Minecraft

Minecraft, in its default state, is not typically a demanding title, but the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER produces a dataset that reveals the distinct roles of CPU and GPU under different conditions. The measured FPS across resolutions and settings shows a system capable of extreme frame rates, while also highlighting where the bottleneck shifts between the processor and the graphics card.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this CPU and GPU combo in Minecraft?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data is 810 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 74th out of 1176 total tested combos in Minecraft.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 4080 SUPER and its direct predecessor, the RTX 4080?

A: The average benchmark score for the RTX 4080 SUPER is 54209, which is 0.1 percent lower than the average score of 54247 for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the test data?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 105 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Does the game's performance scale linearly with resolution when moving from 1080p to 4K on High settings?

A: No, the performance does not scale linearly. At 1920x1080 High settings, the average FPS is 509, while at 3840x2160 High settings, it drops to 168 FPS. This represents a 67 percent decrease in frame rate, which is more than the resolution's pixel count increase.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking compared to all other processors in the benchmark database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a percentile ranking of 92, indicating it outperforms 92 percent of all CPUs in the database based on its average benchmark score.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features the AD103 chip. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 2295 MHz, with a boost clock of 2550 MHz. These specifications are substantial, and the data indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions and settings.

In the measured results, the GPU's role becomes evident when observing the frame rate differences between settings at a fixed resolution. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 267 on Low settings down to 105 on Ultra settings. This 162 FPS spread demonstrates the significant load increase on the graphics card as visual fidelity rises. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 10240 shading units and 112 ROPs are tasked with rendering the increased pixel count and more complex effects at 4K, which explains the performance drop. The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 52.22 TFLOPS for FP32, are also a factor, as they handle the game's shader and rendering calculations.

The data shows that the RTX 4080 SUPER is not a limiting factor at 1920x1080. Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS is 318, which is exceptionally high. The GPU's performance is more constrained at lower resolutions by other components, but its power is fully utilized when the resolution scales to 2560x1440 and 3840x2160. The memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s is sufficient for the game's texture streaming and frame buffer demands, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at 4K. The GPU's average benchmark score of 54209 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the RTX 4080, scores nearly identically, confirming that this is a top-tier graphics card. The performance difference between the RTX 4080 SUPER and its closest competitors, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB which has an average score of 55698, is minimal, suggesting that in this specific title, the GPU has ample headroom.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) architecture. It has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its defining feature is the large 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is crucial for gaming performance. The CPU's average benchmark score is 58386, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900, has an average score of 58115, which is 0.5 percent lower.

The CPU's role in Minecraft is most apparent at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU is not fully occupied. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 810 FPS. This frame rate is far beyond what the GPU alone would be able to generate, indicating that the processor is the primary component enabling these extreme numbers. The high boost clock of 5.60 GHz and the massive L3 cache allow the CPU to rapidly process the game's world data and entity logic, which is often a bottleneck in sandbox games. The single-thread performance is particularly relevant, as the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2228, and the Passmark single-thread score is 4704, both of which are high. This strong single-core capability is essential for the game's main game loop.

As the resolution and settings increase, the frame rate drops, but the CPU still provides a solid foundation. For example, at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 405, and at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, it is 105. The CPU is not the primary bottleneck at these higher settings, but it must still feed the GPU with data. The 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient for this task, and the CPU's percentile ranking of 92 confirms that it is a high-end processor. The 96 MB L3 cache is a key asset, as it reduces the latency for frequently accessed data, which is critical for maintaining high frame rates in a game like Minecraft where the world is composed of many individual blocks. The performance delta to the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M is only 0.1 percent, but the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's gaming-specific features, such as the large cache, make it a better fit for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 810 FPS, Medium produces 641 FPS with a minimum of 545 and a maximum of 738, High delivers 509 FPS, and Ultra still achieves a very high 318 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound, as the GPU is easily able to render frames at these rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS remains very high but shows the increasing load on the GPU. The Low preset averages 511 FPS, Medium averages 405 FPS with a range of 344 to 466, High averages 321 FPS, and Ultra averages 201 FPS. The frame rates are lower than at 1080p, but they are still well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets widens from 492 FPS at 1080p to 310 FPS at 1440p, indicating that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor.

At 3840x2160, the performance scales down further, and the GPU's role becomes dominant. The Low preset averages 267 FPS, Medium averages 212 FPS with a minimum of 180 and a maximum of 243, High averages 168 FPS, and Ultra averages 105 FPS. The reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra at 4K is 162 FPS, which is the largest absolute difference of any resolution, demonstrating the immense strain that 4K Ultra settings place on the graphics card. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern: as resolution and settings increase, the frame rate decreases, with the most substantial impact occurring at 3840x2160.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of performance from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals the shifting bottleneck. When comparing the High settings preset, the average FPS drops from 509 at 1080p to 321 at 1440p, and then to 168 at 4K. This represents a 36.9 percent decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a 67 percent decrease from 1080p to 4K. The pixel count increases by 2.25 times from 1080p to 4K, but the frame rate does not drop by the same factor, which indicates that the CPU is still involved in the performance equation at 4K High settings.

The scaling pattern changes when looking at the Low settings preset. The average FPS drops from 810 at 1080p to 511 at 1440p, and then to 267 at 4K. The decrease from 1080p to 4K is 67 percent, which is the same as the High settings preset. However, the absolute frame rates are much higher. This suggests that at Low settings, the GPU is not the primary limiting factor, and the CPU's ability to handle the game's logic is what caps the frame rate. The fact that the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is identical for both Low and High settings suggests that the GPU workload scales proportionally with resolution.

The Medium settings preset provides the most detailed data with min and max FPS values. At 1080p, the average is 641 with a range of 545 to 738. At 1440p, the average is 405 with a range of 344 to 466. At 4K, the average is 212 with a range of 180 to 243. The frame time consistency, as indicated by the range between min and max FPS, appears to be relatively stable across resolutions. The data clearly shows that the system is capable of delivering playable frame rates at all resolutions, but the headroom for high refresh rate displays is significantly reduced at 4K, especially with Ultra settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, all settings presets provide an average FPS above 300, making any preset viable. The High preset at 509 FPS is a balanced choice that offers excellent visual quality while still providing an exceptionally high frame rate. The Ultra preset at 318 FPS is also a strong option for those who prioritize visual fidelity, as it still exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors.

At 2560x1440, the High preset provides an average of 321 FPS, which is ideal for 144Hz or 165Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 201 FPS is also a good option for high refresh rate gaming, as it remains well above 144 FPS. The Medium preset at 405 FPS offers the highest frame rate for competitive play, but the visual difference between Medium and High may be significant for some users. The data suggests that High is the best overall choice at 1440p, as it balances visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the choice becomes more constrained. The Ultra preset at 105 FPS is playable and is suitable for 60Hz or even 120Hz displays, but it does not provide the headroom for very high refresh rates. The High preset at 168 FPS is a better choice for 144Hz 4K monitors, as it offers a significantly higher average frame rate while still providing good visual quality. The Medium preset at 212 FPS offers the best combination of high frame rate and acceptable visual quality for 4K. For users with a 4K 144Hz display, the High preset is recommended, as it delivers 168 FPS, which is above the 144 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is best reserved for those who prioritize maximum visual detail over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 74th out of 1176 tested combos in Minecraft. This places it in the top 6.3 percent of all tested configurations, which is a strong result. The high ranking is likely due to the CPU's exceptional single-thread performance and large L3 cache, which are beneficial for Minecraft's CPU-intensive nature, combined with the GPU's ability to handle high resolutions and settings. The data shows that this combo excels at delivering very high frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions.

The GPU's ranking of 86th percentile among all GPUs and the CPU's ranking of 92nd percentile among all CPUs indicate that this is a high-end pairing. The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4080, has a nearly identical average score, with a delta of -0.1 percent. This suggests that the 4080 SUPER provides a minimal performance uplift over the standard 4080 in this game. The CPU's closest competitor, the Intel Core i9-14900, is 0.5 percent slower in average score, but the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's 96 MB L3 cache may give it an edge in specific gaming scenarios like Minecraft. The combo's rank of 74 is impressive, but the fact that there are 73 other configurations that perform better indicates that even this top-tier hardware is not the absolute fastest for this title, likely due to other components or specific configurations.