Minimum

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a tightly contested performance band. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it within a fraction of several comparable processors. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, a margin of only 0.2% in favor of the rival. The Intel Core i3-10305 is 0.4% ahead with a score of 2264, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 trails by 0.4% at 2246. The Intel Core i7-10710U is essentially identical, scoring 2248, a 0.3% deficit. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly indistinguishable frame pacing in this game, given that the Core i5-9400's 6 cores and 6 threads are the dominant architectural factor and none of these rivals present a dramatic throughput shift.

The Intel Arc B390 presents a more lopsided comparison. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, a very low standing. The closest measured competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1463, which is 1.3% behind. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% behind). The B390 leads this group, but the margins are small. The data suggests that in GPU-bound scenarios, users coming from any of these older NVIDIA parts would see a modest but consistent uplift, while users expecting a generational leap would be disappointed. The B390's nearest rivals are all legacy-class parts, which frames its performance as entry-level rather than competitive with modern midrange hardware.

CPU and GPU Roles

For this title, the balance of CPU and GPU responsibility shifts sharply across resolutions. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 33 FPS at Low settings to 21 FPS at High, a 36% reduction, and further to 16 FPS at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 17 FPS, which indicates that pixel throughput and shading load dominate. The CPU, while not weak, cannot compensate for the B390's limited fill rate at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the GPU still leads the constraint but the CPU begins to matter more. Low settings produce 61 FPS, while Medium drops to 47 FPS and High to 39 FPS. The scaling from Low to High is a 22 FPS loss, a smaller absolute drop than at 4K. The move from 1440p Low to 1080p Low shows a 34 FPS gain (61 to 95), which is a strong indicator that resolution scaling, not CPU headroom, is the limiting factor. The Core i5-9400's single-core performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 single-core at 935, is sufficient to feed the B390 at 1080p, where the GPU is more capable of keeping up.

At 1920x1080, the relationship becomes more balanced. Low settings hit 95 FPS, Medium 72 FPS, High 61 FPS, and Ultra 46 FPS. The step from High to Ultra costs 15 FPS, the largest single-preset drop at this resolution. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that strain the B390's 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs. The CPU's 6-thread configuration, with a Cinebench R20 multicore score of 2784, does not appear to be the limiting factor at 1080p; the frame rate scaling tracks GPU workload more closely than CPU capability. In summary, the B390 is the primary determinant of performance at 4K and 1440p, while at 1080p the CPU is adequate and the GPU still governs the highest presets.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best recorded result is 33 FPS at Low settings, which is well below playable. The verdict data confirms that the playable settings list is empty for 4K, so no recommendation can be made for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the only playable setting is Low, which averages 61 FPS. This is exactly at the playable threshold. Medium averages 47 FPS and is not playable. High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The best settings for 1440p are therefore Low, with a recorded average of 61 FPS.

At 1920x1080, three presets clear 60 FPS: High (61 FPS), Medium (72 FPS), and Low (95 FPS). The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of exactly 61 FPS. Ultra drops to 46 FPS and is not playable. The best settings for 1080p are High, delivering 61 FPS average.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum, but only under specific conditions. At 3840x2160, the answer is no: the highest average FPS across all presets is 33 at Low, and the playable settings list is empty. At 2560x1440, the answer is a conditional yes: only the Low preset clears 60 FPS, with an average of 61 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold. At 1920x1080, the answer is a clear yes for most presets: High, Medium, and Low all average at or above 60 FPS, with High being the most demanding playable option at 61 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not playable at 46 FPS. The overall pattern is that this combination is a 1080p machine for this game, with a narrow 1440p option at the lowest settings, and no viable 4K experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded averages are as follows: Low settings produce 33 FPS, Medium produces 25 FPS with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 29 FPS, High produces 21 FPS, and Ultra produces 16 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one at 4K with recorded min/max values, showing a tight 8 FPS range.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 61 FPS, Medium averages 47 FPS with a min of 40 and a max of 54, High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra averages 30 FPS. The Medium range at 1440p is 14 FPS, wider than at 4K, indicating more frame time variance at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 95 FPS, Medium averages 72 FPS with a min of 62 and a max of 83, High averages 61 FPS, and Ultra averages 46 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a 21 FPS range, the largest variance recorded in the dataset. The step from 1080p Medium to 1080p High is an 11 FPS drop, while the step from High to Ultra is a 15 FPS drop, making Ultra the most punishing preset at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations in the database for this game, this CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3299 out of 3712 combos. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the B390's low GPU percentile (9th) more than the CPU's middling position (47th). The CPU is not the primary drag; the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is the weakest link. In a game like Minimum, where the measured FPS at 1080p High is 61 and at 1080p Ultra is 46, the combo's rank is consistent with a system that can handle lower presets at mainstream resolutions but fails at higher loads. The rank of 3299 means that roughly 413 tested combos performed worse, while the vast majority of the database outperformed this pairing.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K?

A: No. The best average FPS at 3840x2160 is 33 FPS at Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The playable settings list for 4K is empty.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: Low is the only playable preset at 1440p, with an average of 61 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS.

Q: Does the Ultra preset ever reach 60 FPS?

A: No. At 1080p Ultra averages 46 FPS, at 1440p Ultra averages 30 FPS, and at 4K Ultra averages 16 FPS. Ultra is not playable at any resolution.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, leading the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% behind).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1920x1080?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at higher presets. Low settings reach 95 FPS, but Ultra drops to 46 FPS. The Core i5-9400's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 is sufficient; the frame rate drop tracks GPU workload.

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

A: High is the most demanding playable preset at 1080p, averaging 61 FPS. Medium averages 72 FPS and Low averages 95 FPS, but High offers the highest visual quality while still clearing the 60 FPS threshold.