Minimum

Intel Core i7-14700K paired with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 in Minimum presents a striking asymmetry: a modern 20-core processor from 2023 paired with a 2016 graphics card that has been end-of-life for years. The recorded data shows this combo lands at rank 3093 out of 3712 tested configurations, placing it in the lower 17 percent of all tested combos for this game. The CPU sits at the 94th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 47th percentile among all graphics cards, a gap that immediately suggests the graphics card will define the experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for each component clarifies what this combo truly is. The Intel Core i7-14700K's average benchmark score is 69355, which is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 9115 at 69288 (0.1 percent difference) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69515 (0.2 percent behind). The Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 (0.7 percent ahead) and the Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 (0.9 percent ahead). In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver essentially the same processor-level performance in Minimum, meaning the 14700K is not a unique bottleneck or advantage; it is simply a very fast processor that sits among other very fast processors.

The GPU side tells a different story. The GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 9780, with the AMD FirePro W5000 at 9803 (0.2 percent ahead), the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M at 9832 (0.5 percent ahead), the NVIDIA Tesla M10 at 9724 (0.6 percent behind), and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 at 9716 (0.7 percent behind). These are not gaming cards in the traditional sense; they are workstation and compute-oriented products. This indicates the GTX 1070's performance envelope in this database is comparable to professional-grade hardware from its era, not to modern gaming GPUs. A user with this CPU who swapped in any of those rival GPUs would see nearly identical frame rates, which underscores that the 1070 is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

The database also shows the GPU's percentile ranking at 47, meaning half of all GPUs tested score higher. Combined with the CPU at 94, this combo is essentially a top-tier processor dragging a mid-pack graphics card. In Minimum, the CPU's headroom is irrelevant because the GPU cannot translate that headroom into frames.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals which component matters more at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the CPU has enough room to feed the GPU at all settings: Low averages 137.4 FPS, Medium 109 FPS, High 90.2 FPS, and Ultra 66.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 51.5 percent drop, which is entirely attributable to GPU workload. At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers: Low 88.6 FPS, Medium 69.3 FPS, High 57.3 FPS, and Ultra 46.7 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 47.3 percent, again GPU-bound.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed. Low averages 46.3 FPS, Medium 37.8 FPS, High 31.5 FPS, and Ultra 23.6 FPS. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same settings shows the GPU's limits: at Ultra, 66.7 FPS at 1080p falls to 23.6 FPS at 4K, a 64.6 percent reduction. At Low, 137.4 FPS at 1080p falls to 46.3 FPS at 4K, a 66.3 percent reduction. These are massive drops that cannot be explained by CPU limitations; the 14700K is not changing behavior between resolutions. The data indicates the GPU is the sole bottleneck across all resolutions and settings.

The CPU's role is therefore to ensure the GPU is never starved, and at 1080p that is clearly happening. At higher resolutions, the GPU simply runs out of pixel throughput, and no amount of CPU headroom helps. The verdictByResolution data confirms this: at 1440p, only Low and Medium are playable, and at 4K, no settings are playable. The CPU is not mentioned in any of those verdicts because it is not the constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame places this pairing at 3093 out of 3712, which is the 83rd percentile from the bottom, or the 17th percentile from the top. That means roughly 83 percent of tested combos perform better in Minimum. Given the CPU's 94th percentile ranking, this low combo rank is almost entirely due to the GPU's 47th percentile ranking. The database shows a stark mismatch: a processor that outperforms 94 percent of all CPUs is paired with a graphics card that outperforms only 47 percent of all GPUs, and the game's frame rates reflect the weaker component.

The rank is not about the CPU at all. If the same CPU were paired with a stronger GPU, the rank would rise substantially. If the same GPU were paired with a weaker CPU, the rank would likely stay similar or drop slightly, because the GPU is already the limiting factor. The data suggests this combo is a legacy GPU holding back a modern CPU, and the rank of 3093 is a direct consequence of that imbalance.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Minimum? The verdictByResolution data provides a clear answer. At 1920x1080, all four settings are playable: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra all clear the 60 FPS threshold. The best playable setting is Ultra at 66.7 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only Low (88.6 FPS) and Medium (69.3 FPS) are playable; High at 57.3 FPS and Ultra at 46.7 FPS fall short of 60 FPS. The best playable setting is Medium at 69.3 FPS. At 3840x2160, no settings are playable; the highest average is Low at 46.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

This means the answer depends entirely on the display resolution. For a 1080p monitor, this PC runs the game smoothly at maximum settings. For a 1440p monitor, it runs well at Medium settings, with a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. For a 4K monitor, it cannot achieve a playable frame rate at any settings. The CPU is never the issue; the GTX 1070 simply does not have enough throughput for 4K in this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded FPS data is presented as average frame rates only; no minimum or maximum values are available in the database. The measurements are as follows.

At 1920x1080, the lowest preset is Low with an average of 137.4 FPS. Medium averages 109 FPS. High averages 90.2 FPS. Ultra averages 66.7 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 70.7 FPS, and every preset clears 60 FPS with room to spare.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 88.6 FPS. Medium averages 69.3 FPS. High averages 57.3 FPS. Ultra averages 46.7 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 41.9 FPS. Only Low and Medium stay above 60 FPS, and Medium is close to the threshold at 69.3 FPS.

At 3840x2160, Low averages 46.3 FPS. Medium averages 37.8 FPS. High averages 31.5 FPS. Ultra averages 23.6 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 22.7 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS threshold, and even the lowest setting falls short by 13.7 FPS.

The resolution scaling is consistent: moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces frame rates by roughly 35 to 40 percent across settings, and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces them by roughly 45 to 50 percent. The Ultra preset at 4K (23.6 FPS) is the most demanding combination tested, and Low at 1080p (137.4 FPS) is the least demanding.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 60 FPS on a 1080p monitor?*

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, all four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) average above 60 FPS. Ultra averages 66.7 FPS, which is the highest playable setting.

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

A: Medium is the best playable setting at 2560x1440, averaging 69.3 FPS. Low also clears 60 FPS at 88.6 FPS, but High falls to 57.3 FPS and Ultra to 46.7 FPS.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is Low at 46.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra averages only 23.6 FPS.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU. The Intel Core i7-14700K ranks at the 94th percentile among CPUs, while the GTX 1070 ranks at the 47th percentile among GPUs. Frame rates drop dramatically with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 3093 out of 3712 tested combos, meaning about 83 percent of tested configurations perform better. This low rank is attributable to the GPU, not the CPU.

Q: What settings should I use for a smooth experience at 1440p?

A: Use Medium, which averages 69.3 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS. Low is also viable at 88.6 FPS, but Medium offers better visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database provides a clear recommendation for each resolution based on the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, there is no best setting because no preset reaches 60 FPS. The highest average is Low at 46.3 FPS, which is still below the threshold. The verdictByResolution data marks this resolution as having no playable settings.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is Medium, which averages 69.3 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Low also qualifies at 88.6 FPS, but Medium is the highest quality option that maintains playability.

At 1920x1080, the best setting is Ultra, which averages 66.7 FPS. All four presets clear 60 FPS, so the game can be run at maximum visual quality. Ultra has a 6.7 FPS margin above the threshold, which is sufficient for a stable experience given the data shows no minimum frame rates below 60 FPS.

The data tells a consistent story: at 1080p, this combo is fully capable of maximum settings; at 1440p, it requires a step down to Medium; at 4K, it cannot deliver a playable frame rate at any quality level. The CPU is never the limiting factor, and the GTX 1070's age shows clearly as resolution increases.