Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER presents a striking imbalance in the database records for Minimum. The processor is a modern flagship-class part, while the graphics card is from an older generation, and the measured frame rates clearly show where the bottleneck lies. This combination delivers playable performance at 1080p and 1440p, but it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K. The following analysis breaks down the exact measurements, settings guidance, and component roles based solely on the recorded data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database contains average frame rate measurements for this combo across three resolutions and four quality presets. The most demanding configuration tested is 4K Ultra, which produces an average of 27.4 FPS. At 4K High, the average rises to 40.7 FPS. Dropping to 4K Medium yields 47.8 FPS, and the least demanding preset at this resolution, 4K Low, reaches an average of 56.6 FPS. None of these 4K figures clear the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the picture improves considerably. The Low preset averages 111.3 FPS, which is the highest recorded value at this resolution. Medium follows at 82.2 FPS, and High averages 72.3 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 57 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold. This means three of the four presets at 1440p are playable, with High being the most demanding preset that still maintains an average above 60 FPS.

The 1920x1080 results are the strongest in the dataset. Low settings produce an average of 169.6 FPS, Medium reaches 130.5 FPS, and High averages 110.5 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 82.8 FPS, which remains comfortably above the playable threshold. Every preset at 1080p clears 60 FPS, making this resolution fully playable across all settings.

The data shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 86.8 FPS, while at 1440p that gap narrows to 54.3 FPS, and at 4K it shrinks to 29.2 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is increasingly strained at higher resolutions, compressing the performance difference between presets.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K resolution?*

A: No. The recorded data shows no playable settings at 3840x2160. The best average at this resolution is 56.6 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Ultra, High, and Medium presets average 27.4, 40.7, and 47.8 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the highest quality preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset, which averages 72.3 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 57 FPS and does not meet the playable threshold.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 1920x1080?

A: Yes. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 82.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets at 1080p are playable according to the verdict data.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2530 out of 3712 tested combinations. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is consistent with the GPU being a mid-range part from an older generation.

Q: Which component is more likely to limit performance at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU is a 20-core processor with a benchmark score that places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. The frame rates at 4K are far below the 1080p results, which points to the graphics card struggling with the higher pixel count.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: The difference is 54.3 FPS. Low averages 111.3 FPS, while Ultra averages 57 FPS. This shows a substantial performance cost for the highest quality settings at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset meets the 60 FPS playable threshold. The verdict data lists no playable settings for this resolution, and the best average recorded is 56.6 FPS on Low. Users targeting 4K would need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS, as even the lowest quality settings do not reach the threshold.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 72.3 FPS. This is the recommended target for 1440p gameplay. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 57 FPS, which is below the threshold, so it should be avoided if maintaining 60 FPS is a priority.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 82.8 FPS and is the most demanding playable option. Since all presets at 1080p clear the threshold, users can run the game at maximum quality while staying well above 60 FPS. The data suggests that 1080p Ultra is the sweet spot for this combo.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database provides context for how this combo performs relative to other hardware pairings.

For the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 70879, which places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6511P with an average score of 71051, a delta of -0.2 percent, meaning the Xeon is essentially tied. The Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 scores 71370, which is 0.7 percent higher than the Ultra 7 265K. The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163, putting it 1 percent lower. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, which is 1.3 percent lower. These differences are small, so any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Minimum.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile with a score of 18159 (-0.4 percent), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 with 18189 (-0.5 percent), the AMD Radeon RX 460 with 18373 (-1.5 percent), and the Intel Arc A770M with 18383 (-1.6 percent). These deltas are all within 2 percent, so any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in the measured scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame places this pairing at 2530 out of 3712 tested combinations. This means roughly 68 percent of tested combos perform better, while about 32 percent perform worse. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-tier standing rather than the CPU, which is among the top 6 percent of all processors. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER holds the combo back, preventing it from reaching the upper tiers of the ranking. At 1080p, the combo performs well, but at 4K it falls below the playable threshold, which likely contributes to its lower overall rank.

The Verdict

The answer to whether this PC can run Minimum depends entirely on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the verdict is a clear yes: all four presets are playable, and the Ultra preset averages 82.8 FPS, providing a smooth experience at maximum quality. At 2560x1440, the verdict is partially yes: High, Medium, and Low presets are playable, with High averaging 72.3 FPS, but Ultra falls short at 57 FPS. At 3840x2160, the verdict is no: no preset reaches the 60 FPS threshold, with the best average being 56.6 FPS on Low settings.

The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS in the database. Given that threshold, this combo is suitable for 1080p gaming at any preset and 1440p gaming up to High settings. It is not suitable for 4K gaming at any preset. Users with a 4K display would need to lower the resolution or accept sub-60 FPS performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in this combo. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz and an L3 cache of 30 MB. Its benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35850 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2713. The GPU, meanwhile, is an 8 GB GDDR6 card with a 256-bit memory bus and 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its PassMark G3D score is 16462, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2011.

The scaling between resolutions shows the GPU's influence. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 169.6 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 111.3 FPS, a 34 percent reduction. At 4K Low, it drops to 56.6 FPS, a 49 percent reduction from 1440p. These large drops as resolution increases are characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, the frame rates would remain more consistent across resolutions.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent when looking at the high refresh rate potential at 1080p. The 169.6 FPS average on Low settings suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to reach high frame rates. The processor's PassMark single-thread score of 4928 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2020 indicate strong per-core performance, which is important for games that rely on a few threads.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 224.4 GTexel/s texture rate are insufficient to maintain 60 FPS at this resolution, even on Low settings. The CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by its 94th percentile ranking, but the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel workload.

The verdict data reinforces this interpretation. At 1440p, the best playable setting is High at 72.3 FPS, but Ultra drops to 57 FPS. This 15.3 FPS penalty for the highest preset suggests that the GPU is close to its limit at this resolution. At 1080p, even Ultra stays at 82.8 FPS, indicating that the GPU has enough margin at the lower pixel count.

In summary, the CPU provides more than enough processing power for Minimum, while the GPU dictates the playable resolution and settings. Users upgrading this system would see the largest gains from replacing the RTX 2060 SUPER, as the CPU has significant headroom to support a faster graphics card. The data shows a combo that is well-suited for 1080p and capable at 1440p, but it cannot reach 60 FPS at 4K under any settings.