Minimum

This PC configuration, pairing the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, delivers a robust gaming experience in Minimum, a third-person shooter. The measured data shows that this combination is capable of exceeding the 60 FPS playability threshold across most settings at 4K, and it handles 1440p and 1080p with high frame rates even at maximum detail. The benchmark results confirm a versatile system that prioritizes high refresh rates at lower resolutions and maintains smooth gameplay at higher ones.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across the board. The Low preset yields an average of 278 FPS, while the High preset averages 179 FPS. The Medium preset averages 213 FPS, with a minimum of 181 FPS and a maximum of 245 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still maintains an average of 136 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is heavily unconstrained, with even the highest settings leaving significant headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong, though the scaling from 1080p shows the expected impact of additional pixels. The Low preset averages 179 FPS, and the High preset averages 115 FPS. The Medium preset delivers an average of 137 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 158 FPS. At the Ultra preset, the average drops to 88 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and indicates a smooth experience. The data shows that 1440p Ultra is entirely playable, with average frame rates nearly 50% higher than the playability baseline.

At 3840x2160, the performance scales down further, but the system remains capable. The Low preset averages 97 FPS, providing a very smooth experience even at 4K. The Medium preset averages 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS, showing that the frame rate stays above the playability threshold even in demanding scenes. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS line. The Ultra preset, however, averages only 47 FPS, indicating that this setting is too demanding for consistent smoothness at 4K with this hardware.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the data identifies the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 136 FPS. This shows that the CPU and GPU combination has substantial performance reserves at this resolution, allowing for maximum visual quality without any concern for frame rate drops.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also achieves the highest playable quality, with an average of 88 FPS. This is a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning that 1440p gaming at maximum settings is not only possible but also provides a fluid experience with room for occasional dips in complex scenes.

The situation changes at 3840x2160. The High preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging exactly 62 FPS. While this meets the playability threshold, the margin is slim. The Medium preset offers a more comfortable average of 74 FPS for users who prefer a larger frame rate buffer over the minor visual improvements of the High preset. The Ultra preset, averaging 47 FPS, falls short of the 60 FPS requirement and is therefore not recommended for 4K play.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extremely high, with the Low preset reaching 278 FPS. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the GPU is not the primary bottleneck, as the frame rates scale dramatically when moving from High to Low settings. The CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is likely providing enough processing power to keep up with the GPU at these high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by roughly 35-40% compared to 1080p at the same settings. For instance, the Ultra preset goes from 136 FPS at 1080p to 88 FPS at 1440p. This indicates that the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, is becoming a more significant factor as the pixel count increases. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the increased data load, but the rendering demand is visibly higher.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint. The frame rates at 4K are less than half of those at 1080p for the same settings. The difference between the Low preset (97 FPS) and the High preset (62 FPS) at 4K is a 36% reduction, showing that the GPU's shading and rasterization capabilities are heavily taxed at this resolution. The CPU's role diminishes relative to the GPU, as the system's overall performance is increasingly limited by the RTX 4070's ability to process the higher pixel throughput.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 holds a rank of 885 out of 3712 tested combos. This places it in the top 24% of all configurations tested for this game. The percentile data for the individual components supports this positioning: the CPU is in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 81st percentile among all GPUs. The combination’s rank reflects a strong overall system, with the CPU being an elite performer and the GPU being well above average.

The high CPU percentile is notable, as it suggests that this processor is one of the top performers available, which helps in scenarios where the game is not purely GPU-bound. The GPU’s 81st percentile indicates it is a solid high-end part, but not at the absolute top tier. This combination results in a system that ranks well, but the GPU is the limiting factor in the most demanding 4K scenarios. The rank of 885 out of 3712 shows that while many systems are faster, this configuration is still ahead of the majority of tested setups.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context on what other hardware would offer similar performance. For the CPU, the closest match is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, with an average benchmark score that is only 0.2% higher than the 290K Plus. This indicates that users with a 285K would see virtually identical gameplay performance in Minimum. The AMD EPYC 4584PX is also close, with a score 1.1% higher, and the AMD EPYC 9135 is 1.2% higher. The AMD EPYC 7F72 is slightly lower, with a score 1.3% below the 290K Plus. These differences are all within a couple of percentage points, meaning the choice between these CPUs would not significantly alter frame rates in this game.

For the GPU, the nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4, with an average score 0.1% higher than the RTX 4070. This is a negligible difference, implying identical performance. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% lower. These rivals bracket the RTX 4070’s performance closely, suggesting that any of these GPUs would produce nearly the same frame rates in Minimum. A system built with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and a Radeon RX Vega 56, for example, would be expected to perform within a small margin of the configuration analyzed here.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Minimum at 4K with the High preset?*

A: Yes, it can. The measured data shows an average of 62 FPS at 3840x2160 with the High preset, which is just above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset is the best option at 2560x1440, as it maintains an average of 88 FPS, well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages only 47 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset is the highest quality setting that remains playable.

Q: How does this system perform at 1080p with the Low preset?

A: The performance is extremely high, with an average of 278 FPS. This makes it suitable for very high refresh rate displays.

Q: Which component, CPU or GPU, is more important for performance at 4K?

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at 4K. The frame rates drop significantly from 1440p to 4K, and the differences between quality presets at 4K are substantial, indicating the RTX 4070 is the primary bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 885th out of 3712 tested combinations for this game, placing it in the top 24% of all tested configurations.

The Verdict

This PC can definitely run Minimum at high frame rates, with the primary caveat being the settings at 4K. The data shows that at 1920x1080, all presets, including Ultra, are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 136 FPS. At 2560x1440, every preset also clears the 60 FPS threshold, and the Ultra preset provides an average of 88 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming. For 3840x2160, the system is playable on the High, Medium, and Low presets, but the High preset averages exactly 62 FPS, which is a slim margin. The Ultra preset at 4K is not playable, averaging 47 FPS. Overall, this configuration delivers a strong experience across most settings, with the clear recommendation to use Ultra at 1080p and 1440p, and High or Medium at 4K depending on preference for visual fidelity versus a larger frame rate buffer.