Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination delivers a high-refresh-rate experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows this pairing ranks 558th out of 2939 tested combos, placing it comfortably in the top 20% of all configurations. Across the measured resolutions and settings, the combo demonstrates strong headroom for high-FPS gaming, though the relationship between CPU and GPU workload shifts noticeably as resolution increases. The following analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the game's results and where the best settings lie.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process from TSMC. Its base clock is 4.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and it carries a 120 W TDP. The CPU includes 128 MB of L3 cache, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. This large cache pool is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads that rely on data locality, and it helps explain why the chip performs well in titles that are sensitive to memory latency.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 9900X3D posts a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. Its Geekbench multicore score is 22884 and single-core is 3041. The 3DMark results show scaling from 2512 in the 2-thread test to 13795 in the max-thread test, indicating strong multi-threaded scaling. The CPU's average benchmark score is 54762, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs tested. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, scores 55093, which is only 0.6% higher, making the two effectively tied in overall CPU performance. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K trails by 1.3% with a score of 54053.

For Minimum, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions where frame rates are high. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 297 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate that demands significant per-thread CPU throughput. The 9900X3D's single-core performance, reflected in its 6739 Cinebench R23 single-core score and 4646 Passmark single-thread score, provides the necessary headroom to feed the GPU at these frame rates. The 12-core design also ensures that background tasks and game engine threads do not starve the main rendering pipeline, even when the frame rate approaches 300 FPS.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this game at any resolution tested. The most demanding CPU scenario is at 1080p Low, where the GPU has less work to do and the CPU must generate frames quickly. The 297 FPS result shows the 9900X3D handles this workload without issue. At higher resolutions, the frame rate drops, which shifts the bottleneck to the GPU, but the CPU's 24 threads remain available for any physics, AI, or simulation tasks the game requires.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB205 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The GPU has 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, with a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz. Memory is 12 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus, providing 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has a 250 W TDP and requires a 600 W power supply.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 5070 achieves a Passmark G3D score of 29137 and a Passmark GPU compute score of 15787. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 5077. The GPU's average benchmark score is 40377, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, scores 40318, which is just 0.1% lower, showing that the RTX 5070 sits in a tight performance cluster. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is 0.8% behind, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% ahead.

For Minimum, the RTX 5070's 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for a game from 2014, even at 4K Ultra. The game's texture and geometry demands are modest by modern standards, so VRAM capacity is unlikely to be a limiting factor at any tested setting. The GPU's raw rasterization performance is what drives the frame rates. At 1080p High, the combo hits 191 FPS, and at 1440p High it reaches 123 FPS. The 4K High result of 66 FPS shows the GPU is still capable at the highest resolution, but the frame rate drops significantly from the lower resolutions.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s is ample for a game of this era, and the 192-bit bus with GDDR7 memory ensures that texture streaming is not a bottleneck. The boost clock of 2512 MHz provides consistent performance across the tested scenarios. The data shows that the RTX 5070 is the dominant component in determining frame rates at 4K, where the 66 FPS High result is roughly half of the 123 FPS at 1440p High. This pattern indicates that the GPU is increasingly stressed as resolution climbs, while the CPU remains underutilized.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 191 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 123 FPS, a reduction of 68 FPS or roughly 36%. At 4K High, the frame rate falls to 66 FPS, which is another 57 FPS lower, a 46% drop from 1440p. The same trend holds for other settings. At Low, 1080p produces 297 FPS, 1440p produces 192 FPS, and 4K produces 103 FPS. At Medium, the numbers are 228 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. At Ultra, 1080p yields 146 FPS, 1440p yields 94 FPS, and 4K yields 51 FPS.

This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The frame rate drops roughly in line with the increase in pixel count. From 1080p to 1440p, the pixel count increases by about 78%, and the frame rate drops by about 36% at High settings. From 1440p to 4K, the pixel count increases by about 125%, and the frame rate drops by about 46%. The fact that the frame rate does not drop proportionally to the pixel count suggests that other factors, such as memory bandwidth and fill rate, are also at play, but the overall trend clearly points to the GPU as the limiting component at 4K.

At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU has more headroom, as evidenced by the high frame rates at Low settings. The 1080p Low result of 297 FPS indicates that the CPU can push well beyond typical monitor refresh rates, and the GPU is still keeping up. The 1440p Low result of 192 FPS shows similar characteristics. The data suggests that for competitive play at lower resolutions, this combo can handle extremely high frame rates, but for 4K gaming, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The min FPS data at Medium settings shows 193 FPS at 1080p, 125 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K, indicating that even the minimum frame rates remain playable at all resolutions, though 4K Medium dips below the 72 FPS threshold that some players prefer.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo ranks 558th out of 2939 tested configurations in Minimum. This placement puts it in the 81st percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 81% of the tested setups. The data shows that this combination is well above average for this game, which makes sense given the high-end nature of both components.

The 558th rank out of 2939 combos indicates that there are 557 configurations that perform better, but also that there are 2381 combos that perform worse. The top-ranked combos likely use higher-tier GPUs such as the RTX 5090 or RTX 5080, or possibly dual-GPU setups, which would push frame rates even higher. The RTX 5070's position in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs aligns closely with the combo's overall rank, suggesting that the GPU is the primary determinant of the combo's standing in this game.

The CPU's 91st percentile ranking is higher than the GPU's 82nd percentile, which means the CPU is relatively stronger compared to its peers. This imbalance suggests that the combo could benefit from a more powerful GPU if higher frame rates are desired, but the current configuration is well balanced for the game's demands. The nearest rival GPUs, such as the AMD Radeon Pro 580 with a 0.1% score difference, indicate that the RTX 5070 is in a crowded performance band, and small variations in game optimization could shift the ranking slightly.

Given that Minimum is a 2014 title, the game's engine is older and may not fully utilize the modern features of the RTX 5070, such as its RT cores or tensor cores. The data shows that the combo still performs strongly, which suggests that the game is more dependent on raw rasterization power than on advanced features. The 558th rank reflects a solid, but not top-tier, position that is appropriate for a mid-to-high-end GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

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

The measured rows provide four settings presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—across three resolutions. The best setting depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 228 FPS average with a minimum of 193 FPS. This is a strong choice for high-refresh-rate monitors, as it provides a significant boost over High's 191 FPS while maintaining a minimum above 144 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 146 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns for the performance cost.

At 1440p, the Medium preset produces 147 FPS with a minimum of 125 FPS. This is the sweet spot for 1440p gaming, as it stays above 120 FPS for most of the time and provides a smooth experience. The High preset at 123 FPS is also acceptable, but the Medium preset's higher frame rate and similar visual quality make it the better choice. The Ultra preset at 94 FPS is borderline for high-refresh-rate gaming, and the drop to Low at 192 FPS is not worth the visual downgrade.

At 4K, the High preset yields 66 FPS, which is playable but below the 72 FPS threshold that many players consider smooth. The Medium preset at 79 FPS is the best option for 4K, as it provides a more consistent experience with a minimum of 67 FPS. The Ultra preset at 51 FPS is too demanding for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 103 FPS is the highest frame rate at 4K, but the visual fidelity is significantly reduced.

The data suggests that for the best overall experience, the Medium preset is the most balanced choice across all resolutions. At 1080p and 1440p, it offers high frame rates with good visual quality. At 4K, it provides the best compromise between frame rate and fidelity. The High preset is a viable alternative for 4K if the player prefers better visuals and can tolerate slightly lower frame rates. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p or 1440p if the player has a monitor that can display the higher frame rates and prioritizes image quality over performance.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Minimum?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 297 FPS at 1080p with Low settings. The next highest is 228 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 192 FPS at 1440p Low.

*Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K High, the average frame rate is 66 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 4K Medium preset offers 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS, making it the better choice for 4K.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF's 55093. The 9900X3D is 1.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and 2.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700F.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580's 40318. It is 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 and 2.0% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% higher than the RTX 5070.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Medium preset offers the best balance at 1440p, with an average frame rate of 147 FPS and a minimum of 125 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on 120Hz or 144Hz monitors while maintaining good visual quality.

Q: Does the frame rate drop significantly from 1080p to 4K?

A: Yes. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 191 FPS at 1080p to 123 FPS at 1440p, then to 66 FPS at 4K. This represents a total drop of 125 FPS, or roughly 65%, from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.