Minimum

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT presents a compelling mid-range combination for Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter that remains surprisingly demanding at higher presets. The measured data indicates this system is highly capable across most common gaming resolutions, though it hits a clear ceiling at 4K. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics to determine exactly what settings deliver a smooth experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

The benchmark data shows that this combination can comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings. At 4K, however, the system requires a reduction in graphical fidelity to maintain smooth gameplay.

1920x1080 (1080p): The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 121.4 FPS. This leaves substantial headroom, suggesting the system is not stressed at this resolution.

2560x1440 (1440p): Similarly, Ultra settings remain the best choice, delivering an average of 77.6 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating the combo handles the higher pixel count well.

3840x2160 (4K): The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 68.8 FPS. While playable, this is the first resolution where the user must compromise on visual quality, as High drops to 58.8 FPS and Ultra falls to a less fluid 44.3 FPS.

The data indicates a clear performance hierarchy: the system is overkill for 1080p, well-suited for 1440p, and requires moderate settings adjustments for 4K gaming.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU. At lower resolutions, the CPU bottleneck becomes more apparent, while at higher resolutions, the GPU takes on a more dominant role.

1080p vs. 1440p: When moving from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 121.4 to 77.6, a significant reduction of roughly 36%. This substantial drop suggests the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases, even though both scores remain high.

1440p vs. 4K: The transition to 4K Ultra yields a further decline to 44.3 FPS, a 43% reduction from the 1440p result. This steep falloff confirms that at 4K, the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is heavily taxed, and the CPU is no longer the performance limiter.

Preset Scaling: The gap between Low and Ultra presets widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 127.8 FPS (from 249.2 to 121.4). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 83.6 FPS (from 161.2 to 77.6). At 4K, the gap is just 40.0 FPS (from 84.3 to 44.3). This pattern illustrates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that the impact of lowering settings has a smaller absolute effect on frame rate.

The data suggests the Intel Core i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is more than sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions. The primary performance bottleneck is consistently the GPU, especially as resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across all three resolutions and four quality presets. All numbers represent average frame rates.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 249.2 FPS — An exceptionally high frame rate, indicating a very light load on the GPU.
• Medium: 192.3 FPS — Still extremely high, showing the system is well ahead of the 60 FPS target.
• High: 160.6 FPS — A strong result, demonstrating the graphics card's capability at standard HD.
• Ultra: 121.4 FPS — The highest preset is still comfortably above the playability threshold, making this the optimal choice for 1080p gaming.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 161.2 FPS — A high score, but lower than 1080p Low, showing the increased pixel workload.
• Medium: 124.7 FPS — Maintains a very smooth experience, far above the 60 FPS requirement.
• High: 104.8 FPS — A solid result, indicating the combo handles high-fidelity 1440p without issue.
• Ultra: 77.6 FPS — The most demanding preset still clears the 60 FPS bar with a healthy margin.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 84.3 FPS — The only preset with substantial headroom, proving the hardware can handle 4K at lower fidelity.
• Medium: 68.8 FPS — The recommended preset for 4K, as it stays above 60 FPS while offering better visuals than Low.
• High: 58.8 FPS — Just misses the 60 FPS target, indicating this preset is not ideal for a consistent experience.
• Ultra: 44.3 FPS — The lowest recorded average, showing that 4K Ultra is beyond the capabilities of this combination.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally shows that this PC can run Minimum effectively. The verdict is positive across all resolutions, with specific recommendations based on the measured performance.

• 1920x1080: The system is excellent. All presets, including Ultra at 121.4 FPS, clear the 60 FPS threshold with significant headroom. This is a perfect scenario for high-refresh-rate monitors.
• 2560x1440: The system is also excellent here. Ultra settings at 77.6 FPS are not only playable but also smooth, making this the sweet spot for the RX 7800 XT. All four presets are playable.
• 3840x2160: The system is capable, but with caveats. Only Low and Medium presets (with Medium at 68.8 FPS) achieve 60 FPS. High and Ultra fall short, so users with 4K displays must compromise on visual quality for a fluid experience.

In summary, this combo is ideal for 1080p and 1440p gaming, providing a high-performance experience. For 4K, it is a solid entry-level option that requires users to select Medium settings to hit the target frame rate.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for both components in the FACT PACK provide context for what other hardware might behave similarly in this game.

For the Intel Core i5-14400F: The benchmark average score is 32279, positioning it at the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its closest competitors, based on average score, include:

• AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U with a score of 32233 (0.1% slower).
• Intel Core i9-11900 with a score of 32226 (0.2% slower).
• AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS with a score of 32354 (0.2% faster).
• Intel Core i7-12800H with a score of 32121 (0.5% slower).

These processors are all within a half-percent performance delta, meaning any of them would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Minimum when paired with the same GPU.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT: The GPU's average benchmark score is 11627, placing it at the 51st percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rivals include:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with a score of 11680 (0.5% faster).
• AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with a score of 11528 (0.9% slower).
• NVIDIA Tesla K20c with a score of 11479 (1.3% slower).
• AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT with a score of 11842 (1.8% faster).

These GPUs are surprisingly close in aggregate benchmark scores, suggesting that swapping the RX 7800 XT for any of these would yield similar performance in this specific title, despite the architectural differences.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 1080p with the highest settings?*

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 121.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 4K gaming with this hardware?

A: The best preset for 3840x2160 is Medium, which delivers an average of 68.8 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS target.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 121.4 FPS at 1080p to 77.6 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of roughly 36%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The performance drop between Low and Ultra presets narrows as resolution increases, indicating the GPU becomes saturated.

Q: Which component has a higher benchmark percentile?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F is at the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is at the 51st percentile of all GPUs.

*Q: Does this combo rank highly among all tested combinations for Minimum?*

A: The combo ranks 1271st out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all systems tested.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F + AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination is ranked 1271 out of 3712 tested combos for Minimum. This places the system in the top 34% of all configurations in the database. Given that the GPU only ranks at the 51st percentile among all GPUs, this strong overall rank reflects the CPU's high standing at the 83rd percentile, as well as the game's apparent preference for strong single-thread performance. The data indicates that this is a well-balanced pairing for this title, with the CPU providing enough headroom to keep the GPU fully utilized across most settings. The rank suggests that while there are many faster systems, this combo offers a very capable experience, particularly for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it consistently delivers high frame rates.