Minimum

# FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i5-12400F + AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT handle Minimum at 1080p?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, every tested preset clears the 60 FPS threshold. The lowest result is Ultra at 83 FPS average, while Low reaches 170 FPS.

Q: What is the best playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: High is the best preset at 1440p, delivering 70 FPS average. Medium runs at 84 FPS, and Low at 110 FPS, but Ultra drops to 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 4K?

A: No. At 3840x2160, even Low settings only hit 59 FPS average, which is just under the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 45 FPS, High 38 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar processors?

A: The i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039, placing it at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, a 0% difference, meaning performance is effectively identical.

Q: How does the GPU compare to similar graphics cards?

A: The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442, sitting at the 70th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 scores 24277, just 0.7% lower, while the Intel Arc A350M scores 24647, 0.8% higher.

Q: What are the CPU's key specs?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It uses the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache and a 65 W TDP.

# Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-12400F's average benchmark score of 19039 places it within a narrow band of comparable processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS matches it almost exactly at 19047, a delta of 0%. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, just 0.1% higher, while the Intel Core i5-1335U trails at 18982, a 0.3% gap. Even the AMD EPYC 7773X, a server part, lands at 18979, only 0.3% behind. For gaming builds, any of these would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Minimum, though the i5-12400F's desktop platform and 65 W TDP make it a straightforward choice for Socket 1700 motherboards.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT's average score of 24442 puts it in close company with several cards. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 scores 24277, just 0.7% lower—a meaningful but small gap. The Intel Arc A350M edges ahead at 24647, 0.8% higher, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 24236, 0.8% behind. Notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 24170, 1.1% lower, which is surprising given its higher-tier positioning; the RX 6600 XT's RDNA 2.0 architecture with 2048 shading units and 10.60 TFLOPS FP32 performance keeps it competitive. For Minimum specifically, any of these GPUs would produce similar frame rates at the same settings, so choosing among them comes down to platform features like the RX 6600 XT's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth versus alternatives.

# CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data for Minimum shows how the balance shifts across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more headroom to feed the GPU, but the RX 6600 XT still dominates the workload. The jump from Low (170 FPS) to Ultra (83 FPS) at 1080p is a 51% drop, indicating that GPU load scales heavily with preset quality. The i5-12400F's single-thread score of 909 in 3DMark and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680 are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking at these frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the GPU's role intensifies. Low runs at 110 FPS, Medium at 84 FPS, and High at 70 FPS, but Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The 1440p results show a clearer GPU limit: each preset tier costs roughly 15-25% performance, which aligns with the card's 10.60 TFLOPS FP32 throughput. The CPU's 12 threads and 18 MB L3 cache handle the game's logic without becoming the limiting factor, as evidenced by the smooth scaling from 1080p to 1440p at the same preset—for example, High drops from 109 FPS to 70 FPS, a 36% reduction that matches the pixel count increase.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the sole bottleneck. Low settings only produce 59 FPS, and Medium drops to 45 FPS, High to 38 FPS, and Ultra to 29 FPS. The RX 6600 XT's 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 128-bit bus are insufficient for 4K at playable frame rates, regardless of CPU strength. The i5-12400F's 3DMark max-threads score of 5912 and PassMark multithread score of 19433 indicate it could push higher FPS if the GPU were faster, but at 4K the card's 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs are simply outmatched.

For most players, the CPU matters most at 1080p with high-refresh targets, but even then the i5-12400F is not the constraint—the GPU's preset scaling is the dominant factor. At 1440p and above, upgrading the GPU would yield far larger gains than swapping the CPU.

# The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum, but with clear resolution limits. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 83 FPS, High 109 FPS, Medium 130 FPS, and Low 170 FPS. This is a fully playable experience at all quality levels.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at High (70 FPS), Medium (84 FPS), and Low (110 FPS), but Ultra falls short at 54 FPS. For 1440p gaming, stick to High or below for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is negative. No preset reaches 60 FPS: Low averages 59 FPS, Medium 45 FPS, High 38 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS. The 4K resolution is not viable for this game with this combo, even at the lowest settings.

The data shows a 70th-percentile GPU and a 73rd-percentile CPU that together handle up to 1440p High, with 1080p Ultra being the sweet spot for full visual fidelity.

# Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 83 FPS. This is the recommended setting for maximum quality—it delivers 23 FPS of headroom over the threshold, so occasional dips are unlikely to feel jarring.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High, averaging 70 FPS. This provides a 10 FPS margin, which is adequate for most gameplay, though Medium (84 FPS) offers more safety if you prefer smoother motion over slightly better visuals.

At 3840x2160, no preset meets the 60 FPS threshold. The closest is Low at 59 FPS, which is technically below the playability line. For 4K, this combo is not recommended, as even the lowest settings cannot sustain a stable 60 FPS.

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F + AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT combination ranks 2635 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the 29th percentile of all systems tested. This is a mid-to-low ranking, reflecting that while the combo is competent at 1080p and 1440p, it lacks the high-end GPU muscle for 4K or ultra-high refresh rates.

The CPU's 73rd percentile standing is solid, but the GPU's 70th percentile limits overall performance. In the context of all tested combos, this pairing is positioned for mainstream 1080p gaming with some 1440p capability, not for enthusiast-tier resolutions. The ranking suggests that many other configurations—likely those with stronger GPUs—outperform it at higher resolutions, but for its intended use case of 1080p Ultra or 1440p High, it delivers playable results.

Given the GPU's end-of-life production status and the CPU's active status, this combo represents a balanced mid-range build as of the data, with the CPU having more upgrade headroom than the GPU for future titles. For Minimum specifically, the 83 FPS at 1080p Ultra is a strong result, but the 4K failure caps the combo's overall ranking.