Minimum

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 3490 out of 3712 tested combinations for Minimum. This places the combo in the lower 6% of all tested systems, a position largely dictated by the graphics card rather than the processor. The recorded data shows this pairing is capable of running the game, but only at the most forgiving settings and resolution.

The bottleneck becomes immediately apparent when examining the performance spread across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates on Low and Medium presets, with the gap between Low and Medium being substantial. At 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, no settings reach the 60 FPS threshold, with even the lowest preset at 4K falling to 29.4 FPS. This is a classic case of a strong CPU being held back by a mid-range GPU from an older generation.

The CPU itself ranks in the 79th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 27799. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K, AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, all scoring within 0.3% of each other. This indicates the i5-12600KF is not the limiting factor here. The GPU, by contrast, sits in the 74th percentile of all graphics cards, with an average score of 28766, placing it near the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, AMD Radeon R9 M295X, AMD Radeon RX 470, and NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this specific combination, the benchmark data identifies several CPUs that would deliver nearly identical performance. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27872, which is 0.3% higher than the i5-12600KF. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, also 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887, again 0.3% higher. Only the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores lower, at 27712, a 0.3% deficit. In practice, swapping between these processors would produce no measurable difference in Minimum's frame rates, as the GPU remains the dominant constraint.

On the graphics side, the RX 570's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which scores 28874, a 0.4% advantage. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 28580, a 0.7% deficit. The AMD Radeon RX 470 scores 28996, a 0.8% advantage. The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 scores 28421, a 1.2% deficit. These deltas are all within measurement noise, meaning any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical results in this game. The RX 470 is the closest direct sibling, sharing the same Polaris architecture and memory configuration, so its performance in Minimum would be nearly indistinguishable from the RX 570.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU at different resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary constraint. The jump from Low to Medium costs 16.2 FPS (from 82.0 to 65.8), and from Medium to High costs another 13.9 FPS (down to 51.9). This steep drop-off as settings increase indicates the RX 570's shading units and memory bandwidth are maxed out. The CPU, with its strong single-thread score of 1016 in 3dmark_single_thread and 3302 in Cinebench R23 single-core, has ample headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU's limitations become more pronounced. Low delivers 51.2 FPS, Medium drops to 42.7, High to 36.7, and Ultra to 28.0. The scaling from 1080p Low (82.0 FPS) to 1440p Low (51.2 FPS) represents a 37.6% reduction, which aligns with the increased pixel count overwhelming the GPU's 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth. The CPU's role at this resolution remains secondary, as the frame rate is still governed by the GPU's fill rate and texture processing.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is completely overwhelmed. Low settings produce only 29.4 FPS, Medium drops to 21.2, High to 17.4, and Ultra to 14.9. The 4K results show that even the RX 570's 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs cannot sustain the pixel workload. The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads, with a max-thread score of 7952 in 3dmark, are never stressed in this game. The recorded data indicates that at every resolution and preset, the GPU is the performance limiter, and the i5-12600KF provides more than enough compute headroom.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum, but only at 1920x1080 with specific settings. The verdict data shows that at 1920x1080, both Low and Medium presets clear the 60 FPS threshold. Low averages 82.0 FPS, while Medium averages 65.8 FPS. These are the only configurations in the entire measured dataset that achieve playable performance. At 2560x1440, no preset reaches 60 FPS, with the best result being Low at 51.2 FPS. At 3840x2160, the situation is worse, with even Low falling to 29.4 FPS.

For the smoothest experience, Medium at 1920x1080 is the recommended setting, as it provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while offering better visual quality than Low. High at 1080p falls to 51.9 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Ultra at 1080p drops further to 43.1 FPS. Players who prioritize frame rate over visuals should select Medium; those who need absolute smoothness can drop to Low for an 82.0 FPS average. At higher resolutions, the system is not viable for this game, and users should either reduce resolution or accept sub-60 FPS performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 1080p?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 82.0 FPS and Medium settings produce 65.8 FPS, both above the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra fall below at 51.9 and 43.1 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system?

A: The only playable resolution is 1920x1080. At 2560x1440, the highest achievable average is 51.2 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, all settings fall below 30 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF scores 27799 on average, with nearest rivals within 0.3%. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887, and the Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27872. All perform within statistical noise of each other.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: Yes. The GPU's performance drop from 1080p Low (82.0 FPS) to 1440p Low (51.2 FPS) and further to 4K Low (29.4 FPS) shows the RX 570 cannot handle higher resolutions. The CPU remains underutilized, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores relative to the game's demands.

Q: What GPU performance level is this RX 570 comparable to?

A: The RX 570's average benchmark score of 28766 places it near the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (28874), AMD Radeon RX 470 (28996), AMD Radeon R9 M295X (28580), and NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 (28421). All of these GPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Minimum.

Q: What is the ranking of this combo among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 3490 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 6% of all systems in the database for this game. This low rank is attributable to the GPU's age and performance ceiling.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which averages 65.8 FPS. This provides a 5.8 FPS margin above the playable threshold. Low settings are also playable at 82.0 FPS, but Medium offers substantially better visual quality for a modest frame rate cost. High and Ultra presets should be avoided, as they drop to 51.9 and 43.1 FPS respectively.

At 2560x1440, no preset reaches the 60 FPS threshold. The closest is Low at 51.2 FPS, which is 8.8 FPS short of playable. Medium falls to 42.7, High to 36.7, and Ultra to 28.0. Users at this resolution must either lower the resolution or accept frame rates below the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, no preset is viable. Low settings produce 29.4 FPS, Medium 21.2, High 17.4, and Ultra 14.9. All values are far below the 60 FPS target, and the system is not recommended for 4K gaming in Minimum. The best configuration for this combo is 1920x1080 with Medium settings, delivering 65.8 FPS with a balance of visual fidelity and smoothness.