Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination is a solid mid-range pairing for Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter. The database ranks this combo at 2261 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the 39th percentile of all tested systems. This suggests the pairing is more than adequate for smooth gameplay, though it is not at the top tier of performance. The recorded data shows that the system can handle the game at high frame rates in most scenarios, with the primary limitation being the most demanding settings at 4K resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2261 out of 3712 places it in the lower half of the database's tested configurations, but this position is skewed by the inclusion of many high-end and modern systems. In practical terms, this pairing is well above the playable threshold for most of the tested configurations. The CPU, Intel Core i5-12600KF, sits in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. This indicates that the CPU is a stronger component relative to its peers than the GPU is, which is a useful context for understanding the system's overall capabilities.

The database's verdict by resolution shows that this combo is fully playable at 1080p and 1440p, with the best playable settings being Ultra at 1080p and High at 1440p. At 4K, the system can only manage Low settings to stay above the 60 FPS threshold. This aligns with the rank, as the system is not designed for maximum 4K performance but excels at lower resolutions. The data shows a clear progression: at 1080p the system can push Ultra settings with an average of 91.2 FPS, at 1440p High settings deliver 78.7 FPS, and at 4K the system falls to Low settings for 64.1 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a significant shift in which component is the bottleneck as resolution changes. At 1080p, the CPU plays a more prominent role, as the GPU can render frames quickly enough that the processor's ability to feed it becomes the limiting factor. This is evident in the scaling from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p: the average FPS drops from 187.8 at Low to 91.2 at Ultra, a reduction of 96.6 FPS. The CPU's high single-thread and multi-thread scores, such as the 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391, help maintain high frame rates even at lower settings.

As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. At 1440p, the average FPS at Low settings is 119.6, which drops to 56.7 at Ultra, a difference of 62.9 FPS. This suggests that the GPU's rendering load is increasing, and the CPU is no longer the primary constraint. At 4K, the GPU's load is even more demanding, with the average FPS at Low settings dropping to 64.1 and at Ultra to 31.2. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game, but the raw compute power, measured at 9.062 TFLOPS FP32, is the limiting factor at high resolutions.

The scaling between resolutions shows that the CPU is more important at 1080p, while the GPU takes over at 1440p and 4K. The data indicates that the CPU's performance is sufficient to support the GPU at all tested settings, as the GPU's relative weakness at 4K prevents the CPU from becoming a bottleneck at that resolution. The system's performance at 4K Low, 64.1 FPS, is close to the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that the GPU is the component that determines playability at that resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong performance across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS is 187.8, which is well above the playable threshold. Medium settings yield 141.4 FPS, High settings yield 118.7 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 91.2 FPS. All of these are comfortably above 60 FPS, indicating that the system can handle the game at maximum settings with a high frame rate. The drop from Low to Ultra is 96.6 FPS, which shows that the settings have a significant impact on performance, but even the most demanding preset remains highly playable.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the impact of resolution is clear. Low settings deliver 119.6 FPS, Medium delivers 91.2 FPS, High delivers 78.7 FPS, and Ultra delivers 56.7 FPS. The Ultra setting falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only setting at this resolution that is not playable. The drop from Low to Ultra is 62.9 FPS, a smaller absolute difference than at 1080p, but the lower starting point means that the Ultra setting crosses the playability line.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings deliver 64.1 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 50 FPS, High settings to 40.7 FPS, and Ultra settings to 31.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 32.9 FPS, and only the Low setting is playable. The data shows that 4K is the resolution where the GPU's limitations are most apparent, as the system cannot maintain 60 FPS at any setting above Low.

FAQ

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1920x1080?

A: The database shows that Ultra settings are playable at 1080p, with an average FPS of 91.2. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The average FPS at 4K Low is 64.1, which is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra settings at 4K all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 50, 40.7, and 31.2 FPS respectively.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: The data shows that 1440p with High settings delivers an average of 78.7 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold and offers a significant visual improvement over 1080p. This setting is the most demanding preset at 1440p that remains playable.

Q: How much does the CPU matter for this game?

A: The CPU's role is more significant at 1080p, where the GPU can render frames quickly enough for the CPU to become a factor. The Intel Core i5-12600KF has high benchmark scores, such as a Geekbench single-core score of 2157 and a multi-core score of 12137, which help maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data suggests yes. At 4K, the system drops to Low settings to achieve 64.1 FPS, and the GPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 18169, indicate that it is the component that determines performance at this resolution. The CPU is less of a constraint at 4K.

Q: How does the system perform at 1440p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1440p Ultra is 56.7, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the only non-playable setting at 1440p. The playable settings at 1440p are High, Medium, and Low, with averages of 78.7, 91.2, and 119.6 FPS respectively.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-12600KF in the database's CPU benchmarks are all within a very narrow performance band. The Intel Core i9-10900K has an average score of 27872, which is 0.3% lower than the i5-12600KF's 27799. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27712, which is 0.3% higher than the i5-12600KF. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U scores 27887, which is 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, which is 0.3% lower. These results indicate that any of these CPUs would provide essentially identical CPU-bound performance in Minimum, with differences that are negligible for gameplay.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are also closely matched. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M has an average score of 20480, which is 1% lower than the RTX 2070 SUPER's 20282. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534, which is 1.2% lower. The Intel Arc B570 scores 20556, which is 1.3% lower, and the Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, which is 1.5% lower. These GPUs would all deliver similar frame rates in Minimum, with the differences being within a few percent. A system with any of these CPU and GPU combinations would behave similarly to the tested configuration, offering playable performance at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K limited to Low settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only playable setting is Low, which delivers an average FPS of 64.1. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold at 4K. Medium, High, and Ultra settings all fall below 60 FPS, so they are not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average FPS of 78.7. Medium settings deliver 91.2 FPS and Low settings deliver 119.6 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while remaining well above the playable threshold. Ultra settings at 1440p deliver 56.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 91.2. This is the most demanding preset available, and it remains comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings deliver 118.7 FPS, Medium delivers 141.4 FPS, and Low delivers 187.8 FPS, but Ultra provides the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing playability. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being playable only at the lowest settings.