Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a definitive ultra-high refresh rate experience in Minimum, with measured frame rates that clear the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested. The data shows this combo is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance ensures no bottleneck even at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 350 FPS on Low settings. For a game released in 2014, this hardware is massively overqualified, offering playable performance at 4K Ultra with exactly 60 FPS average, and exceeding 170 FPS at 1080p Ultra.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at 3840x2160, with average FPS ranging from 60 (Ultra) to 123 (Low). The most demanding preset, Ultra, achieves exactly 60 FPS average, which meets the playable threshold.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 112 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, and the data confirms all lower presets (High, Medium, Low) also run above 147 FPS average.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403, which is only 0.1% higher. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305, just 0.2% lower, indicating near-identical overall CPU performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER significantly faster than the standard RTX 4080?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the difference is negligible. The RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209, while the RTX 4080 scores 54247, a delta of -0.1%. Both GPUs sit in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and the performance gap is within measurement noise.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the measured average FPS is 228. This is more than triple the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating the combo is heavily GPU-limited at this resolution, allowing for very high refresh rate displays to be fully utilized.

Q: Does the combo rank highly among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 311th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the top 8.4% of all tested systems. This high rank reflects the balanced strength of the Core i7-12700KF and RTX 4080 SUPER, which together deliver elite performance in Minimum.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Minimum. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 354 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 173 FPS on Ultra—a 51% reduction in frame rate when moving from the least to most demanding preset. This steep drop indicates that at 1080p, the GPU is the primary limiter, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames at such high rates. The Core i7-12700KF’s multi-threaded score of 28838 in Cinebench R23 and 3DMark max threads score of 9983 ensure that even the lowest preset is not CPU-bound.

Scaling to 2560x1440, the pattern intensifies. Low settings produce 228 FPS average, while Ultra still delivers 112 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows from 181 FPS at 1080p to 116 FPS at 1440p, suggesting the GPU is now handling a heavier pixel load, but the CPU continues to keep up without issue. The RTX 4080 SUPER’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient throughput for 1440p, as evidenced by the 175 FPS average on Medium settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The RTX 4080 SUPER drops to 123 FPS on Low and 60 FPS on Ultra, showing a 51% performance reduction across presets. The CPU’s role diminishes further, as the pixel throughput required at 4K overwhelms the GPU’s 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. Notably, the 4K Ultra result of 60 FPS average is exactly at the playable threshold, indicating the GPU is the sole bottleneck—the Core i7-12700KF, with its 85th percentile ranking, is not a limiting factor at any resolution. The data suggests that for 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is the component to upgrade for higher frame rates, while the CPU is more than sufficient for this 2014 title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i7-13700T and Intel Core i5-13600T are the closest matches, with average benchmark scores within 0.2% of the Core i7-12700KF. The i7-13700T scores 35403, which is 0.1% higher, while the i5-13600T scores 35305, just 0.2% lower. These processors would deliver virtually identical frame rates in Minimum, as the game is not CPU-intensive at any resolution. The Intel Core 5 213PE also falls within 0.2% of the i7-12700KF, scoring 35428, making it another equivalent option. The Core i7-12700K, with a score of 35287, is 0.2% lower, representing the same performance tier.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (non-SUPER) is the closest rival, with an average score of 54247 versus 54209 for the SUPER, a delta of only -0.1%. This means users with a standard RTX 4080 would see nearly identical FPS in Minimum, with differences of 1-2 frames per second at most. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X, while scoring 54828 (1.1% higher), is a workstation card and not a direct gaming alternative. More interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, which is 2.7% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER in the GPU benchmark aggregate, though this does not necessarily translate to higher gaming FPS in Minimum given the different architectures. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757, 2.8% higher, but again, these are aggregate benchmark scores, not game-specific measurements.

For practical purposes, any of these GPU alternatives would likely produce frame rates within 5-10% of the RTX 4080 SUPER in Minimum, meaning all would comfortably clear 60 FPS at 4K Ultra. The CPU alternatives, being within 0.2% performance, would have no measurable impact on the game’s frame rates, as the game’s CPU demands are easily met by even lower-tier processors.

The Verdict

The data unequivocally shows that this PC can run Minimum at playable frame rates across all tested configurations. The verdict by resolution confirms that at 3840x2160, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the best settings being Ultra at exactly 60 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the same four presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 112 FPS average, more than enough for smooth gameplay. At 1920x1080, the system excels further, with Ultra producing 173 FPS average and Low reaching 354 FPS.

The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS, and every single measured data point exceeds this. Even the most demanding configuration—4K Ultra—hits exactly 60 FPS, which is the minimum for playability. For gamers seeking higher refresh rates, dropping to 4K High yields 79 FPS average, a 32% improvement over Ultra. At 1440p, the Ultra preset’s 112 FPS is sufficient for 100Hz displays, while 1080p Ultra’s 173 FPS can drive 165Hz monitors without issue. There are no resolutions or presets where the system fails to meet the playable threshold, confirming that this combo is not just adequate but exceptionally well-suited for Minimum.

How This Combo Ranks

Among 3712 tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 311th, placing it in the top 8.4% of all systems tested for Minimum. This high rank is a function of both components’ strong individual performance: the CPU sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The synergy between the two is evident in the frame rates, which show no signs of CPU bottlenecking even at 1080p Low where the system produces 354 FPS.

The rank of 311 out of 3712 suggests that while this is an elite configuration, there are 310 other combos that perform better, likely featuring higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generations. However, for a game from 2014, this rank is more than sufficient. The combo’s performance is characterized by massive headroom: at 1440p Ultra, it achieves 112 FPS, which is 87% above the playable threshold. The data indicates that this combo would remain playable even if the game received a graphics overhaul that doubled the GPU load, as the 4K Ultra result of 60 FPS is the only data point near the threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 173 FPS. This is the optimal choice for visual fidelity, as it provides a 188% margin above the playable threshold. For competitive play, Low settings yield 354 FPS, but Ultra is recommended for the best balance of image quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best setting, producing 112 FPS average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the 112 FPS result allows for smooth gameplay on high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset offers 175 FPS if higher frame rates are preferred, but Ultra’s visual improvements come at a modest 36% performance cost.

At 3840x2160, Ultra is the most demanding preset that stays playable, with an average of 60 FPS exactly. This is a razor-thin margin, so users who prefer a safety buffer should consider High settings, which deliver 79 FPS average—a 32% improvement over Ultra. The data shows that 4K Ultra is technically playable, but High is the recommended choice for consistent performance above the threshold. Low settings at 4K produce 123 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant for a game that supports Ultra presets.