Minecraft

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-13700K compare to its closest CPU rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022, -0.3% delta). It sits slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (46654, +0.5% delta) and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 (46653, +0.5% delta). This places it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs tested.

Q: What is the GPU's standing relative to its nearest competitors?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER's average benchmark score is 18093, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile by 0.4% (18159), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 by 0.5% (18189), the AMD Radeon RX 460 by 1.5% (18373), and the Intel Arc A770M by 1.6% (18383). The margins are tight, indicating near-parity with these cards in synthetic workloads.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination delivers the highest average FPS in Minecraft?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings produces the highest average FPS at 389 frames per second. This is followed by 1920x1080 at Medium settings (308 FPS) and 1920x1080 at High settings (245 FPS).

Q: At what point does the frame rate drop below 60 FPS for this combo?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 50. This is the only measured configuration where the average frame rate falls below 60 FPS. All other tested resolution and settings combinations maintain averages above 50 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested CPU-GPU pairings for this game?

A: This specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2556 out of 3710 tested combos in Minecraft. This places it in the lower portion of tested configurations, though the frame rates remain playable at most settings.

Q: What are the key memory specifications of the CPU and GPU in this pairing?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory with 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong scaling from 2 threads (3dmark score of 2262) up to 16 threads (3dmark score of 10717) and max threads (3dmark score of 12412). The single-thread score of 1136 in 3dmark and 2116 in Cinebench R23 single-core indicates robust per-core performance, which is relevant for Minecraft's primary game logic thread. The multi-core results are equally impressive, with Cinebench R23 multicore reaching 30745 and Passmark multithread scoring 45887.

For Minecraft, the game's world generation and entity processing can leverage multiple cores, but the render thread often bottlenecks on single-core performance. The i7-13700K's 5.40 GHz boost clock and 4333 Passmark single-thread score provide the headroom needed to maintain high frame rates when the game's simulation logic becomes the limiting factor. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the CPU's capability is evident—the combo achieves 389 FPS average, which suggests the processor is not holding back the GPU at lower resolutions.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46881, shows that it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. Its nearest rivals—the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375—are within 0.3% in average score, meaning the i7-13700K is competitively positioned at the top of the mid-range to high-end desktop segment.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture using TSMC's 12 nm process, with a die size of 445 mm² containing 10,800 million transistors. It operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with a TDP of 175 W. The GPU includes 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, along with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores.

Memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory bandwidth is critical for Minecraft's texture streaming and chunk loading, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU must access larger texture datasets. The GPU's pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s provide the fill rate needed for the game's block-based geometry.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 2060 SUPER scores 16462 in Passmark G3D and 76957 in Geekbench OpenCL, with a Vulkan score of 77402. These figures place it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. The GPU's DirectX 12 score of 61 in Passmark suggests it handles modern API workloads adequately, though not exceptionally.

For Minecraft, the GPU's role becomes more prominent at higher resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 50, indicating the GPU is heavily loaded. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Minecraft's texture requirements, but the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth may become a limiting factor at 4K with high-resolution texture packs. At 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, the GPU demonstrates ample capability, maintaining averages above 97 FPS even at Ultra settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This CPU-GPU pairing ranks 2556 out of 3710 tested combos in Minecraft, placing it in the 31st percentile of all tested configurations. This ranking reflects that while each component performs well individually—the CPU at the 89th percentile and the GPU at the 62nd percentile—the combination does not achieve top-tier results in this specific game.

The ranking suggests that Minecraft's performance is more dependent on the CPU's single-thread capabilities and the GPU's raw throughput at higher settings. The i7-13700K's strong single-thread performance helps at lower resolutions, but the RTX 2060 SUPER's mid-range positioning limits the combo's ability to push very high frame rates at 4K Ultra.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing sits in the lower third, which is notable given the CPU's high percentile ranking. This indicates that Minecraft's performance ceiling for this combo is constrained by the GPU, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the 50 FPS average is below what many higher-ranked combos would achieve, while at 1920x1080 Low, the 389 FPS average demonstrates that the CPU can drive very high frame rates when the GPU is not the bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 389 FPS, Medium settings yield 308 FPS (with a minimum of 262 and maximum of 355), High settings achieve 245 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain 153 FPS. All of these averages are well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common in gaming monitors, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate play.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain impressive but show the GPU's increasing load. Low settings average 246 FPS, Medium settings average 195 FPS (minimum 165, maximum 224), High settings average 154 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 97 FPS. The minimum FPS of 165 at Medium settings indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 144 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. Low settings average 128 FPS, Medium settings average 102 FPS (minimum 86, maximum 117), High settings average 81 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 50 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration where the average falls below 60 FPS, which would be noticeable on a standard 60 Hz display.

The scaling pattern is consistent: as resolution increases, the performance gap between Low and Ultra settings widens. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 236 FPS (389 vs 153). At 1440p, the gap is 149 FPS (246 vs 97). At 4K, the gap narrows to 78 FPS (128 vs 50), reflecting that both settings are GPU-bound at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience depends on the display resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, Ultra settings at 153 FPS average provide a high-quality visual experience while still exceeding 144 Hz, making this the recommended configuration for most players with 144 Hz monitors. If the display supports 240 Hz or higher, Medium settings at 308 FPS average deliver the smoothest motion, though the visual difference between Medium and Ultra in Minecraft is not as pronounced as in other titles.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings at 97 FPS average offer the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness for 60-100 Hz displays. For 144 Hz monitors, High settings at 154 FPS average are the most appropriate choice, as this maintains frame rates above the refresh rate threshold while preserving most visual quality. Medium settings at 195 FPS average are viable for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized.

For 3840x2160, the recommendation is High settings at 81 FPS average, which provides a playable experience on 60 Hz displays with good visual quality. Medium settings at 102 FPS average offer a smoother experience with only a modest reduction in visual fidelity, making this the best option for players who prioritize frame rate stability over maximum detail. Ultra settings at 50 FPS average are playable but may feel sluggish in fast-paced gameplay, so they are only recommended for players who value visual quality above all else and can tolerate sub-60 FPS performance.

The data indicates that Medium settings provide the most consistent experience across all resolutions, with minimum FPS values of 262 at 1080p, 165 at 1440p, and 86 at 4K. This setting level balances GPU load and visual quality, ensuring that frame rates remain stable even in demanding scenes with complex redstone contraptions or large builds. For the majority of players, Medium settings offer the best overall experience, while High settings are a strong alternative for those with 60 Hz displays at 4K or 144 Hz displays at 1440p.