Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination delivers a highly capable pairing for Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows that this combo ranks in the 69th percentile for CPUs and 69th percentile for GPUs relative to all parts, placing it as a strong mid-to-high-end setup. The CPU outperforms its nearest rivals by a narrow margin, with an average benchmark score of 27,799, while the GPU’s average of 23,877 sits within a tight competitive band.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The processor’s nearest rivals all cluster within a fraction of a percent of its average benchmark score. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27,872, a negligible 0.3% below the i5-12600KF, meaning the two would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27,896, also just 0.3% behind, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27,887, again a 0.3% gap. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27,712, which is 0.3% ahead of the i5-12600KF. In practice, any of these four processors would produce essentially indistinguishable frame rates in Minimum, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU becomes the dominant factor.

On the graphics side, the Radeon RX 9070’s closest counterparts are a mixed bag of previous-generation and mobile parts. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z scores 23,736, just 0.6% behind the RX 9070, while the AMD Radeon RX 6800S scores 24,063, a 0.8% margin in its favor. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile trails by 1.1% with a score of 23,628, and the RTX 2080 SUPER leads by 1.2% at 24,170. For Minimum, a system equipped with any of these GPUs would deliver frame rates within a few percent of the RX 9070, meaning the choice between them is effectively academic at 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, the RX 9070’s 16 GB memory buffer and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth provide a slight edge, but the benchmark deltas remain under 2% across all rivals.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 3,712 tested combinations in Minimum, this CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1,155th. That places it in the top 31% of all tested combos, a solid position for a 2014 title. The rank reflects the game’s age and its relatively modest demands on modern hardware. The i5-12600KF brings 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, while the RX 9070 offers 3,584 shading units and 56 ray-tracing cores, but Minimum was released before ray tracing was relevant, so those modern features go largely unused. The data shows the combo is not the top 100 or even top 500, but it sits comfortably above the median, indicating that most other tested systems are either older or less balanced.

The ranking becomes more meaningful when viewed alongside the measured FPS. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 127.9 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 4K Ultra, that drops to 43.6 FPS, which is below the threshold. This inverse relationship between resolution and performance is exactly what the rank suggests: the combo is strong at standard resolutions but falls short at the absolute maximum settings on 4K panels.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data offers a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers 262.4 FPS on Low settings. Moving to Medium drops that to 200.5 FPS, a 24% reduction. High settings yield 166.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 127.9 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 134.5 FPS, showing that the GPU has ample headroom at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings produce 167.3 FPS, Medium 130.4 FPS, High 108.2 FPS, and Ultra 80.9 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 86.4 FPS, which is a smaller absolute reduction than at 1080p, but the percentage drop is similar. Notably, even at Ultra on 1440p, the combo clears the 60 FPS threshold by a 20.9 FPS margin.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve gets steeper. Low settings still deliver 92.5 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 71.8 FPS, still playable. High settings fall to 57.3 FPS, just below the threshold, and Ultra drops to 43.6 FPS, a significant 27.2 FPS short of smooth playability. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is 48.9 FPS, a 53% reduction, highlighting the GPU’s workload at this resolution.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Minimum effectively at most settings, with clear limits at 4K. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clear the 60 FPS playability threshold. The best setting is Ultra, which averages 127.9 FPS, providing a large cushion above the threshold. At 2560x1440, the same conclusion applies: every preset, including Ultra, achieves an average above 60 FPS, with Ultra at 80.9 FPS as the optimal choice. The system is fully capable of maxing out the game at 1080p and 1440p without concern.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The verdict lists only Low and Medium as playable settings, with Medium being the best playable option at 71.8 FPS. High and Ultra are not playable, since High averages 57.3 FPS and Ultra averages 43.6 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold. For a 4K display, users must accept Medium settings to maintain smooth gameplay. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 14.5 FPS, which is significant enough to push the system below the playable mark.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the i5-12600KF and RX 9070 becomes clear when examining scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the CPU is more influential, since the GPU can render frames quickly and the processor’s speed limits the output. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 134.5 FPS, which is a 51% reduction, indicating that the GPU is still the bottleneck but the CPU’s 10 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient. The CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1,016 and 16-thread score of 7,956 indicate that it handles the game’s threads without issue.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to matter more. The FPS drop from Low to Ultra is 86.4 FPS, a 52% reduction, similar to 1080p in relative terms. The CPU still has headroom, as the system maintains 80.9 FPS on Ultra, which is well above the playable threshold. At this resolution, the RX 9070’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to avoid bottlenecks.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The FPS drop from Low to Ultra is 48.9 FPS, a 53% reduction, but the absolute numbers are lower. The CPU’s role diminishes because the GPU is rendering many more pixels. The CPU’s score of 23,391 on Cinebench R23 multicore suggests it has plenty of headroom, so the bottleneck is clearly the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RX 9070’s 322.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 564.9 GTexel/s texture rate are the limiting factors at 4K, not the processor.

FAQ

Q: What are the best settings for 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset is the best setting, averaging 127.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. All presets from Low to Ultra are playable at this resolution.

Q: Can this combo handle 2560x1440 with all settings?

A: Yes, all four presets are playable. Ultra averages 80.9 FPS, Medium 130.4 FPS, Low 167.3 FPS, and High 108.2 FPS.

Q: Is the RX 9070 comparable to the RTX 2080 SUPER in this game?

A: Yes, the RX 9070’s average benchmark score is 23,877, while the RTX 2080 SUPER scores 24,170, a 1.2% lead for the NVIDIA card. In practice, frame rates in Minimum will be nearly identical.

Q: Why is 4K Ultra not recommended?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 43.6, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The GPU’s pixel and texture rates are insufficient for smooth play at that preset.

Q: How does the i5-12600KF compare to the R5 5800X3D?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 27,799 on average, while the 5800X3D scores 27,896, a 0.3% difference. Both CPUs will deliver the same frame rates in this game.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 4K?

A: Medium is the best playable setting, averaging 71.8 FPS. Low also works at 92.5 FPS, but High falls below the threshold at 57.3 FPS.