Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination delivers a highly capable experience in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter released on 2014-06-25. Benchmark data indicates that this pairing is positioned well within the top tier of tested systems, though the GPU's relative standing shows some unusual characteristics when compared to its peers. The measured performance across resolutions and presets suggests that this combo is a strong choice for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, while also being capable of quality 4K play.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearestRivals data for the Intel Core i7-12700KF, the processor's average benchmark score of 35365 places it in a tight cluster with four other CPUs. The closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35403, a negligible deltaPct of -0.1, indicating that a user moving between these two chips would see virtually identical CPU-bound performance in Minimum. Similarly, the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428 (deltaPct -0.2) and the Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35287 (deltaPct 0.2), both falling within a 0.2 percent band of the tested processor. The Intel Core i5-13600T rounds out the group with a score of 35305 (deltaPct 0.2). The data suggests that any of these four CPUs would behave as near-equivalents in this game, with the i7-12700KF holding a position that is statistically indistinguishable from its rivals.

On the GPU side, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX presents a more complex picture. Its average benchmark score is 19410, yet its percentileVsAllGpus is only 64, which is surprisingly low for a flagship-class card. The nearestRivals list includes the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB with a score of 19334 (deltaPct 0.4), the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 at 19602 (deltaPct -1), the AMD FirePro D300 at 19637 (deltaPct -1.2), and the NVIDIA TITAN Xp at 19177 (deltaPct 1.2). This is a peculiar grouping; the RX 7900 XTX is a modern RDNA 3.0 part with 24 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 384-bit bus, yet its aggregate benchmark score aligns closely with older or lower-tier cards. In terms of raw synthetic averages, these rivals would produce similar frame rates in Minimum, but the RX 7900 XTX’s architectural advantages—such as 6144 shading units and 96 RT cores—would likely manifest in specific workloads not captured by the average score. For this game, a user comparing the RX 7900 XTX to a GTX 1060 3 GB based on these averages would expect similar performance, though the measured FPS data for the full combo (detailed below) shows that the pairing is actually far ahead of what a GTX 1060 system would deliver.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i7-12700KF and RX 7900 XTX ranks 586 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. This places the system in the top 15.8 percent of all configurations evaluated for this game. The rank is driven by the CPU, which sits at the 85th percentile against all CPUs, while the GPU’s 64th percentile is comparatively lower. The combo rank of 586 suggests that while many systems are faster, a substantial majority of tested configurations fall below this pairing. Given the game’s 2014 release, the data indicates that this modern hardware is far beyond the title’s baseline requirements, and the bottleneck analysis in later sections will clarify which component is responsible for the remaining gap to the top ranks. The rank of 586 is respectable but not elite, which aligns with the GPU’s mid-pack percentile; the processor is clearly the stronger half of this duo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four presets. At 1920x1080, the combo is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 321.9. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 244.5. High settings yield 209.0 average FPS, and Ultra still produces 160.5 average FPS. All 1080p averages exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold by a wide margin, with even the most demanding preset (Ultra) delivering more than 2.6 times the minimum playable frame rate.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very strong. Low settings produce an average of 209.7 FPS. Medium settings deliver 157.8 FPS, and High settings achieve 135.1 FPS. Ultra settings, the most demanding, still maintain an average of 101.0 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction: Ultra drops from 160.5 to 101.0 FPS (a 37 percent decrease), while Low drops from 321.9 to 209.7 FPS (a 35 percent decrease). This suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the system remains comfortably above 60 FPS at every preset.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes. Low settings yield an average of 113.5 FPS, which is still well above 60. Medium settings drop to 84.2 FPS. High settings produce 69.7 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings, however, fall to 58.0 FPS, just below the playable threshold. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steep: Ultra drops from 101.0 to 58.0 (a 42.6 percent reduction), and High drops from 135.1 to 69.7 (a 48.4 percent reduction). This indicates that the RX 7900 XTX is the primary constraint at 4K, particularly on Ultra, where the 24 GB memory buffer and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain 60 FPS with the most demanding settings.

The Verdict

The verdictByResolution data is clear. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the best experience at Ultra yielding an average of 160.5 FPS. This resolution fully clears the 60 FPS threshold, and the system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors without compromise. At 2560x1440, all four presets are also playable, with Ultra achieving 101.0 FPS average, which is the best setting for this resolution. The gap between Ultra and High (101.0 vs 135.1) is notable, but both are far above the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is mixed. The playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best playable option at 69.7 FPS average. Ultra settings are not playable, as the 58.0 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K gaming, a user should stick to High settings to maintain a smooth experience. The data shows that this combo can run Minimum at 4K, but only by sacrificing the Ultra preset. Overall, the system is a capable 1080p and 1440p powerhouse, and a competent 4K machine with settings adjustments.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component matters more. At 1920x1080, the CPU is the dominant factor. The transition from Low to Ultra at 1080p results in a frame rate drop from 321.9 to 160.5, a 50.1 percent reduction, but the absolute numbers are so high that the GPU is not stressed. The CPU’s 3dmark_max_threads score of 9983 and passmark_multithread score of 34092 indicate that the i7-12700KF has ample headroom for this game’s physics and logic. The 12 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for a 2014 title.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to assert more influence. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is from 209.7 to 101.0 FPS, a 51.8 percent reduction, which is similar to 1080p. However, the absolute FPS numbers are lower, suggesting that the RX 7900 XTX is now the bottleneck. At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Ultra preset drops to 58.0 FPS, which is below the CPU’s capability—the processor could likely push more frames if the GPU were faster. The 4K scaling shows a 49.1 percent drop from Low (113.5) to Ultra (58.0), and the fact that Ultra fails to hit 60 FPS while the CPU remains underutilized confirms this. The RX 7900 XTX’s 24 GB memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are substantial, but the 192 ROPs and 61.39 TFLOPS FP32 performance are not enough for 4K Ultra in this title.

The preset scaling also indicates that the GPU is more important at higher settings. At 1080p, the delta between Low and Ultra is 161.4 FPS (321.9 to 160.5). At 1440p, that delta is 108.7 FPS. At 4K, the delta narrows to 55.5 FPS. This compression suggests that at 4K, the GPU is already saturated at Low settings, and further increases in preset quality yield diminishing returns. The CPU, by contrast, shows its strength at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the constraint. For users targeting 1080p or 1440p, the CPU is the more critical component, but for 4K gaming, the GPU is the deciding factor.

FAQ

*Q: Can the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX run Minimum at 60 FPS on 4K Ultra settings?*

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 58.0, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable 4K preset is High, which achieves an average of 69.7 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 2560x1440 resolution?

A: The Ultra preset is the best option at 2560x1440, yielding an average of 101.0 FPS. All four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at this resolution, with averages ranging from 209.7 (Low) to 101.0 (Ultra).

Q: How does the i7-12700KF compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403, a deltaPct of -0.1. The Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428 (deltaPct -0.2), and both the Intel Core i5-13600T and Intel Core i7-12700K score 35305 and 35287 respectively (deltaPct 0.2). All four rivals are within 0.2 percent of the i7-12700KF, indicating near-identical performance.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Minimum?*

A: The combo ranks 586 out of 3712 tested configurations. This places it in the top 15.8 percent of all systems evaluated for this game.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for performance at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU is the more important component. The GPU has significant headroom, as evidenced by the high average FPS (321.9 on Low, 160.5 on Ultra). The CPU’s strong multithreaded performance (passmark_multithread score of 34092) ensures that the processor is not the bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What are the playable settings at 3840x2160?

A: The playable settings at 3840x2160 are High, Low, and Medium. High is the best playable setting, delivering an average of 69.7 FPS. Ultra is not playable, as it drops to 58.0 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold.