Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers exceptional performance in Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. Benchmark data shows this combination is overwhelmingly capable, with measured average frame rates ranging from 61 FPS at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset to 356 FPS at 1080p Low. The data confirms that this system does not merely meet the 60 FPS playable threshold; it vastly exceeds it across every tested resolution and settings combination, with the only marginal result being 61 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the Core Ultra 7 265K and RTX 4080 produce a measured average of 79 FPS on High settings. Dropping to Medium yields an average of 95 FPS, with a minimum recorded at 80 FPS and a maximum at 109 FPS. The Low preset provides a substantial jump to 124 FPS average, while the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still maintains a playable 61 FPS average. The progression across presets at 4K shows a clear scaling pattern: from 61 FPS at Ultra, to 79 FPS at High, 95 FPS at Medium, and 124 FPS at Low.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance envelope expands considerably. The High preset averages 148 FPS, while Medium achieves 176 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 202 FPS. Low settings push the average to 230 FPS, and Ultra still delivers a robust 112 FPS average. The 1440p results indicate a 1.84x improvement over the equivalent 4K Ultra setting, demonstrating strong scaling when pixel count is reduced.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system operates at extraordinarily high frame rates. The Ultra preset averages 174 FPS, High reaches 229 FPS, and Medium produces 273 FPS with a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 313 FPS. The Low preset is the standout, achieving a measured average of 356 FPS. This data shows that at 1080p, the combination is rarely constrained by the GPU, as even the most demanding preset delivers nearly three times the playable threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the best settings that remain at or above 60 FPS are Ultra, which achieves an average of 61 FPS. This is the most demanding preset available, and the measured result sits just above the playable threshold. While High and Medium offer higher averages of 79 FPS and 95 FPS respectively, the data indicates that Ultra is viable for users prioritizing visual fidelity, albeit with minimal headroom.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, with an average of 112 FPS. This provides significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing for full graphical settings without concerns about frame rate dips. The High preset at 148 FPS and Medium at 176 FPS are also viable, but Ultra offers the most complete visual experience while maintaining a smooth frame rate.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers a 174 FPS average, making it the clear best settings option. The system has ample performance to run the game at maximum quality with a frame rate that is 2.9x higher than the playable threshold. Even at this resolution, the data shows no reason to compromise on settings, as the lowest recorded preset (Ultra) still provides an exceptional experience.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions reveals the respective roles of the CPU and GPU in this configuration. From 3840x2160 to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset average FPS increases from 61 to 112, a 83.6% improvement. The jump from 1440p to 1080p at Ultra settings shows a further increase from 112 to 174 FPS, a 55.4% gain. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as reducing resolution produces disproportionately large frame rate gains.

The data also shows the CPU’s influence at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 356 FPS, which is 2.87x higher than the 124 FPS at 4K Low. However, the scaling from 1440p Low (230 FPS) to 1080p Low (356 FPS) is a 54.8% improvement, which is less than the 85.5% improvement seen when moving from 4K Low to 1440p Low. This diminishing return suggests that at 1080p, the Core Ultra 7 265K, with its 20 cores and 20 threads, begins to play a more significant role, though the GPU remains dominant.

The medium preset data supports this analysis. At 4K Medium, the system averages 95 FPS with a minimum of 80 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 176 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it reaches 273 FPS. The consistent performance scaling across presets indicates that this game is primarily GPU-bound, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom even at high frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 70879. The Intel Xeon 6511P scores 71051, a delta of -0.2%, meaning it performs nearly identically. The Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 scores 71370, with a -0.7% delta, also effectively equivalent. The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163, a 1% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, a 1.3% delta. For this game, any of these processors would yield similar frame rates, as the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209, a delta of 0.1%, making it a direct equivalent. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, with a -1.1% delta, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, a -2.6% delta. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757, a -2.7% delta. These alternatives would produce very similar performance in Minimum, with the RTX 4080 SUPER being the closest match. Users with any of these GPUs paired with a similarly performing CPU can expect comparable frame rates to the measured data.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 246 out of 3712 tested combinations in Minimum. This places the system in the top 6.6% of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the high measured frame rates. The rank reflects the significant power of both components, though the GPU’s influence is more prominent given the game’s graphical demands. The percentile ranking for the CPU is 94 against all CPUs, while the GPU sits at 86 against all GPUs, indicating that both components are well above average.

The high rank is justified by the data. At 4K Ultra, the system holds just above 60 FPS, which is a demanding scenario for many systems. At lower resolutions, the frame rates are exceptional, with 1080p Low reaching over 350 FPS. This combination is clearly positioned for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p and 1080p, while still being capable of 4K gaming at maximum settings.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minimum exceptionally well. At 3840x2160, the system achieves playable frame rates on all presets, with Ultra being the best settings option at 61 FPS average. This is a marginal pass, but it is a pass nonetheless. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset runs at 112 FPS average, providing a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold and making it the recommended resolution for high-refresh-rate gaming. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 174 FPS average, which is more than sufficient for any current display.

The verdict by resolution confirms that every resolution and preset combination clears the 60 FPS threshold. The most demanding configuration, 4K Ultra, is the only one that approaches the limit, but it still maintains an average above the threshold. For users prioritizing maximum visual quality at 4K, the system is viable. For competitive play or high refresh rates, 1440p and 1080p offer substantial headroom.

FAQ

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings in Minimum?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 61, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, though it is a narrow margin.

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 356, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does this system compare to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 246 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the top 6.6% of all systems tested in this game.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of quality and performance?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset runs at 112 FPS average, offering a high visual quality with a frame rate well above the playable threshold.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 the most limiting factor at 1080p?

A: No, the data shows that the CPU begins to play a larger role at 1080p, as the GPU scaling from 1440p Low (230 FPS) to 1080p Low (356 FPS) shows diminishing returns compared to higher resolutions.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 80 FPS and the maximum is 109 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 149 FPS and the maximum is 202 FPS. At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 232 FPS and the maximum is 313 FPS.