Minecraft

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing delivers a robust Minecraft experience, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rate gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K demands more careful settings selection to maintain smooth frame rates.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 2 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, providing a solid foundation for gaming workloads. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache is a notable asset, as Minecraft's world generation and chunk loading can benefit from larger cache pools. With a TDP of 65 W, this is a power-efficient part that does not require exotic cooling solutions.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 3600 achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124. Its PassMark single-thread score of 2562 indicates strong per-core performance, which is relevant for Minecraft's primary game thread. The CPU's percentile ranking of 71 out of all tested CPUs places it in the upper-middle tier of processors. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 3600 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-1260P (0.2% delta) and the AMD EPYC 7742 (0.2% delta), while being 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-11400 and AMD EPYC 7573X.

The measured FPS data suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 389 FPS, which is a scenario where the CPU's single-thread performance is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has less work to do. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, evidenced by the FPS scaling patterns. The CPU's 12 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game engine overhead, but the data indicates that in this specific configuration, the GPU governs the higher-resolution results.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost clock of 1650 MHz. With 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs, this card is well-equipped for modern titles. Its pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s support the data throughput required for higher resolutions.

In benchmark tests, the RTX 2060 SUPER achieves a PassMark G3D score of 16462 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 77402. Its percentile of 62 among all GPUs places it slightly above the median. Compared to its nearest rivals, it sits 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5700, and 1.5-1.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 460 and Intel Arc A770M. These deltas are small, indicating the RTX 2060 SUPER performs in a tight competitive band.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Minecraft at all tested settings and resolutions, as the game does not exhibit high VRAM pressure. The measured performance at 4K Ultra (50 FPS) versus 4K High (81 FPS) shows a 31 FPS drop, indicating that the GPU's compute resources, not memory capacity, are the limiting factor at the highest settings. The RTX 2060 SUPER's directx 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with modern rendering features, though Minecraft's performance is more dependent on raw rasterization throughput.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals distinct scaling patterns across resolutions. At Low settings, the system produces 389 FPS at 1080p, 246 FPS at 1440p, and 128 FPS at 4K. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. These steep declines indicate that even at Low settings, the GPU is increasingly stressed as pixel count rises, though the 1080p result suggests some CPU limitation given the high frame rate.

At Medium settings, the averages are 308 FPS at 1080p, 195 FPS at 1440p, and 102 FPS at 4K. The 1440p result is 63% of the 1080p figure, while 4K is 33% of the 1080p figure. The High settings show 245 FPS at 1080p, 154 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. Here, 1440p retains 63% of 1080p performance, and 4K retains 33%, mirroring the Medium pattern closely.

The Ultra settings reveal the largest absolute drop: 153 FPS at 1080p, 97 FPS at 1440p, and 50 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is just 33% of the 1080p Ultra score, consistent with the other presets. This consistent ~33% retention from 1080p to 4K across Medium, High, and Ultra strongly indicates a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 389 FPS, which is substantially higher than other presets, suggests that at Low settings and 1080p, the CPU begins to impose a ceiling, as the GPU has reduced workload.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2556 out of 3710 tested combos for Minecraft. This places it in the 31st percentile of all combinations, meaning roughly 69% of tested systems perform better in this game. Given the CPU's 71st percentile ranking and the GPU's 62nd percentile, the combo's relative position is lower than either component's individual standing, suggesting that Minecraft's performance characteristics penalize this pairing more than average.

The gap between the combo's rank and the component percentiles indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the more significant bottleneck in this configuration. While the Ryzen 5 3600 has headroom relative to the GPU, the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (50 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (153 FPS) show that the GPU's capabilities cap the overall experience. The data shows that combos ranked higher likely pair the RTX 2060 SUPER with a more powerful CPU, or pair a stronger GPU with this CPU, yielding better frame rates in Minecraft's specific workload.

In practical terms, this rank suggests the combo is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but will not top any charts. The 4K Ultra result of 50 FPS is playable but not ideal, and the system's overall standing reflects that compromise. Users seeking higher 4K performance would need a more powerful GPU, while those targeting extreme 1080p frame rates above 389 FPS would benefit from a faster CPU.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured rows, the Medium preset at 1440p offers an average of 195 FPS with a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 224 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with no dips below 165 FPS, making it a strong choice for high refresh rate monitors. At 1080p, the Medium preset achieves 308 FPS average with a 262 FPS minimum, which is excellent for 240 Hz displays, though the Low preset's 389 FPS is even higher.

For 4K gaming, the High preset at 81 FPS is the best option among the measured data, as the Ultra preset drops to 50 FPS, which may feel less fluid. The Medium preset at 4K offers 102 FPS with an 86 FPS minimum, providing a better balance of visual quality and frame rate than High. However, the Low preset at 4K reaches 128 FPS, which is optimal for smoothness but sacrifices visual fidelity.

The data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot across all resolutions: 308 FPS at 1080p, 195 FPS at 1440p, and 102 FPS at 4K. This preset consistently delivers frame rates that are substantially higher than High and Ultra, while providing better visuals than Low. The minimum FPS values for Medium (262 at 1080p, 165 at 1440p, 86 at 4K) show no severe frame drops, ensuring consistent performance. For users prioritizing maximum smoothness, Low at 1080p (389 FPS) or 1440p (246 FPS) is recommended, but Medium offers the best overall experience per the measured rows.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The highest 1080p average is 389 FPS at Low settings. Medium achieves 308 FPS, High reaches 245 FPS, and Ultra drops to 153 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the system averages 50 FPS. This is the lowest measured result in the dataset, indicating that the GPU is heavily stressed at this resolution and settings combination.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1440p Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium result of 195 FPS average (165 FPS minimum) suggests the GPU is the primary limiter, as the frame rate scales down proportionally from the 1080p Medium result of 308 FPS, consistent with GPU-bound behavior.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for the Medium preset across resolutions?

A: The Medium preset shows minimum FPS of 262 at 1080p, 165 at 1440p, and 86 at 4K. These values indicate no severe frame drops at any resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Minecraft?

A: This combo ranks 2556 out of 3710 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier. The rank is lower than the individual component percentiles would suggest, indicating the pairing is not optimal for this game.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p High and 4K High?

A: The 1080p High setting averages 245 FPS, while 4K High averages 81 FPS. This represents a 164 FPS drop, or about 67% reduction, when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 389 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield an average of 308 FPS, with a minimum of 262 FPS and a maximum of 355 FPS. High settings result in 245 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 153 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 236 FPS, demonstrating a wide performance range at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows expected reductions. Low settings average 246 FPS, which is 63% of the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 195 FPS, with a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 224 FPS. High settings produce 154 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 97 FPS average. The 1440p results consistently show about 60-63% of the corresponding 1080p numbers, indicating consistent scaling.

At 3840x2160, the system faces its greatest challenge. Low settings still manage an average of 128 FPS, which is 33% of the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 102 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 117 FPS. High settings drop to 81 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 50 FPS average. The 4K results show a consistent pattern: each setting tier yields roughly one-third of the 1080p performance, confirming the GPU's role as the dominant bottleneck at this resolution.