Minimum

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 lands at rank 2000 out of 3712 tested combos in the database for Minimum. That places it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations measured, meaning it outperforms roughly 46% of tested systems while trailing the top performers by a comfortable margin. The ranking is driven primarily by the GPU, which sits at the 61st percentile among all graphics cards, while the CPU holds a more modest 47th percentile position among all processors.

The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 puts it in a tight cluster with several AMD rivals. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 17666, a delta of -0.2%, meaning the 4060 is essentially neck-and-neck with that older card in aggregate compute tests. The AMD Radeon 780M trails by just 0.3% at 17588, while the AMD Radeon Pro 560 and Pro 460 sit 0.5% and 0.7% behind respectively. This tells us the 4060's raw compute throughput is well-matched against a spread of both desktop and mobile-oriented AMD parts, though real-world gaming performance will diverge based on driver optimization and architecture-specific strengths.

On the CPU side, the Core i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2254 places it in a similarly tight grouping. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, a 0.2% lead, while the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, a 0.3% deficit. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 comes in at 2246, 0.4% behind, and the Intel Core i3-10305 leads by 0.4% at 2264. These deltas are all within measurement noise, meaning the i5-9400's six-core, six-thread Coffee Lake architecture is delivering performance equivalent to a range of newer and older parts across different segments.

FAQ

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4060 in Minimum?

A: The database shows the CPU sits at the 47th percentile while the GPU sits at the 61st percentile. In practice, the combo still achieves playable frame rates at all tested resolutions, including 4K at Low settings, so any CPU limitation is not severe enough to drop performance below the 60 FPS threshold in the most demanding scenarios tested.

Q: What is the best resolution to run Minimum at with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 99 FPS, which is the highest preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, Ultra runs at 64 FPS average, also playable. At 3840x2160, only Low settings reach 70 FPS average, making 1440p the highest resolution where full Ultra settings remain viable.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 is within 0.7% of four AMD cards: the HD 7790 (17666), Radeon 780M (17588), Radeon Pro 560 (17551), and Radeon Pro 460 (17509). This indicates nearly identical aggregate compute performance, though gaming results can vary.

Q: Does the Core i5-9400 hold up against similar CPUs in the database?

A: The i5-9400's average score of 2254 is within 0.4% of all four nearest rivals: the i7-1068NG7 (2259), i7-10710U (2248), Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246), and i3-10305 (2264). The differences are negligible, so the CPU is competitively positioned within its performance class.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 99 FPS average at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings push that to 155 FPS, and Low reaches 202 FPS.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the combo delivers 70 FPS on Low, 54 FPS on Medium (with min 46, max 62), 45 FPS on High, and 34 FPS on Ultra. Only Low settings clear the 60 FPS line at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which produces an average of 70 FPS. Medium drops to 54 FPS, so it cannot hold the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding playable preset is Ultra, averaging 64 FPS. High runs at 84 FPS, Medium at 100 FPS, and Low at 130 FPS, but Ultra is the highest quality option that still clears the threshold.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is the best playable preset with an average of 99 FPS. High reaches 130 FPS, Medium hits 155 FPS, and Low tops out at 202 FPS, but Ultra is the maximum quality setting that remains above 60 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the GPU, the nearest rivals to the RTX 4060, based on average benchmark scores, are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, -0.2%), AMD Radeon 780M (17588, +0.3%), AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, +0.5%), and AMD Radeon Pro 460 (17509, +0.7%). Systems using any of these GPUs with a comparable CPU would likely produce very similar frame rates in Minimum, with differences well under one percent in aggregate compute. The HD 7790 is a particularly close match, indicating that older high-end cards can still trade blows with the 4060 in this title's workload.

For the CPU, the nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259, -0.2%), Intel Core i7-10710U (2248, +0.3%), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246, +0.4%), and Intel Core i3-10305 (2264, -0.4%). A system swapping the i5-9400 for any of these chips would maintain essentially identical CPU-bound performance. The i3-10305 is a particularly interesting alternative, as it is a lower-tier part that nonetheless matches the i5-9400's average score within 0.4%.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 70 FPS average
• Medium: 54 FPS average, 46 FPS minimum, 62 FPS maximum
• High: 45 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 130 FPS average
• Medium: 100 FPS average, 85 FPS minimum, 115 FPS maximum
• High: 84 FPS average
• Ultra: 64 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 202 FPS average
• Medium: 155 FPS average, 131 FPS minimum, 178 FPS maximum
• High: 130 FPS average
• Ultra: 99 FPS average

The frame time consistency, where recorded, shows that Medium presets hold fairly tight ranges: at 1080p the spread from minimum to maximum is 47 FPS, at 1440p it is 30 FPS, and at 4K it is 16 FPS. The narrower range at higher resolutions suggests the GPU is more consistently loaded there, while the larger spreads at lower resolutions likely reflect CPU-side variation.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum, and it does so with headroom at most settings. The database's verdict classifies 1920x1080 as fully playable across all presets, with Ultra hitting 99 FPS average, well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, Ultra still clears the bar at 64 FPS, making 1440p a viable high-quality option. At 3840x2160, only Low settings reach playable territory with 70 FPS average; Medium falls to 54 FPS, which is below the threshold, and High and Ultra are not viable at 45 FPS and 34 FPS respectively.

The combination of a mid-tier six-core CPU and a modern mid-range GPU produces a balanced system for this 2014 third-person shooter. The CPU's 47th percentile standing does not prevent the GPU from reaching high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, and even at 4K the system manages a playable Low preset. For users targeting 1080p or 1440p with high or ultra visual quality, this combo is more than sufficient. For 4K gaming, the user must accept Low settings or lower the resolution. Overall, the data indicates a capable pairing that delivers smooth performance across the majority of tested configurations, with the only limitation appearing at 4K with higher presets.