Minimum

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a decisive performance profile in Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014. Measured data indicates this combination is not merely capable of running the game, but does so with substantial headroom across all tested resolutions. With a combo rank of 311 out of 3712 tested configurations, this pairing sits comfortably in the top percentile of systems, making it an exceptionally strong choice for high-refresh-rate and high-fidelity play. The following analysis breaks down the exact frame rates, component roles, and optimal settings based solely on the measured data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS figures reveal a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, providing a clear picture of its capabilities. At 1920x1080, the RTX 4080 SUPER and Core i9-14900K combination produces outstanding results across all presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 354 FPS, while the Medium preset delivers 271 FPS average with a minimum of 230 FPS and a maximum of 312 FPS. The High preset still maintains an average of 228 FPS, and even the most demanding Ultra preset holds an average of 173 FPS. This demonstrates that at 1080p, the system is heavily limited by the game engine or CPU, as even the lowest settings cannot push frame rates higher than 354 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 228 FPS, while Medium sees an average of 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. The High preset delivers a 147 FPS average, and the Ultra preset still provides a very playable 112 FPS average. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a typical resolution-dependent decline, with the Ultra preset dropping from 173 FPS to 112 FPS, a reduction of roughly 35%, which indicates the GPU is beginning to take a more significant role.

At 3840x2160, the system remains fully playable at every preset. The Low setting produces an average of 123 FPS, while Medium yields 94 FPS average with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 108 FPS. The High preset maintains a solid 79 FPS average. The Ultra preset, which represents the maximum visual fidelity, still holds at exactly the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it viable for players who prioritize image quality over raw speed. The data shows a clear trend: at 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, but the combination of the RTX 4080 SUPER's 16 GB of memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth ensures no preset becomes unplayable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For builders considering this specific CPU and GPU pairing, the nearest rival data provides context on what other hardware would deliver nearly identical performance. On the CPU side, the Intel Core i9-14900KF is the closest alternative, with an average benchmark score of 79371 compared to the i9-14900K's 79097, a delta of just -0.3%. This means the KF variant, which lacks integrated graphics, performs essentially the same in gaming scenarios. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is also within a negligible margin, scoring 79574 (-0.6% delta), though this is a mobile-class chip with different platform requirements. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041 (-1.2% delta), but this server-focused processor is not a typical gaming choice. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower, indicating the i9-14900K has a slight edge over this competing AMD flagship.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (non-SUPER) is the immediate rival, with an average score of 54247 versus the RTX 4080 SUPER's 54209, a delta of only -0.1%. In practical terms, these two cards are interchangeable for Minimum. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (-1.1% delta), which is a workstation card not intended for gaming. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (-2.7% delta), meaning it performs slightly better in synthetic benchmarks, but its 12 GB memory buffer could be a limitation in other titles. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (-2.8% delta), again showing a marginal synthetic lead, but real-world gaming performance in Minimum would be very close to the RTX 4080 SUPER. For this specific game, any of these GPU alternatives would produce nearly identical FPS figures, so the choice comes down to other factors like driver preferences or feature support.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions makes it clear that the GPU is the dominant factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU becomes more relevant at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080, the difference between the Low and Ultra presets is 354 FPS versus 173 FPS, a spread of 181 FPS. This large gap indicates that the GPU is not fully saturated at lower settings, and the CPU's 24 cores and 32 threads are capable of feeding the graphics card with plenty of data. However, the absolute ceiling of 354 FPS at Low suggests the game engine itself has a frame rate cap or a CPU bottleneck that prevents higher values. The CPU's performance in single-threaded tasks, such as a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5, supports its ability to handle the game's logic efficiently.

At 2560x1440, the scaling becomes more moderate. The Low preset drops to 228 FPS, while Ultra drops to 112 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is now 116 FPS, which is narrower than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is starting to become the limiting factor. At 3840x2160, the GPU's role is unmistakable. The Low preset averages 123 FPS, and Ultra drops to 60 FPS, a gap of 63 FPS. The transition from 1440p Ultra (112 FPS) to 4K Ultra (60 FPS) represents a 46% performance loss, which is directly attributable to the increased pixel count stressing the RTX 4080 SUPER's 10240 shading units. The CPU's influence is minimal at 4K; even the most powerful processor would not push the Ultra preset much beyond 60 FPS because the GPU is fully saturated. For players targeting 4K, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the decisive component, while at 1080p, the i9-14900K ensures the GPU is never starved of work.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the combination achieves an average of 60 FPS, which exactly meets the playable threshold. This makes it viable, though players seeking higher frame rates at 4K would need to lower the preset to High (79 FPS) or Medium (94 FPS).

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in this game?

A: The two GPUs are effectively identical in performance. The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, while the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209, a delta of -0.1%. In Minimum, you would see no meaningful difference in FPS between the two.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming if I want a high refresh rate?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers a 112 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for most high-refresh monitors. If you have a 144Hz or higher display, the High preset at 147 FPS is a better choice.

Q: Is the Core i9-14900K overkill for this game?

A: At 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5) helps maintain frame rates above 300 FPS on lower presets. However, at 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck, so a less powerful CPU would not reduce the 60 FPS Ultra result. The i9-14900K provides headroom for other tasks, but it is not strictly necessary for this game at high resolutions.

*Q: Does the 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4080 SUPER matter for Minimum?*

A: The game from 2014 is unlikely to use anywhere near 16 GB of video memory, even at 4K Ultra. The memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s is more relevant for ensuring smooth texture streaming, but the capacity itself offers no benefit for this title.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 averages 271 FPS, with a minimum of 230 FPS and a maximum of 312 FPS. This is far above the playable threshold and ideal for competitive play.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured data allows for precise recommendations on the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays at the playable threshold, achieving an average of exactly 60 FPS. This is the maximum visual quality available, but players who prefer a safety margin should consider High (79 FPS) or Medium (94 FPS). At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, delivering a comfortable 112 FPS average. This provides both high visual fidelity and smooth motion, making it ideal for most 1440p monitors. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 173 FPS, which is the highest quality setting while still being far above the 60 FPS threshold. This setup is perfect for high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, as even the most demanding settings do not compromise performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall benchmark database for Minimum, this specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 311 out of 3712 tested configurations. This places it in the top 8.4% of all systems tested, a strong result that reflects its high-end components. The CPU's percentile rank against all CPUs is 95, meaning it outperforms 95% of all processors tested on the site, while the GPU's percentile rank is 86, indicating it beats 86% of all graphics cards. The combination of a top-5% CPU and a top-14% GPU results in a system that is exceptionally well-balanced for this title. Given that Minimum is a 2014 release with relatively modest requirements, this pairing is far more powerful than necessary, but the data shows it leverages that power to hit very high frame rates at all resolutions, especially 1080p and 1440p where the CPU and GPU work in tandem to deliver over 170 FPS on maximum settings. The rank of 311 is impressive when considering the thousands of possible combinations, and it confirms that this is a top-tier setup for players who want the absolute best experience in this game.