Minimum

Minimum, the 2014 third-person shooter, presents a wide performance envelope when paired with the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. The measured data, derived from actual benchmark runs, shows this combination is overwhelmingly capable, with the primary question being not whether it can run, but how far the settings can be pushed at each resolution. Across all tested configurations, the average frame rate never dips below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and at lower resolutions, the system delivers frame rates that far exceed standard display refresh rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this CPU and GPU pairing provide a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four quality presets. All figures represent average frame rates, as minimum and maximum values were not captured in the testing data.

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates extreme headroom. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 338.7 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces this to 263.8 FPS, while High still delivers a substantial 221.3 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset produces an average of 167.6 FPS, which is still nearly three times the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 219.1 FPS, and Medium follows at 167.4 FPS. The High setting maintains a strong 141.4 FPS average. Even at Ultra, the system sustains 107 FPS, comfortably above the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, or 4K, the demands increase significantly, but the hardware still holds up well. The Low setting produces an average of 115.8 FPS. Medium drops to 90 FPS, and High yields 76.2 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 58.8 FPS. This single data point is the only instance across the entire test matrix where the system fails to clear the playable bar.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling pattern across resolutions reveals a clear shift in workload balance. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are so high that they suggest the Intel Core i3-12100F is playing a significant role in limiting output. The transition from Low (338.7 FPS) to Ultra (167.6 FPS) at this resolution represents a 50.5% reduction in frame rate, driven primarily by increased GPU load. However, the sheer magnitude of these numbers indicates that neither component is a bottleneck in a traditional sense; instead, the CPU’s four cores and eight threads are likely saturating at these extreme frame rates.

As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. At 2560x1440, the spread between Low (219.1 FPS) and Ultra (107 FPS) is a 51.2% drop, which is similar to the 1080p scaling. This suggests the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution, but the GPU is now doing more work per frame. The RTX 5070 Ti, with its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 896.0 GB/s bandwidth, scales efficiently as pixel count rises.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's role is unmistakable. The difference between Low (115.8 FPS) and Ultra (58.8 FPS) is a 49.2% reduction, but the absolute numbers show the GPU is now the primary constraint. The CPU’s influence diminishes because the higher resolution reduces the frame rate ceiling, allowing the GPU to work at a more measured pace. The data indicates that at 4K, the RTX 5070 Ti is fully engaged, while the i3-12100F has ample headroom to process game logic and draw calls without becoming a limiting factor.

The benchmark results across all three resolutions show a consistent pattern: the CPU is sufficient for this game even at high frame rates, and the GPU dictates performance scaling as resolution and settings increase. The i3-12100F’s single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674, provides enough per-core strength to keep pace with the RTX 5070 Ti’s output.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with the High preset?

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with High settings is 76.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The system maintains smooth performance even at this demanding resolution.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 107 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS at this resolution, and it provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing playability.

Q: Is the Ultra preset at 4K playable?

A: No. The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 58.8 FPS, which falls just below the 60 FPS threshold. For a consistently smooth experience at 4K, the High preset is the recommended maximum.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, scores 13492, a delta of 0%. This indicates the i3-12100F is statistically tied with that processor in overall performance.

Q: Does the GPU outperform its closest competitor?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, ranking in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, scores 50001, which is 0.1% higher. This shows the RTX 5070 Ti is effectively matched with that older AMD card in synthetic benchmarks, despite architectural differences.

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

A: The measured average is 263.8 FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This provides an exceptionally smooth experience, well beyond the refresh rate of most monitors.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this combination can run Minimum exceptionally well at all three tested resolutions, with only one exception. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset averaging 167.6 FPS. This resolution offers the most headroom, allowing for maximum visual fidelity without any performance concerns.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is equally positive. All four presets are playable, and the Ultra setting achieves 107 FPS, providing a high-quality experience with substantial margin above the playable threshold. The system is GPU-bound at this resolution, but the RTX 5070 Ti handles the workload with ease.

At 3840x2160, the system is mostly playable. The Low, Medium, and High presets all exceed 60 FPS, with High averaging 76.2 FPS. However, the Ultra preset falls short at 58.8 FPS, making it the only configuration in the entire test suite that does not meet the playable standard. For 4K gaming, users should select High settings for the best combination of visual quality and performance.

Overall, this PC can run Minimum at every resolution and preset combination except 4K Ultra. The system is well-balanced for this title, with no significant CPU bottleneck at standard gaming resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i3-12100F provide context for CPU performance. The Intel Core 3 N355 has an average score of 13492, a 0% delta, meaning it performs nearly identically. The Intel Core i5-9500 scores 13452, a 0.3% difference, also effectively the same in this metric. The Intel Core 5 120UL is slightly faster at 13594, a -0.7% delta, while the Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13351, a 1.1% delta. All four rivals would yield similar CPU-bound behavior in Minimum.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 is the closest match with a score of 50001, a -0.1% delta from the RTX 5070 Ti’s 49957. The Intel Arc A550M scores 49737, a 0.4% delta, while the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is 2% faster at 50951. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT scores 48477, a 3.1% delta, meaning it is slower. In practical terms, any of these GPUs would produce similar frame rates in Minimum, though architectural differences could alter specific settings behavior.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, delivering an average of 167.6 FPS. This provides maximum visual quality with frame rates far above the playable threshold, making it the optimal setting for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again offers the best experience, averaging 107 FPS. This balances high visual fidelity with a frame rate that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, suitable for most gaming monitors.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding option that maintains playability, with an average of 76.2 FPS. While Ultra is not viable here, High still provides a high-quality visual experience with sufficient performance for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 375th out of 3712 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the top 10.1% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing pairing for this game. The ranking reflects the strong GPU performance, which is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, paired with a CPU that is in the 68th percentile. The combination’s high rank suggests that the GPU’s capabilities dominate in this title, and the CPU is sufficient to avoid significant bottlenecks. For a 2014 shooter, this setup provides substantial performance headroom at nearly all settings and resolutions.