Minimum

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 1146 out of 3712 tested combinations in the database for Minimum. That places this setup in the upper third of all recorded configurations, a strong position for a game from 2014. The CPU itself sits at the 47th percentile among all processors in the database, while the GPU reaches the 69th percentile among all graphics cards. The pairing of a mid-range, older CPU with a modern, high-end GPU creates an interesting dynamic where the graphics card carries most of the performance weight, but the processor is still capable enough to avoid becoming a severe bottleneck at most settings.

The recorded data shows this combo comfortably clears the playable threshold at every resolution tested, and at most resolutions it does so with significant headroom. The weakest result appears at 4K with Ultra settings, where the average frame rate drops to 41.9 FPS, below the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, at 1440p and 1080p, every preset from Low to Ultra maintains average frame rates well above 60 FPS. This is not a marginal performer; it is a configuration that can handle demanding settings at mainstream resolutions without breaking a sweat.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which delivers an average of 71.1 FPS. High settings at this resolution drop to 57 FPS, just under the playable threshold, while Ultra falls further to 41.9 FPS. Low settings at 4K produce 93.1 FPS, but Medium offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for those targeting 4K output.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the Ultra preset is fully playable with an average of 85.1 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that clears the 60 FPS bar, and it does so with a comfortable margin. High settings at this resolution reach 108 FPS, Medium hits 127 FPS, and Low climbs to 171.8 FPS. For 1440p users, there is no reason to compromise on quality; the Ultra preset is well within reach.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), Ultra settings deliver 131.1 FPS on average, making it the clear choice for the most demanding preset that remains playable. High settings produce 168 FPS, Medium reaches 203.1 FPS, and Low tops out at 256.5 FPS. The 1080p results show that this combination has massive headroom even at maximum quality, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays when paired with slightly lower settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K with High settings?

A: No, the measured data shows 57 FPS on average at 3840x2160 with High settings, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable 4K preset is Medium at 71.1 FPS.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 85.1 FPS, so the full Ultra preset is playable at this resolution. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) clear the 60 FPS threshold at 1440p.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The recorded data shows 131.1 FPS on average at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating significant performance headroom.

Q: Is there any resolution where this combo fails to reach 60 FPS?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with both High and Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops below 60 FPS. High produces 57 FPS and Ultra produces 41.9 FPS. All other resolution and preset combinations in the measured data clear the threshold.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded across all tested settings?

A: The lowest average in the dataset is 41.9 FPS at 4K with Ultra settings. The next lowest is 57 FPS at 4K with High settings, followed by 71.1 FPS at 4K with Medium.

Q: Which resolution offers the largest performance margin over the playable threshold?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 256.5 FPS, which is over four times the 60 FPS threshold. Even at 1080p with Ultra settings, the margin remains substantial at 131.1 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the Intel Core i5-9400 sits close to several other processors in average benchmark score. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, just 0.2% higher than the i5-9400's average of 2254. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a 0.4% gap, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% higher. These four processors would behave nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios, meaning any of them paired with the RX 9070 would produce very similar frame rates in Minimum.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 has an average benchmark score of 23877. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z scores 23736, just 0.6% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6800S scores 24063, 0.8% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile scores 23628, 1.1% lower, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 24170, 1.2% higher. Any of these graphics cards paired with a similar CPU would deliver frame rates within a couple of percent of what the RX 9070 achieves in Minimum. Users with these alternative GPUs can expect essentially the same playability profile across resolutions and presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the recorded frame rates are uniformly high across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 256.5 FPS. Medium settings reach 203.1 FPS. High settings deliver 168 FPS. Ultra settings, the most demanding preset, still maintain 131.1 FPS on average. There is a clear progression from Low to Ultra, with each step up in quality costing roughly 30 to 50 FPS, but even the most demanding preset leaves massive headroom above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a larger drop as settings increase. Low settings produce 171.8 FPS on average. Medium settings reach 127 FPS. High settings deliver 108 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 85.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 86.7 FPS, reflecting the increased GPU load at higher pixel counts. Even the lowest result, 85.1 FPS at Ultra, remains comfortably above the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve becomes steeper. Low settings produce 93.1 FPS on average. Medium settings reach 71.1 FPS. High settings drop to 57 FPS, falling below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings yield 41.9 FPS, which is the lowest recorded average in the entire dataset. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 51.2 FPS, and the step from Medium to High costs 14.1 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs another 15.1 FPS. This resolution is clearly where the GPU becomes the limiting factor, especially at higher quality presets.

The Verdict

The data indicates that this PC can run Minimum at all three tested resolutions, but with important caveats at 4K. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the lowest average being 131.1 FPS at Ultra settings. The verdict for 1080p is unambiguous: this combination delivers a fully playable experience at maximum quality, with enough headroom for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is equally positive. All four presets, including Ultra, maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset produces 85.1 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. Users at 1440p can select the highest quality settings without concern.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is mixed. Low and Medium settings are playable, with 93.1 FPS and 71.1 FPS respectively. High settings fall short at 57 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 41.9 FPS. For 4K users, the recommended approach is to use Medium settings, which provide the best visual quality while remaining above the 60 FPS threshold. This is not a 4K Ultra machine for Minimum, but it is a capable 4K performer at moderate settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the balance shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Radeon RX 9070. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The jump from 131.1 FPS at Ultra to 256.5 FPS at Low shows that the GPU has substantial headroom, but the processor caps overall performance. The i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, can push high frame rates but cannot sustain the absolute maximum output of the RX 9070 at lower resolutions.

As resolution increases to 1440p, the GPU begins to take on more of the workload. The drop from 171.8 FPS at Low to 85.1 FPS at Ultra is more pronounced than at 1080p, indicating that the graphics card is becoming the primary bottleneck at higher quality settings. The CPU still plays a role, but the scaling pattern suggests the RX 9070's rendering capacity is increasingly taxed by the additional pixels.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The frame rate falls from 93.1 FPS at Low to 41.9 FPS at Ultra, a reduction of over half. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RX 9070's compute and memory bandwidth determine the outcome. The CPU's influence diminishes at this resolution, as the graphics card struggles to keep up with the 3840x2160 pixel count at higher presets. The data shows that for Minimum, the RX 9070 is the decisive component at 4K, while the i5-9400 provides sufficient support at lower resolutions to avoid severe bottlenecks.