Minimum

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination struggles to maintain fluid frame rates across all presets. The Ultra preset averages 28.9 FPS, High averages 38.6 FPS, and Medium averages 43.7 FPS. Only the Low preset approaches playability at 56.4 FPS, yet it still falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. This resolution places the heaviest load on the GPU, and the recorded data shows that no setting can deliver a smooth experience at 4K.

Moving down to 2560x1440, the picture improves considerably. The Low preset reaches an average of 108.7 FPS, Medium averages 84 FPS, and High averages 67.4 FPS. The Ultra preset dips to 50.9 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The scaling between presets at this resolution reveals a clear pattern: each step from Low to Ultra costs roughly 20 to 30 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is 24.7 FPS, from Medium to High is 16.6 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 16.5 FPS. This suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor as visual complexity increases, but the CPU still has enough headroom to keep minimums stable.

At 1920x1080, the combination performs strongly across the board. The Low preset averages 166.1 FPS, Medium averages 129.8 FPS, High averages 107.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 82.4 FPS. Every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold with a substantial margin. The gap between Low and Medium is 36.3 FPS, Medium to High is 22.4 FPS, and High to Ultra is 25 FPS. This resolution is where the RX 5700 XT can fully express its capabilities, and the i5-14600K provides ample single-thread performance to feed the GPU.

The measured data includes only average FPS values, with no minimum or maximum frame times recorded for any resolution or preset. This means the analysis relies on average throughput rather than frame pacing consistency. The recorded numbers indicate that 1080p is the sweet spot for this pairing, while 1440p offers a playable range of presets, and 4K remains out of reach.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 56.4 on the Low preset, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. All other presets are lower: Medium at 43.7, High at 38.6, and Ultra at 28.9.

Q: What is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset averages 67.4 FPS at 1440p, making it the most demanding playable option. Ultra falls to 50.9 FPS, which is below the threshold.

Q: Which preset should be used for the best visual quality at 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset averages 82.4 FPS at 1080p, clearing the 60 FPS threshold by 22.4 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that remains fully playable.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, which is 0.1% behind. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408, 0.3% ahead. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415, also 0.3% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 scores 16504, 0.9% ahead. These deltas are minimal, indicating near-identical overall performance.

Q: How does the i5-14600K compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48698, 0.2% higher. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, 0.3% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, 0.7% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, 0.8% higher. The CPU sits in the 90th percentile among all tested processors.

Q: Is the RX 5700 XT a high-performing GPU overall?

A: The GPU ranks in the 59th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 16361. This places it in the mid-range tier, not at the top end.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database are remarkably close in average benchmark score. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M trails by just 0.1%, while the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell and AMD Radeon PRO W7500 both lead by 0.3%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 leads by 0.9%. These differences are within measurement noise, so users with any of these GPUs paired with a similarly strong CPU would see comparable frame rates in Minimum. The RX 5700 XT sits at the 59th percentile, meaning roughly two-fifths of tested GPUs outperform it, but the nearest rivals indicate that performance clustering is tight at this tier.

On the CPU side, the i5-14600K's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at 0.2% higher average score, the AMD EPYC 4345P at 0.3% lower, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX at 0.7% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 at 0.8% higher. The Core Ultra 5 245 and the Xeon Gold 5318H would deliver essentially identical CPU-bound behavior in this game, while the EPYC 4345P and Core Ultra 5 245HX would be slightly slower but unlikely to change the playable settings at any resolution given the GPU is the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

For a system builder seeking similar gameplay results, swapping the i5-14600K for any of these four CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates, as the deltas are all under 1%. Swapping the RX 5700 XT for any of its four nearest GPU rivals would also produce statistically indistinguishable results. The practical implication is that this performance tier is crowded, and the measured FPS for this combination represents a broad plateau rather than a unique data point.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum, but the answer depends heavily on resolution. At 3840x2160, no preset clears the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset comes closest at 56.4 FPS, but the verdict data lists no playable settings at this resolution. Users with 4K displays would need to lower resolution or accept sub-60 frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the system is playable on Low, Medium, and High presets. The High preset averages 67.4 FPS and is listed as the best playable setting at this resolution. The Ultra preset falls to 50.9 FPS, so it is not recommended for a locked 60 FPS experience.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable. The Ultra preset averages 82.4 FPS and is listed as the best setting at this resolution. This is the only resolution where the full visual feature set can be enabled while maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The data indicates that 1080p is the intended target for this hardware combination in Minimum, with 1440p as a viable alternative if the user is willing to cap at High settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The workload distribution between the i5-14600K and RX 5700 XT shifts noticeably across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from 82.4 FPS on Ultra to 166.1 FPS on Low. This wide spread suggests the GPU is the primary constraint, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card even at lower settings. The 83.7 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p indicates that visual settings have a massive impact on performance, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 2560x1440, the spread narrows but remains significant. Low averages 108.7 FPS while Ultra drops to 50.9 FPS, a difference of 57.8 FPS. The CPU's role grows slightly at this resolution, but the GPU still dominates the performance equation. The fact that High remains above 60 FPS while Ultra falls below suggests that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated at the higher preset.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost certainly the sole limiting factor. The best average at Low is 56.4 FPS, and the CPU's strong single-thread performance cannot compensate for the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth being overwhelmed by 4K pixel counts. The scaling from 1080p to 4K on the same preset illustrates this clearly: Low drops from 166.1 FPS to 56.4 FPS, a 65% reduction. High drops from 107.4 FPS to 38.6 FPS, a 64% reduction. These proportional drops confirm that the GPU is the binding constraint at higher resolutions.

The CPU's role is more prominent at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 166.1 FPS. At this level, the i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads, combined with its 5.30 GHz boost clock, are necessary to avoid bottlenecking the GPU. The 90th percentile CPU ranking supports this, as the processor is well above average for gaming workloads. However, the data suggests that even a slower CPU would not meaningfully change the playable settings at 1440p or 4K, as the GPU saturates well before CPU limits are reached.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, there is no preset that achieves the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict data shows no playable settings at this resolution, and the best recorded average is 56.4 FPS on Low. Users at 4K should consider lowering resolution or accepting the performance ceiling.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average FPS of 67.4. This provides a 7.4 FPS margin above the threshold. Medium at 84 FPS and Low at 108.7 FPS are also playable, but High delivers the most visual detail while maintaining smooth performance. Ultra at 50.9 FPS is not recommended.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 82.4. This clears the threshold by 22.4 FPS, providing enough headroom for demanding scenes. High at 107.4 FPS, Medium at 129.8 FPS, and Low at 166.1 FPS are all well above the threshold, but Ultra offers the highest fidelity without sacrificing playability.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 2742 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. This places the pairing in the lower third of all tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU's 59th percentile ranking. The CPU ranks much higher at the 90th percentile, but the overall combo ranking is dragged down by the graphics card's mid-range position.

The rank of 2742 out of 3712 means that roughly 74% of tested combinations deliver better performance in this game. This is not surprising given the RX 5700 XT's age and end-of-life production status. The GPU was released in 2019, and its RDNA 1.0 architecture lacks the newer features found in subsequent generations. The recorded frame rates confirm that the GPU is the limiting factor at every resolution above 1080p.

The combo ranking also reflects the game's release date in 2014. Minimum is a third-person shooter from the mid-2010s, and modern hardware should generally handle it well. The fact that this combo still struggles at 4K and Ultra 1440p indicates that the RX 5700 XT is not sufficient for high-resolution play in this title, despite the CPU's substantial headroom. Users seeking better performance in Minimum would need to prioritize a GPU upgrade over a CPU upgrade, as the i5-14600K is already well above the 90th percentile among all processors.