Minimum

This PC configuration, pairing the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, delivers a dominant performance profile for Minimum, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution with the appropriate settings. The data indicates that this is a high-end mobile combo capable of maxing out the game at 1440p and 1080p, while 4K requires a moderate reduction in graphical fidelity to maintain smooth gameplay.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160 (4K), the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which achieves an average of 68 FPS. The High preset dips to 57 FPS, falling short of the playable threshold, while Ultra drops further to 43 FPS. Low settings run at 89 FPS, but Medium is the optimal balance for visual quality and performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the configuration has enough headroom to run the game at the highest preset. Ultra settings deliver an average of 81 FPS, comfortably clearing the 60 FPS mark. The scaling is smooth: High runs at 106 FPS, Medium at 126 FPS, and Low at 165 FPS, showing that the GPU has ample resources at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the story is even more favorable. Ultra settings produce an average of 125 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. Lower presets yield exceptional frame rates: High at 164 FPS, Medium at 196 FPS, and Low at 256 FPS. This resolution is clearly where the combo shines, offering high-refresh-rate experiences even at maximum quality.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary performance driver at all resolutions, but the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower settings and resolutions. The scaling from 4K Medium (68 FPS) to 4K Low (89 FPS) represents a 30.9% increase in frame rate, which suggests the GPU is still the bottleneck at 4K even when settings are lowered. However, the jump from 4K Ultra (43 FPS) to 4K High (57 FPS) is a 32.6% improvement, showing that the GPU's workload reduction directly translates to higher FPS.

At 1440p, the gap between presets widens significantly. The difference between Ultra (81 FPS) and Low (165 FPS) is 103.7%, indicating that the GPU has substantial overhead at this resolution. The CPU's influence is visible in the frame time consistency: at 1440p Medium, the minimum FPS is 107, which is 15.1% below the average of 126, suggesting occasional CPU-bound moments. This pattern repeats at 1080p Medium, where the minimum of 166 FPS is 15.3% below the average of 196.

The data shows that as resolution decreases, the GPU becomes less stressed, allowing the CPU to keep up with frame generation. At 1080p, the Ultra preset (125 FPS) still doesn't push the CPU to its limits, as the Core Ultra 9 185H's multi-core prowess (Cinebench R23 score of 17984.5) and high single-thread performance (Geekbench single-core of 1794) are more than sufficient for this game. The RTX 4080 Mobile's 24.72 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is the dominant factor in determining frame rates across all tested configurations.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only with Medium settings or lower. The Medium preset averages 68 FPS, while High drops to 57 FPS and Ultra to 43 FPS. For a locked 60 FPS experience, Medium is the recommended setting at 3840x2160.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings are fully playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 81 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, and all lower presets (High, Medium, Low) also exceed it, with frame rates ranging from 106 to 165 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 Mobile compare to the RTX 4070 in this configuration?

A: The data from the GPU's nearest rivals shows the RTX 4080 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 38135, which is 1.3% higher than the RTX 4070's average score of 37648. This indicates a slight performance advantage for the 4080 Mobile, though the difference is small in synthetic tests.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. The CPU's performance is sufficient to support the GPU's output at 1080p. The Ultra preset achieves 125 FPS, and the minimum FPS at Medium (166) is still well above the playable threshold. The CPU's single-thread score of 3697 in Passmark and multi-thread score of 29376 suggest it has ample headroom.

Q: What kind of performance uplift does lowering settings provide at 4K?

A: Dropping from Ultra to Medium yields a 58.1% increase in average FPS (from 43 to 68). Reducing further to Low brings the frame rate to 89 FPS, which is 107% higher than Ultra. The gains are substantial, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution.

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

A: It ranks 1228th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the 66.9th percentile of all systems. This is a strong showing, though not in the top tier, indicating that many higher-end desktop or newer mobile setups outperform it.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals show that several processors would deliver near-identical performance in this game. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 has an average score of 35719, which is 0.1% lower than the Core Ultra 9 185H's 35670. The Intel Core 7 250H is similarly close at 35728 (0.2% lower). For users considering alternatives, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35802, 0.4% lower) and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (35909, 0.7% lower) would behave nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios.

On the GPU side, the nearest rival data reveals some surprising entries. The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 has an average score of 38299, which is 0.4% higher than the RTX 4080 Mobile's 38135, despite being a lower-tier product. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile scores 38349, just 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (37648) and NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628) are both 1.3% lower in average score. These figures suggest that in this specific benchmark, the RTX 4080 Mobile performs on par with a diverse set of GPUs, though real-world gaming performance would likely favor the higher-tier cards.

The Verdict

This system can absolutely run Minimum, and it does so with exceptional performance. The verdict by resolution confirms: at 3840x2160, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with the best experience at Medium (68 FPS). At 2560x1440, all settings from Low to Ultra are playable, with Ultra delivering 81 FPS. At 1920x1080, Ultra runs at 125 FPS, making this the ideal resolution for maximum visual fidelity and high frame rates.

For gamers seeking a locked 60 FPS experience, this combo provides it at 4K Medium, 1440p Ultra, and 1080p Ultra. The RTX 4080 Mobile's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for all tested presets, and the Core Ultra 9 185H's 16 cores and 22 threads provide ample processing power. The only caveat is at 4K Ultra, where the 43 FPS average falls short of playable standards.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile ranks 1228th out of 3712 tested combinations for Minimum, placing it in the upper third of all systems. This ranking reflects a strong but not elite performance tier. The CPU itself sits in the 85th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, indicating that both components are above average individually.

The rank of 1228 suggests that while this combo is highly capable, there are over 1200 configurations that perform better in this specific game. This is expected given the mobile form factor and the game's release date in 2014, which may favor newer desktop hardware. Nevertheless, for a laptop setup, this configuration delivers excellent results, with the ability to play at 1440p Ultra and 1080p Ultra well above 60 FPS, and 4K Medium as a viable option.