Minimum

The data for Minimum with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 shows a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combination delivers exceptional headroom, with even the Ultra preset averaging 100.2 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset remains playable at 67.1 FPS, while the High preset reaches 87.2 FPS. At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically: only the Low preset manages to stay above the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 68.2 FPS, while High and Medium fall to 44.9 and 54.6 FPS respectively.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 68.2 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 54.6 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, and High falls further to 44.9 FPS. Ultra is the least viable option, averaging only 32.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, all four presets clear the 60 FPS bar, so the best settings are Ultra, which averages 67.1 FPS. This leaves some margin above the threshold, though not a large one. If higher frame rates are preferred, the High preset offers 87.2 FPS and Medium reaches 101.4 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 100.2 FPS. This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset provides both maximum visual quality and a comfortable frame rate cushion. The High preset at 128.3 FPS and Medium at 156.1 FPS are options for those prioritizing refresh rate over fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3,712 tested combinations in Minimum, this CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1,967th. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the overall distribution, which makes sense given that the game is from 2014 and the hardware is relatively modern. The rank reflects a system that can handle the game at 1080p and 1440p with ease but struggles at 4K with higher presets.

The percentile data for the individual components contextualizes this further. The CPU sits in the 94th percentile among all processors, indicating near-top-tier compute performance. The GPU, however, is in the 61st percentile among all graphics cards, which is more modest. This imbalance suggests the GPU is the limiting factor in demanding scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions where pixel throughput matters more.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160:

• Low: 68.2 FPS average
• Medium: 54.6 FPS average
• High: 44.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 32.3 FPS average

The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a steep drop-off. Moving from Low to Medium costs 13.6 FPS, from Medium to High costs 9.7 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 12.6 FPS. The total loss from Low to Ultra is 35.9 FPS, representing a 52.6% reduction. This indicates that 4K is heavily GPU-bound, with each preset tier adding significant load.

2560x1440:

• Low: 133.1 FPS average
• Medium: 101.4 FPS average
• High: 87.2 FPS average
• Ultra: 67.1 FPS average

At 1440p, the pattern is similar but with more headroom. Low to Medium drops 31.7 FPS, Medium to High drops 14.2 FPS, and High to Ultra drops 20.1 FPS. The Ultra preset stays above 60 FPS, but just barely, suggesting that future updates or more demanding scenes could push it below the threshold.

1920x1080:

• Low: 205 FPS average
• Medium: 156.1 FPS average
• High: 128.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 100.2 FPS average

At 1080p, the system is far less constrained. Low exceeds 200 FPS, and even Ultra maintains triple-digit frame rates. The relative drop from Low to Ultra is 104.8 FPS, which is a 51.1% reduction. This is consistent with the 4K scaling, indicating that the GPU workload scales similarly with preset quality regardless of resolution, but the absolute numbers are high enough to keep everything playable.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K sits close to several other CPUs in aggregate benchmark scores. The Intel Xeon 6511P has an average score of 71,051, which is 0.2% lower than the 265K's average benchmark score of 70,879. The Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 scores 71,370, 0.7% below, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70,163, 1% above. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69,996, 1.3% above. In practice, any of these would deliver nearly indistinguishable frame rates in Minimum at the tested resolutions, since the game is unlikely to be CPU-bound with any of these processors.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, the nearest rivals are notably older or lower-tier. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 has an average score of 17,666, just 0.2% above the RTX 4060's average of 17,639. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 17,588, 0.3% below, and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 scores 17,551, 0.5% below. The AMD Radeon Pro 460 scores 17,509, 0.7% below. While these GPUs are close in synthetic benchmarks, their real-world performance in Minimum could vary due to driver optimizations and API support, but the data suggests similar average frame rates at each preset and resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The 3840x2160 Low preset averages 68.2 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 54.6 FPS and High averages 44.9 FPS, both below the threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: Ultra is the best preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 67.1 FPS. All four presets at this resolution are playable, with Low at 133.1 FPS, Medium at 101.4 FPS, and High at 87.2 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17,639. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 is 0.2% higher at 17,666, while the AMD Radeon 780M is 0.3% lower at 17,588. The differences are minimal, suggesting similar performance potential.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 100.2 FPS, but at 3840x2160 it drops to 32.3 FPS, a 67.8% reduction. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 61st percentile suggests the GPU is the bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1920x1080?

A: The Low preset averages 205 FPS, while Ultra averages 100.2 FPS. This represents a 104.8 FPS difference, with Ultra delivering 48.9% of the Low preset's frame rate.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at all resolutions with any preset?

A: No. At 3840x2160, only Low achieves 68.2 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS. At 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, all four presets maintain at least 67.1 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum at 60 FPS or above in most configurations, but with important caveats. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the threshold, with Ultra averaging 100.2 FPS and Low reaching 205 FPS. This is the resolution where the system is fully comfortable. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 67.1 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom; High at 87.2 FPS is a safer choice for sustained performance.

At 3840x2160, the system only manages playable frame rates at Low settings, averaging 68.2 FPS. Medium drops to 54.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and High and Ultra are not viable at 44.9 and 32.3 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, users must accept significant visual compromises to maintain fluid gameplay.

The overall rank of 1,967 out of 3,712 combos reflects a system that is well-suited to 1080p and 1440p gaming for this title, but underpowered for 4K at higher quality settings. The game's age means even modest modern hardware performs well, but the GPU's 61st percentile ranking caps potential at higher resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions reveals a clear division of labor. At 1920x1080, the CPU's strength is more apparent, as the GPU can produce high frame rates but may be limited by draw calls and game logic. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 104.8 FPS, which is consistent with GPU workload scaling rather than CPU limits. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking ensures it will not bottleneck at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the GPU's role becomes more significant. The frame rates at each preset are roughly 35-40% lower than at 1080p, which aligns with the increased pixel count. The Ultra preset at 67.1 FPS shows the GPU is nearing its performance ceiling, while the CPU likely still has headroom.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The frame rate drops to 32.3 FPS at Ultra, which is a 67.8% reduction from 1080p Ultra. This magnitude of scaling indicates that the GPU is fully saturated, and the CPU's performance is largely irrelevant at this resolution. The gap between Low (68.2 FPS) and Ultra (32.3 FPS) at 4K is 35.9 FPS, showing that preset quality has a massive impact when pixel throughput is the constraint.

In summary, the CPU provides ample compute headroom for this game, while the GPU determines playability at higher resolutions and presets. For 1080p and 1440p, the RTX 4060 is sufficient; for 4K, only the lowest settings are playable, and the GPU is the limiting factor.