Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a commanding performance profile in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter that remains surprisingly demanding at high settings. The benchmark data shows a configuration capable of triple-digit frame rates at most resolutions, with the RTX 4080's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and the 7600X's 6-core/12-thread Zen 4 architecture working in concert to push frame rates that range from a playable 61 FPS at 4K Ultra to a blistering 356 FPS at 1080p Low.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound curve, with the RTX 4080 becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises. At 1080p High, the system produces 229 FPS, which drops to 148 FPS at 1440p High (a 35% reduction) and further to 79 FPS at 4K High (a 66% reduction from the 1080p baseline). This steep decline is characteristic of a game that scales heavily with resolution, where the GPU's 9728 shading units and 112 ROPs are pushed progressively harder.

The scaling pattern shifts notably when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system hits 356 FPS, while 1440p Low yields 230 FPS (a 35% drop), and 4K Low produces 124 FPS (a 65% drop from 1080p). The consistent percentage reductions across presets indicate that the RTX 4080 maintains its relative performance advantage regardless of settings, but the absolute frame rates suggest that at 1080p Low, the CPU begins to play a more significant role. The Ryzen 5 7600X, with its single-thread score of 1965 in Cinebench R23 and 4135 in Passmark, appears capable of feeding the GPU at these high frame rates, though the 356 FPS ceiling at 1080p Low hints that the CPU's 6 cores are approaching their limit.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data with min and max FPS values, allowing for a closer look at frame time consistency. At 4K Medium, the system averages 95 FPS with a minimum of 80 and maximum of 109, showing a 30% spread between min and max. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 176 FPS with a minimum of 149 and maximum of 202, a 36% spread. The 1080p Medium result shows a 273 FPS average with a minimum of 232 and maximum of 313, representing a 35% spread. This consistent ~30-36% variance across resolutions suggests that the game's frame pacing is stable, with the GPU's 716.8 GB/s memory bandwidth and 256-bit bus providing sufficient headroom.

The jump from Ultra to Low at each resolution is substantial. At 4K, the difference between Ultra (61 FPS) and Low (124 FPS) is a 103% improvement, while at 1440p it is 112 FPS versus 230 FPS (105% improvement), and at 1080p it is 174 FPS versus 356 FPS (105% improvement). This uniform ~105% uplift from Ultra to Low indicates that the settings presets primarily affect GPU workload rather than CPU bottlenecking, with the RTX 4080's boost clock of 2505 MHz and base clock of 2205 MHz scaling predictably across the resolution range.

GPU Role

The RTX 4080's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth proves ample for Minimum at all tested resolutions and settings. The highest memory pressure scenario, 4K Ultra at 61 FPS, does not appear to cause any memory-related stuttering, as the benchmark data shows no anomalous frame drops for that configuration. The GPU's 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are present in the specifications, though Minimum's 2014 release date means these features are unlikely to be heavily utilized by the game engine.

The GPU's performance percentile of 86, with an average benchmark score of 54247, places it in the upper echelon of graphics cards. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209 (a 0.1% delta), indicating that the standard 4080 is effectively on par with its SUPER variant in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (a -1.1% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (a -2.6% delta), meaning the 4080 actually trails these AMD cards in average benchmark score, though the in-game results show the 4080 delivering strong frame rates.

The clock behavior of the RTX 4080, with a base clock of 2205 MHz and boost clock of 2505 MHz, supports the observed frame rates. The 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 761.5 GTexel/s texture rate provide the computational muscle for high-resolution rendering. The 280.6 GPixel/s pixel rate ensures that fill-rate-bound scenarios, common in third-person shooters with detailed environments, do not become a bottleneck. The GPU's 320 W TDP and triple-slot design suggest a high-power component, but the measured FPS results indicate that this power budget translates directly into performance.

The Passmark DirectX 12 score of 132 is notably low, but this does not appear to translate into poor gaming performance, as the in-game results show strong frame rates. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 214739 and Vulkan score of 263779 are more representative of the GPU's compute capabilities. The RTX 4080's end-of-life production status means it is no longer in active manufacture, but its performance in Minimum remains competitive, as evidenced by the 4K High result of 79 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that High settings (79 FPS) provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, as Ultra drops to 61 FPS, which may be below the smoothness threshold for some players. Medium at 4K (95 FPS) is also viable and offers a 20% improvement over High, making it the recommended choice for those prioritizing frame rate over maximum visual detail. The Low preset at 4K (124 FPS) is available for competitive play, but the visual sacrifice is substantial given the game's age.

At 1440p, the High preset (148 FPS) is the sweet spot for most users, offering high visual fidelity with frame rates well above 144 Hz displays. Ultra (112 FPS) is playable but does not take full advantage of high-refresh-rate monitors, while Medium (176 FPS) and Low (230 FPS) are better suited for competitive scenarios where frame rate takes precedence. The 1440p Medium result of 176 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS ensures that even demanding scenes maintain frame rates above 144 FPS.

For 1080p, the High preset (229 FPS) is the recommended default, as it provides excellent visual quality while staying above 200 FPS. Ultra (174 FPS) is still smooth and offers the best image quality, while Medium (273 FPS) and Low (356 FPS) are reserved for high-refresh-rate (240 Hz and above) displays. The 1080p Medium data shows a minimum of 232 FPS, which comfortably exceeds typical 144 Hz displays, making it a safe choice for those who want a margin of safety.

The measured rows indicate that the RTX 4080 is overkill for 1080p Low, as the 356 FPS result is likely CPU-limited given the Ryzen 5 7600X's Passmark single-thread score of 4135. For most users, the High preset at 1440p offers the most visually impressive experience while maintaining frame rates that exceed 144 Hz, making it the optimal configuration for this hardware combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system produces the following average frame rates: Low 356 FPS, Medium 273 FPS (with min 232, max 313), High 229 FPS, and Ultra 174 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, with each step up in quality reducing frame rates by approximately 25%. The Medium preset's min FPS of 232 indicates that even under heavy load, the system maintains frame rates well above standard display refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low 230 FPS, Medium 176 FPS (with min 149, max 202), High 148 FPS, and Ultra 112 FPS. The 1440p Medium minimum of 149 FPS is noteworthy, as it means the system never drops below 144 Hz during the measured session. The High preset at 148 FPS is just above this threshold, suggesting that minor scene variations could push it below 144 FPS in more demanding areas.

At 3840x2160, the system delivers: Low 124 FPS, Medium 95 FPS (with min 80, max 109), High 79 FPS, and Ultra 61 FPS. The 4K Medium minimum of 80 FPS ensures a smooth experience on standard 60 Hz displays, while the High preset's 79 FPS average is just above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 61 FPS is borderline, with any significant scene complexity potentially causing dips below 60 FPS.

The data shows that the RTX 4080's performance scales in a linear fashion with resolution, with 1440p delivering approximately 1.8x the frame rates of 4K at each settings level, and 1080p delivering approximately 1.5x the frame rates of 1440p. This scaling is consistent with the GPU's 716.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is sufficient to feed the 9728 shading units without causing memory-bound stalls.

FAQ

*Q: What frame rate does the RTX 4080 achieve at 4K Ultra in Minimum?*

A: The system averages 61 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is the lowest result across all tested configurations.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7600X a bottleneck at 1080p Low?

A: The 356 FPS result at 1080p Low is likely constrained by the CPU, given its 6 cores and 12 threads, though the benchmark data does not explicitly identify a bottleneck.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080 scores 54247 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER (54209), but 1.1% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828).

Q: What is the recommended settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 148 FPS is recommended, as it balances visual quality with frame rates that exceed 144 Hz, while Medium (176 FPS) is preferable for competitive play.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM of the RTX 4080 cause any issues at 4K?

A: No, the 16 GB GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient, as the 4K Ultra configuration shows no anomalous frame drops.

Q: What is the best configuration for a 240 Hz monitor?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset (273 FPS) or Low preset (356 FPS) are the only settings that exceed 240 FPS, with Medium offering better visual quality.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, with its 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 Raphael architecture, plays a supporting role in Minimum's performance, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 300 FPS. The CPU's boost clock of 5.30 GHz and base clock of 4.70 GHz provide high single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1965 and Geekbench single-core score of 2603. These scores place the 7600X in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27636.

The CPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (27578, 0.2% delta), Intel Core i5-12600K (27578, 0.2% delta), AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27712, -0.3% delta), and AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (27535, 0.4% delta). These close deltas indicate that the 7600X is competitive with both AMD and Intel offerings in its performance class, though the in-game results are more dependent on the GPU at higher resolutions.

The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core provide ample data storage for game assets, while the 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth from dual-channel DDR5 support ensures that the CPU can feed data to the GPU without starvation. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1060 and multi-thread score of 6845 indicate balanced performance that scales well with thread count, though Minimum's 2014 engine likely does not fully utilize the 12 threads.

The Passmark results show strong multi-threaded capability, with a multithread score of 28390 and physics score of 1824, which are relevant for game logic and physics calculations. The data compression score of 317862 and encryption score of 18543 suggest that the CPU has ample computational headroom for background tasks while gaming. In Minimum, the 7600X's 4.70 GHz base clock ensures that even under sustained load, the CPU maintains high performance, which is critical for maintaining minimum frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios at 1080p.