Minecraft

Minecraft, a game known for its blocky visuals but surprisingly demanding rendering pipeline, presents a unique challenge for the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination. The measured data reveals a system that is capable of extremely high frame rates at mainstream resolutions but whose performance curve quickly bends under the weight of 4K and the highest settings. The benchmark results show a clear narrative of a CPU that can feed frames at an exceptional rate, while the GPU becomes the limiting factor when the resolution and graphical load are increased. This analysis will break down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, examining the specific roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping this combo's performance profile.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K on this system shows a dramatic shift in performance, indicating a clear bottleneck transition. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 429 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low settings, the average drops to 271 FPS, a significant reduction of 158 FPS. When pushing to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 141 FPS. This scaling pattern is typical of a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions, where the GPU has ample headroom and the frame rate is dictated by the processor's ability to submit draw calls. The Ryzen 5 8400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, appears to be doing exactly that, delivering very high frame rates that the RTX 2070 SUPER can keep up with at 1080p.

However, the scaling curve changes character when we look at the High and Ultra presets. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 270 FPS at 1080p to 170 FPS at 1440p, and then to 89 FPS at 4K. This is a steeper relative decline than what we see with Low settings, especially between 1440p and 4K, where the frame rate is nearly halved. This suggests that as the pixel count and graphical fidelity increase, the load on the GPU increases substantially, and the RTX 2070 SUPER begins to hit its limits. The data implies that the system is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, but at 4K, the GPU's capabilities are the primary factor holding back performance, regardless of the CPU's ability to push frames.

The scaling from Medium to Ultra settings at 4K provides further evidence. At 4K Medium, the system averages 112 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 56 FPS. This halving of performance from Medium to Ultra at the same resolution is a strong indicator of the GPU being the limiting component. The CPU's workload doesn't change as dramatically with settings as the GPU's does, so the halving of the frame rate is almost entirely attributable to the increased shading, texture, and memory demands on the RTX 2070 SUPER. The data suggests that for a consistently smooth experience at 4K, this combo requires a reduction in settings to Medium to stay above a 60 FPS threshold, while at 1440p, even High settings are viable for high refresh rate displays.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a critical factor in understanding the 4K performance. With a boost clock of 1770 MHz, the GPU is capable of a peak FP32 throughput of 9.062 TFLOPS. The data suggests that in Minecraft, this combination of memory bandwidth and compute power is sufficient for very high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the 8 GB frame buffer becomes a constraint at 4K with higher settings. The drop from 112 FPS at Medium to 56 FPS at Ultra at 4K is a strong signal that the GPU is running out of resources, likely memory capacity or memory bandwidth, as the higher-detail textures and render distance fill up the available VRAM.

The RTX 2070 SUPER's score in the Passmark G3D benchmark is 18169, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. This indicates it is a solid mid-to-high-range performer, but not a top-tier card. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc B570 and Intel Arc A750, have similar average benchmark scores, but those scores do not translate directly to Minecraft performance. The measured FPS data shows that despite being a few years old, the card is still very capable in this specific game. The GPU's 2560 shading units are heavily utilized in Minecraft's rendering, and the data shows that at 1080p, the card is not the bottleneck. However, the 4K Ultra result of 56 FPS suggests that the card's raw compute power is insufficient for the most demanding configurations at that resolution.

The relationship between the GPU's clock speeds and the game's results is most visible in the scaling between settings. At 4K, the increase from Low to Medium (141 to 112 FPS) is a 29 FPS drop, while the increase from Medium to High (112 to 89 FPS) is a 23 FPS drop. The jump to Ultra (56 FPS) is a massive 33 FPS drop. This non-linear scaling is characteristic of a GPU nearing its memory or compute limit. The card is able to handle the lighter loads with ease, but the Ultra preset introduces a workload that the TU104 chip cannot process fast enough to maintain the frame rate, clearly identifying the GPU as the component that determines the ceiling for 4K performance in this setup.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset, which averages 169 FPS, is the best choice for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as it provides a visually superior experience while remaining well above the 144 FPS threshold. For those with standard 60Hz displays, even the Low preset at 429 FPS is overkill, and the High preset at 270 FPS offers a great balance of visual quality and performance. The data clearly shows that at 1080p, the system has so much headroom that users can comfortably max out settings without any risk of dropping below playable frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 170 FPS. This allows for a smooth experience on 144Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 106 FPS is also viable for 60Hz displays and offers maximum visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 214 FPS provides an option for competitive players who prioritize frame rate over graphics, but the visual jump from Medium to High likely justifies the 44 FPS cost for most users. The data suggests that 1440p is the resolution where this combo truly shines, offering high refresh rates without compromising on settings.

For 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, averaging 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS. The High preset at 89 FPS is borderline, but may be acceptable for some users. The Ultra preset at 56 FPS is below the 60 FPS target and is not recommended for a smooth experience. The data implies that for 4K gaming, users should stick to Medium settings to ensure frame times remain consistent. The Low preset at 141 FPS is an option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but it undermines the purpose of 4K resolution by reducing visual clarity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured results provides a detailed picture of the combo's performance. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset achieves 429 FPS, while Medium averages 340 FPS with a minimum of 289 FPS and a maximum of 391 FPS. The High preset averages 270 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 169 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the combination of the Ryzen 5 8400F and RTX 2070 SUPER is rarely stressed, with even the most demanding preset producing frame rates far beyond what most displays can show.

Moving to 2560x1440, we see a proportional decrease in performance. The Low preset averages 271 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 214 FPS, with a minimum of 182 FPS and a maximum of 247 FPS. The High preset averages 170 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 106 FPS. This resolution appears to be the ideal balance for this hardware, as it allows for high frame rates on the High preset while still having the headroom to experiment with Ultra on a 60Hz monitor. The minimum FPS of 182 on Medium suggests that even in demanding scenes, the system maintains a fluid experience.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. The High preset averages 89 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 56 FPS. This data clearly shows that 4K is the point of diminishing returns for this combo. The gap between Medium and Ultra is substantial, and the system struggles to maintain high frame rates on the most demanding settings. The measured numbers show a system that is exceptionally capable at 1080p and 1440p, but requires careful settings management to achieve a playable experience at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minecraft, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER holds a rank of 2136 out of 3710 total combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, which is interesting given the high frame rates measured in the data. This ranking is likely influenced by the fact that many other tested combinations may feature more powerful GPUs that perform better at 4K, which is a common benchmark resolution. The rank suggests that while this combo is excellent for 1080p and 1440p gaming, it is not a top-tier performer when compared to the absolute best hardware available for this game.

The CPU itself has a percentile rank of 77 among all CPUs, indicating it is a strong performer. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, has a nearly identical average benchmark score, with a delta of just 0.2%. This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 8400F is on par with its immediate predecessor. The GPU, however, has a percentile rank of 65 among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, has an average score that is 1.5% lower, indicating the RTX 2070 SUPER is a solid mid-range card. The combo's overall rank of 2136 out of 3710 suggests that the GPU is likely the weaker link in this pairing, holding back the system from a higher ranking despite the CPU's commendable performance.

The data implies that the combo's rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance in high-resolution scenarios. If the ranking were based solely on 1080p performance, this combo would likely rank much higher, as the measured FPS is exceptional. However, the inclusion of 4K results in the overall ranking likely drags the combo down, as the RTX 2070 SUPER struggles to compete with more modern and powerful GPUs at that resolution. This analysis indicates that the combo is well-suited for a specific use case—high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p—but is not a general-purpose high-end solution for 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is built on the Zen 4 architecture and features 6 cores and 12 threads. Its base clock is 4.20 GHz, which can boost up to 4.70 GHz. This processing power is a key reason why the system achieves such high frame rates at 1080p. In a game like Minecraft, which is often single-thread dependent for world generation and game logic, the 8400F's strong single-core performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2943, ensures that the CPU is rarely a bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system can push 429 FPS, a number that is far beyond the capabilities of the GPU, indicating the CPU is feeding the render pipeline with frames as fast as possible.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20851. This allows the CPU to handle background tasks and multiple game threads without impacting performance. While Minecraft's core engine may not use all 12 threads efficiently, the available headroom prevents any stutters or frame drops that might occur from CPU saturation. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 3685 is notably high, reinforcing its suitability for a game that demands quick, sequential processing. The benchmark results indicate that the 8400F is a very capable gaming CPU, and its performance is a major contributor to the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 and a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s ensures that the processor has fast access to data, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in a game with a dynamic world. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo, as the frame rate drops are much more dramatic when increasing resolution and settings, which are GPU-intensive tasks. The CPU's 16 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for ensuring that frequently accessed game data is readily available. Overall, the Ryzen 5 8400F provides a robust foundation for this system, ensuring that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher graphical loads.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 429, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this system capable of smooth 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160, the system can achieve an average of 112 FPS on Medium settings, which is above 60 FPS. However, the Ultra preset drops to 56 FPS, which is below the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25005, which is 0.2% higher than its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, which has an average score of 24964.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p Low and 1440p Low?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 429. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average FPS drops to 271, a difference of 158 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, based on its average benchmark score of 20282.

Q: Which resolution and settings provide the best balance for high refresh rate monitors?

A: For a 144Hz monitor, the data suggests that 2560x1440 with High settings is optimal, providing an average of 170 FPS with a good balance of visual quality and performance. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 169 FPS is also a viable option.