Minimum

# Minimum with Intel Core i5-11400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080

The combination of Intel's 6-core/12-thread Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA's flagship Blackwell RTX 5080 produces a striking split personality in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter that remains surprisingly demanding at high settings. At 1080p, the pairing delivers triple-digit frame rates across every preset, but the scaling curve reveals a system that transitions from CPU-limited at low resolutions to GPU-limited at 4K. The measured data shows a 181 FPS average at 1080p Ultra versus 63 FPS at 4K Ultra, a 65.2% drop that illustrates how this older title's engine scales with modern hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate trajectory across resolutions tells a clear story about where the bottleneck shifts. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 318 FPS average, which drops to 238 FPS at 1440p Low (-25.2%) and then to 128 FPS at 4K Low (-46.2% from 1440p). This progressive decline indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is becoming the primary constraint as pixel count rises. The 1080p Low result of 318 FPS suggests the CPU is holding back the RTX 5080, since a purely GPU-bound scenario would show more headroom at such a modest resolution.

Moving to High settings, the pattern intensifies. The 1080p High average of 237 FPS falls to 153 FPS at 1440p High (-35.4%) and then to 82 FPS at 4K High (-46.4% from 1440p). The percentage drops between consecutive resolutions grow larger as settings increase, confirming that the GPU's workload scales non-linearly with both resolution and visual complexity. The 4K High result of 82 FPS is playable but far from the high-refresh territory the RTX 5080 typically targets in less demanding titles.

Ultra settings produce the most dramatic scaling. The 1080p Ultra average of 181 FPS drops to 117 FPS at 1440p Ultra (-35.4%) and then to 63 FPS at 4K Ultra (-46.2% from 1440p). This 63 FPS result at 4K Ultra is the lowest measured frame rate in the entire dataset, and it indicates that Minimum's Ultra preset includes effects that disproportionately tax the GPU. The Medium preset shows similar proportional scaling, with 283 FPS at 1080p, 182 FPS at 1440p, and 98 FPS at 4K—the only preset with complete min/max data showing a 83 FPS minimum at 4K Medium.

The overall scaling pattern reveals that resolution has a near-linear effect on performance across all settings, with roughly a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and another 46% drop from 1440p to 4K. This consistency suggests the game's rendering pipeline is well-optimized for resolution scaling, but the absolute numbers show that 4K Ultra is simply too heavy for smooth gameplay even on this high-end GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads from the Rocket Lake architecture, running at a 2.60 GHz base clock with a 4.40 GHz boost. This 14nm processor, released in March 2021, carries a 65W TDP and supports DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 14,340 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,024 in single-core, placing it at the 71st percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 17,177.

The CPU's role in Minimum becomes evident when examining the 1080p Low result of 318 FPS. This figure, while impressive, is likely near the ceiling for this processor in this game engine. The 1080p Medium result of 283 FPS and 1080p High result of 237 FPS show that even as GPU load increases with settings, the frame rate remains exceptionally high—suggesting the CPU can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them at lower resolutions. The 1080p Ultra result of 181 FPS marks the point where the GPU begins to take over as the limiting factor.

Comparing to nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database, the i5-11400F sits within 0.6% of the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17,120 average score, +0.3% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17,074 average score, +0.6% delta). It trails the Intel Core i5-12450H (17,239, -0.4%) and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17,278, -0.6%) by negligible margins. These tiny deltas indicate the i5-11400F's computational performance is squarely in the middle of its peer group, which aligns with the balanced behavior observed in Minimum's benchmark results.

The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s are adequate for this game's demands, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across settings. The processor's 3DMark scores—5,619 in the 16-thread test and 868 in single-thread—further corroborate that this CPU is well-matched to handle the game's threading model without becoming a significant bottleneck at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is a 5nm Blackwell 2.0 part with 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a 2,295 MHz base clock with a 2,617 MHz boost, and its 10,752 shading units produce 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. This hardware places the RTX 5080 at the 87th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56,083.

In Minimum, the GPU's dominance becomes clear at 4K resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS average represents a 65.2% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result, and the 4K High result of 82 FPS is 65.4% lower than 1080p High. These substantial drops confirm that the RTX 5080 is being pushed to its limits by the game's higher presets at 4K, despite its formidable specifications. The 4K Medium result of 98 FPS (with an 83 FPS minimum) is the only 4K row with min/max data, showing that even at Medium settings, frame pacing can dip below 90 FPS.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals in the database shows it leading the group. The RTX 5080's average score of 56,083 is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S (55,757) and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698). It also leads the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54,828) by 2.3%, while trailing the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (57,367) by 2.2%. These tight margins in synthetic benchmarks translate to the measured game performance, where the RTX 5080 demonstrates strong but not class-leading results in Minimum.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for this 2014 title, and the GDDR7 memory's 960.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures texture streaming and memory-intensive effects at 4K Ultra do not cause stuttering. The pixel rate of 293.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 879.3 GTexel/s provide the raw throughput needed for the game's rendering workload, though the 4K Ultra result indicates the shader complexity is the primary limiter.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination ranks 239th out of 3,712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the top 6.4% of all configurations in the database. This rank reflects the GPU's strong performance offset partially by the CPU's mid-tier standing; the i5-11400F's 71st percentile among CPUs contrasts with the RTX 5080's 87th percentile among GPUs.

This ranking suggests that while the combo delivers excellent absolute performance—with 237 FPS at 1080p High and 153 FPS at 1440p High—it is not optimized to its full potential. The 1080p Low result of 318 FPS indicates CPU headroom that could be unlocked with a stronger processor, which would likely push the combo higher in the rankings. Conversely, the 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at maximum settings, meaning a faster GPU would improve the ranking more than a CPU upgrade at this resolution.

The gap between the CPU's 71st percentile and GPU's 87th percentile creates an imbalance that manifests in the scaling data. At 1080p, the combo performs like a top-tier system because the GPU is underutilized, but at 4K, the CPU's limitations are masked by the GPU's workload. The 239th rank out of 3,712 combos indicates that many other pairings—likely those with newer CPUs and similar GPUs—achieve better overall performance in this game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on resolution and refresh rate priorities. For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset delivers 181 FPS average, which is sufficient for high-refresh monitors up to 175Hz. However, the Medium preset at 283 FPS offers a 56.4% improvement over Ultra and is the better choice for 240Hz displays, while Low at 318 FPS serves those seeking maximum competitive frame rates. The High preset at 237 FPS represents a balanced middle ground for 144Hz to 165Hz panels.

At 1440p, the High preset's 153 FPS average is ideal for 144Hz monitors, providing smooth gameplay without the visual compromises of Low (238 FPS) or Medium (182 FPS). The Ultra preset at 117 FPS is suitable for 120Hz displays, though the 35.4% drop from High to Ultra may not justify the visual gains for all players. The Medium preset's 155 FPS minimum from the min/max data ensures consistent frame delivery, making it a safer choice for competitive play.

For 4K, the Medium preset at 98 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it maintains playability above 90 FPS with an 83 FPS minimum. The High preset at 82 FPS is acceptable for 60Hz displays but will not take full advantage of higher refresh rates. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS is only suitable for players who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, as the 65.4% drop from 1080p Ultra makes it the least efficient setting in the dataset. Low at 128 FPS is viable for 120Hz 4K displays but sacrifices significant visual quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for competitive play?

A: The 1080p Low preset delivers the highest measured average of 318 FPS, making it the best choice for maximum frame rates. For a balance of speed and visuals, 1080p Medium at 283 FPS or 1440p Low at 238 FPS are strong alternatives.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?

A: Yes, but with caveats. The Medium preset at 4K averages 98 FPS with a 83 FPS minimum, which is playable. High and Ultra presets drop to 82 FPS and 63 FPS respectively, making them less suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5080's average benchmark score of 56,083 is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE by 2.2%.

Q: Is the i5-11400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5080?

A: At 1080p Low (318 FPS), the CPU appears to limit performance, as the GPU should theoretically produce higher frame rates. At 4K resolutions, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with the CPU's impact diminishing as pixel load increases.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra?

A: The average FPS drops from 181 at 1080p Ultra to 63 at 4K Ultra, a 65.2% reduction. This is the largest percentage drop in the dataset, highlighting the GPU's workload at maximum settings and resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 239th out of 3,712 tested combinations in Minimum, placing it in the top 6.4% of all systems. This rank reflects strong overall performance with room for improvement via a more powerful CPU.