Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers extreme performance in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter released in 2014. The measured data shows this combination producing frame rates that far exceed standard display refresh rates at every tested resolution and preset. The analysis below breaks down the benchmark results, contextualizes the hardware within its nearest rivals, and provides clear guidance on optimal settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this combo sit within specific performance tiers based on their aggregate benchmark scores. For the Intel Core i5-12400, the average benchmark score is 18,683 points, placing it at the 72nd percentile of all tested CPUs. Its nearest rivals, according to the data pack, show extremely tight clustering around this score. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697 points, which is just 0.1% higher, making it statistically identical in overall processing capability. The Intel Core i7-1355U achieves 18,730 points, a mere 0.3% advantage, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 posts 18,811 points, representing a 0.7% lead. On the opposite side, the Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519 points, which is 0.9% lower than the i5-12400. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning users swapping between these processors would observe virtually no difference in synthetic workload performance.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the average benchmark score is 60,347 points, placing it at the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are somewhat unexpected, consisting primarily of workstation-oriented cards. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090 almost exactly with a score of 60,326 points, a delta of 0.0%. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 trails by a negligible 0.3% with 60,140 points. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M actually leads by 2.5% with 61,896 points, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 sits 2.9% behind at 58,657 points. In the context of Minimum, these rivals would produce broadly similar frame rates, though the RTX 4090's specific architecture advantages in DirectX 12 and Vulkan workloads (as indicated by its benchmark scores of 150 in passmark_directx_12 and 271,631 in geekbench_vulkan) may translate to better real-world gaming performance than the aggregate scores suggest.

CPU and GPU Roles

Determining which component dominates the frame rate in Minimum requires examining how performance scales across resolutions and presets. The data shows that the RTX 4090 scales predictably with resolution, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 256.4 FPS to 161.3 FPS, a reduction of approximately 37%. Continuing to 3840x2160 at High, the frame rate falls further to 85.6 FPS, another 47% decline from the 1440p result. This steep scaling curve indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the workload on the graphics card increases substantially with pixel count.

At lower resolutions, the CPU's role becomes more prominent. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 371.5 FPS. This extraordinarily high frame rate suggests that the i5-12400, with its 6 cores and 12 threads boosting up to 4.40 GHz, is capable of feeding the RTX 4090 enough data to maintain such performance. The single-threaded Cinebench R23 score of 2,257 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 910 indicate strong per-core performance, which is critical for older game engines like the one powering Minimum. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 177.5 FPS (371.5 vs. 194.0), showing that the GPU still has headroom even at the lowest settings, but the CPU does not become a limiting factor at any point.

The pattern across presets reinforces this interpretation. At 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra is 67.4 FPS (134.2 vs. 66.8), while at 1080p the same gap is 177.5 FPS. Wider gaps at lower resolutions typically indicate GPU scaling, while the relatively narrow gap at 4K suggests the GPU is already near its limits. The CPU, by contrast, maintains consistent frame delivery across all settings, never dropping below the playable threshold even at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo are exceptionally high across the board. At 1920x1080, the lowest tested preset is Low, which produces an average of 371.5 FPS. Medium settings yield 299.7 FPS, High drops to 256.4 FPS, and Ultra maintains 194.0 FPS. Every preset at this resolution clears the 60 FPS playable threshold by a massive margin, with even the most demanding Ultra preset delivering over three times the minimum requirement.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains far above playable levels. Low settings average 254.5 FPS, Medium reaches 193.2 FPS, High produces 161.3 FPS, and Ultra still manages 124.3 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction of roughly 35-40% across all presets, which aligns with the increased pixel count of 77% (from 2.07 million to 3.69 million pixels). The fact that the frame rate drop is less than the pixel increase suggests the GPU is not fully saturated at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the combo still delivers playable performance at all settings. Low averages 134.2 FPS, Medium posts 104.8 FPS, High achieves 85.6 FPS, and Ultra stays above the playable threshold with 66.8 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the closest this combo comes to the 60 FPS line, yet it still maintains a comfortable 11.3% margin above it. The minimum and maximum frame rate fields are null in the data pack, so no frametime variance analysis is possible; the analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 157th out of 3,712 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the top 4.2% of all combinations, which is a strong showing given that the database likely includes many high-end configurations. The rank of 157 indicates that while the RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product (succeeded by the GeForce 50 series) and the i5-12400 is a mid-range desktop processor, the combination still outperforms the vast majority of tested systems.

The rank is particularly notable because the GPU's nearest rivals are workstation cards like the Intel Arc Pro A60 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, which are not typically associated with gaming performance. Yet in the aggregate benchmark scores, these cards cluster within 3% of the RTX 4090. The fact that this combo still achieves a top-200 rank suggests that the i5-12400's strong single-threaded performance (910 in 3DMark single-thread) complements the RTX 4090 well for this specific title. The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking among all CPUs is respectable, and when paired with an 88th percentile GPU, the combination proves synergistic for Minimum's engine.

The Verdict

The verdict data is unequivocal: this PC can run Minimum at playable frame rates at every resolution and preset tested. The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS, and the verdictByResolution field confirms that all four presets at all three resolutions are playable. At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra with an average frame rate of 66.8 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra delivers 124.3 FPS. At 1920x1080, Ultra achieves 194.0 FPS. There is no resolution or preset combination where the frame rate drops below the playable threshold.

The most demanding scenario is 4K Ultra at 66.8 FPS, which clears the threshold by 6.8 FPS. This margin is sufficient for smooth gameplay in a Third-Person Shooter, though it does not provide the large headroom seen at lower resolutions. For users with 144Hz or 165Hz displays, the 1440p or 1080p results are more relevant, as both deliver well over 120 FPS at Ultra settings. The data confirms that this hardware combination is more than adequate for Minimum, with performance headroom that allows for maximum graphical fidelity at any resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 + RTX 4090 combo capable of running Minimum at 4K Ultra settings?*

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 66.8 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold by 11.3%.

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Minimum?*

A: The highest measured average is 371.5 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the fastest result across all tested resolution-preset combinations.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60,347 points, while the Intel Arc Pro A60 scores 60,326 points. The delta is 0.0%, indicating they perform identically in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of the i5-12400 among all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 falls at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18,683 points.

*Q: Does the combo rank highly in the overall database for Minimum?*

A: This combo ranks 157th out of 3,712 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.2% of all tested systems for this game.

Q: Which settings are recommended for a 1440p display?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings produce 124.3 FPS, Medium produces 193.2 FPS, and Low produces 254.5 FPS. All are well above the playable threshold, so Ultra is recommended.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution is Ultra across the board, based on the measured data.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings deliver an average of 194.0 FPS. This is the highest preset available, and it provides a frame rate that is more than triple the playable threshold. The GPU has substantial headroom, so users could enable additional visual enhancements without risking a drop below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings yield 124.3 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for this resolution, as it provides high visual fidelity while still maintaining over double the playable threshold. Users with 120Hz panels can take full advantage of this setting.

At 3840x2160, Ultra settings average 66.8 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it is playable, but with less margin above the 60 FPS threshold. For users who prefer a larger buffer, High settings at 85.6 FPS or Medium at 104.8 FPS are viable alternatives that still deliver smooth gameplay. The data supports Ultra as the best setting at every resolution, with the caveat that 4K Ultra leaves the smallest margin for error.