Minimum

Minimum is a 2014 third-person shooter that places unusual demands on the hardware it runs on. The combination of an Intel Core i9-14900K processor and an Intel Arc B370 integrated GPU produces a very specific performance profile, one that is heavily constrained by the graphics side of the equation. The recorded data shows a system that can handle the game at lower settings in full HD, but struggles as resolution and quality increase. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second, identifies the optimal settings for each resolution, and explains where the bottleneck lies.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measurements cover three resolutions, 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080, each tested at Low, Medium, High, and Ultra settings. The only entries with complete min and max data are the Medium presets, which gives a fuller picture of frame pacing at that level.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly low. The Low preset averages 30 FPS, which is exactly half of the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium drops to an average of 23 FPS, with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 26 FPS, indicating very tight but consistently low performance. High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra falls to 15 FPS. No setting at this resolution comes close to the playable mark, and the spread from Low to Ultra is only 15 FPS, showing that even aggressive quality reductions cannot rescue 4K performance.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains below the playable threshold. Low averages 55 FPS, which is just 5 FPS shy of 60. Medium averages 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 48 FPS. High averages 35 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 13 FPS, and from Medium to High another 7 FPS. The data indicates that 1440p is playable in the sense of being smooth, but it never reaches the 60 FPS target at any preset.

At 1920x1080, the system finally approaches and exceeds the playable threshold. Low averages 85 FPS, which is a strong result. Medium averages 65 FPS, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 75 FPS, meaning that even the lowest recorded frame stays within a reasonable range of the target. High averages 55 FPS, just under the threshold, and Ultra averages 42 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 20 FPS, from Medium to High is 10 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 13 FPS. This resolution is the only one where the playable threshold is cleared, and only at Low and Medium.

Looking at the full picture, the Arc B370 shows a consistent pattern: each step up in quality costs a meaningful amount of performance, and each step up in resolution compounds that loss. The min and max figures for Medium presets show that frame times are relatively stable, with the 1080p Medium range of 56 to 75 FPS being the widest spread recorded, but still acceptable for gameplay.

Best Settings per Resolution

The verdict data identifies which settings keep the average FPS at or above 60. For 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best possible average is 30 FPS at Low, which is half the target. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall further behind, so no preset is recommended for 4K.

For 2560x1440, the verdict also lists no playable settings. The closest is Low at 55 FPS, which is 5 FPS short. Medium at 42 FPS, High at 35 FPS, and Ultra at 27 FPS are all further from the target. Even the lowest quality preset cannot reach 60 FPS at this resolution.

For 1920x1080, the verdict lists Low and Medium as playable. The best setting is Medium, which achieves an average of 65 FPS. Low is also playable at 85 FPS, but Medium is the most demanding preset that still clears the threshold, offering a better visual experience while staying 5 FPS above the target. High at 55 FPS and Ultra at 42 FPS are not playable, so the recommendation is to use Medium for the best balance of quality and performance at 1080p.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a high-end desktop processor with 24 cores and 32 threads, a 125 W TDP, and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. It ranks in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Core i9-14900KF, which is 0.3% behind, and the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, which is 0.6% behind. This processor is clearly not the limiting factor in Minimum.

The Intel Arc B370, on the other hand, is an integrated GPU with 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation units. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with a TDP of just 25 W. Its only recorded benchmark is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which is 0.2% behind, and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which is 0.5% behind. This GPU is clearly the bottleneck.

The data supports this split. At 3840x2160, dropping from Ultra to Low only improves the average from 15 to 30 FPS, a 2x gain. At 2560x1440, the same drop improves from 27 to 55 FPS, slightly more than 2x. At 1920x1080, the drop improves from 42 to 85 FPS, again just over 2x. If the CPU were the limiting factor, resolution changes would have a much smaller effect, because the CPU workload is largely independent of resolution. Instead, the fact that 1080p Low runs at 85 FPS while 4K Low runs at 30 FPS shows that pixel throughput is the dominant constraint.

The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and the i9-14900K is more than capable of doing so. Its multi-core performance is in the 95th percentile, and its single-core performance is also strong, with a PassMark single-thread score of 4697. The recorded FPS figures are almost certainly limited by the Arc B370's fill rate and shading power, not by the processor. The 3DMark score of 1184 for the GPU versus the CPU's percentile rank makes this clear. In short, the CPU idles relative to the GPU at every resolution and preset tested.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide a sense of what other hardware would behave similarly in this game. For the Intel Core i9-14900K, the closest alternatives are the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which scores 79371 on average and is 0.3% behind, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, which scores 79574 and is 0.6% behind. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041 and is 1.2% behind, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740 and is 1.7% ahead. These differences are all within a couple of percent, so swapping the i9-14900K for any of these would not change the gaming experience in Minimum. The CPU is so far ahead of the GPU that any of these processors would produce nearly identical frame rates.

For the Intel Arc B370, the nearest rivals are all older or lower-end GPUs. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186 and is 0.2% behind, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190 and is 0.5% behind, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192 and is 0.7% behind. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168 and is 1.4% ahead. These deltas are tiny, meaning that a system with the i9-14900K paired with any of these GPUs would likely produce FPS numbers within a frame or two of the Arc B370 results. The Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of GPUs, so users should expect similar performance from any GPU in that performance class, such as those listed above.

In practical terms, the CPU choice has no meaningful impact on Minimum's frame rate, as every CPU rival is within 1.7% of the i9-14900K. The GPU choice is everything, and the Arc B370 is comparable to GPUs that are well over a decade old in terms of 3DMark scores. Any of the listed GPU rivals would produce very similar results in this game, all struggling to reach 60 FPS at 1080p on anything above Medium.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Minimum? The answer depends entirely on the resolution and settings. At 3840x2160, the system cannot run the game at a playable level. The best average is 30 FPS at Low, and all other presets are below 23 FPS. No setting clears the 60 FPS threshold, so 4K is effectively unplayable.

At 2560x1440, the system still cannot reach a playable state. The best average is 55 FPS at Low, which is 5 FPS short. Medium, High, and Ultra are all below 42 FPS. The verdict confirms that no playable settings exist at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system can run the game. The Low preset averages 85 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 65 FPS, both clearing the 60 FPS threshold. The best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 65 FPS, and a minimum of 56 FPS, meaning that even the worst frame is close to the target. High and Ultra are not playable, averaging 55 and 42 FPS respectively. So, the answer is yes, but only at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The system is not capable of 1440p or 4K gaming in Minimum.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested combinations of CPUs and GPUs in the database, this specific pairing ranks 3425 out of 3712. That places it in the lower portion of the overall ranking, at roughly the 8th percentile of all combos. This low rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU, as the CPU is in the 95th percentile of all processors. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU results in a system that is far below average for gaming, because the GPU cannot keep up with the demands of modern or even older titles like Minimum. The rank of 3425 out of 3712 means that the vast majority of tested combos outperform this one in gaming workloads, even though the CPU alone is among the best available.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 30 at Low settings, and all other presets are below 23 FPS. The verdict lists no playable settings at this resolution.

Q: What is the best setting for 1080p?

A: The best playable setting is Medium, which averages 65 FPS. Low is also playable at 85 FPS, but Medium offers better quality while staying above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Why is performance so low despite the powerful CPU?

A: The Intel Arc B370 GPU is the bottleneck. It has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 and ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the i9-14900K ranks in the 95th percentile of CPUs. The GPU cannot keep up with the rendering demands.

Q: Is the Arc B370 similar to any other GPUs in performance?

A: Yes, its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, AMD Radeon HD 7650M, and AMD FirePro M2000, all within 1.4% of its score. These would behave similarly in Minimum.

Q: Does the CPU choice matter for this game?

A: Not much. The i9-14900K's nearest rivals are within 1.7% of its average score, and since the GPU is the limiting factor, swapping the CPU for any similar processor would not change the frame rates significantly.

Q: What is the lowest FPS recorded at 1080p Medium?

A: The minimum FPS at 1920x1080 Medium is 56 FPS, with an average of 65 and a maximum of 75. This means even the lowest frame stays close to the playable threshold.