Minimum

# Minimum — AMD Ryzen 7 9700F + AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT

This combo pairs AMD's Zen 5-based Ryzen 7 9700F with the Radeon RX 7700 XT, a mid-range RDNA 3.0 GPU, targeting the 2014 third-person shooter Minimum. The measured data shows a system that scales predictably across resolutions and settings, with the GPU emerging as the primary bottleneck at higher quality presets while the CPU flexes its strength at 1080p Low.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F brings 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and it carries 32 MB of shared L3 cache plus 1 MB L2 per core. This is a desktop part on the AM5 socket, supporting DDR5 memory with dual-channel bandwidth rated at 89.6 GB/s. The CPU's benchmark profile is strong across the board: it scores 4691 in PassMark single-thread, 36470 in multithread, and 421988 in data compression. Its average benchmark score of 69996 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs tested.

In Minimum, the CPU's role is most visible at lower resolutions and settings where frame rates climb high enough to expose processor limits. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 234 FPS average, which is more than double the 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS. The 9700F's single-thread score of 4691 and physics score of 2122 suggest it can feed frames efficiently, but the data shows the GPU saturates well before the CPU becomes a hard ceiling. The nearest rivals bracket the 9700F tightly: the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is 0.2% ahead, the Intel Core i7-14700KF is 0.2% behind, and the Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.7% ahead. This indicates the 9700F sits in a performance tier where CPU-bound scenarios at 1080p Low will not be meaningfully different from those processors.

The 8-core/16-thread configuration matters for a game from 2014, which likely does not scale perfectly to many threads. However, the high boost clock of 5.50 GHz and strong single-thread performance ensure that the game's primary thread is well-served. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS drops from 234 to 179, a 55 FPS reduction that suggests the GPU is starting to feel the load from increased rendering work. The CPU's 32 MB L3 cache helps with data reuse in game logic, but the measured FPS deltas between resolution steps point to the GPU as the limiting factor in most configurations.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo ranks 1052 out of 2939 tested combinations in Minimum, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects the balance between the 9700F's high CPU percentile (94th) and the RX 7700 XT's more modest GPU percentile (67th). The GPU's average benchmark score of 22549 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is 0.5% ahead, the RTX 4060 Mobile is 0.8% behind, and the RTX 2080 is 1.5% behind. This clustering means the 7700 XT is not a standout performer in its class, but it is competitive.

A rank of 1052 out of 2939 means roughly 64% of tested combos perform better, and 36% perform worse. Given the CPU's strength, the ranking is likely held back by the GPU's mid-tier positioning. The 9700F's nearest rival, the Ryzen 9 7940HX, has an average score 0.2% higher, but in a game like Minimum the GPU will dominate the FPS equation at higher settings. At 1080p Low, this combo produces 234 FPS, which is 115 FPS higher than 1080p Ultra, showing that the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the constraining factors once settings rise.

The combo's rank suggests it is a capable but not top-tier setup for this title. Enthusiasts chasing 240 Hz at 1080p would need to lower settings to Low, while those targeting 4K would be limited to around 52 FPS at High or 40 FPS at Ultra. The data does not show any min FPS values for most settings, but the Medium presets include min/max ranges: 153–206 at 1080p, 98–133 at 1440p, and 53–72 at 4K. These ranges indicate reasonable frame pacing, but the overall rank implies there are many faster combos available.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of degradation as resolution increases, with the steepest drops occurring at higher settings. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 151 at 1080p to 97 at 1440p (a 36% drop) and then to 52 at 4K (a 46% drop from 1440p). At Low settings, the progression is 234 to 151 to 81, with percentage drops of 35% and 46% respectively. At Medium settings, the numbers are 179, 116, and 62, representing 35% and 47% drops. At Ultra, the values are 115, 74, and 40, with drops of 36% and 46%.

The consistency of these percentage drops across settings is striking. It suggests that resolution scaling is roughly linear in terms of pixel count: 1080p to 1440p is a 1.78x increase in pixels, and the FPS drops by about 35-36%. 1440p to 4K is a 2.25x increase, and FPS drops by about 46-47%. This pattern indicates the GPU is the primary limiting component across all settings—if the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect smaller FPS drops at lower settings where the CPU has more headroom.

At 1080p Low, the 234 FPS result is high enough that the CPU's single-thread performance (4691 PassMark score) might be a factor, but the 35% drop when moving to 1440p Low shows the GPU still dominates. The RX 7700 XT has 3456 shading units, 216 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2544 MHz. Its pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s are the specs that matter for resolution scaling. The data shows no evidence of a CPU bottleneck at any resolution, as the FPS scaling tracks pixel count rather than CPU workload.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 234 FPS average, Medium produces 179 FPS (with min 153 and max 206), High produces 151 FPS, and Ultra produces 115 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 119 FPS, a 51% reduction, which is substantial but not unusual for a GPU-bound scenario. The Medium min/max range of 153–206 shows a 53 FPS spread, indicating some frame variance but nothing extreme.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop to 151 FPS at Low, 116 FPS at Medium (min 98, max 133), 97 FPS at High, and 74 FPS at Ultra. The Low-to-Ultra gap narrows to 77 FPS, a 51% reduction from Low, consistent with the 1080p pattern. The Medium range of 98–133 FPS shows a 35 FPS spread, which is tighter in absolute terms but similar relative to the average.

At 3840x2160, the results are 81 FPS at Low, 62 FPS at Medium (min 53, max 72), 52 FPS at High, and 40 FPS at Ultra. The Low-to-Ultra gap is 41 FPS, again a 51% reduction. The Medium min of 53 FPS is close to the High average of 52 FPS, indicating that the Medium preset's frame dips can reach the same level as the High preset's average. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is heavily loaded and frame times become less predictable.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently shows the only available min/max data, with the 1080p range being the widest in absolute terms. The data implies that Low settings are the only way to approach 240 Hz at 1080p, while Ultra at 4K falls below 40 FPS, which is likely below the refresh rate of most displays.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1435 MHz, with a game clock of 2171 MHz and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. Its memory runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). The GPU has 3456 shading units, 216 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 54 RT cores, with a FP32 throughput of 35.17 TFLOPS.

In Minimum, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for a 2014 game, even at 4K Ultra. The bottleneck is not memory capacity but raw compute and memory bandwidth. The 432.0 GB/s bandwidth is the key spec for resolution scaling, and the data shows that 4K Ultra drops to 40 FPS, indicating the GPU's pixel throughput is the limiting factor. The pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s means the GPU can fill 244.2 million pixels per second, but at 4K (8.3 million pixels per frame), even at 40 FPS, the GPU is processing 332 million pixels per second, which exceeds its theoretical pixel rate—suggesting the game's rendering is not purely pixel-bound.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a mixed profile: PassMark G3D score is 22547, but DirectX 11 score is 232 and DirectX 12 is 79. These low API-specific scores are odd, but the average benchmark score of 22549 places the GPU in the 67th percentile. The nearest rivals are all within 1.7% of the 7700 XT's average score, meaning the GPU is not a class leader. In Minimum, the GPU's performance at 1080p Low (234 FPS) is strong, but at 4K Ultra (40 FPS) it is clearly insufficient for smooth gameplay on high-refresh displays.

The GPU's 12 GB VRAM and 192-bit bus are the specs that matter for texture-heavy scenes, but Minimum from 2014 likely does not stress the memory subsystem. The data shows no evidence of VRAM throttling, as the FPS drops are consistent across settings and resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2544 MHz and FP32 of 35.17 TFLOPS provide the compute headroom, but the measured results indicate that the RX 7700 XT is a mid-range part that struggles at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Minimum?*

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 offers the best balance, with 151 FPS at Low, 116 FPS at Medium, 97 FPS at High, and 74 FPS at Ultra. At 1080p, the frame rates are higher (up to 234 FPS at Low) but the visual fidelity is lower, while 4K drops below 60 FPS at all settings except Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component across all settings. The FPS drops from 1080p to 1440p to 4K are consistent (roughly 35% and 46% respectively) regardless of settings, which matches pixel count scaling rather than CPU workload. The CPU's high single-thread score of 4691 and 94th percentile ranking suggest it is not the constraint.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems in the database?

A: This combo ranks 1052 out of 2939 tested combinations in Minimum, placing it in the upper-middle tier. The CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 67th percentile, meaning the GPU is the weaker component and drags down the overall ranking.

Q: What settings should I use for 1440p gaming?

A: For 1440p, High settings produce 97 FPS average, which is likely above 60 Hz refresh rates. Ultra drops to 74 FPS, while Medium offers 116 FPS. If you prefer higher frame rates, Medium is a good choice, but High provides a solid balance of quality and performance.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 81 at Low to 40 at Ultra. Only Low settings stay above 60 FPS, while Medium (62 FPS) is borderline. High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS, so 4K is only viable with reduced settings.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RX 7700 XT has an average benchmark score of 22549. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is 0.5% ahead, the RTX 4060 Mobile is 0.8% behind, and the RTX 2080 is 1.5% behind. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 is 1.7% behind. This shows the 7700 XT is competitive but not dominant in its class.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, Low settings deliver 234 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors (240 Hz). Medium (179 FPS) is also excellent for 144 Hz displays, while High (151 FPS) and Ultra (115 FPS) are suitable for 120 Hz or 144 Hz panels with reduced visual effects. The Medium preset at 1080p offers the best combination of frame rate (179 FPS) and visual quality, with a min/max range of 153–206 FPS.

At 1440p, Medium (116 FPS) is the smoothest option above 100 FPS, while High (97 FPS) is a solid choice for 100 Hz displays. Ultra (74 FPS) is playable but may feel less responsive. For 4K, Low (81 FPS) is the only setting that clears 60 FPS, while Medium (62 FPS) is just above that threshold. High (52 FPS) and Ultra (40 FPS) are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

The data suggests that Medium settings provide the most balanced experience across all resolutions, as it is the only preset with measured min/max FPS data, showing frame times are stable enough to report. At 1080p Medium, the 179 FPS average is 45 FPS higher than High and 55 FPS lower than Low, making it a strong middle ground. For users with 144 Hz monitors, 1440p Medium (116 FPS) or 1080p High (151 FPS) are the best choices. For 60 Hz displays, 4K Medium (62 FPS) is the highest quality preset that stays above the refresh rate. Ultimately, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot for this combo, offering a 50-60% improvement over Ultra while maintaining playable frame rates even at 4K.