Minimum

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a clear performance profile in Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. The measured data shows a system that scales predictably with resolution and preset, with the 1080p and 1440p tiers offering smooth gameplay while 4K remains a stretch. The benchmark results indicate a strong CPU-GPU pairing where the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the overall combination still holds its own across most tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest results. The Low preset averages 178.3 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded across all tested settings. Moving to Medium yields 137.9 FPS, while High drops to 115.5 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p still maintains a solid 88.3 FPS average, showing that even the most demanding settings at this resolution remain far above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The 2560x1440 results show a noticeable step down but remain competitive. Low settings produce an average of 116.9 FPS, Medium follows at 88.2 FPS, and High reaches 73.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p dips to 58.6 FPS, which sits just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. This marks the first preset in the data where the system fails to maintain a consistent 60 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall significantly. Low settings average 59.4 FPS, narrowly missing the 60 FPS mark. Medium drops to 48.3 FPS, High falls to 41.9 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 31.3 FPS. None of the 4K presets clear the 60 FPS playable threshold, and the gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 28.1 FPS, indicating a substantial performance cost for higher visual fidelity.

Across all resolutions, the data shows no min or max FPS values, so only average frame rates are available for analysis. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p reduces frame rates by roughly 35-50% depending on the preset, while the jump from 1440p to 4K causes an additional 45-50% drop. This consistent degradation suggests a well-balanced system where neither component creates a bottleneck until the GPU reaches its limits at 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core i9-14900K, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, provides substantial headroom for Minimum, a game from 2014 that does not demand modern multi-threaded performance. The CPU’s benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5, place it in the 95th percentile among all CPUs. This processing power far exceeds what Minimum requires, meaning the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rates in most scenarios.

The GPU, an AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, ranks in the 60th percentile among all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score of 17132 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2348 indicate mid-range performance. At 1080p, the GPU handles all presets with ease, as evidenced by the 88.3 FPS average at Ultra. The CPU’s role at this resolution is minimal, as the GPU is not yet saturated.

At 1440p, the GPU begins to show its limits. The Ultra preset’s 58.6 FPS average, just below the 60 FPS threshold, suggests the GPU is nearing its capacity. The CPU still has significant headroom, as its performance does not bottleneck the system at this resolution. The scaling from 1080p Ultra (88.3 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (58.6 FPS) represents a 33.6% reduction, which aligns with the increased pixel count.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The Low preset at 59.4 FPS barely misses 60 FPS, while Ultra plummets to 31.3 FPS. The CPU’s influence is negligible here, as the GPU is fully saturated. The data shows that the RX 7600 XT cannot sustain playable frame rates at 4K for Minimum, regardless of the CPU’s capabilities. The i9-14900K’s benchmarks, such as the Passmark multi-thread score of 58674, demonstrate it is not the limiting factor in any tested configuration.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the Intel Core i9-14900KF scores an average of 79371, which is just 0.3% lower than the i9-14900K’s average benchmark score of 79097. This makes the KF variant a near-identical alternative in terms of performance. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus follows with an average score of 79574, 0.6% higher, while the AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, 1.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 trails slightly with a score of 77740, which is 1.7% lower. Any of these CPUs would deliver essentially the same frame rates in Minimum, as the game does not stress modern processors.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 has an average score of 17208, which is 0.7% higher than the RX 7600 XT’s 17083. This places the RTX 3070 as a slightly faster alternative. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037, 0.3% lower, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA Tesla M4, with a score of 16932, is 0.9% lower. In practice, swapping the RX 7600 XT for an RTX 3070 would yield marginally higher frame rates, but the differences are small enough that the overall playability verdicts would remain unchanged. The GTX 690 and HD 7970M would perform nearly identically to the RX 7600 XT in Minimum.

The Verdict

The data clearly answers the question of whether this PC can run Minimum. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on every preset, with the lowest average being 88.3 FPS at Ultra. The verdict for 1080p is fully playable across all settings. At 2560x1440, the High, Medium, and Low presets all exceed 60 FPS, with High averaging 73.9 FPS as the best playable option. Ultra at 1440p, however, falls short at 58.6 FPS, so it is not recommended.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest is Low at 59.4 FPS, which is just under the playable threshold. This means 4K is not viable for smooth gameplay with this combination. The verdict by resolution confirms this: 1080p supports all four presets, 1440p supports three of four, and 4K supports none. For players targeting 60 FPS, the practical ceiling is 1440p High, which provides a comfortable margin above the threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 88.3 FPS. This is the best visual quality available at this resolution while maintaining smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, averaging 73.9 FPS. This offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium’s 88.2 FPS while still clearing the 60 FPS mark with room to spare.

For 3840x2160, no preset meets the 60 FPS requirement. The best possible average is 59.4 FPS at Low, which falls just short of the playable threshold. Players seeking 4K would need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS or reduce the resolution. The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this system, balancing visual fidelity and performance, while 1080p Ultra provides the highest quality playable experience overall.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 60 FPS on 1080p Ultra settings?*

A: Yes. The average FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 88.3, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: High settings at 1440p average 73.9 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. Ultra at this resolution averages 58.6 FPS, which falls below the threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this combination?

A: No. None of the 4K presets reach 60 FPS. The best result is Low settings at 59.4 FPS, which just misses the playable threshold. Ultra at 4K averages only 31.3 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i9-14900K compare to its closest rival, the i9-14900KF?

A: The i9-14900KF has an average benchmark score of 79371, which is 0.3% lower than the i9-14900K’s score of 79097. The performance difference is negligible for Minimum.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The GPU is the primary factor. The CPU’s 95th percentile benchmark ranking far exceeds the game’s requirements, so the RX 7600 XT determines frame rates. At 1080p Ultra, the GPU still delivers 88.3 FPS, indicating it has adequate headroom.

Q: What GPU rival performs closest to the RX 7600 XT?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208 on average, which is 0.7% higher than the RX 7600 XT’s 17083. This makes it a slightly faster but very similar alternative.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combination ranks 2273 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the overall rankings, which reflects the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than the CPU’s top-tier performance. The rank is primarily driven by the RX 7600 XT’s 60th percentile standing among GPUs, as the i9-14900K’s 95th percentile CPU ranking does little to lift the combo in a game where the GPU is the limiting factor.

Given that 3712 combos were tested, the 2273rd position means roughly 61% of configurations perform better. This is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range status, as higher-ranked combos likely pair the same or better CPUs with more powerful GPUs. The system’s strong 1080p and 1440p performance suggests it is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but users seeking top-tier rankings or 4K capability would need a more robust GPU. The data indicates this combo is a balanced mid-range option, excelling at lower resolutions while falling short of high-end expectations.