Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a decidedly mixed experience for Minimum, a 2014 Third-Person Shooter. The data shows a clear tier system: 1080p is fully conquered, 1440p is highly playable, and 4K is a struggle. The combination of a top-tier 20-core processor with a mid-range GPU creates a substantial CPU headroom, but the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck at higher resolutions. This analysis will break down the measured performance, contextualize it against similar hardware, and provide definitive settings guidance for each resolution.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data places this specific hardware pairing within a clear performance neighborhood. For the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating that its processing power is vastly higher than what Minimum can utilize. Its nearest rivals, according to aggregate benchmark scores, are the AMD EPYC 4464P (0.3% slower), the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (0.3% faster), the AMD EPYC 7343 (0.7% faster), and the AMD EPYC 9124 (0.7% slower). These are all enterprise-class processors, which underscores that the Core Ultra 7 265 is far beyond the requirements of this game. The CPU is effectively a non-factor in performance; any of these alternatives would deliver identical frame rates in Minimum because the workload is overwhelmingly GPU-bound.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 finds itself in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, a stark contrast to the CPU's ranking. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (0.7% faster), the AMD Radeon R9 370X (1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (1% slower), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (2.1% slower). The data suggests that swapping the RX 9060 for an RTX 3060 Ti would yield nearly identical performance in this title. The inclusion of the R9 370X, a much older card, as a close rival is notable; it indicates that the RX 9060's performance envelope is such that even older mid-range cards can match it in this specific benchmark suite. For a user looking at similar performance, the RTX 3060 Ti is the most direct comparison, as its delta is a negligible 0.7%. This means that in Minimum, the choice between these two GPUs would likely result in a difference of only a few frames per second. The RX 7700, with a 1% delta, is also effectively equivalent. The practical takeaway is that the GPU is the limiting factor, and users with any of these similarly-performing cards should expect the same results at each resolution and preset.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?*

A: Only at the Low preset. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings is 65 FPS, which is above the playable threshold. High, Medium, and Ultra presets all fall below 60 FPS at this resolution.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p that maintains a 60 FPS average?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that stays above the threshold, with an average of 78 FPS. While Low and Medium also clear 60 FPS, High offers the best visual fidelity among the playable options.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck performance in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks in the 59th percentile. The performance ceiling at higher resolutions is determined by the GPU's rendering capabilities, not the CPU's processing power.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average FPS is 187, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This far exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Does the Ultra preset at 1080p maintain a stable 60 FPS?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 92 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset is considered playable.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Minimum?*

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 2179 out of 3712 tested combos for this game. This places it in the lower half of all systems tested, which is surprising given the high-end CPU, but is explained by the mid-range GPU's ranking.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how the system scales across different resolutions and presets. The performance drop-off from 1080p to 4K is significant, highlighting the GPU's limitations.

At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset yields an average of 187 FPS. Moving to Medium shows an average of 143 FPS, with a minimum of 122 and a maximum of 165. The High preset drops to an average of 120 FPS. Even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 92 FPS. This demonstrates that at 1080p, the system has ample headroom for a high refresh rate monitor.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but the scaling is apparent. The Low preset averages 121 FPS. Medium averages 92 FPS (min 79, max 106), and High averages 78 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to an average of 59 FPS, just one frame below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. This reveals that the GPU is nearing its limit at this resolution with the most demanding settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations are clearly exposed. The Low preset is the only playable option, averaging 65 FPS. The Medium preset averages 50 FPS (min 42, max 57), which is not playable. High drops to 42 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 32 FPS. The 4K resolution demands a significant amount of pixel throughput that the RX 9060 cannot supply for this game at higher settings.

The data pattern is consistent: each step down in resolution or settings provides a substantial FPS boost, but the system is only truly comfortable at 1080p and 1440p.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination ranks 2179 out of 3712 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the 41st percentile of all systems tested for this specific game. This ranking is more reflective of the GPU's performance than the CPU's. The Core Ultra 7 265 is a top-tier processor, but its performance class (93rd percentile) is not a significant advantage in a game that is not CPU-intensive. Instead, the RX 9060, sitting in the 59th percentile of GPUs, dictates the system's overall position. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's mid-range standing, which limits the system to the performance tier seen in the measured FPS. A system with a weaker CPU but a stronger GPU would likely rank higher in this specific game.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Minimum? Yes, but the answer is contingent on the resolution. The data unequivocally shows that this system clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings. The verdict by resolution is clear:

• 1920x1080: Fully playable. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset, with an average of 92 FPS, is a smooth experience.
• 2560x1440: Highly playable. The High, Medium, and Low presets all maintain averages above 60 FPS. The High preset (78 FPS) is the recommended choice for quality. The Ultra preset, at 59 FPS, is a borderline miss.
• 3840x2160: Marginally playable. Only the Low preset achieves an average above 60 FPS, at 65 FPS. All other presets fall well below the playable threshold, with Ultra at 32 FPS.

The system's performance is characterized by a strong 1080p and 1440p showing, but it is not a 4K-capable machine for this title. The GPU's memory bandwidth and shader power are the limiting factors at 4K. The CPU, with its 20 cores and high clock speeds, is more than adequate for the task and does not contribute to any performance bottlenecks observed in the data.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured FPS and the 60 FPS playable threshold, the most demanding preset that maintains a playable average at each resolution is as follows:

• 3840x2160: The only playable preset is Low, which delivers an average of 65 FPS. This is the sole option that clears the 60 FPS bar at this resolution.
• 2560x1440: The most demanding playable preset is High, achieving an average of 78 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual quality and performance, staying well above the threshold.
• 1920x1080: The most demanding playable preset is Ultra, with an average of 92 FPS. This allows for the highest visual fidelity while maintaining a smooth and fluid frame rate.

These settings represent the maximum quality that can be enjoyed without dropping below the 60 FPS target. Users who prefer higher frame rates can, of course, select lower presets to achieve even greater performance, but these are the recommended settings for a quality-first experience.