Minecraft: Java Edition

# FAQ

Q: What is the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination in Minecraft: Java Edition?

A: The combo produces an average of 326.6 FPS at 1920x1080 on High settings, 205.6 FPS at 2560x1440 on High, and 108.9 FPS at 3840x2160 on High. The lowest measured average across all tested resolution and settings combinations is 68.9 FPS at 4K Ultra, while the highest is 452.8 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, placing it essentially even with the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300, deltaPct 0.2) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299, deltaPct 0.2). It is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295) and 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-8809G (2319).

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs, and what does that signify?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, indicating it outperforms roughly 72% of the database's tracked graphics cards. Its average benchmark score of 28238 places it 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (27985) and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (27956).

Q: Which settings preset delivers the highest frame rate at each resolution?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield 452.8 FPS, followed by Medium at 417.6 FPS, High at 326.6 FPS, and Ultra at 204.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, the order is Low (332.2 FPS), Medium (261 FPS), High (205.6 FPS), and Ultra (128.6 FPS). At 3840x2160, Low produces 175.1 FPS, Medium 138 FPS, High 108.9 FPS, and Ultra 68.9 FPS.

Q: How does the combo's rank in this game compare to the total number of tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 788th out of 1727 tested combos for Minecraft: Java Edition, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects the measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings, not just a single configuration.

Q: What are the key specifications of the CPU that affect game performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It features 9 MB of shared L3 cache, a 65 W TDP, and supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data shows a clear relationship between settings presets and frame rates across all three resolutions. For 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset delivers 204.2 FPS, which is well above typical display refresh rates, so users with standard monitors can safely select Ultra without concern. However, the jump from High to Ultra at 1080p costs 122.4 FPS (from 326.6 to 204.2), suggesting that High offers a better balance of visual quality and performance headroom.

At 2560x1440, the High preset produces 205.6 FPS, which remains excellent for high-refresh-rate panels. The Medium preset at 261 FPS provides additional headroom, while Ultra drops to 128.6 FPS—still smooth but with less margin for demanding scenes. For 4K resolution (3840x2160), High yields 108.9 FPS, which is suitable for 60Hz displays but not for high-refresh 4K monitors. The Medium preset at 138 FPS offers a better experience for 4K users seeking higher frame rates, while Ultra at 68.9 FPS should only be chosen if visual fidelity is prioritized over frame rate stability.

The data indicates that High is the recommended preset for most users, as it delivers substantial frame rates at every resolution while maintaining visual quality. Low settings provide the highest performance (452.8 FPS at 1080p, 332.2 FPS at 1440p, 175.1 FPS at 4K) but sacrifice graphical fidelity. Medium serves as a compromise, with 417.6 FPS at 1080p, 261 FPS at 1440p, and 138 FPS at 4K. Ultimately, the best experience depends on the display's refresh rate and resolution; for 1080p and 1440p, High is optimal, while 4K users may prefer High or Medium based on their refresh rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture with an 8 nm process node from Samsung, featuring 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die. It has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The GPU's base clock is 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, and it operates with a 220 W TDP. Memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

For Minecraft: Java Edition, the GPU's role is evident in the scaling of frame rates with settings changes. At 1080p, increasing from Low to High reduces average FPS by 126.2 (from 452.8 to 326.6), while moving from High to Ultra further reduces it by 122.4 (to 204.2). This suggests the GPU is heavily utilized at higher settings, particularly with the Ultra preset's additional rendering demands. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck: High settings produce 108.9 FPS, but Ultra drops to 68.9 FPS, indicating that the RTX 3070's memory bandwidth and compute resources are strained by the higher pixel count.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Minecraft's texture and chunk data at all tested settings, as no memory-related stuttering is indicated in the measured data. The 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports the high fill rates required at 4K, though the Ultra preset's performance drop suggests that the GPU's shading units or ROPs become limiting factors. The RTX 3070's FP32 performance of 20.31 TFLOPS and texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s provide ample raw power for this game, but the measured results show that even this capable GPU cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 788th out of 1727 tested combos for Minecraft: Java Edition. This places the configuration in the 46th percentile of all tested combos, meaning roughly 54% of tested configurations perform better in this game. Given that the GPU sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, the combo's sub-50th percentile rank suggests that the CPU is limiting the overall performance in this title.

The rank reflects the combined effect of both components across all measured settings and resolutions. At 1080p, where the CPU often becomes the bottleneck in CPU-bound games like Minecraft, the combo's frame rates are high (326.6 FPS on High) but not exceptional relative to other tested configurations. At 4K, the GPU's workload increases, and the combo's 108.9 FPS on High is competitive but still below many higher-ranked combos that pair stronger CPUs with equal or better GPUs.

The delta between the CPU's 50th percentile ranking and the combo's 46th percentile game rank indicates that Minecraft: Java Edition is sensitive to CPU performance. The i5-9400's 6 cores and 6 threads, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, are adequate but not top-tier, which likely explains why the combo does not crack the top half of tested configurations. Users seeking higher ranks would need a CPU with more threads or higher single-thread performance, as the GPU is capable of higher frame rates when not CPU-limited.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth and has a 65 W TDP. Its benchmark results include a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125.

In Minecraft: Java Edition, the CPU's role is most apparent at lower resolutions and settings, where frame rates are highest. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 452.8 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited, as the GPU has sufficient headroom at this resolution. The difference between 1080p Low (452.8 FPS) and 1440p Low (332.2 FPS) is 120.6 FPS, indicating that the GPU becomes more involved as resolution increases. However, at 4K Low, the frame rate drops further to 175.1 FPS, showing GPU scaling.

The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1125, is crucial for Minecraft's primary-thread-heavy game logic. The 50th percentile ranking among all CPUs means the i5-9400 is average, which aligns with the combo's mid-pack game rank. The 6-thread configuration may limit performance in scenarios with heavy chunk generation or complex redstone contraptions, though the measured data does not include such specific workloads. The 9 MB L3 cache helps with texture and world data access, but the CPU's 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth is modest compared to newer platforms.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 452.8 FPS average
• Medium: 417.6 FPS average
• High: 326.6 FPS average
• Ultra: 204.2 FPS average

The 1080p results show a steady decline as settings increase, with the largest single-step drop occurring between High and Ultra (122.4 FPS). The gap between Low and Medium is 35.2 FPS, while Medium to High is 91 FPS. These numbers indicate that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load, likely due to advanced rendering features.

2560x1440:

• Low: 332.2 FPS average
• Medium: 261 FPS average
• High: 205.6 FPS average
• Ultra: 128.6 FPS average

At 1440p, the frame rates are lower than 1080p but remain high across all settings except Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 71.2 FPS, Medium to High is 55.4 FPS, and High to Ultra is 77 FPS. Compared to 1080p, the 1440p results show a 120.6 FPS reduction at Low and a 75.6 FPS reduction at High, reflecting the increased pixel count.

3840x2160:

• Low: 175.1 FPS average
• Medium: 138 FPS average
• High: 108.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 68.9 FPS average

At 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The differences between settings are 37.1 FPS (Low to Medium), 29.1 FPS (Medium to High), and 40 FPS (High to Ultra). The 4K Ultra result of 68.9 FPS is the lowest measured value, representing a 73.6% reduction from 1080p Low. The data shows that this combo can handle 4K at High settings for smooth 60Hz play, but Ultra is only suitable for 30Hz or variable-refresh displays with lower expectations.