Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a strong showing in Minimum, a 2014-era Third-Person Shooter that remains surprisingly demanding at high resolutions. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets tell a clear story about where this combo excels and where its limits appear. With the RTX 4080’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, the GPU has ample headroom, while the Ryzen 5 9600X’s six Zen 5 cores and 5.40 GHz boost clock keep feeding frames at 1080p. The data shows a system that is firmly GPU-bound at 4K, but the CPU becomes a more significant factor as resolution drops.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but important pattern: performance scales inversely with resolution, and the gap between 1080p and 4K is substantial. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 356 FPS on average. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 230 FPS, a 35% reduction, and at 4K Low the average falls to 124 FPS, which is 65% below the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4080 is doing progressively heavier lifting as pixel count rises, while the CPU’s role diminishes.

At High settings, the same trend holds. The 1080p average is 229 FPS, 1440p is 148 FPS, and 4K is 79 FPS. That represents a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not perfectly linear, which suggests that at 1080p the CPU is nearing its limit for this game’s engine, while at 4K the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Ultra preset shows a similar pattern: 174 FPS at 1080p, 112 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest measured frame rate in the entire dataset, indicating that this preset pushes the RTX 4080 to its limits in this title.

What does this say about the limiting component? At 1080p, the gap between Low (356 FPS) and Ultra (174 FPS) is 182 FPS, a 51% reduction. At 4K, the same preset comparison yields 124 FPS versus 61 FPS, a 51% reduction as well. The consistency of this percentage across resolutions suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint even at 1080p, but the absolute frame rates at 1080p are so high that CPU limitations would only manifest with a significantly weaker processor. The Ryzen 5 9600X’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1253 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5, is more than adequate for a 2014 title. The data points to the RTX 4080 being the limiting component at 4K, while the CPU remains capable of pushing well over 300 FPS at 1080p Low without becoming a bottleneck.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Minimum with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1440p offers an excellent balance. At High settings, the combo produces 148 FPS on average, which is well above the 79 FPS seen at 4K High. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 112 FPS, still comfortably playable, while 4K Ultra drops to 61 FPS, which is the lowest measured result. For a smooth experience with high visual quality, 1440p is the sweet spot.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in raw benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209, which is a 0.1% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.6% higher) and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (2.7% higher). This means the RTX 4080 is effectively on par with the 4080 SUPER and slightly behind a few other cards in synthetic benchmarks, but in Minimum the measured FPS is what matters.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X powerful enough for this game?

A: Yes, the data confirms this. The CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 17528.5 and single-core is 2183.5. In Minimum, the highest measured average FPS is 356 at 1080p Low, which is far beyond any display refresh rate. Even at 1080p Ultra, the combo hits 174 FPS, indicating the CPU is not holding back the GPU at any resolution tested.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, Low settings yield an average of 124 FPS, while Ultra yields 61 FPS. That is a 51% reduction in performance. Medium settings produce 95 FPS, and High produces 79 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is significant, but even Ultra remains playable at 61 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for most monitors.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Minimum?*

A: The combo ranks 246th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems. This is a strong result, especially considering the game’s age and the high performance ceiling of the RTX 4080. The rank reflects both the CPU’s and GPU’s capabilities, with the data showing that this is a high-end pairing for this title.

Q: Are the frame rates consistent, or do they vary widely?

A: The dataset includes min and max FPS only for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the average is 273 FPS with a min of 232 and max of 313. At 1440p Medium, the average is 176 FPS with a min of 149 and max of 202. At 4K Medium, the average is 95 FPS with a min of 80 and max of 109. These ranges indicate that frame pacing is stable, with the spread from min to max being roughly 30% of the average. No stuttering or extreme drops are evident from the data.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests that High settings at 1440p is the optimal configuration for most players. At this resolution and preset, the combo produces 148 FPS on average, which is smooth on high-refresh-rate monitors. The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p reduces performance from 148 FPS to 112 FPS, a 24% drop, while the visual improvement in a 2014 game is likely minimal. If you prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, Low at 1440p delivers 230 FPS, which is an excellent choice for competitive play.

At 4K, the choice is more nuanced. High settings yield 79 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a 120 Hz display. Medium settings produce 95 FPS, offering a better balance between quality and speed. Ultra at 4K drops to 61 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. For 4K users, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a 20% performance boost over High while still looking better than Low. Low at 4K gives 124 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that exceeds 120 FPS, making it the choice for those with very high refresh rate displays.

At 1080p, every preset is playable. Low delivers 356 FPS, Medium 273 FPS, High 229 FPS, and Ultra 174 FPS. The recommendation here depends on your monitor’s refresh rate. For a 144 Hz display, Ultra is more than sufficient, and the extra visual quality is worth the performance cost. For a 240 Hz monitor, High or Medium will keep the frame rate above the refresh rate, while Low is only necessary for 360 Hz panels. The data shows that this combo is never CPU-bound at 1080p, so you can freely choose the preset that matches your display.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings, providing a complete picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 356 FPS, with no min or max data provided. Medium settings yield 273 FPS on average, with a minimum of 232 and a maximum of 313. High settings drop to 229 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 174 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 182 FPS, indicating that the RTX 4080 has significant headroom at 1080p, and the Ryzen 5 9600X’s 5.40 GHz boost clock is sufficient to keep up.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. Low settings produce 230 FPS, Medium yields 176 FPS (min 149, max 202), High delivers 148 FPS, and Ultra drops to 112 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 118 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p but still substantial. The 1440p results show that the GPU is becoming more stressed, but frame rates remain high enough for any gaming scenario. The min FPS at Medium (149) is still above 144 Hz, making this a viable configuration for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution, the combo shows its limits. Low settings produce 124 FPS, which is the only 4K preset above 120 FPS. Medium yields 95 FPS (min 80, max 109), High delivers 79 FPS, and Ultra drops to 61 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire dataset, but it is still technically playable. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is a 63 FPS drop, which is less severe in absolute terms than at lower resolutions but represents a 51% reduction. The min FPS at 4K Medium (80) indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 80 FPS, which is a solid result for a 2014 title.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global ranking for Minimum, this AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 246th out of 3712 tested combos. That places it in the top 6.6% of all systems in the database. The rank is derived from measured FPS data, not synthetic benchmarks, so it reflects real-world performance in this specific game. Given that the RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs and the Ryzen 5 9600X at the 81st percentile of all CPUs, the combo’s 246th rank is slightly below what the individual component percentiles might suggest, but this is due to the game’s specific engine characteristics.

The nearest CPU rivals to the Ryzen 5 9600X include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE, which has an average score of 29656 (0.2% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H at 29868 (0.5% lower). These differences are negligible in synthetic tests, and in Minimum the measured FPS shows that the 9600X is more than capable. The nearest GPU rivals include the RTX 4080 SUPER with a score of 54209 (0.1% lower), meaning the two are effectively identical in raw performance. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), and the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.6% higher). Despite these small synthetic differences, the RTX 4080’s 16 GB of VRAM and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are key assets in Minimum, especially at 4K where memory capacity and bandwidth become critical.

The 246th rank out of 3712 means there are 245 combos that perform better in this game. These are likely to include newer GPUs or higher-tier CPUs, but the data shows that this combo still delivers excellent absolute performance. For context, the combo achieves 356 FPS at 1080p Low, which is far beyond any playable requirement. The rank is more meaningful at 4K Ultra, where 61 FPS is the result, but even that is above the 60 FPS threshold. Overall, this is a high-ranking combo that will handle Minimum with ease at any resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge. It has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and it uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the 9600X scores 17528.5 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2183.5 in single-core. Its 3DMark scores range from 1253 in single-thread to 7590 in max-threads, and Geekbench scores are 14438 multicore and 2923 single-core. These numbers place the CPU at the 81st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29713.

In Minimum, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 356 FPS, which is a very high frame rate for any game. This suggests that the 9600X’s single-thread performance is more than sufficient for a 2014 title, even at extreme frame rates. The boost clock of 5.40 GHz is particularly important for such scenarios, as older games often rely heavily on single-threaded performance. The 6 cores and 12 threads provide ample multi-threading headroom, but the game likely does not utilize all of them effectively, making the high boost clock the key factor.

Comparing the 9600X to its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE scores 29656 (0.2% higher), the Ryzen 7 7840H scores 29868 (0.5% lower), the Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 29879 (0.6% lower), and the Ryzen 7 8845HS scores 29955 (0.8% lower). These differences are within 1%, meaning the 9600X is essentially on par with these other CPUs in synthetic tests. In Minimum, the measured FPS shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking, as the frame rates are consistently high across all settings. The only scenario where the CPU might become a factor is at 1080p Low with 356 FPS, but even then, the GPU is likely the limiting component given the RTX 4080’s 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The CPU’s L3 cache is 32 MB shared, with 1 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core. This cache configuration is typical for a modern desktop processor and provides low-latency access to frequently used data. The 4 nm process node from TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die, contributes to the CPU’s efficiency and high clock speeds. In a game like Minimum, the CPU’s role is secondary to the GPU, but the 9600X ensures that no frame rate is left on the table. The data confirms that this CPU is a solid match for the RTX 4080, with no measurable bottleneck at any resolution or setting tested.