Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B370 delivers a profoundly constrained experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows this combination ranks 2703rd out of 2939 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems. This pairing is severely bottlenecked by the graphics solution, which sits at the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU performs at the 73rd percentile of all processors. The result is a system where frame rates remain playable only at 1080p with the lowest settings, and the experience degrades rapidly as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 85 FPS, which drops to 55 FPS at 1440p and further to 30 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35.3% performance loss from 1080p to 1440p, and then a 45.5% loss from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear — the drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper than from 1080p to 1440p, suggesting the GPU is being pushed past its effective limit at higher resolutions.

Looking at High settings, the pattern repeats with different absolute numbers. The system produces 55 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 36.4% and 45.7% respectively, nearly identical to the Low settings scaling. This consistency across settings indicates that resolution is the dominant factor in performance degradation, not the quality preset. The GPU is the limiting component here, as the CPU has ample headroom to handle the workload.

The 4K Ultra preset delivers only 15 FPS, which is below the threshold for acceptable playability in a third-person shooter. Even the 4K Medium preset, which shows a minimum FPS of 19, struggles to maintain a consistent experience. The data implies that this GPU simply cannot handle 4K rendering for this title, regardless of the visual quality settings chosen. The system is fundamentally resolution-bound, with the Arc B370's system-shared memory architecture likely contributing to the steep drop-off at higher pixel counts.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU benchmarks show strong single-thread performance with a 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680. Multi-threaded performance is respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 9472.

However, the data suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck in this game. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1699 and 4-thread score of 3067 indicate that even modest thread counts can be fed, and the game's 2014 release date suggests it likely relies on fewer threads. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039, places it well above the GPU's 5th percentile ranking. This massive disparity in relative performance is the clearest indicator that the graphics solution is holding back the system.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with a deltaPct of 0, and the Intel Core 3 201E at -0.1% deltaPct. These near-identical scores confirm the i5-12400F is a mid-pack performer in the broader CPU landscape. The PassMark multi-thread score of 19433 and single-thread score of 3481 reinforce that this processor has substantial compute headroom for a game like Minimum. The 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support are standard for this class, but the memory bandwidth being "System Dependent" for the GPU means the shared memory architecture could introduce latency that affects frame pacing.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2703 out of 2939 tested combinations places this system firmly in the bottom tier of gaming performance. With a rank percentile of approximately 92% from the bottom, this is a configuration that will struggle with modern gaming demands. The disparity between the CPU's 73rd percentile and the GPU's 5th percentile creates an extreme imbalance where the processor is effectively idle while waiting for the graphics unit.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all legacy hardware: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at -0.2% deltaPct, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at -0.5% deltaPct, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at -0.7% deltaPct. This positions the Arc B370 at performance levels comparable to mid-range GPUs from over a decade ago, despite being built on a modern 3 nm process with Xe3-LPG architecture. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is the only GPU benchmark available, and it confirms this low positioning.

The system's overall rank suggests that while the CPU is capable of running modern titles at high settings, the GPU prevents any meaningful gaming experience beyond very low resolutions and settings. For a game like Minimum, which is not graphically demanding by modern standards, the fact that this combo still struggles at 4K indicates the GPU is exceptionally weak. The 25W TDP and IGP form factor point to this being an integrated graphics solution, which explains the performance ceiling.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance across all settings. The Low preset delivers 85 FPS average, which is smooth for a third-person shooter. The Medium preset achieves 65 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS, providing a consistent experience with some visual improvements. The High preset drops to 55 FPS, still playable but with less headroom. The Ultra preset falls to 42 FPS, which is borderline for fast-paced gameplay but acceptable for slower exploration sections.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops become more pronounced. The Low preset delivers 55 FPS, which is a 35.3% reduction from 1080p. The Medium preset achieves 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS and maximum of 48 FPS, showing tighter frame pacing but at a less comfortable average. The High preset drops to 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 27 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset shows the system can maintain playable frame rates with some stability, but the overall experience is noticeably less smooth than at 1080p.

The 3840x2160 results are largely disappointing. The Low preset achieves 30 FPS, which is technically playable but not comfortable. The Medium preset delivers 23 FPS with a minimum of 19 FPS and maximum of 26 FPS, showing significant frame time variance. The High preset drops to 19 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 15 FPS. None of the 4K presets provide a consistent 30 FPS experience, making 4K gaming impractical with this configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is based on the Panther Lake chip with Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with a theoretical FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s.

The most striking aspect of this GPU is its memory configuration: "System Shared" for size, type, bus width, and bandwidth. This means the GPU relies entirely on system memory, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." For a game like Minimum, this shared memory architecture likely causes significant performance penalties, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demands increase. The system's DDR4/DDR5 support in dual-channel configuration provides some bandwidth, but it is shared with CPU operations.

The GPU's 5th percentile ranking versus all GPUs, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, confirms its low performance tier. The nearest rivals are all older discrete GPUs from ATI and AMD, with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 being the closest at 1186 avgScore. The 25W TDP and IGP slot width indicate this is designed for low-power integrated use, not gaming performance. The 12 Ultimate DirectX support and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility are modern, but the hardware cannot leverage these features effectively for this title.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Minimum?*

A: The 1920x1080 Low preset delivers 85 FPS average, providing the smoothest experience. The 1080p Medium preset at 65 FPS is also viable, with a minimum of 56 FPS ensuring consistent frame delivery.

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

A: The 4K Low preset achieves 30 FPS, but with no min/max data recorded. The 4K Medium preset averages 23 FPS with a minimum of 19 FPS. These results indicate 4K is not practically playable for a responsive third-person shooter.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to the GPU in this system?

A: The CPU ranks at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 19039, while the GPU ranks at the 5th percentile with an average score of 1184. This represents a massive imbalance favoring the CPU.

Q: What are the closest GPU rivals to the Intel Arc B370?

A: The nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a deltaPct of -0.2%, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at -0.5%, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at -0.7%. All have similar average benchmark scores around 1186-1192.

Q: Is the 1440p Medium preset a reasonable choice for this system?

A: The 1440p Medium preset delivers 42 FPS average with a minimum of 36 FPS and maximum of 48 FPS. This provides a playable experience, though the frame rate is noticeably lower than 1080p options.

Q: What does the combo rank of 2703 out of 2939 indicate about this system?

A: This rank places the system in the bottom 8% of all tested combinations, confirming that despite having a capable CPU, the GPU severely limits overall gaming performance.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the recommended choice. It delivers 65 FPS average with a minimum of 56 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without sacrificing all visual fidelity. The 1080p Low preset at 85 FPS is preferable for competitive play where maximum frame rates matter, but the Medium preset provides a more visually engaging experience while maintaining comfortable frame pacing.

Users seeking higher resolution should consider the 2560x1440 Low preset at 55 FPS, which offers a sharper image at the cost of visual quality settings. The 1440p Medium preset at 42 FPS is a compromise, but the minimum FPS of 36 suggests potential stutters during intense gameplay sequences. For those prioritizing visual quality over performance, the 1080p High preset at 55 FPS is acceptable, though the 1920x1080 Ultra preset at 42 FPS is not recommended due to the diminishing returns in visual fidelity at this hardware level.

The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even the Low preset at 30 FPS fails to provide a consistent experience. The 4K Medium preset shows frame drops to 19 FPS, indicating instability. Given the GPU's system-shared memory architecture and low performance tier, sticking to 1080p or, at most, 1440p with Low settings is the only feasible approach for a playable frame rate in Minimum. The data clearly shows that this system is best utilized at 1080p resolution, where the CPU can compensate somewhat for the GPU's limitations.