Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination delivers exceptional performance in Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014. Benchmark results show this pairing achieves high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the data indicating a strong balance between the 12-core, 24-thread Zen 5 processor and the Blackwell 2.0-based flagship GPU. This analysis examines the measured FPS data, the relationship between CPU and GPU capabilities, and how this specific combo ranks against the 1,733 other tested configurations.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It features 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The processor includes 64 MB of shared L3 cache, alongside 1 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. This CPU supports DDR5 memory through a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and it connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 9900X demonstrates strong multi-threaded capability. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score reaches 46,438, while the single-core test yields 6,555. The Geekbench multi-core score is 19,827, with a single-core score of 3,341. The PassMark multi-thread score is 54,643, and the single-thread score is 4,672. The processor's 3DMark results show scaling from 1,286 in single-thread to 13,929 in max-threads, indicating efficient utilization of its 24 threads.

For a game like Minimum, which was released in 2014, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 409.3 FPS, which is likely near the upper limit of what the game engine can produce. The 9900X's single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1,286, ensures that even older game engines that rely heavily on a few fast cores will not bottleneck this configuration. The processor's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs further confirms its position as a high-end part capable of supporting the RTX 5090.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the measured average frame rate at 4K with High settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 89.1 FPS. This represents a significant drop from the 1080p High result of 262.9 FPS, showing the impact of resolution on the GPU workload.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54,450. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, scores 54,681, which is a delta of -0.4% relative to the 9900X. The Intel Core i7-14700F scores 54,097, putting it 0.7% behind the 9900X.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset produces 260.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 128.6 FPS. This 131.5 FPS difference indicates that the Ultra preset doubles the rendering load compared to Low at this resolution.

Q: Does the RTX 5090's benchmark score place it among the top GPUs?

A: The RTX 5090 has a percentile rank of 94 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,306. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, scores 84,241, a negligible delta of 0.1%, indicating these two cards perform nearly identically.

Q: What is the lowest measured frame rate across all tested settings?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 68.6, which occurs at 4K resolution with the Ultra preset. This is the only measured result below 70 FPS, suggesting that the combo can handle most configurations with high frame rates.

Q: How does the 9900X's single-thread score relate to its gaming performance?

A: The processor's 3DMark single-thread score of 1,286 and PassMark single-thread score of 4,672 indicate strong per-core performance. This is crucial for Minimum, as older titles often rely on a few cores, and the high single-thread scores help maintain high frame rates even when the GPU is not fully saturated.

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 scaling as resolution increases. At High settings, the combo delivers 262.9 FPS at 1920x1080, dropping to 171 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 89.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 66.1% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 1440p, and a 47.9% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The steep decline from 1440p to 4K indicates that the RTX 5090 is becoming the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the GPU's pixel throughput is strained by the increased resolution.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The 1080p Low result is 409.3 FPS, which drops to 260.1 FPS at 1440p (a 36.5% reduction) and then to 142.4 FPS at 4K (a 45.3% reduction from 1440p). The fact that 4K Low still produces over 140 FPS shows that the GPU has substantial headroom, but the increasing percentage drop at higher resolutions confirms that the RTX 5090's rendering capabilities, rather than the CPU, are the primary constraint.

Analyzing the Ultra preset, the frame rates are 198.2 FPS at 1080p, 128.6 FPS at 1440p, and 68.6 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured average below 70 FPS, highlighting that this combination struggles to maintain high frame rates at the most demanding settings. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, users should consider Medium or High presets, as the jump from High to Ultra at 4K costs 20.5 FPS (from 89.1 to 68.6), which is a significant penalty for the visual upgrade.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all four presets deliver playable results, with even Ultra reaching 198.2 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p produces 409.3 FPS, which is likely beyond the refresh rate of most monitors, making Medium or High the sensible choices for smoother visuals without sacrificing performance.

At 1440p, the High preset achieves 171 FPS, which is an excellent balance for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset offers 199.8 FPS, but the visual quality difference between Medium and High may justify the 28.8 FPS trade-off. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 128.6 FPS, which is still above 120 FPS and could be acceptable for users prioritizing image quality over maximum frame rates.

For 4K gaming, the choices are more constrained. The High preset yields 89.1 FPS, which is suitable for 60-90 Hz displays. The Medium preset provides 108.7 FPS, offering a comfortable margin above 100 FPS. The Low preset reaches 142.4 FPS, but the visual downgrade may be noticeable. The Ultra preset at 4K, with its 68.6 FPS average, is the only configuration that drops below the 70 FPS threshold, making it the least recommended option unless a very high refresh rate is not a priority.

The data suggests that the High preset at 1440p or the Medium preset at 4K offer the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 1080p provides the highest measured FPS at 409.3.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 17th out of 1,733 tested combos in Minimum. This top-1% placement indicates that this pairing is among the most powerful configurations tested for this game. The rank of 17 suggests that only 16 other CPU-GPU combinations produce higher average frame rates across the tested settings.

Given that the RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU with a 94th percentile ranking among all GPUs, and the 9900X also sits at the 94th percentile among CPUs, the combo's 17th place ranking aligns with the individual components' high standing. The data shows that the combo's performance is not limited by either component at lower resolutions, but the 4K Ultra result of 68.6 FPS suggests that the GPU's capabilities are the primary constraint at the highest settings.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the RTX 5090 D with a delta of 0.1%, indicating near-identical performance. The AMD Radeon PRO W6600 is 1.3% behind, while the NVIDIA CMP 40HX is 1.6% ahead in average benchmark score. For the CPU, the nearest rivals include the Ryzen 9 9900X3D at -0.4% and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K at -1.5%. These small deltas indicate that the 9900X is closely matched with its direct competitors, and the 17th place ranking reflects the combination of two top-tier components.

The measured FPS data confirms that this combo is well-suited for Minimum, delivering over 60 FPS at all tested settings and resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 68.6 FPS is the only measurement below 70 FPS, and even that is playable. For users seeking maximum performance, the 1080p Low setting at 409.3 FPS demonstrates the combo's ability to push frame rates to very high levels.