Minimum

This analysis examines the performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 in the 2014 third-person shooter, Minimum. The data provided is measured, offering a specific look at how this combination handles the game across standard resolutions and settings. The following sections break down the results, focusing on scaling, hardware roles, and practical recommendations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear narrative about where the bottleneck lies in this pairing. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 shows a consistent, expected decline in frame rates, but the magnitude of that decline changes with the graphics preset.

At the Low preset, the frame rate drops from 156 FPS at 1080p to 100 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 56 FPS. Pushing further to 4K yields 54 FPS, another 46 FPS drop. This steep falloff indicates that even at Low settings, the graphics card is being heavily taxed as pixel count increases.

With the Medium preset, the pattern is similar: 119 FPS at 1080p, 77 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The 4K result remains playable but is a far cry from the high refresh rates possible at 1080p. The High preset follows suit, with 100 FPS at 1080p falling to 65 FPS at 1440p and finally 35 FPS at 4K.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling impact. At 1080p, the combo achieves 76 FPS. This drops to 49 FPS at 1440p and a stutter-prone 26 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that while the CPU is capable of feeding high frame rates, the Radeon RX 6600's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth become the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra (50 FPS difference) is smaller than at Low (102 FPS difference) in absolute terms, but the percentage drop is more severe, indicating the GPU is saturated much earlier.

How This Combo Ranks

The database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 2885 out of 3712 tested combos for this game. This puts it in the lower-middle portion of the field, a position that aligns with the measured FPS results.

To understand this ranking, one must consider the individual components. The CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, sits in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS, have average benchmark scores that are within 0.6% of this chip, showing that its raw compute power is competitive with other strong desktop and mobile parts.

The GPU, however, tells a different story. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, placing it in the mid-range tier. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile, with deltaPct values hovering near 0%. This indicates that while the GPU is a competent 1080p performer, it is not in the same class as top-tier cards.

The combination of a high-end CPU with a mid-range GPU often results in a system that is GPU-limited, especially at higher resolutions. The rank of 2885 out of 3712 reflects this dynamic. The CPU has headroom to spare, but the GPU's performance ceiling dictates the final frame rates, pulling the overall combo ranking down from what the CPU alone might suggest.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a playable frame rate above 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080, the combo achieves over 60 FPS on all presets, including 76 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, only the Low (100 FPS) and Medium (77 FPS) presets stay above the 60 FPS threshold, while High (65 FPS) and Ultra (49 FPS) fall below it.

Q: How does the 1080p Ultra performance compare to 1080p Low performance?

A: The average frame rate drops from 156 FPS at Low settings to 76 FPS at Ultra settings. This represents a 80 FPS reduction, or roughly half the frame rate, for the visual quality increase offered by the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU is in the 81st percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile. At 4K Ultra, the combo only produces 26 FPS, suggesting the graphics card is fully saturated and cannot keep up with the rendering demands.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Medium and High presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers an average of 77 FPS, while the High preset delivers 65 FPS. The difference is 12 FPS in favor of Medium, with the data showing a Minimum FPS of 65 for Medium, which matches the average FPS of High.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for the 1080p Medium preset?

A: The measured data for 1920x1080 with Medium settings shows a minimum FPS of 101, an average FPS of 119, and a maximum FPS of 137. This suggests a stable frame time experience with no major hitches.

Q: How much of a performance drop does moving from 1080p to 4K cause at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 100 FPS at 1920x1080 to 35 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a 65% reduction in average FPS, making 4K High settings unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured average frame rates for all tested configurations.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | High | 35 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 54 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 41 | 35 | 48 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 26 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 65 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 100 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 77 | 65 | 88 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 49 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 100 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 156 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 119 | 101 | 137 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 76 | - | - |

The data shows a clear hierarchy. As expected, the average FPS increases as resolution decreases and settings are lowered. There are no anomalous spikes in the data; the progression is linear and predictable. For example, at 1440p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 51 FPS, while at 1080p, the difference is 80 FPS. The larger gap at 1080p suggests the CPU is able to push higher frame rates, but the GPU's rendering capacity limits how high it can go, particularly on the Ultra preset.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the undeniable bottleneck in this configuration for Minimum. Its specifications show a mid-range part that is being asked to handle a demanding title at high resolutions. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is listed as 2491 MHz.

The performance ceiling is visible in the 4K results. Even at the Low preset, the average FPS is only 54, which is below the 60 FPS target many players prefer. At the Ultra preset, the card can only manage an average of 26 FPS. These numbers indicate that the GPU is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth at this resolution.

The GPU's global rank is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are parts like the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile. The deltaPct between these rivals is nearly zero, meaning their overall benchmark scores are essentially identical. This paints a picture of a graphics card that is a solid 1080p performer but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 1440p and beyond. The data suggests that to improve performance in Minimum, the GPU would need to be upgraded first, as the CPU has substantial headroom to support a more powerful graphics card.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a high-end desktop processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its performance is reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a 3DMark max threads score of 7590 and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17528.5.

This processing power is largely untapped in the measured results. The CPU ranks in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals have average benchmark scores that are nearly identical, with deltas of less than 1%. For instance, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H is only 0.5% slower in average benchmark score. This indicates that the 9600X is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics calculations.

Evidence of the CPU's headroom can be seen in the FPS scaling at 1080p. At Low settings, the combo produces 156 FPS, but at Ultra, it drops to 76 FPS. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain more consistent across settings, as the CPU work load does not change dramatically with graphical fidelity. The fact that the FPS plummets with increased settings points directly to the GPU being the limiting component. The CPU is providing frames faster than the GPU can render them, making the Radeon RX 6600 the definitive performance cap.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends on the user's target resolution and performance preference.

For 1920x1080 (1080p), all presets are playable. The Ultra preset offers the best visual quality while maintaining an average of 76 FPS. For users with a 144Hz monitor, the Low preset at 156 FPS is the only option that can fully utilize such a high refresh rate. The Medium preset at 119 FPS is a strong balance, offering significantly better visuals than Low while still providing a high frame rate and a minimum FPS of 101.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the choice becomes more constrained. To maintain an average FPS above 60, the user must select the Low (100 FPS) or Medium (77 FPS) presets. The Medium preset is the recommended choice here, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade over Low while delivering a playable average FPS with a minimum of 65. The High preset at 65 FPS is borderline, but the lack of minimum FPS data makes it a riskier choice for a consistently smooth experience.

For 3840x2160 (4K), the results are largely below the 60 FPS target. The Low preset yields an average of 54 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the Medium preset at 41 FPS and High at 35 FPS are not ideal for a fast-paced third-person shooter. The Ultra preset at 26 FPS should be avoided due to poor playability. The data suggests that this combo is not well-suited for 4K gaming in Minimum, and users should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best experience.