Minimum

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB produces a specific performance profile in the 2014 third-person shooter Minimum. The data places this configuration at rank 1113 out of 2939 tested combos, positioning it in the upper-middle tier of all possible system pairings. This combo demonstrates a clear balance where the CPU provides sufficient throughput for high frame rates, while the GPU becomes the primary constraint as resolution and settings increase, a dynamic that this analysis will quantify using the measured FPS data.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s overall rank of 1113 out of 2939 places it within the top 38% of all tested configurations for Minimum. This is a solid standing, indicating that the system handles the game’s demands well but is not at the extreme performance frontier. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing: the i3-12100F’s strong single-threaded performance (a 3DMark single-thread score of 893) and the RTX 5060 Ti’s raw throughput (a Passmark G3D score of 21981) combine to deliver playable frame rates across most settings. However, the rank suggests that many other combos, likely with higher-tier CPUs or GPUs, achieve higher average frames per second, particularly at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s individual percentile of 68 versus all CPUs indicates that the i3-12100F is better than 68% of all processors in the database. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, has an identical average benchmark score (13492 vs 13494), showing that the i3’s multi-threaded capability is matched by a more modern low-power chip. In contrast, the GPU’s percentile of 29 seems low, but this is skewed by the benchmark aggregation method. The RTX 5060 Ti’s nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5130M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, which have nearly identical average benchmark scores (4904 and 4893, respectively). This odd grouping suggests the GPU benchmark scores are weighted heavily toward older DirectX 9 and 10 workloads, where the 5060 Ti’s modern architecture does not excel. In actual gaming, as the measured FPS shows, the GPU is far more capable than that percentile implies.

Comparing to other combos in the database, the i3-12100F + RTX 5060 Ti combination benefits from the CPU’s 4 cores and 8 threads, which are sufficient for Minimum’s engine. The combo rank of 1113 out of 2939 means that roughly 1826 other combos score lower, reinforcing that this is a competent mid-range pairing. The data indicates that the system is more likely to be limited by the GPU at 4K Ultra (40 FPS) than by the CPU at 1080p Low (233 FPS), so the rank reflects a system that is strong at lower resolutions but falls behind at higher ones.

GPU Role

The RTX 5060 Ti carries 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), and the GPU core operates at a base of 2407 MHz with a boost of 2572 MHz. These specifications directly influence the measured frame rates. In Minimum, the GPU’s role becomes evident when examining the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 233 FPS average, which is likely near the CPU’s limit. As settings rise to Medium and High at 1080p, the FPS drops to 178 and 149, respectively, showing the GPU beginning to take on more work. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 40, a massive reduction that clearly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Minimum, as the game is from 2014 and unlikely to exceed that allocation even at 4K Ultra. The GDDR7 memory type and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth provide ample throughput for the game’s textures and effects. The GPU’s 4608 shading units and 144 texture mapping units (TMUs) handle the pixel and texture work, but the 48 ROPs (render output units) might limit fill-rate-heavy scenes at higher resolutions. The pixel rate of 123.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 370.4 GTexel/s are strong numbers, yet the measured data shows that at 4K, the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS on High settings (52 FPS). This suggests that while the GPU is capable, the demands of 4K resolution on Minimum’s engine are significant, and the 5060 Ti’s mid-range positioning shows in these results.

The GPU’s raw compute power, rated at 23.70 TFLOPS for FP32, is more than adequate for a 2014 title. However, the benchmark data shows that the GPU’s performance is inconsistent with its modern architecture when compared to older cards, likely due to driver optimizations for older APIs. In Minimum, the GPU’s role is to push frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but it becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS of 40 is below the playable threshold for many users.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 233 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 150 FPS, a 35.6% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 81 FPS, which is a 65.2% reduction from 1080p Low. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the increase in pixel count, while the CPU remains relatively idle. The same pattern holds for other settings. At 1080p High, the average is 149 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 96 FPS (a 35.6% reduction); and at 4K High, it falls to 52 FPS (a 65.1% reduction). This consistent scaling across settings suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting component as resolution increases.

The data also shows how settings affect the scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 114 FPS, while at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 73 FPS (a 36% reduction), and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 40 FPS (a 64.9% reduction). The relative consistency of these percentage drops (roughly 35-36% from 1080p to 1440p, and 65% from 1080p to 4K) indicates that the rendering load scales predictably with pixel count. This is a clear sign that the GPU is the bottleneck, as a CPU bottleneck would show less dramatic drops at higher resolutions. The CPU’s 4 cores and 8 threads with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but at 4K, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus are strained.

The limiting component is demonstrably the GPU. At 1080p Low, the system likely hits a CPU-imposed ceiling around 233 FPS, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s work per frame grows exponentially, causing the frame rate to plummet. The measured data shows that the system is capable of 4K Low (81 FPS) and 4K Medium (62 FPS), but 4K High (52 FPS) and 4K Ultra (40 FPS) fall below 60 FPS, making them less desirable for smooth gameplay. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that for this combo, lower resolutions and settings are where the system shines, while 4K requires significant compromises.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that 1440p High (96 FPS average) and 1440p Medium (115 FPS) are comfortable above 60 FPS, while 4K High (52 FPS) and 4K Ultra (40 FPS) are below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1080p, all settings exceed 114 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, which is 0% different from the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492), 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452), and 1.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351). This indicates that the i3’s multi-threaded performance is on par with these competing CPUs.

*Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for Minimum?*

A: The measured FPS data shows that the system achieves playable frame rates at all settings up to 4K Medium (62 FPS). Since the game launched in 2014, the 8 GB GDDR7 memory is sufficient, as the GPU’s VRAM allocation does not appear to be a limiting factor in the results.

Q: What is the GPU’s benchmark percentile, and why is it so low?

A: The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is 29, but this is based on aggregate benchmark scores that include older DirectX 9 and 10 tests, where the modern architecture does not perform well. The measured FPS in Minimum shows the GPU is far more capable, with 233 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: Does the combo rank change with different settings?

A: The combo rank of 1113 out of 2939 is a single overall ranking. The measured FPS data indicates that the system’s relative standing would be higher at lower resolutions and settings, where the CPU is the limit, and lower at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is the bottleneck.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the components?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has a launch MSRP of $97, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB has a launch MSRP of 379 USD.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. On Low settings, the average FPS is 233, which is the maximum recorded for this combo. Medium settings produce an average of 178 FPS, with a minimum of 151 and maximum of 205. High settings average 149 FPS, and Ultra settings average 114 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is not heavily constrained, and even Ultra settings remain well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease notably but remain mostly playable. Low settings average 150 FPS, a 35.6% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 and maximum of 132. High settings average 96 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 73 FPS. All 1440p settings except Ultra remain above 90 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors. The minimum FPS of 98 on Medium is particularly strong, ensuring smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. Low settings average 81 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and maximum of 71. High settings average 52 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 40 FPS. These results show that 4K requires either Low or Medium settings to maintain a stable experience. The minimum FPS of 53 on Medium is borderline, indicating potential stutters in demanding scenes. The maximum FPS of 71 on Medium suggests that there is some headroom, but the average is just above the 60 FPS threshold.

The data also reveals that the difference between Low and Ultra settings shrinks as resolution increases. At 1080p, Low (233 FPS) is 119 FPS higher than Ultra (114 FPS), a 104% increase. At 4K, Low (81 FPS) is 41 FPS higher than Ultra (40 FPS), a 102.5% increase. This proportional scaling suggests that the GPU’s workload scales linearly with both resolution and settings, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor across all configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its L3 cache is 12 MB shared, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The CPU’s benchmark scores indicate strong single-threaded performance, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674. Multi-threaded performance is decent for a quad-core, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 7252. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 13494 places it at the 68th percentile, with rivals like the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492) and Intel Core i5-9500 (13452) showing nearly identical scores.

In Minimum, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 233 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame rate capability for this game. The 4.30 GHz boost clock and 4 cores are sufficient to handle the game’s single-threaded engine tasks, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower resolutions. However, the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the GPU’s workload increases with pixel count. The CPU’s 8 threads allow it to handle background tasks and game code efficiently, but the data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor when resolution increases.

The CPU’s TDP of 58 W and 10 nm process node make it an efficient choice, but the performance data is what matters here. The 3DMark multi-thread scores (4051 for 16 threads, 4026 for 8 threads, and 4023 for max threads) show that the CPU scales well with thread count, but the 4-core limit means it cannot compete with higher-core-count processors in heavily multithreaded scenarios. For Minimum, this is not a problem, as the game’s engine likely relies more on single-threaded performance. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 3444 is strong, and its Passmark multithread score of 14015 is respectable for its class. In terms of the combo’s overall rank, the CPU contributes significantly to the 1113 out of 2939 ranking, but the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions prevent a higher standing.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, with Ultra averaging 114 FPS. The data suggests that Ultra is the best experience at 1080p, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. If a 144 Hz monitor is used, High settings (149 FPS) or Medium settings (178 FPS) offer smoother gameplay, but Ultra remains a viable choice.

At 2560x1440, the best balance of visual quality and performance is High settings, which average 96 FPS. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and provides better visuals than Medium (115 FPS). Ultra at 1440p averages 73 FPS, which is still playable, but the 23 FPS drop from High may not justify the visual upgrade, especially if frame time consistency is a concern. For a 144 Hz monitor, Medium (115 FPS) is the better choice, as it stays closer to the refresh rate.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot maintain 60 FPS on High (52 FPS) or Ultra (40 FPS) settings. The data recommends Medium settings, which average 62 FPS, as the best experience for 4K. This provides a playable frame rate while offering better visuals than Low (81 FPS). The minimum FPS of 53 on Medium is a concern, but the average above 60 FPS suggests that most of the gameplay will be smooth. Low settings are the safest option for a locked 60 FPS experience, but the visual compromise is significant.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is: 1080p Ultra (114 FPS) for maximum quality, 1440p High (96 FPS) for a balance of quality and speed, and 4K Medium (62 FPS) for those who prioritize resolution over settings. The data indicates that the combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where the GPU can handle high settings without dropping below 60 FPS. At 4K, users must accept Medium settings or lower to maintain a smooth frame rate.