Minimum

# Minimum — AMD Ryzen 5 8400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 to deliver a 1080p experience that ranges from 114.9 FPS at Ultra settings to 228 FPS at Low settings in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter released in 2014. The measured data places this combo at rank 792 out of 1733 tested combinations, putting it in the upper-middle tier of the database. The CPU, a 6-core/12-thread Zen 4 part based on the Phoenix architecture, posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20851 and a single-core score of 2943, while the GPU, an Ampere-generation GA104 chip, delivers a Passmark G3D score of 22214. These components work in concert to produce frame rates that are playable across all tested settings, though the scaling patterns reveal where each component becomes the bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F operates with 6 cores and 12 threads, running at a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This 8000-series processor uses the Zen 4 architecture on TSMC's 4 nm process, with a 16 MB shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 per core. Its 3DMark single-thread score of 951 and multi-thread score of 6165 indicate balanced performance that suits a game like Minimum, which does not appear to demand extreme thread counts given its 2014 release. The CPU's percentile ranking against all CPUs is 82, meaning it outperforms the majority of processors in the database.

In the measured frame rates, the CPU's contribution is most apparent at 1080p with Low settings, where the combo reaches 228 FPS. At this resolution and setting level, the GPU is not heavily taxed, allowing the CPU's single-thread performance to drive higher frame rates. The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 1236 and multi-core score of 8757 suggest that the processor has ample headroom for the game's logic and physics calculations. Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 8400F sits within a narrow band: it is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (deltaPct 0), slightly behind the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 (deltaPct -0.1), and marginally ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (deltaPct 0.3). This clustering indicates that the CPU's raw compute capability is not a differentiator in this game; the GPU and settings choice matter more.

The 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient memory throughput for the game's data streaming. The processor's 3DMark 4-thread score of 3563 and 8-thread score of 5275 show that scaling from 4 to 8 threads yields a 48% improvement, but the jump from 8 to 16 threads (6165) is only 17%, suggesting diminishing returns beyond 8 threads. For Minimum, which likely uses fewer threads given its age, the CPU's strong single-thread and moderate multi-thread performance are adequate, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, and its memory operates at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). With 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, the card produces 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. Its Passmark G3D score of 22214 places it at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs.

The GPU's role in Minimum becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings scale upward. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 41.7 FPS, while at 4K Low it reaches 77.5 FPS — a clear sign that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for the game's textures, though the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth must handle the data throughput at higher resolutions. The GPU's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (deltaPct 0.9), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (deltaPct 1), and AMD FirePro S7150 (deltaPct -0.6), indicating that the RTX 3070 sits in a competitive performance band. The card's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 120664 confirm its DirectX 12 and Vulkan capabilities, which the game may leverage depending on its API implementation.

The GPU's 220 W TDP and dual-slot design with a 12-pin power connector are standard for its class. The pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s provide the fill rate needed for high-resolution rendering. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully utilized at Low settings (228 FPS), but at Ultra settings (114.9 FPS) it still delivers playable performance. The transition from Low to Ultra at 1080p reduces frame rates by 49.6%, showing that graphical settings have a substantial impact on the GPU workload.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a consistent pattern of frame rate drops as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the combo delivers 228 FPS at 1080p, 149.5 FPS at 1440p, and 77.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 34.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 48.2% drop from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the frame rates are 145.8 FPS, 92.5 FPS, and 48.5 FPS respectively, with drops of 36.6% and 47.6%. The Ultra settings show the most severe scaling: 114.9 FPS at 1080p, 70.1 FPS at 1440p, and 41.7 FPS at 4K, with a 39% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 40.5% drop from 1440p to 4K.

These scaling patterns indicate that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K across all settings. The RTX 3070's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are challenged by the 3840x2160 resolution, particularly at Ultra settings where the frame rate falls below 45 FPS. At 1080p, the CPU's role is more prominent, especially at Low settings where the 228 FPS result suggests the processor can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. The Medium settings show a balanced scaling: 178.9 FPS at 1080p, 115.8 FPS at 1440p, and 62.3 FPS at 4K, with drops of 35.3% and 46.2%. This suggests that Medium settings provide a more consistent experience across resolutions, with the frame rate drops closely tracking the pixel count increase (2.25x for 1080p to 1440p, 4x for 1080p to 4K).

The data shows that the limiting component shifts based on resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU is the bottleneck, as evidenced by the high frame rate that approaches the processor's maximum capability. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, with the frame rate dropping to 41.7 FPS. The crossover point appears to be around 1440p Medium, where both components contribute to the 115.8 FPS result.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 792 out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the 54th percentile of all tested configurations. The rank reflects the balanced but not exceptional performance of this pairing. The CPU's 82nd percentile ranking and the GPU's 72nd percentile ranking combine to produce a system that is solidly mid-pack for this game.

Compared to other combos in the database, this setup sits in the upper-middle range. The rank of 792 means that 541 combos perform worse, while 940 perform better. The game's 2014 release date and relatively modest system requirements mean that many higher-end modern combos will outperform this pairing, but the Ryzen 5 8400F and RTX 3070 still deliver playable frame rates at all tested settings. The CPU's nearest rivals — the Ryzen 7 2700X, Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340, and Ryzen 5 7500F — all have similar average benchmark scores, suggesting that swapping the CPU would not dramatically change the ranking. Similarly, the GPU's rivals, including the RX 6600 XT and GTX 980 Ti, are within 1% performance delta, meaning the ranking is sensitive to the specific GPU model rather than the CPU choice.

The measured FPS data shows that this combo can achieve 114.9 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is well above the typical 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. At 1440p High, the 92.5 FPS result is also strong, while 4K High drops to 48.5 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced games but is below the 60 FPS threshold. The rank of 792 reflects this capability: the combo is not at the top of the database, but it is far from the bottom, and the performance is sufficient for a comfortable gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide clear guidance for optimal settings based on the player's resolution and frame rate preferences. At 1080p, all settings deliver playable performance, with Low achieving 228 FPS, Medium at 178.9 FPS, High at 145.8 FPS, and Ultra at 114.9 FPS. For players with high refresh rate monitors, the Low setting provides the highest frame rates, but the Medium preset offers a better balance between visual quality and performance, delivering 178.9 FPS while likely improving image quality over Low. The High setting at 145.8 FPS is also viable for 144 Hz displays, while Ultra at 114.9 FPS is suitable for 120 Hz monitors.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts based on the target frame rate. The Low setting achieves 149.5 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, while Medium at 115.8 FPS and High at 92.5 FPS provide progressively better visuals with still-playable frame rates. Ultra at 70.1 FPS is the most demanding option but remains above 60 FPS, making it a viable choice for players who prioritize visual fidelity. The data suggests that High settings at 1440p offer the best compromise, with 92.5 FPS providing smooth gameplay while maintaining reasonable graphical quality.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. Low settings achieve 77.5 FPS, which is playable, while Medium reaches 62.3 FPS and High drops to 48.5 FPS. Ultra at 41.7 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel less responsive. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 62.3 FPS is recommended as the best balance, providing just above 60 FPS while offering better visuals than Low. Players who prefer higher frame rates at 4K should select Low settings, while those who accept lower frame rates can use High or Ultra for maximum visual quality. Across all resolutions, the Medium settings consistently provide a balanced experience, making it the safest recommendation for this combo.