Minimum

The data for Minimum with the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti shows a configuration that is firmly capable of delivering playable framerates across the board, but the relationship between resolution, settings, and the resulting FPS reveals a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher loads. This pairing of a 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake CPU with a Pascal-generation flagship GPU produces a performance profile that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, but which requires careful settings management to maintain smoothness at 4K. The measured results provide a clear picture of how this combination scales under pressure, and the data suggests that the GTX 1080 Ti, despite its age, still holds its own in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation in the measured FPS data is the dramatic impact of resolution on performance, which clearly points to the GPU as the limiting component. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves an average of 192 FPS, a figure that drops to 124 FPS at 1440p and further to 67 FPS at 2160p. This represents a 65% reduction in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, a scaling pattern that is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the increased pixel count directly taxes the render output units and memory bandwidth.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced when examining the Ultra preset, where the framerate drops from 94 FPS at 1080p to 61 FPS at 1440p (a 35% decrease) and then to 33 FPS at 4K (a 65% decrease from 1080p). This steep decline at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls below 40, indicates that the GTX 1080 Ti's 11 GB of VRAM and 484.4 GB/s of bandwidth are being saturated by the combination of high-resolution textures and demanding effects. The fact that the 4K Medium preset yields 51 FPS, while 4K High yields 43 FPS, shows that each step up in quality costs roughly 8 FPS at this resolution, suggesting a linear relationship between settings and performance when the GPU is fully utilized.

Interestingly, the scaling between 1080p and 1440p is less severe than between 1440p and 4K. For High settings, the drop from 124 FPS to 80 FPS (a 35% reduction) is identical to the Ultra preset's percentage drop, but the absolute gap of 44 FPS is substantial. This pattern implies that at 1080p, the CPU may be able to feed the GPU adequately, but as resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows exponentially, and the i5-11400F's 12 threads are no longer the limiting factor. The data suggests that for gamers targeting 4K, the GTX 1080 Ti is the definitive bottleneck, while at 1080p, the system is better balanced, though the CPU's 2.60 GHz base clock may still hold back the highest framerates in less demanding scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this specific pairing of the i5-11400F and GTX 1080 Ti achieves a combo rank of 2082 out of 3712 tested combinations. This places the configuration in the 56th percentile of all tested combos, indicating that it outperforms a slight majority of other pairings but is far from the top-tier setups. The rank suggests that while this is a capable gaming system, there are many more powerful combinations in the database that deliver higher average framerates in this title.

The CPU's individual benchmark performance helps contextualize this ranking. The i5-11400F scores 14,340 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong multi-threaded performance for its class. However, its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database show that it is very closely matched with the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% higher score) and the Intel Core i5-12450H (0.4% lower score), suggesting that the CPU is not the differentiator in this combo's ranking. The GPU, on the other hand, scores 18,600 in Passmark G3D, placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Radeon R9 M380 (0.2% higher score) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (1.7% lower score).

This data implies that the combo's rank of 2082 is largely driven by the GPU's mid-pack performance relative to modern hardware. The GTX 1080 Ti's 58th percentile ranking, while respectable for a card from 2017, means that many newer GPUs will outperform it in Minimum, dragging the combo's overall rank down. The fact that the GPU is within 1.7% of the RTX 2060 in average benchmark score is telling, as it suggests that this older card is still competitive with much newer mid-range offerings, but the gap to top-tier GPUs is significant. For a 1080p gamer, this rank is acceptable, but for those seeking 4K performance, the data clearly shows that this combo sits below the median in the database.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with Medium settings yields an average of 95 FPS, and 1920x1080 with High settings yields 124 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset (67 FPS) exceeds 60 FPS, while Medium (51 FPS) and High (43 FPS) fall short.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1080 Ti scores 18,600 in Passmark G3D, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M380 and 1.7% higher than both the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. Its overall average benchmark score of 15,548 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Is the i5-11400F a bottleneck for the GTX 1080 Ti in this game?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU's 12 threads (6 cores, 12 threads) are sufficient to push high framerates, as evidenced by 192 FPS at Low settings. However, the CPU's 71st percentile ranking and its close rivalry with the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% delta) indicate that it is not the primary limiting factor; the GPU's workload scales more significantly with resolution.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 124 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 61 FPS. This represents a 63 FPS drop (50.8% reduction) when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is possible but limited. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 67, which is playable, but at 4K Medium (51 FPS) and 4K High (43 FPS), the framerate dips below the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K Ultra preset averages only 33 FPS, which is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the combo's rank in this game compare to its individual component percentiles?

A: The combo ranks 2082 out of 3712 (56th percentile), which is slightly lower than the CPU's 71st percentile ranking but similar to the GPU's 58th percentile ranking. This suggests that the GPU's performance is the more significant factor in determining the overall combo rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combination performs across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest framerates, with the Low preset achieving an average of 192 FPS, the Medium preset at 147 FPS (with a minimum of 125 and maximum of 169), the High preset at 124 FPS, and the Ultra preset at 94 FPS. These figures indicate that at 1080p, the system is well above the 60 FPS threshold for all settings, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the framerates remain strong but show the expected decline. The Low preset averages 124 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 95 FPS (with a minimum of 81 and maximum of 109). The High preset drops to 80 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 61 FPS. This data shows that 1440p gaming is viable for all presets, though the Ultra preset sits right at the 60 FPS mark, which may be borderline for some players.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more constrained. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset drops to 51 FPS (with a minimum of 43 and maximum of 59). The High preset averages 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 33 FPS. The data shows that at 4K, only the Low preset consistently stays above 60 FPS, while the Medium preset's minimum of 43 FPS indicates significant dips that could affect gameplay smoothness.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: each step from Low to Medium to High to Ultra costs roughly 20-30 FPS at 1080p, 20-30 FPS at 1440p, and 8-10 FPS at 4K. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the relative cost of each settings tier is smaller in absolute terms, but the impact on playability is greater due to the lower starting framerate. The minimum FPS data, available for Medium presets, shows that the 1080p Medium preset has a minimum of 125 FPS, the 1440p Medium preset has a minimum of 81 FPS, and the 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 43 FPS, indicating that frame pacing becomes less stable as resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations

For players using this combo, the measured data suggests that the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired framerate. At 1920x1080, all presets deliver exceptional performance, with even the Ultra preset achieving 94 FPS. Given the high headroom, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation for 1080p gaming, as it provides the best visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The Medium preset, with its minimum of 125 FPS, is also an excellent choice for those seeking to maximize framerate on a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor.

At 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance, with an average of 80 FPS that is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset, at 61 FPS, is also viable, but the data shows that it sits right at the edge, and any demanding in-game scenes could cause dips below 60 FPS. For players who prioritize framerate stability, the Medium preset at 95 FPS (with a minimum of 81 FPS) is the safest choice, as it provides a significant buffer above the 60 FPS line while still offering decent visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations become more restrictive. The Low preset, at 67 FPS, is the only option that consistently stays above 60 FPS, making it the default recommendation for 4K gaming. The Medium preset, at 51 FPS, is playable but may suffer from noticeable stutters, as indicated by its minimum of 43 FPS. The High and Ultra presets, at 43 and 33 FPS respectively, are not recommended for smooth gameplay, as they fall well below the 60 FPS target. The data indicates that 4K gaming with this combo requires sacrificing most visual quality settings to maintain acceptable performance, which suggests that players should consider dropping to 1440p for a better overall experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, plays a supporting role in this combo's performance in Minimum. The CPU's benchmark scores show strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,340 and a 3DMark max thread score of 5,652. The single-thread performance, as indicated by a 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and a Passmark single-thread score of 2,981, is respectable but not exceptional, placing the CPU in the 71st percentile of all CPUs.

The base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz, combined with 12 MB of shared L3 cache, provide adequate processing power for this third-person shooter. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to reach 192 FPS at Low settings, indicating that the 12 threads are not a bottleneck at this resolution. However, the CPU's performance relative to its rivals is tight, with the AMD EPYC 7H12 scoring 0.3% higher and the Intel Core i5-12450H scoring 0.4% lower in average benchmark scores, suggesting that the i5-11400F is well-matched against its peers.

The architecture, based on Rocket Lake and built on Intel's 14 nm process, offers a 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth with dual-channel DDR4 support. This memory bandwidth is sufficient for the game's needs, as the measured FPS data shows no evidence of CPU-related stuttering or frame drops. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only) indicate that it is a power-efficient and capable processor for gaming, but the data clearly shows that it is not the primary driver of performance in Minimum. The framerate scaling with resolution and settings points almost entirely to GPU workload, meaning that the i5-11400F provides a stable foundation without becoming a limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the dominant component in this combo's performance profile for Minimum. With 11 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 352-bit bus, providing 484.4 GB/s of bandwidth, the GPU has ample resources for high-resolution textures and effects. The base clock of 1481 MHz and boost clock of 1582 MHz, coupled with 3,584 shading units and 88 ROPs, deliver a fill rate of 139.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 354.4 GTexel/s.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 18,600 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2,231. Its average benchmark score of 15,548 is closely matched with its rivals, being 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M380 and 1.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. This data indicates that the GTX 1080 Ti, despite being based on the older Pascal architecture, remains competitive with newer mid-range cards.

The measured FPS data for this combo reinforces the GPU's role as the primary performance determinant. The steep framerate drops at 4K, where the Ultra preset averages only 33 FPS, highlight the GPU's limitations at high resolutions. The 11 GB VRAM capacity is not the issue, as the game is unlikely to exceed this at 4K, but the GPU's raw compute power (11.34 TFLOPS FP32) and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high framerates at 4K with demanding settings. The data shows that at 1080p, the GPU's resources are more than adequate, delivering 94 FPS at Ultra settings, but the performance cliff at 4K indicates that the GTX 1080 Ti is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in this title. The GPU's 250 W TDP and dual-slot cooler design suggest it is a power-hungry but capable card, and its DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 API support ensure compatibility with modern game engines.