Minimum

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Minimum shows a clear hierarchy across resolutions and presets. At 3840x2160, performance is uniformly below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the most forgiving preset struggles. The Low preset averages 32 FPS, which is the best result at this resolution. Medium drops to 24 FPS on average, with minimums at 21 FPS and maximums at 28 FPS. High averages 20 FPS, while Ultra falls to 15 FPS. None of these figures approach playability, and the gap between Low and Ultra is a 17 FPS spread, indicating that this GPU and CPU combination is heavily constrained at 4K.

Moving to 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains below the 60 FPS target. Low averages 59 FPS, which is tantalizingly close to the threshold but still one frame short. Medium averages 45 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 52 FPS. High reaches 38 FPS on average, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS. The pattern here is consistent: even at a lower resolution than 4K, the combo cannot sustain 60 FPS on any preset. The Low result at 59 FPS is the standout, but it does not clear the bar.

At 1920x1080, the data finally shows playable territory. Low averages 91 FPS, which is 31 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a comfortable margin. Medium averages 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS. The minimum of 59 FPS is technically one frame below the 60 FPS target, but the average is solidly above it. High averages 58 FPS, just two frames short of playability, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 21 FPS on average, while the jump from Medium to High costs another 12 FPS. The step from High to Ultra is a 13 FPS loss.

The data shows that the combo scales predictably: higher resolutions and presets reduce FPS in a roughly linear fashion, with the largest absolute drop occurring between 1080p Low and 1080p Medium. The min FPS values, where recorded, indicate that frame pacing is relatively stable at Medium settings in both 1440p and 1080p, with the 1080p Medium minimum of 59 FPS being the only recorded value that dips below the threshold while the average remains above it.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU portion of this combo sits at the 47th percentile among all tested processors. Its nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, are all within a narrow band. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 on average, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-9400's 2254 average. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3% lower. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% lower. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% higher. In practical terms, these four CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Minimum, as the performance delta is under half a percent in every case. A builder swapping between these CPUs would not notice a difference in this game.

The GPU side is similarly clustered. The AMD Radeon RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, scores 12940 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the RX 580's 12928. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12986, 0.4% higher. The AMD Radeon 740M scores 12870, 0.5% lower. The AMD FirePro W5100 scores 12847, 0.6% lower. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, so any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical FPS numbers in Minimum. The GTX 1660 SUPER is the strongest of the group, but the difference is negligible for this game's demands.

When considering the combo as a whole, the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely the bottleneck, as the CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads are sufficient for the game's workload. At 4K, both components are strained, but the GPU's 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus are not enough to maintain playable frame rates. The nearest rival combos, using any of the aforementioned CPUs with any of the aforementioned GPUs, would land in the same performance tier: playable at 1080p Low and Medium, borderline at 1080p High, and unplayable above that.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, there is no preset that reaches 60 FPS. The best available average is 32 FPS at Low settings. The database records no playable settings for this resolution, meaning no combination of options within the tested presets would achieve the target.

At 2560x1440, the situation is identical in terms of verdict, but the numbers are closer. Low averages 59 FPS, which is the highest recorded value at this resolution, but it still falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. No preset is playable here.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 70 FPS. This is the best playable setting. Low also clears the threshold at 91 FPS, but Medium offers a higher visual quality while still maintaining an average above 60. The Medium preset's minimum of 59 FPS is a point of caution, as occasional dips below 60 are possible, but the average is 10 FPS above the target. High and Ultra both fail to reach 60 FPS on average, so they are not recommended for a locked 60 FPS experience.

The data indicates that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot for this combo. It provides the highest visual fidelity that still maintains an average above the playable threshold, and the recorded max of 80 FPS shows that headroom exists in less demanding scenes.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Minimum depends entirely on the resolution and preset. The verdict data is unambiguous.

At 3840x2160, the answer is no. There are no playable settings. The best average is 32 FPS at Low, which is less than 60 FPS. Every preset at 4K is below the threshold, and the gap is substantial: even the most performant setting is 28 FPS short of playable.

At 2560x1440, the answer is also no. Low averages 59 FPS, which is one frame below the 60 FPS target. The database records no playable settings at this resolution. While 59 FPS is close, it is not a pass, and the medium preset drops to 45 FPS on average.

At 1920x1080, the answer is yes, but with conditions. Low and Medium are both playable. Low averages 91 FPS, which is 31 FPS above the threshold. Medium averages 70 FPS, which is 10 FPS above the threshold. High averages 58 FPS, which is 2 FPS below the threshold, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. The best playable setting is Medium at 70 FPS, as it offers higher quality than Low while still clearing the bar. The minimum FPS at Medium is 59, which is technically below 60, but the average is the deciding factor in the database's classification.

For a 60 FPS target, this combo requires 1080p and either Low or Medium settings. The data shows no path to 60 FPS at 1440p or 4K. If the user is willing to accept lower frame rates, 1440p Low at 59 FPS is nearly playable, but it does not meet the stated threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Minimum?

A: The best resolution is 1920x1080. It is the only resolution where the combo achieves playable frame rates, with Low at 91 FPS and Medium at 70 FPS.

Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 1440p?

A: No. The highest average at 2560x1440 is 59 FPS on Low settings, which is 1 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. No preset at this resolution is classified as playable.

Q: What is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 70 FPS, which is the highest quality setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold. High averages 58 FPS and Ultra averages 45 FPS.

Q: How close is the GPU to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12928. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, scores 12940, a 0.1% difference. The GTX 1660 SUPER scores 12986, 0.4% higher. All rivals are within 0.6% of the RX 580.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is sufficient at 1080p, as the combo achieves 91 FPS on Low settings. The Intel Core i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its average score, indicating that CPU performance is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What happens at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, no preset is playable. The best average is 32 FPS at Low settings, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM and 256-bit bus are insufficient for this resolution in Minimum.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this pairing of Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3383 out of 3712 combos. This places it in the lower tier of tested systems, specifically in the bottom 8.9% of all recorded results. The percentile data for the individual components supports this ranking: the CPU is at the 47th percentile, and the GPU is at the 53rd percentile. Neither component is a standout, and their combined performance in Minimum reflects that.

The rank of 3383 out of 3712 means there are 329 combos that perform worse, and 3382 that perform better. Given that the combo only achieves playable frame rates at 1080p on Low and Medium settings, this low rank is expected. The game's release date of 2014-06-25 predates both components: the CPU launched on 2018-10-18 and the GPU on 2017-04-17. The hardware is newer than the game, but the game's demands at higher resolutions and presets still overwhelm this mid-range pairing.

For context, the combo's best result is 91 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a strong showing for that specific setting. However, the inability to maintain 60 FPS at 1440p or any preset at 4K drags the overall rank down. The data shows that this combo is a 1080p machine for Minimum, nothing more. If the goal is higher resolutions, the database contains many combos that would rank higher, but within its own tier, this system delivers exactly what its component percentiles suggest: mid-pack CPU, slightly above mid-pack GPU, and a combined result that lands near the bottom quartile of all tested systems.