Minimum

This PC combination delivers a thorough beating to Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti pairing produces frame rates that are decisively above the 60 FPS playable threshold at nearly every setting and resolution tested. The data indicates that this is a high-end setup that will not struggle with this title, though the most demanding 4K Ultra preset does dip below the target.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with maxed-out settings?*

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 47.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is High, which achieves 60.3 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p to maintain high frame rates?

A: At 2560x1440, the system can handle the Ultra preset while averaging 89.2 FPS. This is the most demanding preset tested that stays well above the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. It is effectively tied with the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, which scores 48698 (a 0.2% difference), and slightly ahead of the AMD EPYC 4345P, which scores 48470 (0.3% behind).

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other graphics cards?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti sits in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41187. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, scores 40870, which is only 0.8% lower.

Q: Will frame rates at 1080p be high enough for a high-refresh-rate monitor?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset produces an average of 136.4 FPS. Lowering to Low settings pushes the average to 281.1 FPS, which is more than enough for fast-paced gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint at this resolution and preset, as the frame rate falls to 47.3 FPS. The CPU's high multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491, is unlikely to be the bottleneck in this scenario.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the Intel Core i5-14600K, the benchmark data shows a tight cluster of CPUs with nearly identical average scores. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is the closest match, scoring 48698 compared to the i5-14600K's 48618, a negligible 0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 4345P is nearly as close, with a score of 48470 (0.3% behind). The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX and Intel Core Ultra 5 245 also fall within a 1% performance window, scoring 48287 and 48995 respectively. In gaming workloads, any of these processors would deliver very similar frame rates to the i5-14600K.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 41187. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which scores 40870, a difference of just 0.8%. The NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB scores 41707 (1.2% higher), and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 scores 41897 (1.7% higher). Interestingly, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is also listed as a rival with a score of 40377, which is 2% lower. For Minimum, these GPUs would produce nearly indistinguishable results at the same settings and resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, which delivers exactly 60.3 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 72.3 FPS, and Low reaches 94.6 FPS, but High is the highest visual quality option that clears the threshold. Ultra falls short at 47.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the system has ample headroom. The Ultra preset is the best choice, producing an average of 89.2 FPS. The High preset runs at 117.5 FPS, Medium at 137.1 FPS, and Low at 178.7 FPS. All presets are playable, so users can prioritize visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best option, with an average of 136.4 FPS. The High preset reaches 179.7 FPS, Medium hits 213.4 FPS, and Low achieves a remarkable 281.1 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU and GPU bound in a way that favors the hardware, allowing for maximum settings with a significant frame rate cushion.

The Verdict

This system is more than capable of running Minimum with excellent performance. The verdict by resolution is clear:

• 3840x2160: Playable at High, Medium, and Low presets. The High preset is the best playable option, with an average of 60.3 FPS. Ultra is not playable, falling to 47.3 FPS.
• 2560x1440: All four presets are playable. The Ultra preset is recommended, with an average of 89.2 FPS, providing a strong balance of visuals and speed.
• 1920x1080: All four presets are playable. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 136.4 FPS, making it the clear choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

The data shows that for the vast majority of gaming scenarios, this combination will provide a smooth, high-fidelity experience. The only compromise required is at 4K, where users must step down from Ultra to High to stay at or above the 60 FPS mark.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results indicate that the GPU plays the more critical role in determining performance at higher resolutions and presets. This is most evident at 3840x2160, where the frame rate drops from 94.6 FPS at Low settings to 47.3 FPS at Ultra settings. This significant scaling—a drop of roughly half the frame rate—is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload at 4K. The CPU, with its strong multi-core performance, is able to feed the GPU sufficiently, but the rendering load at this resolution is simply too heavy for the RTX 3080 Ti at the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The frame rate scales from 178.7 FPS at Low to 89.2 FPS at Ultra. While still a substantial drop, the absolute numbers remain high, suggesting that both components are working in tandem without a singular bottleneck. The CPU's single-core strength, indicated by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, helps maintain high frame rates, but the GPU's rasterization power is still the primary driver of the differences between presets.

At 1920x1080, the CPU becomes more influential relative to its role at higher resolutions. The frame rate at Low settings is 281.1 FPS, which is exceptionally high. The scaling down to 136.4 FPS at Ultra shows the GPU's load increasing, but the sheer number of frames suggests that the CPU is efficiently processing draw calls and game logic. This is a scenario where the i5-14600K's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz and robust thread count (20 threads) ensure that the GPU is never left waiting for data, allowing it to output maximum performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall ranking of hardware combinations tested for Minimum, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti holds a rank of 871 out of 3712 tested combos. This places it in the top 23.5% of all systems tested, which is a strong result given the game's age and the high-end nature of these components. The percentile ranking of the CPU (90th) and GPU (83rd) independently are high, but the combined rank reflects that there are faster, more modern components available that can push even higher frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU's limits are more apparent. For the vast majority of users, however, this rank indicates a very capable setup that will not disappoint.