Minimum

# Minimum Performance Analysis: Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

Best Settings per Resolution

The database records three resolution tiers for this combination, and the playable threshold sits at 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Medium, producing an average of 62 FPS. Low at this resolution reaches 81 FPS, but Medium is the highest preset that clears the threshold without dipping below it. The recorded minimum for Medium is 53 FPS, so while the average stays above 60, occasional dips occur below that mark.

At 2560x1440, no settings preset achieves 60 FPS. The best recorded average is 52 FPS on Low, which falls short of the threshold. High delivers 34 FPS, Medium 40 FPS, and Ultra 26 FPS. The data shows that even the least demanding preset cannot reach playable status at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation is similar. Low produces 28 FPS, Medium 22 FPS, High 18 FPS, and Ultra 14 FPS. None of these averages approach 60 FPS. The verdict data confirms that no playable settings exist at either 2560x1440 or 3840x2160 for this hardware combination.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU side, the Intel Core i5-9400 sits within a tight cluster of comparable processors. Its average benchmark score of 2254 places it near the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 and trails by only 0.2%. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, putting it 0.4% ahead of the i5-9400. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a 0.4% deficit, and the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% deficit. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Minimum. The i5-9400 occupies the 47th percentile among all tested CPUs, so it sits roughly in the middle of the field for this game's CPU demands.

On the GPU side, the GeForce GTX 1650 records an average benchmark score of 7472. The nearest rival is the Intel Arc A310 at 7550, which is 1% faster. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447, a 0.3% deficit relative to the GTX 1650. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 7441, 0.4% slower, and the AMD Radeon R7 350 scores 7425, 0.6% slower. All four alternatives fall within a 1% performance band, so swapping the GTX 1650 for any of these would yield nearly indistinguishable frame rates in this title. The GPU sits at the 40th percentile among all tested GPUs, placing it below the midpoint of the distribution.

The combination of a mid-tier CPU and a lower-mid-tier GPU explains the overall ranking of 3581 out of 3712 tested combos for this game. The system sits near the bottom of the tested pool, which aligns with the inability to reach 60 FPS at resolutions above 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full settings ladder shows a clear progression. Low averages 81 FPS with no recorded minimum or maximum values. Medium averages 62 FPS with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. High drops to 52 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40 FPS. The step from Low to Medium costs 19 FPS on average, while the step from Medium to High costs 10 FPS, and High to Ultra costs another 12 FPS. The scaling suggests that the largest performance penalty occurs when moving from Low to Medium, while the High to Ultra transition also takes a substantial toll.

At 2560x1440, the same preset progression shows lower overall performance. Low averages 52 FPS. Medium averages 40 FPS with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. High averages 34 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 12 FPS, between Medium and High is 6 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 8 FPS. The relative cost of each settings tier shrinks compared to 1080p, indicating that resolution scaling flattens the differences between presets.

At 3840x2160, all presets fall below 30 FPS. Low averages 28 FPS. Medium averages 22 FPS with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS. High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is only 14 FPS, suggesting that at 4K the system is heavily constrained regardless of visual settings.

The measured data reveals that only the 1920x1080 Medium and Low presets cross the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset at 1080p is the only setting above Low that does so, and even then the minimum FPS of 53 indicates that frame pacing may occasionally dip below the threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum at 1920x1080 with playable performance, but only on Medium settings or lower. The verdict data lists Low and Medium as playable at 1080p, with Medium as the best playable setting at an average of 62 FPS. At this resolution, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on Medium, though the recorded minimum of 53 FPS means the experience is not perfectly smooth at all times.

At 2560x1440, the system cannot run the game at 60 FPS on any preset. The best recorded average is 52 FPS on Low, which falls 8 FPS short of the threshold. The verdict data confirms that no playable settings exist at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system is far from playable. The highest average is 28 FPS on Low, and the verdict lists no playable settings. Users targeting 4K would need substantially more powerful hardware to approach 60 FPS in Minimum.

The overall picture is clear: this combination is a 1080p machine for this game. It handles Medium at 1080p with an average above 60 FPS, but it cannot sustain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The 53 FPS minimum on Medium at 1080p also suggests that busy scenes may cause noticeable hitches, so users sensitive to frame drops might prefer Low, which averages 81 FPS and provides more headroom.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that resolution scaling has a dramatic impact on this system's performance in Minimum. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on Medium settings drops the average from 62 FPS to 40 FPS, a reduction of 22 FPS or roughly 35%. Moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 on Medium drops the average from 40 FPS to 22 FPS, another 18 FPS reduction. This steep scaling with resolution indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as pixel count increases place progressively heavier demands on the rendering hardware.

The settings scaling reinforces this interpretation. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 41 FPS, from 81 to 40 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same spread is 26 FPS, from 52 to 26 FPS. At 3840x2160, the spread narrows to 14 FPS, from 28 to 14 FPS. As resolution increases, the performance cost of higher settings diminishes in absolute terms, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound operation. When the GPU is already saturated by pixel throughput, changing visual settings has less relative impact.

The CPU's role appears secondary at higher resolutions but becomes more relevant at 1080p. The i5-9400 scores in the 47th percentile among CPUs, while the GTX 1650 sits in the 40th percentile among GPUs. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 81 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at that setting. However, the drop to 52 FPS at 1080p High indicates that the GPU becomes the bottleneck as settings increase. The CPU's six cores and six threads provide enough processing power for this game, but the modest GPU performance caps the overall frame rate.

The pattern across resolutions points to the GTX 1650 as the component that matters more for Minimum. The steep FPS drops when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and again from 1440p to 4K, are consistent with GPU-limited rendering. The CPU would likely sustain higher frame rates if paired with a stronger GPU, but the recorded data for this specific combination shows the GPU constraining performance at every resolution above 1080p.

FAQ

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

A: Medium is the best playable setting at 1080p, with an average of 62 FPS and a recorded minimum of 53 FPS. Low averages 81 FPS but is less demanding visually.

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 2560x1440?

A: No. The best average at 1440p is 52 FPS on Low, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. No settings preset reaches playable status at this resolution.

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

A: The GTX 1650 scores 7472 on average. The Intel Arc A310 is 1% faster at 7550, while the AMD Radeon HD 8850M is 0.3% slower, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is 0.4% slower, and the AMD Radeon R7 350 is 0.6% slower.

Q: What frame rate does the system achieve at 3840x2160 on Low?

A: The average is 28 FPS on Low at 4K. Medium averages 22 FPS, High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS.

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

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. The sharp FPS drops as resolution increases, from 62 FPS at 1080p Medium to 40 FPS at 1440p Medium and 22 FPS at 4K Medium, indicate GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the system's rank among tested combos for Minimum?

A: This combination ranks 3581 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it near the bottom of the database for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3581 out of 3712 tested combinations for Minimum. This places the system in the bottom 3.5% of all tested hardware pairs, which is consistent with the measured performance data. The combo sits well below the median, and the recorded frame rates confirm that it can only handle 1080p at Medium settings or lower.

The CPU's 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 40th percentile ranking among all GPUs both sit below the midpoint, but the combined result is worse than either component's individual standing suggests. This is likely because Minimum places heavy demands on the GPU, and the GTX 1650's modest capabilities drag the overall experience down more than the CPU's mid-tier performance compensates. The GPU's nearest rivals all fall within 1% of its benchmark score, meaning any of those alternatives would produce a similar ranking.

The rank of 3581 out of 3712 also reflects the resolution limitations documented in the verdict data. With no playable settings above 1080p, this system is confined to the lower end of the performance spectrum. Users with this combination can expect a functional but limited experience in Minimum, restricted to 1080p with Medium settings as the ceiling for playable frame rates. The 131-combo gap between this system and the bottom of the list is relatively small, indicating that many tested configurations struggle with this game, but the i5-9400 and GTX 1650 combination is clearly on the weaker side of the distribution.