Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 delivers a playable but firmly entry-level experience in Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides enough headroom to push high frame rates at 1080p with lower settings. The measured results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve smooth performance, but it struggles to maintain acceptable frame rates at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly demonstrates that the AMD Radeon RX 580 is the limiting component in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 91 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that average to 59 FPS, a significant 35% reduction. Pushing further to 4K Low yields only 32 FPS, which is less than half the 1080p Low result. This scaling pattern is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance; the Intel Core i5-12400 has ample processing power, but the RX 580's rendering capabilities are exhausted as pixel count increases.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the frame rate falls from 58 FPS at 1080p to 38 FPS at 1440p, and then to 20 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset shows the same trajectory, with an average of 45 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and a barely interactive 15 FPS at 4K. The data reveals that the gap between 1080p and 1440p is large, but the drop to 4K is catastrophic for playability. While the 1080p to 1440p transition costs roughly 30-35% of performance, the 1440p to 4K transition costs another 45-50%, leaving the system unable to maintain a consistent 30 FPS at 4K on any preset.

This indicates that the RX 580's memory bandwidth and raw pixel throughput are insufficient for 4K workloads in this title. The GPU's 256.0 GB/s bandwidth and 42.88 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not enough to handle the 8.3 million pixels of 4K resolution alongside the game's rendering demands. The CPU, by contrast, is not the bottleneck here; its performance scales well with the lower resolutions, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of frame rate. For users targeting higher resolutions, this combo will consistently fall short, making 1080p the only viable resolution for a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations, this pairing ranks near the bottom. The combo rank in Minimum is 3383 out of 3712 tested combos, placing it in the 9th percentile of all systems evaluated. This is a low ranking that reflects the age and performance tier of the RX 580, which holds a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, paired with a mid-range CPU that sits in the 72nd percentile among all CPUs.

The i5-12400 is a capable processor, as evidenced by its benchmark scores. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a single-core score of 2257, placing it in the same performance bracket as the AMD EPYC 7643 (a -0.1% delta), the Intel Core i7-1355U (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (-0.7%). It slightly outperforms the Intel Core i3-14100F by 0.9%. This shows that the CPU is not the reason for the low combo ranking; it is a modern, efficient 6-core, 12-thread part with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz.

The RX 580, however, is an older, end-of-life product. Its average benchmark score of 12928 places it just behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (-0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (-0.4%), while slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon 740M (0.5%) and AMD FirePro W5100 (0.6%). While these rival GPUs are close in aggregate synthetic scores, the RX 580's age shows in modern game optimizations. The combination of a strong CPU with a weak GPU means the system's overall gaming performance is dragged down by the graphics card, explaining its low rank among the 3712 combos. This is a system where the processor has significant headroom, but the graphics card holds the entire experience back.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K?*

A: Technically yes, but not at a playable frame rate. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 32 FPS on Low settings. Ultra settings yield only 15 FPS, and High settings produce 20 FPS. These results are below the threshold for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data clearly shows 1920x1080 as the optimal resolution. All settings presets at 1080p achieve at least 45 FPS, with Low settings reaching 91 FPS and Medium settings hitting 70 FPS. This is the only resolution where the system can consistently deliver playable performance.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 is highly competitive. Its average benchmark score is within 0.9% of the AMD EPYC 7643, Intel Core i7-1355U, AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, and Intel Core i3-14100F. It is effectively tied with the EPYC 7643 (-0.1%) and slightly outperforms the Core i3-14100F by 0.9%.

Q: Is the GPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: Yes. The resolution scaling data shows a dramatic FPS drop as resolution increases, which is the hallmark of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is powerful enough to handle the game's logic, but the RX 580's rendering capabilities are exhausted at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 91 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 45 FPS. This represents a 46 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset more than doubles the rendering workload compared to Low.

Q: How much VRAM does the RX 580 have and is it sufficient?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. While 8 GB is generally sufficient for this game, the GPU's compute power and memory bandwidth are still the limiting factors for high-resolution performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset delivers an average of 91 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset produces a solid 70 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, ensuring a stable experience. High settings yield a respectable 58 FPS average. The Ultra preset, while still playable, drops to an average of 45 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth but remains within the territory of playability for many users.

Moving to 2560x1440, the strain on the GPU becomes evident. Low settings still manage a 59 FPS average, which is playable. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS, which can lead to some noticeable stuttering in intense scenes. High settings drop to 38 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 29 FPS, both of which are marginal for a smooth experience and may cause discomfort for sensitive players.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. Low settings are the only preset to break the 30 FPS barrier, averaging 32 FPS. Medium settings average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 28 FPS. High settings average 20 FPS, and Ultra settings average a nearly unplayable 15 FPS. None of these results offer a consistent, enjoyable experience, confirming that 4K is not a viable option for this combination of hardware.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 plays the decisive role in this combo's gaming performance. With 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and a 256-bit memory interface, the card offers a substantial 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU is built on the GCN 4.0 architecture using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, featuring 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation pipelines. Its base clock is 1257 MHz with a boost clock of 1340 MHz, and the memory runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective).

These specifications result in a texture fill rate of 193.0 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s. The card's FP32 performance is rated at 6.175 TFLOPS. While these numbers were competitive in 2017, they are insufficient for modern high-resolution gaming. The data shows that the GPU's performance ceiling is reached at 1440p, where it can only manage playable frame rates on Low settings. The 4K results are universally poor, confirming that the card lacks the raw throughput needed for 4K rendering.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 53 places it in the lower half of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 12928 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and GTX 1660 SUPER, but in real-world gaming, the older GCN architecture often underperforms compared to these newer designs. The 8 GB VRAM is a positive aspect, as it prevents memory capacity from being a bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p, but it does not compensate for the lack of compute power. Ultimately, the RX 580 is the single largest factor limiting this system's ability to run Minimum at high settings and resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1920x1080 resolution. For users seeking the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset, averaging 91 FPS, is the clear choice. This setting ensures maximum fluidity and is well-suited for competitive play. The Medium preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance, offering a 70 FPS average with a minimum of 59 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely dips below the 60 FPS threshold. This is the recommended preset for most users who want a smooth and visually acceptable experience.

The High preset at 1080p, averaging 58 FPS, is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visual fidelity over a guaranteed 60 FPS lock, though it may exhibit occasional dips. The Ultra preset, at 45 FPS, is best avoided as it introduces a significant performance penalty without a proportional visual benefit, especially given the age of the game. At 1440p, users should stick to the Low preset for 59 FPS or Medium for 45 FPS, but they should be prepared for less stable frame pacing. The 4K resolution is not recommended at any settings preset, as even the Low preset's 32 FPS average fails to provide a consistently smooth experience.

In summary, the data strongly supports playing Minimum at 1080p with the Medium preset to achieve a satisfying balance of frame rate and visual quality. This configuration leverages the CPU's strength while keeping the GPU within its comfort zone. Users with 1440p monitors can still enjoy the game on Low settings, but they will need to accept lower visual fidelity to maintain playable performance.