Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 760M presents a stark contrast in capability. The CPU is a 16-core, 32-thread mobile powerhouse based on Zen 4 architecture, while the GPU is an integrated Radeon 760M. Benchmark results for the game Minimum show this combination producing playable frame rates only at the lowest settings and resolution, with the integrated graphics acting as the clear bottleneck.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor from the 8000 series, built on the Zen 4 architecture and codenamed Dragon Range. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. These specifications place it in the top tier of mobile processors, with a percentile rank of 95 against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 76212 puts it in close competition with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which scores 76155, a negligible 0.1% difference.

The processor’s performance in synthetic tests is substantial. In Cinebench R23, it scores 42713 points in multi-core and 6030 in single-core tests. Its PassMark multithread score is 51405, and its single-thread score is 3907. The data suggests a processor that is not the limiting factor in this gaming configuration. For a third-person shooter like Minimum, which was released in 2014, the CPU’s workload is generally modest, and a processor of this caliber should easily handle the game's logical and physics calculations.

The bottleneck is evident when looking at the measured frame rates. At 1080p Low settings, the combination achieves 58 FPS. If the CPU were the primary constraint, we would expect to see frame rates limited by the processor's ability to prepare frames, potentially resulting in similar performance regardless of resolution. The data shows a sharp decline in FPS as resolution increases, which points to the GPU being the binding constraint. The CPU is likely idle for much of the frame time, waiting for the integrated graphics to finish rendering. The 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support provide ample bandwidth for the CPU, but the integrated GPU's performance ceiling is what determines the final frame rate.

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

The AMD Radeon 760M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, using the Phoenix chip. It operates with a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2599 MHz. Its memory is system-shared, meaning the VRAM size, type, bus width, and bandwidth are all dependent on the system's main memory configuration. This is a critical detail, as the GPU has no dedicated video memory. The GPU has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. Its FP32 performance is rated at 5.323 TFLOPS.

This GPU sits at the 35th percentile compared to all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 6019. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6400, which scores 6001, a 0.3% difference, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M, which scores 6000, also a 0.3% difference. In DirectX benchmarks, it scores 52 in PassMark's DirectX 11 test and 25 in DirectX 12. These scores are low, indicating a GPU that is designed for basic tasks, not high-end gaming.

The impact of this GPU is clear in the measured FPS data. At 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 10 FPS, which is unplayable. Even at 1080p Low settings, the average is 58 FPS, which is barely acceptable for a smooth experience. The GPU's performance is the primary factor holding back this combination. The system-shared memory is a particular disadvantage, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for the same memory bandwidth, limiting its effective performance.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. From 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate drops by approximately 35-37% across all settings. For example, at Low settings, the FPS drops from 58 at 1080p to 37 at 1440p. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is even more severe, with the same Low settings dropping from 37 FPS to 20 FPS, a reduction of about 46%. This pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 1080p High, the average FPS is 37. Moving to 1440p High, it drops to 24 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 13 FPS. This scaling shows that as the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must process grows exponentially, overwhelming the Radeon 760M's limited fill rate and shading power. The CPU is not the limiting factor, as its performance is constant regardless of resolution. The data strongly implies that the GPU is the sole bottleneck in this configuration.

The differences between settings are also telling. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 30 FPS (58 vs. 28). At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is only 10 FPS (20 vs. 10). This is because at 4K, the GPU is so overloaded that the settings have a proportionally smaller impact on the final frame rate. The GPU is running out of raw processing power, and reducing settings can only recover so much performance.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance in Minimum. At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to be used for gaming, performance is as follows:

• Low settings: 58 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 44 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS.
• High settings: 37 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 28 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops considerably:

• Low settings: 37 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 29 FPS average, with a minimum of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS.
• High settings: 24 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 18 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the performance is largely unplayable:

• Low settings: 20 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 15 FPS average, with a minimum of 13 FPS and a maximum of 18 FPS.
• High settings: 13 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 10 FPS average.

The data shows a consistent trend: the system only achieves a playable frame rate (above 30 FPS) at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The Medium setting at 1080p offers a 44 FPS average with a minimum of 38 FPS, which is the only setting that provides a playable minimum frame rate. The High and Ultra settings at 1080p are below 40 FPS, which can feel less smooth. At higher resolutions, all settings result in frame rates below 40 FPS, making the game difficult to play.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution and settings to play Minimum with this combination?*

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 with Medium settings is the optimal choice. This configuration yields an average of 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS, ensuring a mostly smooth experience. Using Low settings at 1080p provides a higher average of 58 FPS, but Medium offers a better visual quality with an acceptable frame rate.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX processor holding back the Radeon 760M?

A: No, the data suggests the opposite. The CPU is a high-end 16-core part with a 95th percentile ranking. The frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The integrated Radeon 760M is not powerful enough to keep up with the CPU's capabilities in this game.

*Q: Can I play Minimum at 4K resolution with this system?*

A: The benchmark results show that 4K resolution is not viable. At 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 10 FPS, and even at 4K Low settings, it only reaches 20 FPS. These frame rates are far below the threshold for a playable experience.

Q: How does the Radeon 760M compare to its nearest rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The Radeon 760M has an average benchmark score of 6019. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon RX 6400, scores 6001, which is a 0.3% difference. The NVIDIA Quadro P2000 scores 6049, which is 0.5% higher. The performance is essentially on par with these discrete graphics cards.

Q: What is the impact of the Radeon 760M's system-shared memory?

A: The GPU has no dedicated VRAM; it uses system memory. This means the memory bandwidth is "System Dependent" and can be a significant limiting factor. The GPU must share the same memory bus as the CPU, which can reduce performance compared to a dedicated GPU with its own fast memory.

Q: Is the frame rate consistent, or are there significant drops?

A: The data includes minimum and maximum FPS for Medium settings. At 1080p, the frame rate varies between 38 and 51 FPS, a range of 13 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 24 to 33 FPS, and at 4K it is 13 to 18 FPS. The variance is noticeable, but the minimum FPS is still close to the average, indicating a relatively stable experience for the given settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this configuration are 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This is the only setting that provides a minimum frame rate above 30 FPS, with an average of 44 FPS and a minimum of 38 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p offers a higher average of 58 FPS, but it sacrifices visual quality. The Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, balancing a playable frame rate with a better visual presentation.

The High and Ultra presets at 1080p are not recommended, as they result in average frame rates of 37 FPS and 28 FPS, respectively. These are below the 40 FPS threshold that is often considered the minimum for a smooth gaming experience. At 1440p and 4K, the performance is too low to recommend any settings, as even the Low preset at 1440p only achieves 37 FPS, and at 4K, all settings fall below 20 FPS. For a playable experience, users should stick to 1080p and select the Medium preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and the AMD Radeon 760M ranks 2930 out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. This puts it in the bottom 0.3% of all tested systems, a position that reflects the significant imbalance between the high-end CPU and the low-end integrated GPU. This ranking is a clear indicator that the system is not suited for gaming at any resolution above 1080p with high settings.

The CPU's high benchmark scores are not enough to compensate for the GPU's limitations. The Radeon 760M's 35th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its low DirectX scores directly translate to poor gaming performance. While the CPU is among the best available, the GPU is only comparable to entry-level discrete cards from several generations ago. This pairing results in a system where the processor’s potential is wasted in gaming scenarios, as the GPU is the definitive limiting factor. The data shows that for Minimum, this is one of the most underperforming combinations in the database.