Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination delivers exceptional performance in Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014. The pairing ranks 240th out of 1,733 tested combos, placing it in the top 14% of all configurations for this title. This is a GPU-dominated result, with the RX 7900 XTX providing massive headroom at every resolution, while the i5-12400 proves more than sufficient to feed the frame pipeline without becoming a bottleneck.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features an 18 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark profile shows strong single-thread performance—scoring 910 in 3DMark single-thread and 2,249 in Cinebench R23 single-core—which is critical for a 2014-era shooter like Minimum that relies heavily on per-core game logic.

In the context of this game, the i5-12400's single-thread capabilities are the primary driver. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1,692 and 4-thread score of 3,012 indicate that even when the game uses only a few cores, the CPU can sustain high instruction throughput. Multi-threaded scores are also robust—Cinebench R23 multi-core reaches 15,935—but Minimum's age means it rarely scales beyond a handful of threads, so the single-core strength matters more. The CPU's 77th percentile ranking among all tested processors (average benchmark score 19,850) places it comfortably above the median, and it sits within 0.4% of rivals like the Intel Core i7-9700 and Intel Core i5-11600K.

Benchmark results show the i5-12400 is not the limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Ultra, the system delivers 160 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 53 FPS—a decline driven by GPU load, not CPU capacity. The CPU's 12 threads and 4.40 GHz boost clock ensure that even in heavy combat scenarios with multiple entities, frame pacing remains consistent. The lack of an unlocked multiplier (multiplierUnlocked: false) means no overclocking headroom, but the stock configuration is already sufficient for this title's demands.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the dominant component in this pairing. Built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process, it features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 6,144 shading units, 384 texture mapping units, and 192 render output units, with 96 ray tracing cores. Its clock speeds are substantial: a base of 1,929 MHz, a game clock of 2,365 MHz, and a boost of 2,498 MHz. The memory runs at 2,500 MHz (20 Gbps effective).

For Minimum, the RX 7900 XTX's raw compute power is overwhelming. The GPU's 61.39 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 479.6 GPixel/s pixel rate allow it to crush the game's geometry and shading workloads. The 24 GB VRAM is far in excess of what this 2014 title requires, but it ensures zero texture thrashing even at 4K Ultra. The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its tier: PassMark G3D scores 31,238, and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 hits 6,841. Its 85th percentile ranking among all GPUs (average benchmark score 44,019) shows it sits near the top of the hierarchy, within 2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti.

The GPU's role is evident in the measured FPS: at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 322.4 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra it maintains 53 FPS. The RX 7900 XTX is end-of-life (productionStatus: "End-of-life") but remains a high-end part with a 355 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 750 W. Its PCIe 4.0 x16 interface and Dual-slot design are standard for its class. The GPU is clearly the performance ceiling here—when settings drop, FPS scales dramatically, which would not happen if the CPU were the bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. Moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS drops from 207.9 to 69.9—a 66% reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 322.4 to 112.2, a 65% reduction. This consistent scaling across settings indicates the GPU is the primary limiter; the CPU's frame generation capacity is not being exceeded at any resolution.

The scaling becomes more pronounced at higher presets. At Ultra, 1080p yields 160 FPS, but 4K drops to 53 FPS—a 67% decrease. At Medium, the drop is from 248.5 to 86.6 FPS, a 65% decrease. The uniformity of these percentages (65-67%) suggests that the RX 7900 XTX's rendering throughput is the sole constraint, with no CPU-induced stalls. If the i5-12400 were limiting, we would expect the 1080p-to-4K drop to be steeper at lower resolutions (where CPU load is relatively higher), but the data shows no such divergence.

This pattern also indicates that the 24 GB VRAM and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are more than adequate for Minimum's textures, even at 4K. The GPU's pixel rate of 479.6 GPixel/s scales linearly with resolution, and the measured FPS tracks accordingly. At 1440p, the combo delivers 136.7 FPS on High and 100.5 FPS on Ultra, placing it in a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data confirms that for this game, the CPU is never the bottleneck—the RX 7900 XTX's compute and memory subsystem dictate performance at every resolution.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 strong enough for the RX 7900 XTX in this game?

A: Yes. The i5-12400's single-thread score of 2,249 in Cinebench R23 and 910 in 3DMark single-thread provide ample headroom. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (322.4 FPS) shows the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond typical refresh rates.

Q: How much VRAM does the RX 7900 XTX have, and is it necessary for Minimum?

A: The RX 7900 XTX has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus. For Minimum, this is far more than needed—the game runs at 112.2 FPS at 4K Low without any memory-related stutter, and even 4K Ultra maintains 53 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Minimum?

A: At 1440p High, the combo delivers 136.7 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors. 1080p Ultra reaches 160 FPS, while 4K High drops to 69.9 FPS—playable but not optimal for competitive play.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 240th out of 1,733 combos, placing it in the top 14% of all tested setups for Minimum. This is driven by the GPU's strong percentile ranking (85th) rather than the CPU's (77th).

Q: Does the game use the CPU's multi-threading capabilities?

A: Minimum benefits from the i5-12400's single-thread performance more than its multi-thread capability. The CPU's 4-thread 3DMark score of 3,012 suggests moderate scaling, but the game's age means 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, Low settings yield 112.2 FPS, while Ultra drops to 53 FPS—a 59.2 FPS difference. This shows the GPU's workload scales heavily with settings, but even the lowest preset exceeds 100 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 + AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination holds a rank of 240 out of 1,733 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the 86th percentile of all configurations, meaning only 14% of tested setups perform better. The rank is largely attributable to the GPU: the RX 7900 XTX sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-12400 is at the 77th percentile among CPUs. The GPU's average benchmark score of 44,019 (within 2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) provides the bulk of the combo's capability, while the CPU's 19,850 average score is competitive but not top-tier.

The combo's position in the rankings reflects its balance. It outperforms many setups with older, weaker CPUs paired with high-end GPUs, because the i5-12400's single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread: 910) avoids the classic bottleneck scenario. Conversely, it lags behind combos with top-1% CPUs (like the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, which scores 19,928) paired with the same GPU, but the delta is small—the Threadripper is only 0.4% ahead in average CPU score. In-game, this translates to minimal FPS differences, as the measured data shows the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers outstanding frame rates across all settings. Low settings hit 322.4 FPS, Medium reaches 248.5 FPS, High achieves 207.9 FPS, and Ultra settles at 160 FPS. These numbers indicate the GPU is barely stressed at 1080p, with the CPU capable of pushing frames well beyond 300 FPS when settings are minimized.

At 2560x1440, performance remains high but shows the GPU starting to work. Low yields 210.4 FPS, Medium drops to 161.6 FPS, High maintains 136.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to 100.5 FPS. The 1440p results are still excellent for high-refresh gaming, with even Ultra exceeding 100 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload becomes substantial. Low settings produce 112.2 FPS, Medium drops to 86.6 FPS, High achieves 69.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 53 FPS. The 4K results show a clear settings hierarchy, with Low nearly doubling Ultra's frame rate. The 24 GB VRAM ensures no memory bottlenecks at 4K, as evidenced by the consistent scaling.

Settings Recommendations

For maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p (322.4 FPS) or 1440p (210.4 FPS) is the best choice, ideal for competitive play on high-refresh monitors. These settings eliminate any GPU load concerns and leverage the CPU's single-thread strength.

For a balanced experience, the High preset at 1440p (136.7 FPS) offers the best compromise between visual quality and performance. This resolution and setting combination exceeds 130 FPS, providing smooth gameplay while maintaining visual fidelity. At 1080p, High (207.9 FPS) is also excellent.

For maximum visual quality, the Ultra preset at 1080p (160 FPS) is the sweet spot, delivering high fidelity without sacrificing refresh rate. At 1440p Ultra (100.5 FPS), the experience remains playable but approaches the 100 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 4K (53 FPS) is best reserved for screenshots or slower-paced play, as the frame rate drops below 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K (86.6 FPS) is a better choice for 4K users who want high settings without the Ultra penalty.