 7,252 are sufficient for Minimum's workload, which is a third-person shooter from 2014 rather than a modern multi-threaded title. The RTX 5070's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth are also more than adequate, as evidenced by the 4K High result.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 67.4 FPS. This is the recommended setting for 4K displays, as it provides a 7.4 FPS margin over the threshold. Medium is also viable at 81.2 FPS, but High offers better visual quality without crossing the line. Ultra is not recommended at 4K, as it produces 50.2 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is the best setting, delivering 97.2 FPS. This is the highest preset available and provides a 37.2 FPS margin above the threshold. The GPU has sufficient headroom at this resolution to handle maximum settings without any concerns.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is again the best setting, with an average of 150.1 FPS. The margin over the threshold is a substantial 90.1 FPS. This resolution is the most forgiving for the combo, allowing users to enable every visual feature while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds most high-refresh-rate monitors' capabilities.