Minimum

Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014, shows a wide range of performance demands depending on resolution and quality preset. The data for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination reveals a system that is highly capable at standard 1080p, but struggles at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, identifies the optimal settings for a smooth experience, and contextualizes the performance against other hardware in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides a clear picture of how this configuration scales across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 3840x2160 (4K), the average frame rates are consistently below playable thresholds. With the High preset, the system averages 20.1 FPS. Dropping to Medium yields a marginal improvement to 21.5 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 26.1 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of only 11.6 FPS, making 4K unplayable at any setting.

Moving down to 2560x1440 (1440p), performance improves but still falls short of the 60 FPS target. The High preset averages 33.9 FPS, and the Medium preset achieves 38.7 FPS. The Low preset comes closest to playability with an average of 54.2 FPS, but still misses the mark. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 26.1 FPS, which is identical to the Low preset result at 4K, highlighting the steep performance cost of higher resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combination finally demonstrates its strengths. The High preset averages 50.4 FPS, which is playable but not optimal. The Medium preset hits an average of 60.3 FPS, crossing the key playability threshold. The Low preset provides a significant boost to 83.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, drops the average to 40.2 FPS, showing that the highest quality settings are still too demanding for this hardware at 1080p. No minimum or maximum frame rate data was recorded for any resolution or preset, so the analysis relies solely on the average FPS figures.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured data, the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination can achieve a stable 60 FPS experience only at 1920x1080. The most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the Medium preset, which delivers an average of 60.3 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for a smooth gameplay experience.

At 2560x1440, no preset achieves the 60 FPS target. The closest option is the Low preset with an average of 54.2 FPS. While not hitting the playable threshold, this is the best possible performance at that resolution for this hardware. For 3840x2160, the data shows no playable settings. The highest average FPS recorded at 4K is 26.1 FPS on the Low preset, which is far below the playable threshold.

The verdict data in the database confirms this analysis. For 1920x1080, the playable settings are listed as Low and Medium, with the best settings identified as Medium, achieving an average of 60.3 FPS. For both 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, there are no playable settings recorded.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions provides insight into the respective roles of the CPU and GPU in this game. The most significant factor is the resolution itself. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, we observe a substantial drop in frame rates across all presets. For example, the Medium preset drops from 60.3 FPS to 38.7 FPS, a decrease of roughly 36%. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the increased pixel count directly impacts the rendering load.

When comparing presets at the same resolution, the impact of settings is also substantial, pointing to GPU-bound performance. At 1080p, the difference between Low (83.5 FPS) and Ultra (40.2 FPS) is a 52% reduction in average FPS. This heavy scaling with graphical fidelity is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU, the Intel Core i5-9400 with its 6 cores and 6 threads, appears to be sufficient to keep up with the GPU's rendering output at 1080p, as the frame rates scale consistently with the GPU load.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K further cements the GPU-bound nature of this configuration. The Low preset at 1440p averages 54.2 FPS, while at 4K it averages 26.1 FPS. This near-halving of performance when moving to 4K suggests the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 570, is reaching its limits. The CPU's role is less pronounced at these higher resolutions, as the frame rate is increasingly dictated by the GPU's pixel throughput. The data indicates that for this specific game and hardware pairing, the GPU is the deciding factor for playability at 1080p, and its limitations prevent playable frame rates at higher resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places the Intel Core i5-9400 in a specific performance tier based on its average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals are all within a narrow margin of performance. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, a delta of -0.2% compared to the i5-9400. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a delta of 0.3%. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a delta of 0.4%. Finally, the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, a delta of -0.4%. These results indicate that swapping the i5-9400 for any of these CPUs would result in virtually identical gaming performance in Minimum, as the differences are within the margin of error.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 570 has an average benchmark score of 28766. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800M with a score of 28874 and a delta of -0.4%, and the AMD Radeon RX 470 with a score of 28996 and a delta of -0.8%. These two cards are slightly more powerful. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 28580, a delta of 0.7%, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 scores 28421, a delta of 1.2%, making them slightly less powerful. For the purposes of running Minimum, a system with any of these GPUs paired with a comparable CPU would deliver frame rates very close to those measured for the RX 570. The performance differences are minimal, meaning the overall playability verdict would remain the same.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination is ranked 3617 out of 3712 tested combos in the database for Minimum. This places the system in the lower 2.5% of all tested configurations. This low rank is primarily due to the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. While the combo can achieve playable frame rates at 1080p, the overall performance envelope is narrow. The data shows that a vast majority of other CPU and GPU combinations tested are capable of higher frame rates or can handle higher resolutions and settings.

This ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, which is in the 47th percentile for all CPUs, but rather a result of the entire system's performance. The GPU, while in the 74th percentile for all GPUs, is still a mid-range part. The combination of a mid-range CPU and mid-range GPU results in a system that is outclassed by many others in the database, particularly those with higher-end graphics cards. This rank contextualizes the system's performance, indicating that while it is perfectly capable at its target resolution, it is not a high-performance configuration by modern standards.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Minimum, but only under specific conditions. The data is clear: for a smooth 60 FPS experience, the resolution must be limited to 1920x1080, and the quality preset must be set to Medium or lower. The measured performance at 1080p Medium is 60.3 FPS, which meets the playability threshold. The Low preset is also playable, achieving 83.5 FPS.

The system cannot achieve playable frame rates at 2560x1440 or 3840x2160. At 1440p, the best-case scenario is the Low preset, which averages 54.2 FPS, just below the 60 FPS target. At 4K, all settings result in average frame rates in the 11.6 to 26.1 FPS range, which is not a playable experience. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1920x1080 is the only resolution with playable settings, with Medium being the best option. The system is a capable 1080p machine for this game, but it does not have the headroom for higher-resolution gaming.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this system can achieve in Minimum?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 83.5, which occurs at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low quality preset.

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 60 FPS on High settings?

A: No. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system averages 50.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 570 capable of running this game at 1440p?

A: The data shows it cannot achieve a stable 60 FPS at 2560x1440. The best result is 54.2 FPS on the Low preset, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: Which component is the limiting factor at higher resolutions?

A: The benchmark scaling indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates drop significantly when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 4K, showing that the AMD Radeon RX 570's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 is extremely close in performance to its nearest rivals. It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i7-10710U, 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and 0.4% slower than the Intel Core i3-10305.

Q: What is the best playable setting for a consistent 60 FPS experience?

A: The best playable setting is the Medium preset at 1920x1080, which delivers an average frame rate of 60.3 FPS. This is the highest quality preset that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold.