Minimum

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers a robust experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. Benchmark data shows this combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested resolution, though the margin of comfort varies significantly between 4K and lower resolutions. The most demanding settings at each resolution remain accessible, with only the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 falling below the target frame rate.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at or above 60 FPS is High, which produces an average of 63.5 FPS. This is a slim margin above the playable threshold, indicating that while the game runs smoothly, there is little headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset achieves 70.4 FPS, and Low runs at 99.1 FPS, but High is the optimal choice for visual fidelity without dropping below 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution falls short at 47.1 FPS, making it unplayable by the 60 FPS standard.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves dramatically. The Ultra preset is the best playable option, delivering an average of 87 FPS. This leaves substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing for consistent performance even in action-heavy sequences. Lower presets at this resolution—High at 117.6 FPS, Medium at 134.3 FPS, and Low at 179.4 FPS—all exceed the requirement, but Ultra provides the full visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, with an average of 137.2 FPS. This is more than double the playable threshold, ensuring exceptionally fluid gameplay. The High preset runs at 175.9 FPS, Medium at 211.6 FPS, and Low at 276.2 FPS. For 1080p users, Ultra is the clear recommendation, as it combines maximum graphical settings with performance that far exceeds what the game requires.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i7-14700KF and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is a high-end desktop part from the Core 14th Gen series, while the GPU is a RDNA 4.0 architecture card with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The data shows that at 1080p, the GPU is the primary constraint, as frame rates are extremely high across all presets—suggesting the CPU has ample capacity to feed the graphics card.

Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 30-40% across presets. For Ultra, the drop is from 137.2 FPS to 87 FPS, a reduction of about 37%. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more heavily utilized as pixel count increases. At 4K, the GPU load intensifies further. The High preset falls from 117.6 FPS at 1440p to 63.5 FPS at 4K, a 46% reduction, and Ultra drops from 87 FPS to 47.1 FPS, a 46% decline as well. This consistent percentage drop suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

However, the CPU still plays a significant role. The Core i7-14700KF's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235, ensures that the game's logic and physics calculations do not bottleneck the frame rate. The fact that frame rates at 1080p reach as high as 276.2 FPS on Low settings confirms the CPU can handle the game's demands without issue. The GPU, meanwhile, shows its strength through the Passmark G3D score of 26795, which places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, indicating solid mid-to-high range performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this CPU-GPU pairing ranks 989th out of 3712 combos, placing it in the top 27% of all systems tested. This is a strong showing, though not elite. The rank reflects the balance between the two components: the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. The combination leverages a top-tier processor with a mid-range-plus graphics card.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which scores 69515 on average, a 0.9% difference from the Core i7-14700KF's 70163 average benchmark score. This places the Intel chip on par with AMD's flagship from the previous generation. The GPU's nearest rivals, however, are significantly older parts. The AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 have average scores of 13536 and 13515, respectively, within 0.1-0.2% of the RX 9070 XT's 13543 average. This is a curious result, suggesting that the benchmark aggregation for the GPU may be skewed by specific tests, as the RX 9070 XT is a modern card with 4096 shading units and a boost clock of 2970 MHz.

In practice, the combo's rank in the 27th percentile indicates that many other systems achieve higher frame rates in Minimum. This is likely due to the game's age—released in 2014—and its low system requirements, meaning even mid-range GPUs can produce very high FPS. The i7-14700KF's processing power is largely wasted on a game that does not require 20 cores, and the GPU's relative mid-tier standing means it is the limiting factor in this pairing.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: No. At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average FPS is 47.1, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset is the most demanding playable option at this resolution, averaging 63.5 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset is fully playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 87 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above the 60 FPS threshold, offering the best visual quality without sacrificing performance.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F's 69996 and 0.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X's 69515. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K by 1%, which scores 70879.

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset achieves 137.2 FPS, and Low settings reach 276.2 FPS. The GPU is not limiting performance at this resolution; the frame rates are high enough that the CPU or game engine likely becomes the limiting factor.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 70.4. This is above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience with moderate visual quality.

Q: How does this combo rank overall for this game?

A: This pairing ranks 989th out of 3712 tested combos for Minimum, placing it in the top 27% of systems. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-tier position relative to other tested graphics cards.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Ultra settings produce 47.1 FPS, High settings produce 63.5 FPS, Medium settings produce 70.4 FPS, and Low settings produce 99.1 FPS. No minimum or maximum frame rate data is available for this resolution, so the averages represent the overall performance.

At 2560x1440, the averages are substantially higher. Ultra delivers 87 FPS, High delivers 117.6 FPS, Medium delivers 134.3 FPS, and Low delivers 179.4 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p is most pronounced on the Ultra preset, which improves by 39.9 FPS (an 85% increase), showing how resolution scaling impacts the GPU workload.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are the highest of all tested resolutions. Ultra runs at 137.2 FPS, High at 175.9 FPS, Medium at 211.6 FPS, and Low at 276.2 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 139 FPS, indicating that the graphics settings have a significant impact on performance even at this resolution. Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: each step down in settings yields a meaningful FPS increase, with the largest relative gains occurring at 4K.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Minimum? The answer is a definitive yes, with caveats at the highest resolution. The verdict by resolution shows that at 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the best setting being Ultra at 137.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, all presets are also playable, with Ultra at 87 FPS as the best option. At 3840x2160, three of the four presets—Low, Medium, and High—clear the 60 FPS threshold, with High at 63.5 FPS being the most demanding playable setting. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that fails to meet the playable standard, averaging 47.1 FPS.

For most users, this system will provide an excellent experience. At 1080p and 1440p, the game runs far above 60 FPS even on the highest settings, ensuring smooth gameplay with maximum visual fidelity. At 4K, users must compromise on settings, choosing High instead of Ultra to maintain playability. The data indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the limiting factor at 4K, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF provides ample headroom for the game's computational demands. Overall, this combo is well-suited for Minimum at 1080p and 1440p, and it remains viable at 4K with a modest settings reduction.