Minimum

Minimum is a third-person shooter from 2014 that still gets played on a wide range of hardware. For this analysis, the database pairs an Intel Core i7-13700K with an Intel Arc B370, and the recorded measurements show a very specific performance profile. The CPU is a 16-core, 24-thread Raptor Lake part with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, sitting in the 89th percentile among all tested CPUs. The GPU is an Intel Arc B370, an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture with 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. Its benchmark score places it in the 5th percentile of all tested GPUs, which is a strong hint that this combo will struggle at higher resolutions. The measured FPS data confirms that expectation, but the details matter for anyone considering this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database records FPS at three resolutions: 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080, each with four settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. For 4K, the results are poor across the board. At High settings, the average FPS is 19. At Medium, the average is 23, with a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 26. Low settings bring the average up to 30, and Ultra drops to 15. None of these numbers approach the 60 FPS threshold that the database uses for playability. Even the best case, 30 FPS at Low, is exactly half of what would be considered smooth. The frame times at 4K are also inconsistent, as the Medium preset shows a 7 FPS spread between minimum and maximum, indicating stutter and uneven pacing.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains below the playability bar. High settings average 35 FPS. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 48. Low settings average 55 FPS, which is close but still 5 FPS short of 60. Ultra settings average 27 FPS. The trend is clear: even at 1440p, no preset reaches 60 FPS on average. The Medium preset shows a 12 FPS gap between minimum and maximum, which is noticeable during gameplay. Low settings at 1440p are the closest to a smooth experience, but the average of 55 FPS means there will be frequent dips below the threshold.

At 1920x1080, the combo finally becomes usable. Low settings average 85 FPS, which is well above 60. Medium settings average 65 FPS, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 75. High settings average 55 FPS, just under the threshold. Ultra settings average 42 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is the sweet spot: it clears 60 FPS on average and stays above 56 FPS even at the minimum. Low settings are even smoother, with a 25 FPS headroom over the playability threshold. High settings miss the mark by 5 FPS, and Ultra is not viable.

The data shows a steep drop-off as resolution increases. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the average FPS falls from 85 to 55, a 30 FPS decline. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, it falls from 55 to 30, another 25 FPS decline. The same pattern holds for Medium: 65 at 1080p, 42 at 1440p, 23 at 4K. This is a GPU-bound scenario, as the CPU is far more capable than the GPU.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Arc B370, based on average benchmark scores, are all older or much weaker GPUs. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 has an average score of 1186, which is 0.2 percent higher than the B370's 1184. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, 0.5 percent higher. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, 0.7 percent higher. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, which is 1.4 percent lower. These are all integrated or low-end discrete GPUs from over a decade ago. For practical purposes, anyone considering the Arc B370 should expect performance similar to those parts. That means 1080p gaming at low to medium settings is the realistic ceiling, and even that will stress the GPU.

The CPU side is different. The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, and its nearest rivals are all very close. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971, just 0.2 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, 0.3 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654, 0.5 percent lower. The Intel Xeon w3-2535 scores 46653, 0.5 percent lower. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming. The CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo. If someone swapped the i7-13700K for any of these rivals, the measured FPS in Minimum would stay essentially the same, because the GPU is limiting performance.

The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU creates an unusual situation. The CPU has enough headroom to handle any modern game's logic, physics, and draw calls, but the GPU cannot push enough pixels. For Minimum specifically, the GPU is the sole limiting factor at all resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p Low and Medium, the CPU might start to matter slightly, but the FPS numbers are still low enough that the GPU is doing most of the work.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this combo at 3425 out of 3712 tested combinations for Minimum. That places it in the bottom 8 percent of all tested systems. This is a very low ranking, driven almost entirely by the GPU. The CPU's 89th percentile score does not compensate for the GPU's 5th percentile score. In practical terms, this combo sits alongside systems with much older or weaker graphics hardware. The rank reflects the measured FPS data: no playable settings at 4K or 1440p, and only Low and Medium at 1080p.

The ranking also shows that the combo is significantly below the median tested system. Most tested combos can run Minimum at 1080p with higher settings or at higher resolutions. This combo cannot. The 287 positions from the bottom are mostly systems with similarly weak GPUs paired with various CPUs. The i7-13700K does not boost the combo because the game is not CPU-bound at the settings where the GPU fails.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear. At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best average FPS is 30 at Low, which is far below the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, there are also no playable settings. The best average FPS is 55 at Low, which is 5 FPS short. At 1920x1080, the situation changes. Low settings average 85 FPS, and Medium settings average 65 FPS. Both are above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 55 FPS, and Ultra averages 42 FPS, so those are not playable.

The database lists the playable settings at 1080p as Low and Medium, with Medium being the best settings preset that stays above 60 FPS. The average FPS at Medium is 65. This means the combo can run Minimum at 1080p with medium graphical details and maintain a smooth frame rate, with a minimum of 56 FPS ensuring no major dips. For anyone using this combo, 1080p is the only viable resolution. 1440p and 4K are not options for smooth gameplay, regardless of settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that the GPU is the dominant component in this game. The scaling between resolutions and presets makes this obvious. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 85. At 1080p Medium, it drops to 65. At 1080p High, it drops to 55. At 1080p Ultra, it drops to 42. The GPU is struggling to handle the increased workload as settings rise. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, is not the limiting factor. The i7-13700K can handle the game's single-threaded and multi-threaded demands easily, as shown by its benchmark scores. The 3dmark single-thread score of 1136 and the cinebench R23 single-core score of 2116 are far above what a 2014 third-person shooter needs.

At 1440p, the GPU becomes even more of a bottleneck. The average FPS at Low drops from 85 at 1080p to 55 at 1440p, a 35 percent reduction. The pixel count increases by about 77 percent, so the FPS drop is not linear, but it is substantial. The CPU is still not the issue. The same pattern appears at 4K, where the GPU is completely overwhelmed. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and it does that without issue. The recorded FPS numbers are entirely a function of the GPU's rendering capability.

The CPU and GPU roles are asymmetric. The CPU is a high-end part that would not bottleneck any GPU on the market. The GPU is an integrated solution that struggles with even 1080p Medium in this game. For Minimum, the GPU determines the playable settings and resolutions. The CPU only matters in that it does not hold the GPU back, which is not a meaningful advantage here because the GPU is so weak. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS of 56 suggests the GPU is occasionally dropping frames, but the CPU is not causing those drops.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, there is no best setting because no preset achieves 60 FPS. The highest average is 30 FPS at Low, which is not playable. The database records no playable settings at this resolution, so the recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combo.

For 2560x1440, the situation is the same. No preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest is Low at 55 FPS average, which is 5 FPS short. The database records no playable settings at this resolution. Users should not attempt 1440p with this combo if they want smooth gameplay.

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium. The average FPS at Medium is 65, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 75. This is the recommended setting for this combo. Low settings also work, with an average of 85 FPS, but Medium offers better visual quality while still maintaining a playable frame rate. High settings average 55 FPS, which is below the threshold, and Ultra averages 42 FPS, which is not close. The data indicates that Medium at 1080p is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for this hardware pairing.

In summary, the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B370 combo is a heavily GPU-limited system for Minimum. The CPU is more than capable, but the GPU cannot deliver playable frame rates above 1080p. At 1080p, Medium settings provide a 65 FPS average, which is the only preset beyond Low that clears the 60 FPS bar. The combo ranks near the bottom of the database, and the measured FPS data supports that ranking. Users should treat this as a 1080p gaming system with medium detail expectations, nothing more.