Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 produces a distinct performance profile in Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. The measured data shows a combination that scales predictably across resolutions and settings, with the RTX 5060’s 8 GB of VRAM and the 9900X3D’s 12-core configuration both playing specific roles in the final frame rates. This analysis walks through the benchmark results step by step, interpreting what the numbers mean for gameplay at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p Low is 215. This is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo across all tested configurations, indicating that the CPU and GPU have ample headroom at the lowest graphical load.

Q: How does the frame rate drop when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 105. At 2160p (4K) Ultra, the average FPS drops to 37. This represents a 65% reduction in average frame rate, highlighting the significant stress that 4K resolution places on the GPU.

Q: What is the GPU’s launch MSRP?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 has a launch MSRP of 299 USD. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has a launch MSRP of $599.

Q: Does the RTX 5060 have enough VRAM for 4K gaming in this title?

A: The RTX 5060 features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus. The data shows playable average frame rates at 4K Medium (57 FPS) and 4K High (48 FPS), but the drop to 37 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the combination of high resolution and maximum settings is pushing the limits of the GPU’s resources.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X3D's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: In the overall average benchmark score, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D scores 54762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF's score of 55093. This places the two processors essentially neck-and-neck in general CPU benchmarks.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 1253 out of 2939 total combinations tested in Minimum. This places it in the upper half of all tested systems, though not in the top tier.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is the primary driver of frame rates in Minimum, particularly as resolution increases. The GPU’s memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The boost clock runs at 2497 MHz, with a base clock of 2280 MHz. These specs are the foundation for the measured results, which show a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution climbs from 1080p to 4K.

At 1080p, the GPU is not the bottleneck. The average FPS at High settings is 138, and at Low it jumps to 215. This suggests that the RTX 5060 has substantial headroom at this resolution. However, the picture changes dramatically at 4K. The average FPS at 2160p Ultra is 37, which is a massive drop from the 105 FPS seen at 1080p Ultra. This 68 FPS difference is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s pixel throughput limitations. The RTX 5060’s pixel rate is 119.9 GPixel/s, and at 4K, the sheer number of pixels to fill overwhelms the render output processors (48 ROPs).

The data also indicates that memory bandwidth becomes a factor at higher resolutions. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and even 1440p, but at 4K with high settings, the demand on the memory subsystem increases. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a key constraint. While the game runs at 4K Medium with an average of 57 FPS, the jump to High drops it to 48 FPS, and Ultra drops it further to 37 FPS. This progressive decline suggests that the GPU is running out of both memory bandwidth and capacity as texture detail and effects increase, leading to lower frame rates. In contrast, the 2.0 GHz-class boost clock is less relevant at 4K, where the limiting factor is the fill rate and memory throughput rather than core clock speed.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a consistent and expected scaling pattern across the three resolutions. The most telling comparison is the Low settings row: 215 FPS at 1080p, 139 FPS at 1440p, and 75 FPS at 2160p. This indicates a performance scaling factor of approximately 1.55 from 1080p to 1440p, and 1.85 from 1440p to 4K. These are not linear drops; they reflect the increasing pixel count that the GPU must process.

For High settings, the averages are 138 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 46%. This pattern shows that the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU can likely keep up with the GPU’s output, but at 4K, the GPU is fully saturated, and the frame rate is dictated by its raw rendering capabilities.

The Ultra settings row amplifies this trend. The averages are 105 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 35% drop, and from 1440p to 4K is a 46% drop. This consistent pattern across all settings suggests that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. The CPU’s high clock speeds and core count do not cause a bottleneck at any resolution, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low (215 FPS). The data indicates that the RTX 5060 is the primary constraint on performance, especially at 4K, where even Low settings yield only 75 FPS. This is a clear sign that the game is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, and the 8 GB VRAM capacity further compounds the issue when textures and effects are set to Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5060 demonstrates strong performance across all settings. The Low preset delivers an average of 215 FPS, making it the smoothest experience. Medium settings yield 165 FPS, with a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 190 FPS. High settings average 138 FPS, while Ultra drops to 105 FPS. All of these averages are well above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that 1080p gaming is not a challenge for this combo.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but begin to show the GPU’s workload. Low settings average 139 FPS, which is still very fluid. Medium settings average 106 FPS, with a minimum of 90 FPS and a maximum of 122 FPS. High settings average 89 FPS, and Ultra drops to 68 FPS. The data shows that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combination, as even Ultra settings maintain an average above 60 FPS, though the margin is thinner than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a significant hit. Low settings average 75 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that clears the 60 FPS mark. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS, showing that frame pacing can dip below 50 FPS. High settings average 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. The 4K results indicate that the RTX 5060 is not well-suited for maximum settings at this resolution. The drop from Medium to High is 9 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 11 FPS, showing that each step up in settings has a meaningful cost.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. Its base clock is 4.40 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The CPU has a substantial 128 MB L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series. These specifications provide a strong foundation for gaming, and the benchmark data confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor in Minimum.

The measured FPS at 1080p Low (215 FPS) is a clear indicator of the CPU’s capability. At this resolution and settings, the GPU is not heavily taxed, so the frame rate is largely dependent on the CPU’s ability to feed the graphics card with draw calls and game logic. The 9900X3D’s high boost clock of 5.50 GHz and 12 cores ensure that there is ample processing power to maintain high frame rates. The single-thread performance is also strong, with a 3dmark single-thread score of 1269 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739. These scores suggest that the CPU can handle the primary game thread efficiently.

The CPU’s role is further highlighted by the scaling behavior. When moving from 1080p to 4K, the frame rate drops significantly, but this is due to the GPU’s workload, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions at the same settings, which is not the case. The data shows a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The CPU’s 24 threads also ensure that any background tasks or secondary threads in the game engine do not cause stutters. The passmark multithread score of 56154 and the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 indicate that the CPU has massive headroom for multithreaded workloads, which is beneficial for overall system responsiveness even if the game does not fully utilize all 24 threads.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, the High preset provides an excellent balance, averaging 138 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and offers better visual fidelity than Medium (165 FPS) or Low (215 FPS). Ultra at 1080p is also viable, with 105 FPS average, but the visual improvement over High may not justify the 33 FPS loss.

For 1440p, the High preset is the best choice for a smooth experience, averaging 89 FPS. This is a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset averages 106 FPS, which is also very playable, and may be preferable for those who prioritize frame rate over visual detail. Ultra at 1440p averages 68 FPS, which is still playable, but the margin over the 60 FPS threshold is thinner. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot for 1440p, as it provides a comfortable frame rate without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS (75 FPS). Medium averages 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS mark, but the minimum of 49 FPS indicates that there will be noticeable dips. High and Ultra are not recommended for 4K, with averages of 48 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively. For a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, users should stick to Low settings. If visual quality is more important than a locked frame rate, Medium is the highest preset that provides a semi-playable experience, but users should be prepared for frame rate fluctuations.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination ranks 1253 out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. This puts the system in the 57th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms more than half of the tested systems but is not in the top tier. The rank reflects the balanced nature of the pairing: the CPU is a high-end, 12-core processor, while the GPU is a mid-range card.

The CPU’s performance is close to its nearest rivals. The benchmark data shows the 9900X3D has an average score of 54762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (55093) and 1.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54053). This places the CPU in a competitive position, but its overall ranking is likely dragged down by the GPU’s mid-range standing. The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 26331, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD Radeon 860M (26401) and 1.2% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT (26011). These are close margins, indicating that the GPU is in a very tight performance band with its peers.

In the context of Minimum, the combo’s rank of 1253 suggests that while the CPU can push high frame rates at lower resolutions, the GPU becomes a limiting factor at 4K, preventing the system from reaching the top ranks. The measured FPS data supports this, showing strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, but a significant drop at 4K. The overall ranking is a sum of these parts, and it places this combo in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, making it a solid choice for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and capable 1440p play, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises.