Minimum

This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 in the 2014 third-person shooter Minimum. The data provided is based on direct measurement, with a playability threshold of 60 FPS. The findings detail how this combination handles the game across three resolutions and four quality presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combination delivers high frame rates across the board. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 202, which is the highest recorded average for this combo. Medium settings produce an average of 155 FPS, with a minimum of 131 FPS and a maximum of 178 FPS. High settings yield an average of 130 FPS. The most demanding setting, Ultra, still achieves an average of 99 FPS, indicating substantial headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show more differentiation between presets. Low settings produce an average of 130 FPS. Medium settings deliver an average of 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. High settings average 84 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 64 FPS, which is the lowest average recorded at this resolution but still above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens considerably. Low settings produce an average of 70 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold based on average FPS. Medium settings average 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. High settings average 45 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 34 FPS, which is the lowest recorded performance in the entire dataset.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (202 FPS) and Ultra (99 FPS) is 103 FPS. At 1440p, that gap narrows to 66 FPS (130 vs 64). At 4K, the gap is 36 FPS (70 vs 34). This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU have ample headroom, but at 4K, the rendering load dominates and the advantage of lower settings diminishes in absolute terms.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average FPS at or above 60 is identified. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best settings choice, delivering an average of 99 FPS. This indicates that the combo has significant performance reserves at 1080p, allowing the game to run at maximum quality without approaching the playability floor.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also qualifies as the best settings, with an average of 64 FPS. While this is above the 60 FPS threshold, the margin is slim. The data suggests that Ultra at 1440p is playable, but there is little room for frame rate fluctuation without dipping below the threshold. The Medium preset offers a safer margin at 100 FPS, but the question of whether the visual quality upgrade from Medium to Ultra justifies the 36 FPS drop is one the data alone cannot answer.

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 70 FPS. This is a substantial compromise, as the game must run at the lowest quality setting to maintain playable frame rates at 4K. The Medium preset falls short at 54 FPS, and High and Ultra are significantly below the threshold at 45 and 34 FPS, respectively. For 4K gaming, this combo requires a significant reduction in graphical fidelity to achieve smooth performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS is 99. This is the highest preset available at this resolution and it comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: At which resolution does the Intel Core i7-14700F + RTX 4060 fail to maintain 60 FPS on Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160, Medium settings produce an average of 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The minimum FPS for this preset is 46, further confirming the difficulty at 4K.

Q: How does the 2560x1440 Ultra performance compare to the 1920x1080 Ultra performance?

A: The 1440p Ultra average is 64 FPS, while the 1080p Ultra average is 99 FPS. This represents a 35 FPS decrease when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same preset.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 202, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only measurement that exceeds 200 FPS.

Q: Is the 3840x2160 Low preset playable?

A: Yes, the average FPS at 4K Low is 70, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold. However, it is the only 4K preset that achieves this.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS values for Medium settings at 2560x1440?

A: The minimum FPS is 85 and the maximum FPS is 115, with an average of 100 FPS. This indicates consistent frame delivery at this setting.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on nearest rival benchmarks, the CPU and GPU in this combo have close performance counterparts. The Intel Core i7-14700F, with an average benchmark score of 53620, is most closely matched by the Intel Xeon 6505P, which scores 53701, a delta of -0.2%. This means the Xeon is essentially tied in performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288, a delta of 0.6%, indicating it is slightly slower but within a negligible margin.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666, a delta of -0.2%. This is a surprising pairing given the generational difference, but the benchmark data places them nearly identical. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, a delta of 0.3%, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17551, a delta of 0.5%. For a user seeking similar performance, any of these alternatives would deliver benchmark scores within a fraction of a percent of the RTX 4060.

The data implies that the CPU has more headroom relative to its rivals than the GPU does. The i7-14700F holds a slight edge over the Ryzen 9 7900X, while the RTX 4060 is statistically indistinguishable from the HD 7790 in average benchmark terms. This disparity suggests that in gaming scenarios, the GPU might be the limiting factor when paired with such a high-end CPU.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 202 (Low) to 99 (Ultra). This wide spread indicates that the GPU is handling the majority of the rendering workload, but the CPU is sufficiently fast to keep up even at Low settings where the GPU load is minimal. The high frame rates at Low settings suggest that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 130 (Low) to 64 (Ultra). The drop from 1080p Low (202 FPS) to 1440p Low (130 FPS) is 72 FPS, which is a significant reduction. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more stressed as pixel count increases. However, the CPU still has enough headroom to maintain high frame rates at lower presets.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 70 (Low) to 34 (Ultra). The drop from 1440p Low (130 FPS) to 4K Low (70 FPS) is 60 FPS, showing a continued GPU-bound trend. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the average FPS drops to 34. The CPU's influence is diminished at this resolution because the GPU is saturated.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the combo is balanced, with the CPU able to feed the GPU at all presets. At 1440p, the GPU begins to assert dominance, but the CPU still provides adequate support. At 4K, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck, and the CPU's performance becomes less relevant to the final frame rate. For users prioritizing high frame rates, the GPU is the component that matters most at higher resolutions.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 can run Minimum at all three tested resolutions, but with significant caveats at 4K. At 1920x1080, the combo clears the 60 FPS threshold on all presets, with the Ultra preset delivering an average of 99 FPS. This is the ideal resolution for this hardware, offering both high quality and high performance.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which just clears the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets (High at 84 FPS, Medium at 100 FPS, Low at 130 FPS) are comfortably playable. The data indicates that 1440p is a viable resolution for this combo, but Ultra settings leave little headroom for frame rate dips.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is mixed. Only the Low preset, with an average of 70 FPS, clears the threshold. Medium (54 FPS), High (45 FPS), and Ultra (34 FPS) all fall below 60 FPS. This means the combo can run the game at 4K only by sacrificing visual quality. For a game from 2014, this is a notable limitation, but the data shows it is possible.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combos in the database, this pairing ranks 2000 out of 3712. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is also far from the bottom. The percentile data for the individual components shows the CPU ranks in the 91st percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 61st percentile. This discrepancy highlights that the CPU is a high-end part, but the GPU is more mid-range. The rank of 2000 suggests that many other combos deliver higher performance in this game, likely due to more powerful GPUs. The data implies that if the goal is to maximize frame rates, a stronger GPU would be the primary upgrade path, as the CPU has plenty of headroom based on its benchmark percentile.