Minimum

# How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks at position 3623 out of 3712 tested combinations for Minimum, placing it in the bottom 2.4% of all tested pairings. The recorded data shows this is a heavily GPU-limited configuration for this title, with the processor being far more capable than the graphics card.

The CPU itself sits in the 90th percentile among all tested processors, which is a very strong position. The GPU, however, lands in the 40th percentile among all tested graphics cards, which explains why this pairing struggles so much. The imbalance between these two components is stark: the i5-14600KF is a top-tier desktop processor with 14 cores and 20 threads, while the GTX 1650 is an end-of-life graphics card from the GeForce 16 generation.

The rank of 3623 out of 3712 indicates that the vast majority of tested combinations deliver better performance in this game. This is not a pairing that can deliver a smooth experience at higher resolutions or quality presets, as the benchmark results across all tested settings confirm.

# CPU and GPU Roles

The data clearly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is the primary bottleneck in this combination. The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz and a 24 MB shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2445. This CPU has more than enough headroom for a 2014-era third-person shooter like Minimum.

The GPU, by contrast, is a Turing-architecture chip with 896 shading units, 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, and a memory bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. Its 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 53.28 GPixel/s pixel rate are modest by modern standards. The GTX 1650 was released in 2019 and is now end-of-life, and its performance ceiling is clearly visible in the frame rate data.

The scaling patterns across resolutions confirm the GPU-bound nature of this pairing. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 79.9 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops the average to 49.5 FPS, a reduction of roughly 38%. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average falls to 26.9 FPS, which is about 66% lower than the 1080p Low result. This steep decline with increasing resolution is characteristic of a graphics card that is saturated, while the CPU has plenty of spare capacity.

Settings scaling tells the same story. At 1920x1080, going from Low to Medium reduces performance from 79.9 FPS to 64.1 FPS, while High drops further to 53.8 FPS and Ultra falls to 38 FPS. The consistent frame rate erosion as quality increases points directly at the GPU as the limiting factor. A CPU-bound scenario would show much smaller frame rate differences between quality presets, especially with a processor as powerful as the i5-14600KF.

# Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with a recorded average of 64.1 FPS. The Low preset is also playable at 79.9 FPS, but Medium offers better visual quality while still clearing the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, no settings preset reaches the 60 FPS playability threshold. The best result comes from Low settings at 49.5 FPS, but this falls short of the playable threshold. Medium produces 37.7 FPS, High drops to 32.9 FPS, and Ultra is only 25.7 FPS. None of these are considered playable according to the database's 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the situation is worse. Low settings yield 26.9 FPS, Medium produces 22.1 FPS, High drops to 18.2 FPS, and Ultra is barely playable at 13.8 FPS. No preset at this resolution comes close to the playability threshold.

The verdict data confirms this: the only playable settings are Low and Medium at 1920x1080, with Medium being the best playable setting at 64.1 FPS average.

# Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14600KF, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 scores 49228 in the database's average benchmark, which is just 0.3% lower than the i5-14600KF's average of 49394. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G is 0.4% behind with a score of 49196, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% behind at 48995. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 sits 0.8% ahead with a score of 49796. These processors would behave nearly identically to the i5-14600KF in this game, meaning any of them would still be held back by the GTX 1650.

For the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, the nearest rivals are all within about one percentage point in average benchmark score. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447, which is 0.3% lower than the GTX 1650's 7472 average. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 7441, 0.4% lower. The AMD Radeon R7 350 scores 7425, 0.6% lower. The Intel Arc A310 scores 7550, which is 1% higher. Any of these graphics cards paired with a high-end CPU would produce very similar frame rates in Minimum, since they all sit in the same performance tier as the GTX 1650.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates for this combination covers three resolutions and four quality presets each.

At 3840x2160, the results are consistently below playable levels. Low settings produce an average of 26.9 FPS, Medium drops to 22.1 FPS, High yields 18.2 FPS, and Ultra is the slowest at 13.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is roughly 49%, showing how quickly performance degrades as quality increases at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages are higher but still below the 60 FPS threshold. Low settings deliver 49.5 FPS, Medium produces 37.7 FPS, High achieves 32.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 25.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is about 48%, similar to the scaling seen at 4K.

At 1920x1080, the results are more varied. Low settings reach 79.9 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this combo. Medium produces 64.1 FPS, still above the playability threshold. High drops to 53.8 FPS, which is below 60 FPS and therefore not considered playable. Ultra falls to 38 FPS, a significant step down from Medium. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a reduction of about 52%, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor across all quality levels.

The measured data includes only average frame rates; minimum and maximum frame rate values were not recorded for any configuration. This limits the analysis to average performance, but the pattern is clear: this combination is only viable at 1080p with Low or Medium settings.

# FAQ

Q: Can this combination run Minimum at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080 with Low or Medium settings. Low averages 79.9 FPS and Medium averages 64.1 FPS. All other tested configurations fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1920x1080?

A: Medium is the best playable setting at 1920x1080, with an average of 64.1 FPS. The High preset at this resolution drops to 53.8 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is clearly the limiting factor. The Intel Core i5-14600KF ranks in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, while the GTX 1650 ranks in the 40th percentile among all GPUs. Frame rates drop sharply as resolution and quality increase, which is characteristic of GPU saturation.

Q: Can this combo achieve playable frame rates at 2560x1440?

A: No. The best result at 2560x1440 is 49.5 FPS with Low settings, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Medium produces 37.7 FPS, High yields 32.9 FPS, and Ultra is 25.7 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7472. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is 0.3% lower at 7447, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is 0.4% lower at 7441, the AMD Radeon R7 350 is 0.6% lower at 7425, and the Intel Arc A310 is 1% higher at 7550. These cards would perform similarly in Minimum.

Q: What happens at 3840x2160 resolution?

A: Performance is very poor at 4K. Low settings average 26.9 FPS, Medium drops to 22.1 FPS, High produces 18.2 FPS, and Ultra is only 13.8 FPS. No preset comes close to the 60 FPS playability threshold.