Minimum

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB lands at rank 725 out of 1,733 tested combos for the game Minimum, placing it comfortably in the upper half of all system configurations. This percentile positioning, around the 58th mark, indicates a setup that handles the title with authority, though it is not among the elite tier of hardware pairings. The data reveals a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, while still providing playable performance at 4K, with the RTX 4060 Ti serving as the primary driver of frame rates in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 725 out of 1,733 places it within the top 42% of all tested configurations, a solid result for a mid-range pairing. This positioning suggests that the i5-10400F and RTX 4060 Ti combination is capable of delivering a smooth experience, but there is headroom above it occupied by more powerful CPUs and GPUs. The CPU itself holds a percentile of 73 against all processors, which is a stronger relative position than the GPU’s rather low percentile of 17. This discrepancy highlights that the graphics card, while modern, is being compared against a vast field of higher-end GPUs, whereas the 10th-gen Core i5 remains a respectable performer in the broader CPU landscape.

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the i5-10400F’s average benchmark score of 14,168 is closely matched with the AMD EPYC 7552, which scores 14,115 with a delta of just 0.4%. It also sits within 1.2% of the Intel Core i5-8500 and AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546, which score 14,332 and 14,336, respectively. These tight margins indicate that in synthetic multi-threaded workloads, the i5-10400F is effectively on par with those chips, but the real-world gaming results will be dictated by its 6-core, 12-thread configuration and boost behavior. For the GPU, the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB's average score of 2,913 places it in a strange cohort, statistically identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M and GT 650M, though these are wildly different generations, which shows the limitations of comparing across such disparate hardware eras. The more relevant comparison is the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB, which scores 2,907 and is only 0.2% slower in this specific test, confirming that the 8 GB and 16 GB variants perform nearly identically in raw compute.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the RTX 4060 Ti acting as the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 234.5 FPS, a figure that suggests the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates. However, as resolution climbs to 1440p, the frame rate drops by 36% to 149.9 FPS at the same settings, and further drops to 83.8 FPS at 4K, a 64% reduction from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load on the graphics card increases exponentially with pixel count.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. Moving from 1080p High to 1440p High results in a 35.8% FPS reduction (148.5 to 95.4), and then a further 46.9% reduction when moving to 4K High (95.4 to 50.7). The data indicates that the i5-10400F is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions; if it were, the frame rates would remain more static as resolution increases. Instead, the consistent, large percentage drops point directly to the GPU’s fillrate and bandwidth limitations at 4K, where the 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory interface are stressed. At 1080p Ultra, the system still produces 115.7 FPS, showing that even at the highest settings, the CPU has enough single-thread headroom to avoid holding back the graphics card.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high refresh rates?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the target for high refresh rates, with average FPS ranging from 115.7 on Ultra to 234.5 on Low. At 2560x1440, the system can still exceed 70 FPS on Ultra, but drops below 150 FPS on Low.

Q: How much of a performance gain is there from lowering settings at 4K?

A: The jump from Ultra to Low at 3840x2160 is substantial, increasing average FPS from 39.5 to 83.8. This represents a 112% improvement, making Low settings the viable option for 4K gaming on this hardware.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The large frame rate drops when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 4K, across all settings, are characteristic of a graphics-card-limited scenario.

Q: Can this combo handle the Ultra preset at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 115.7 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB compare to the 16 GB version in this context?

A: Based on the synthetic benchmark scores, the 8 GB version scores 2,913 while the 16 GB version scores 2,907, a delta of 0.2%. This suggests the performance difference in Minimum is negligible, with the 8 GB model being marginally faster in this specific test.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p on High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate for this combo at 2560x1440 with High settings is 95.4 FPS, which is a strong result for a balance of visual fidelity and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its peak performance. With Low settings, it reaches an average of 234.5 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded for this combo. Medium settings produce 183 FPS, High settings yield 148.5 FPS, and the Ultra preset still maintains a robust 115.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a predictable cost of 118.8 FPS, or roughly a 51% performance penalty for maximum visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very playable. The Low preset averages 149.9 FPS, while Medium delivers 118.6 FPS. High settings produce 95.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 73.7 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for the RTX 4060 Ti, as even the most demanding preset stays comfortably above 60 FPS, while lower presets easily support 144Hz monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. The Ultra preset averages just 39.5 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay. High settings improve this to 50.7 FPS, and Medium to 63.3 FPS. Only the Low preset provides a clearly fluid experience, with an average of 83.8 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming is possible, but it requires significant compromises in settings to achieve acceptable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. For a game released in 2014, this configuration is more than sufficient to handle the title’s threading requirements. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10,297 and a single-core score of 1,453, illustrate its competence in both multi-threaded and lightly-threaded workloads. The PassMark single-thread score of 2,541 is particularly relevant for gaming, as many titles rely heavily on single-core performance.

In Minimum, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is 234.5 FPS, the CPU is able to keep up without creating a bottleneck. If the i5-10400F were severely limiting, we would see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, but the continued increase from 1440p to 1080p indicates the CPU has headroom. The processor’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support also help maintain consistent frame pacing. Its percentile rank of 73 against all CPUs confirms that it is a solid, if not spectacular, performer, and it does not detract from the overall gaming experience provided by the RTX 4060 Ti.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured results, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the user’s display resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers an average of 115.7 FPS. This provides a high level of visual detail while still exceeding the refresh rate of standard 60Hz monitors and remaining competitive on 120Hz or 144Hz panels. If a user prefers even higher frame rates, dropping to the High preset yields 148.5 FPS, a 28% increase, with a minor visual compromise.

For 1440p users, the High preset at 95.4 FPS offers the best balance of image quality and smoothness. The Ultra preset, at 73.7 FPS, is also viable for gamers who prioritize visuals over raw frame rate, but the High setting provides a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. At 4K, the situation is reversed. The Low preset, with an average of 83.8 FPS, is the only setting that provides a consistently fluid experience. The Medium preset, at 63.3 FPS, is playable but will show stutter in demanding scenes. The High and Ultra presets, at 50.7 and 39.5 FPS respectively, should be avoided unless a user is tolerant of lower frame rates. In summary, the data suggests that this hardware is best suited for 1080p Ultra or 1440p High, with 4K requiring the Low preset for an acceptable frame rate.