Minimum

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an overwhelmingly capable combination for Minimum, delivering playable frame rates at every tested resolution and preset. The data shows that this system not only clears the 60 FPS playable threshold in all scenarios but does so with significant headroom, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays at 1440p and even 4K Ultra settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and ranking to provide a definitive answer on this combo's capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional frame rates that far exceed any standard display's refresh rate. On Low settings, the average FPS reaches 387.6, which drops to 299.9 on Medium, 253 on High, and 195.8 on Ultra. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is almost certainly bottlenecked by the CPU even at Ultra settings, as the GPU has immense headroom left unused.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high, though the scaling shows a more pronounced impact from the resolution increase. Low settings produce an average of 251.3 FPS, Medium delivers 192.2 FPS, High hits 161.7 FPS, and Ultra still manages 122.3 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial — approximately 35% at Ultra settings — but the absolute numbers remain far above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution entirely viable for competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4090's raw power becomes more evident, as the GPU is finally pushed harder. Low settings yield 137 FPS, Medium achieves 104.9 FPS, High delivers 90.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 65.3 FPS. While the Ultra setting barely clears the 60 FPS threshold, the gap is enough to maintain a smooth experience. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steep — roughly 47% lower at Ultra — but the combo still manages playable performance across the board.

Notably, the data reports only average FPS values; minimum and maximum frame rates are not provided. This limits the analysis of frame-time consistency, but the high averages at every setting suggest that even the most demanding scenes would likely remain playable. The verdict data confirms all settings at all resolutions are playable, with the lowest average being 65.3 FPS at 4K Ultra.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-13400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. At 1080p, the system appears heavily CPU-limited, as evidenced by the relatively modest FPS differences between presets. For instance, the jump from Low (387.6 FPS) to Ultra (195.8 FPS) at 1080p represents a 49% reduction, which is significant but not as dramatic as the resolution scaling suggests it could be. The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, are strong enough to keep feeding the GPU, but the GPU is clearly waiting on the CPU at these lower resolutions.

As resolution increases to 1440p, the GPU begins to take on a larger role. The FPS differences between Low and Ultra at 1440p (251.3 vs 122.3 FPS) show a 51% reduction, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower, indicating the GPU is working harder. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are more than sufficient for any texture load, so the bottleneck shifts gradually from the CPU to the GPU.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The difference between Low (137 FPS) and Ultra (65.3 FPS) is a 52% reduction, but the absolute performance drop from 1440p to 4K is much steeper than from 1080p to 1440p. This pattern indicates that at 4K, the RTX 4090 is being fully utilized, and the CPU's role is diminished — the i5-13400F's 3dmark single-thread score of 960 and passmark single-thread score of 3634 are strong enough to avoid becoming a major constraint.

The data suggests that for this game, the CPU matters most at 1080p, while the GPU becomes the primary driver at 1440p and especially 4K. The i5-13400F's cinebench r23 multicore score of 22604 and passmark multithread score of 25032 indicate solid overall throughput, but the RTX 4090's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 1,290.2 GTexel/s texture rate are what carry the system at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 4K Ultra settings?*

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 65.3 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. It is the lowest performing configuration tested, but it remains playable.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maximize frame rates?

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves 387.6 FPS on Low settings and 195.8 FPS on Ultra. For the highest frame rates, 1080p is optimal, but 1440p Ultra at 122.3 FPS offers a strong balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4090's average benchmark score is 60347. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140 (0.3% higher), while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657 (2.9% lower). These are the closest matches in the data.

Q: Is the i5-13400F a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: At 1080p, the CPU appears to limit performance significantly, with frame rates ranging from 195.8 to 387.6 FPS depending on settings. At 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as the FPS scales more closely with GPU load.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average is 65.3 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. All other tested configurations produce higher averages.

Q: How many total combos does this system rank against?

A: The combo ranks 147th out of 3712 tested combinations in Minimum, placing it in the top 4% of all systems tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 147th out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the top 4% of all systems. This high ranking reflects the RTX 4090's position in the 88th percentile of all GPUs and the i5-13400F's 77th percentile standing among CPUs. The GPU's average benchmark score of 60347 is exceptionally high, while the CPU's average of 25292 is solidly above average.

The rank of 147 out of 3712 indicates that there are 146 combos that perform better, likely featuring more powerful CPUs that can better feed the RTX 4090 at lower resolutions. However, for the vast majority of systems, this combo is superior. The 60.5% of combos that rank below this system would struggle to match its performance, particularly at 4K where the GPU's strength is most apparent.

The combo's performance is particularly impressive given that the CPU is a mid-range part. The i5-13400F's passmark multithread score of 25032 and cinebench r23 multicore score of 22604 are strong, but not top-tier. The fact that this combo still ranks in the top 4% underscores the RTX 4090's dominance as a GPU, even when paired with a less expensive processor.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-13400F provide context for what other CPUs would offer similar performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS has an average score of 25284, a 0% delta from the i5-13400F, making it a direct equivalent. The Intel Core 5 120 scores 25362 (-0.3%), while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D scores 25365 (-0.3%), both slightly ahead. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800H scores 25201 (+0.4%), marginally behind. These CPUs would yield nearly identical frame rates in Minimum, assuming the GPU remains the same.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the nearest GPU rivals show some interesting comparisons. The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326 (0% delta), making it a statistical match despite being a workstation card. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140 (+0.3%), nearly identical. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896 (-2.5%), slightly ahead, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657 (+2.9%), slightly behind. These GPUs would produce very similar performance levels, though the RTX 4090's specific features like 24 GB of VRAM and 82.58 TFLOPS are unique to its class.

It is important to note that these rivals are based on synthetic benchmark averages, not in-game measurements. Real-world performance in Minimum could vary, but the deltaPct values suggest the differences would be minimal. For users looking to replicate this combo's performance, swapping the CPU to a Ryzen 9 6900HS or the GPU to an Arc Pro A60 would yield nearly identical results.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal: the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 can run Minimum at playable frame rates in every tested configuration. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four settings — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable at 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160. At 1080p, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 195.8 FPS, which is more than triple the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, Ultra delivers 122.3 FPS, providing a comfortable margin for high-refresh-rate gaming. Even at 4K, Ultra achieves 65.3 FPS, barely clearing the threshold but still playable.

For most users, the optimal configuration would be 1440p Ultra, which offers both high visual fidelity and frame rates well above 120 FPS. At 4K, the Ultra setting is viable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes or future updates. For competitive play, 1080p Low at 387.6 FPS would be the choice, though the CPU may limit frame rates in some scenarios. Overall, this combo is not just capable of running Minimum — it excels at it, ranking in the top 4% of all tested systems and providing a smooth experience at any resolution.