Minimum

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers a performance profile that is substantially above the playable threshold for Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. The data shows this combination is capable of high refresh-rate gameplay across all tested resolutions, with the only caveat appearing at 4K Ultra settings where average FPS dips below the 60 FPS mark. This analysis examines the measured performance data, contextualizes it against similar hardware, and provides specific guidance on settings to achieve smooth gameplay.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this combo each sit near specific rivals according to aggregate benchmark scores, which helps contextualize their behavior in Minimum. The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which scores 32233, a negligible 0.1% difference. Similarly, the Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226 (0.2% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354 (0.2% behind). The Intel Core i7-12800H trails at 32121, representing a 0.5% deficit. For Minimum, these rivals would produce nearly identical CPU-bound frame rates, though the game’s low CPU demand means differences are unlikely to be visible.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 Ti scores an average of 44795, ranking in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, which scores 45152, just 0.8% higher. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT leads by 1.3% with a score of 45384, while the Intel Arc A730M is 1.7% ahead at 45592. The NVIDIA RTX A6000 sits 1.6% behind at 44075. In practical terms for Minimum, any of these GPUs would deliver frame rates within a few percentage points of the RTX 4070 Ti, meaning the gameplay experience would be effectively indistinguishable in terms of average FPS at each resolution and settings preset.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals that the GPU is the dominant performance factor in Minimum at all tested resolutions, with the CPU playing a secondary role. This is evident from the scaling patterns across resolutions. At 1920x1080 Low settings, the combo achieves 327.2 FPS average. When resolution increases to 2560x1440 Low, the average drops to 211.2 FPS, a 35.5% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 114.4 FPS, another 45.8% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline with resolution is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios, where the rendering workload increases disproportionately with pixel count.

The same pattern holds at higher presets. At High settings, performance drops from 208.2 FPS at 1080p to 137 FPS at 1440p (34.2% reduction), then to 72.6 FPS at 4K (47.0% reduction from 1440p). The consistent, large percentage drops across all settings confirm that the RTX 4070 Ti’s rendering throughput is the limiting factor, not the i5-14400F’s processing power. The CPU’s 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates; the data shows no signs of CPU bottlenecking, as even the lowest FPS figures remain far above the 60 FPS threshold.

The impact of settings within a given resolution also highlights GPU dominance. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces average FPS from 327.2 to 158.2, a 51.7% drop. At 4K, the same settings change reduces performance from 114.4 to 53.9, a 52.9% drop. The near-identical percentage reduction across resolutions indicates that the GPU’s shading and memory bandwidth resources are being taxed uniformly by the settings preset, independent of resolution. This reinforces the conclusion that for Minimum, upgrading the CPU would yield negligible gains, while the GPU is the component that determines playable settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptionally high frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 327.2 FPS, Medium settings yield 249.8 FPS, High settings achieve 208.2 FPS, and Ultra settings still maintain 158.2 FPS. All of these figures are far above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that even the most demanding preset at 1080p leaves substantial headroom for high refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but scales down predictably. Low settings average 211.2 FPS, Medium settings average 163.3 FPS, High settings average 137 FPS, and Ultra settings average 103.2 FPS. The 1440p Ultra figure is notable because it clears the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin, suggesting that this resolution is fully playable at maximum quality without any compromise.

The 3840x2160 results show the first signs of strain. Low settings still deliver a smooth 114.4 FPS average, and Medium settings remain playable at 86.8 FPS. High settings achieve 72.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold but with less headroom. Ultra settings, however, drop to 53.9 FPS, falling below the playable threshold. This represents the only preset across all tested configurations where the combo fails to maintain 60 FPS. The data shows a clear progression: as resolution and settings increase, the average FPS decreases monotonically, with the 4K Ultra preset being the sole outlier below the playability line.

The Verdict

Based on the verdict data, this PC can run Minimum at all three tested resolutions, with one notable exception. At 1920x1080, all four settings presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 158.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same four presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 103.2 FPS. At 3840x2160, three presets are playable: Low at 114.4 FPS, Medium at 86.8 FPS, and High at 72.6 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K, with an average of 53.9 FPS, falls short of the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The practical implication is that this combination is excellent for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can max out the game’s settings while maintaining high refresh rates. For 4K gaming, the system is still playable at High settings, but users seeking Ultra quality would need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS or reduce other graphical options. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for all presets except 4K Ultra, where the rendering load exceeds what the GPU can sustain.

Best Settings per Resolution

The optimal settings for each resolution, defined as the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, are as follows:

• 1920x1080: Ultra settings, averaging 158.2 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while delivering frame rates nearly triple the playable threshold, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.
• 2560x1440: Ultra settings, averaging 103.2 FPS. This preset offers maximum quality with frame rates well above 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience on 1440p monitors.
• 3840x2160: High settings, averaging 72.6 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that maintains playability at 4K, offering a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. Medium settings at 86.8 FPS or Low at 114.4 FPS are alternatives for users who prioritize higher frame rates over quality.

These recommendations are derived directly from the measured FPS data, ensuring that each preset clears the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin at the recommended resolution.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 53.9, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable preset at 4K is High, at 72.6 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: Ultra settings, with an average FPS of 103.2. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS at this resolution.

Q: How much faster is 1080p compared to 4K at Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Low, the average FPS is 327.2, while at 3840x2160 Low, it is 114.4. This represents a 186% increase in frame rate at the lower resolution.

Q: Which component is the performance bottleneck in this combo?

A: The data shows the GPU is the dominant factor. Frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, while the CPU’s high core count and boost clock prevent any bottleneck at the measured FPS levels.

*Q: Does the RTX 4070 Ti have enough memory for 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient for all presets except 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 53.9. At 4K High, the memory and bandwidth handle the load, producing 72.6 FPS.

Q: What is the lowest FPS recorded across all tested configurations?

A: The lowest average FPS is 53.9, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. All other configurations exceed 60 FPS, with the highest being 327.2 FPS at 1920x1080 Low.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this configuration ranks 508th out of 3712 total combos. This places it in the top 13.7% of all tested systems, reflecting its strong overall performance. The rank is consistent with the measured FPS data: the combo delivers playable performance at nearly every settings preset across all resolutions, with only 4K Ultra falling short. The high percentile rankings of both the CPU (83rd) and GPU (84th) corroborate this position, indicating that this is a well-balanced pairing for the game’s requirements. The 508th rank suggests that while there are faster combinations, particularly those with higher-end GPUs, this system offers no meaningful compromises for Minimum at 1080p or 1440p, and only a minor compromise at 4K Ultra.