Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination delivers a performance profile that is heavily dictated by the graphics card, which ranks in the 55th percentile among all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 84th percentile, making it a significantly stronger component in this pairing. For the game Minimum, this imbalance means that at lower resolutions, the system's output is far above the playable threshold, while at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, pushing the experience closer to the 60 FPS boundary.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on aggregate benchmark scores, the Intel Core i7-12700K's closest performance peers are all within a fraction of a percent of its average score of 35287. The Intel Core i5-13600T is effectively identical, with an average score of 35305 and a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Core i7-12700KF is also a near-match, scoring 35365 (-0.2%), as is the Intel Core i7-13700T at 35403 (-0.3%). The Intel Core 5 213PE rounds out the group with a score of 35428 (-0.4%). In practical terms, swapping the i7-12700K for any of these processors would yield a negligible change in frame rates, as the performance difference is less than half a percent.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT has an average benchmark score of 13745, placing it in the 55th percentile. Its nearest rivals in benchmark data are somewhat unexpected, given the RX 7900 XT's high-end positioning. The AMD Radeon 660M (score 13812, delta -0.5%) and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (score 13821, delta -0.5%) are listed as extremely close in average score. The AMD Radeon RX 570X (score 13871, delta -0.9%) also appears in this grouping. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the only high-performance counterpart listed, with a score of 13543, representing a 1.5% deficit relative to the RX 7900 XT. This data suggests that in this specific benchmark database, the RX 7900 XT's aggregate score is being pulled down by its lower DirectX scores, making its average comparable to less powerful cards, even though its raw gaming performance in Minimum is substantial.

For the game itself, the combination ranks 702 out of 3712 possible CPU-GPU combos, placing it in the top fifth of all tested configurations. This high ranking indicates that while the GPU's percentile is modest, the overall pairing is well-suited for this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data shows that the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT can handle Minimum at 4K with high visual fidelity, but the Ultra preset is too demanding. At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is High, which produces an average frame rate of 68.4 FPS. This stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset achieves 80 FPS, but High offers better image quality while still clearing the bar. The Ultra preset falls short, dropping to 53.2 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the system has enough headroom to run the most demanding preset. The Ultra setting achieves an average of 97.3 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. This is the best setting to use at this resolution, as it provides the maximum visual quality without compromising performance. The High preset runs at 125.4 FPS, while Medium is at 150 FPS and Low at 190.6 FPS, but Ultra is the clear choice for the best experience.

At 1920x1080, the GPU is barely stressed, and the Ultra preset delivers an average of 149.5 FPS. This is the recommended setting for 1080p, as it provides the full visual experience with a frame rate nearly two and a half times the playable threshold. The High preset runs at 193.9 FPS, Medium at 233.2 FPS, and Low at 298.3 FPS, but none of these offer a meaningful advantage over Ultra given the massive headroom.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i7-12700K and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT becomes clear when examining the scaling of frame rates across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily CPU-bound in this third-person shooter. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 149.5 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The jump from 1080p Ultra (149.5 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (97.3 FPS) represents a 35% drop in performance, which is a direct result of the GPU having to render 78% more pixels. This significant scaling shows that the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's performance ceiling is demonstrated by the 1080p results.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to assert its dominance. The difference between the Low preset (190.6 FPS) and Ultra preset (97.3 FPS) is a 49% reduction in frame rate, driven entirely by the increased graphical workload. The CPU is no longer the bottleneck, as the frame rates are still well above the playable threshold. The GPU's raw compute power, evidenced by its 51.48 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 800.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, is what determines the frame rate at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. The Ultra preset drops to 53.2 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, while High manages 68.4 FPS. The scaling from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra shows a 45% reduction in performance, which is consistent with the increased pixel count. The RX 7900 XT's 20 GB of GDDR6 memory and 459.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are sufficient for High settings, but the Ultra preset's additional shader complexity proves too much. The CPU's role diminishes further at this resolution, as the frame rates are entirely dependent on the GPU's fill rate and shading units.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Minimum, and it does so with exceptional competence across all standard resolutions. At 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with the Ultra preset delivering an average of 149.5 FPS, far exceeding the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also clears the bar comfortably, achieving 97.3 FPS, which is the best setting available at this resolution. The verdict at 4K is slightly more nuanced: the High, Medium, and Low presets are all playable, with High being the best choice at 68.4 FPS. However, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 falls below the playable threshold at 53.2 FPS, so it should be avoided.

The data indicates that this system is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience for the overwhelming majority of players. The 4K Ultra limitation is the only caveat, but it is a minor one given that the High preset still provides a high-quality visual experience at 4K. The combination of the i7-12700K's strong single-threaded performance (1850.5 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and the RX 7900 XT's substantial memory bandwidth (800.0 GB/s) ensures that the system is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU being the only component that needs to be managed at the highest resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across all settings and resolutions.

1920x1080: The Low preset achieves an average of 298.3 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this configuration. The Medium preset runs at 233.2 FPS, while High is at 193.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still produces an average of 149.5 FPS. All presets at this resolution are playable, with even the most demanding setting maintaining a frame rate that is 2.5x the playable threshold.

2560x1440: The Low preset at this resolution reaches 190.6 FPS, a 36% reduction from the 1080p Low result, which is expected given the increased pixel count. The Medium preset runs at 150 FPS, High at 125.4 FPS, and Ultra at 97.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 49% reduction, demonstrating the GPU's workload increase. All settings here are well above the 60 FPS threshold.

3840x2160: At 4K, the Low preset still manages 101.4 FPS, which is a strong result. The Medium preset achieves 80 FPS, and High is at 68.4 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 53.2 FPS, which is the only setting across all resolutions that fails to meet the 60 FPS playable threshold. The scaling from 1440p Ultra (97.3 FPS) to 4K Ultra (53.2 FPS) is a 45% drop, which is consistent with the pixel count increase.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K with the Ultra preset?*

A: No. The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average frame rate of 53.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset at this resolution, which runs at 68.4 FPS, is the best playable option.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 is the best choice, as it achieves an average of 97.3 FPS. This is the most demanding preset and it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K's average benchmark score is 35287. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35305, which is a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35365 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35403 (-0.3%). All of these are effectively identical in performance.

Q: Is the GPU or the CPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the system is CPU-bound. The Ultra preset delivers 149.5 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 298.3 FPS. The massive frame rates indicate that the GPU is not the limiting factor, as it has significant headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can supply data.

Q: What are the playable settings at 4K?

A: The playable settings at 3840x2160 are High (68.4 FPS), Medium (80 FPS), and Low (101.4 FPS). The Ultra preset is not playable, as it falls to 53.2 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XT's benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT has an average score of 13745. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is a 1.5% deficit. The other listed rivals, such as the AMD Radeon 660M (13812) and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13821), are within 0.5% of the RX 7900 XT's score, though they are not comparable in real-world gaming performance.