Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a mid-range pairing that lands in a specific performance bracket for the third-person shooter Minimum. The data places this combination at rank 1416 out of 1733 tested combos, putting it in the lower half of the database’s results for this specific title. That ranking reflects a system that will run the game, but it won’t be at the top of the leaderboard for frame rates, especially if you favor higher visual quality settings.

The benchmark results show this combo is heavily influenced by the graphics card, with CPU headroom to spare. The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings reveals a pattern: this is a system that can deliver smooth gameplay at 1080p with the right settings, but it struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The following sections break down the hardware’s individual roles and offers practical advice on how to get the best experience from this specific setup.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1416 out of 1733 tested configurations places it in the 18th percentile of all tested systems for Minimum. This is not a top-tier pairing; it sits below the median, but it is also far from the bottom of the pile. This ranking suggests that while the hardware is not weak, the game is demanding enough that this specific combination of CPU and GPU doesn’t excel. The position is a direct result of the GPU’s performance ceiling at higher resolutions and settings, as the CPU is more than capable of keeping up. The data shows a system that is more suited to medium-to-high settings at 1080p or 1440p, rather than a maxed-out experience. For context, the CPU’s overall benchmark score of 20680 places it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, which is strong. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 16074 puts it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, which is more modest. The gap between these percentile scores clarifies that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing, dragging the overall combo rank down to the 18th percentile.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the primary driver of the frame rates in this combo, and its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth is a core factor. The card’s memory size is a hard limit, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 1680 MHz and its Turing architecture with 1920 shading units provide the raw compute power, but the data shows that power is finite. In Minimum, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU is still the main bottleneck, but the CPU has enough headroom to help push frame rates. However, at 4K, the GPU’s limitations are starkly exposed. The average FPS at 4K Ultra is just 27.1, which is below the playable threshold for most. Even at 4K Low, the average of 55.4 FPS is only just acceptable, and the GPU is clearly struggling to fill the frames. The GPU’s percentile rank of 58 vs all other GPUs confirms it is a mid-range performer, and the measured results in this game align with that. Compared to its nearest rivals in the database, the RTX 2060 is on par with the AMD Radeon RX 7600S, which is only 0.5% faster, and the Radeon Pro 5600M and Pro 5700, which are 1.7% faster. The data indicates that this GPU is the gatekeeper for performance, and its 6 GB memory pool is a major constraint at 1440p and above.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a strong 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AM4 socket. With a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, it provides solid single-thread and multi-thread performance. Its benchmark scores, such as a single-thread score of 2622 in Cinebench R23 and a multi-thread score of 18578, show it is a capable processor. In Minimum, the CPU is not the bottleneck at any of the tested settings or resolutions. The evidence is in the scaling of frame rates. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 153.7 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is not holding the GPU back. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 74.8 FPS average indicates the CPU can feed the GPU enough data. The CPU’s performance relative to its rivals is also telling. It is within 0.5% of the performance of the Intel Core i5-12490F and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT, and only 0.7% faster than the Intel Xeon 6325P. This shows that the 5600X is a well-balanced mid-range chip. The data suggests that if you were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, frame rates would likely increase, as the CPU has the headroom to handle more work. The CPU’s percentile rank of 78 vs all CPUs reinforces that it is a strong performer, and its role in this combo is to support the GPU without introducing its own performance limits.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high frame rate?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where this combo consistently delivers high frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 153.7 on Low to 74.8 on Ultra, all of which are playable.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The drop is significant. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 101.3 at 1080p to 35.6 at 4K, a reduction of approximately 65%. At Ultra settings, it falls from 74.8 to 27.1, a reduction of about 64%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s benchmark percentile (78%) is much higher than the GPU’s (58%), and the frame rates drop dramatically as resolution increases, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its closest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 2060 is statistically tied with the AMD Radeon RX 7600S, which is 0.5% slower. It is slightly behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and Pro 5700, which are both 1.7% faster.

Q: What is the playable frame rate at 1440p with this hardware?

A: At 2560x1440, the combo is playable but not at the highest settings. The average FPS is 61.8 on High, 77.7 on Medium, and 100.3 on Low. At Ultra, the average drops to 48.2 FPS, which may be too low for fast-paced gameplay.

Q: Does this CPU hold back the GPU in this specific game?

A: No. The data shows high frame rates at 1080p (up to 153.7 FPS), which indicates the CPU has sufficient power to feed the GPU. The performance drops are directly tied to the GPU’s limits at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of the average FPS across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. Going from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, performance drops from 101.3 FPS to 61.8 FPS, a reduction of about 39%. The drop from 1440p High to 4K High is even steeper, falling to 35.6 FPS, which is a further reduction of about 42%. This consistent and large drop as resolution increases proves that the RTX 2060’s rendering capabilities are the primary constraint. The pattern holds across all settings. For instance, at Low settings, the frame rate falls from 153.7 FPS at 1080p to 100.3 FPS at 1440p and then to 55.4 FPS at 4K. The CPU’s role remains constant, but the GPU’s workload grows exponentially with pixel count. The 6 GB memory buffer is also likely a contributing factor at 4K, where the increased texture detail and resolution demand more memory than the card can efficiently handle. The data clearly indicates that this combo is designed for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a compromise that requires lower settings to maintain a high refresh rate. At 4K, the system is not a viable option for smooth gameplay, as the frame rates fall below 60 FPS even at the lowest settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear guide for the best experience with this combo. For a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 117.5 FPS. This provides a smooth and responsive experience while still offering a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset. If you have a 144Hz monitor and prioritize frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p is the best choice, with an average of 153.7 FPS. This will maximize the responsiveness of the game, which is important in a third-person shooter. The High preset at 1080p is also a viable option, averaging 101.3 FPS, and is ideal for those with a high refresh rate monitor that can take advantage of the extra visual detail. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is recommended, as it provides an average of 77.7 FPS, which is a good balance for a 60Hz monitor. The High preset at 1440p, at 61.8 FPS, is only suitable for a 60Hz display, and you may notice occasional dips. The Ultra preset should be avoided at any resolution for this combo, as it yields the lowest frame rates, dropping to 27.1 FPS at 4K and 48.2 FPS at 1440p, which are not playable for a fast-paced shooter. The data is clear: stick to Medium or Low at 1080p for the best experience, or Medium at 1440p if you can accept lower visual fidelity.