Minimum

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 153rd out of 3,712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the top 4% of all configurations. This is a remarkably strong position for a processor that sits in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs and a GPU that reaches the 88th percentile among all GPUs. The combo rank indicates that the pairing works exceptionally well for this specific title, outperforming the vast majority of alternative configurations tested in the database.

What makes this rank particularly notable is the combination of a mid-range CPU with a flagship GPU. The i5-12400F's average benchmark score of 19,039 places it within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS and only 0.1% behind the Intel Core 3 201E, while the RTX 4090's average score of 60,347 sits within 2.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M. Despite the CPU not being top-tier, the overall combo leverages the GPU's massive compute resources effectively enough to secure a top-200 position globally.

The data shows a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound in most scenarios, which is typical for a game like Minimum where the visual load scales dramatically with resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 372 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 67 FPS, a spread that illustrates how the processor maintains adequate frame delivery while the graphics card becomes the primary constraint at higher fidelity levels.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process node, with a chip containing 76,300 million transistors across a 609 mm² die. Its memory subsystem is formidable: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus delivers 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, with memory clocked at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The GPU's base clock runs at 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and its 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs provide the raw throughput that drives Minimum's frame rates.

In terms of compute capability, the RTX 4090 offers 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and the same figure for FP16 (1:1 ratio), with pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s. These specifications translate directly to the measured results: at 4K Ultra, the combo still manages 67 FPS, which is playable, but the GPU's headroom becomes evident when settings are lowered. The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are largely irrelevant for Minimum given its 2014 release date, but the sheer rasterization power of this architecture ensures that even at maximum settings, the game remains fluid.

The GPU's 450 W TDP and triple-slot design indicate its performance ceiling, and the data confirms that the RTX 4090 is rarely the bottleneck in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 372 FPS, suggesting the CPU is nearing its limits, but at 4K High, the 88 FPS result shows the GPU handling the load with room to spare. The 24 GB VRAM is far beyond what Minimum requires, but it ensures zero memory-related stutters regardless of texture quality settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on optimal settings for this combo. At 1080p, all presets deliver playable frame rates, but the differences are stark: Low averages 372 FPS, Medium 301 FPS, High 253 FPS, and Ultra 193 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, Low or Medium are the best choices, with Medium offering a 19% reduction in FPS compared to Low but presumably better visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the pattern continues but with lower absolute numbers: Low hits 254 FPS, Medium 194 FPS, High 163 FPS, and Ultra 124 FPS. Medium and High both remain well above 144 Hz, making them ideal for high-refresh 1440p displays. Ultra at 124 FPS is still smooth but represents a 51% drop from Low, which may not justify the visual gains for some users.

At 4K, the recommendation shifts decisively. High averages 88 FPS, Medium 105 FPS, and Low 137 FPS, while Ultra drops to 67 FPS. For a 60 Hz display, Medium is the sweet spot, delivering 105 FPS with min FPS of 89 and max of 120, ensuring consistent frame pacing. High is also viable at 88 FPS, but Ultra's 67 FPS is borderline for demanding scenes, and the lack of min/max data for Ultra makes it riskier. Medium at 4K offers the best balance of performance and quality, with the measured min/max range (89–120 FPS) indicating stable delivery.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p: The combo delivers exceptional performance at this resolution. Low settings produce 372 FPS average, which is the highest measured across all resolutions. Medium follows at 301 FPS with a min of 256 and max of 347, showing tight frame times. High drops to 253 FPS, still far above any 240 Hz display's refresh rate. Ultra rounds out the set at 193 FPS, which remains excellent for a 2014 title. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 48% reduction, indicating that even the heaviest preset cannot stress this GPU at 1080p.

1440p: Performance remains very high. Low averages 254 FPS, Medium 194 FPS (min 165, max 223), High 163 FPS, and Ultra 124 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is a 24% drop, from Medium to High a 16% drop, and from High to Ultra a 24% drop. These increments are consistent with the GPU's compute resources being increasingly utilized as settings rise. The min FPS of 165 on Medium confirms that even worst-case frames stay above 144 Hz.

4K: This is where the GPU begins to feel the load. Low averages 137 FPS, Medium 105 FPS (min 89, max 120), High 88 FPS, and Ultra 67 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 23%, Medium to High is 16%, and High to Ultra is 24%. At Ultra, the combo still produces playable frame rates, but the margin above 60 FPS is slim. The Medium preset's min FPS of 89 provides a comfortable buffer, making it the most reliable choice for 4K gaming.

FAQ

*Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations in Minimum?*

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 153rd out of 3,712 combos, placing it in the top 4% of all tested setups.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming?

A: Medium at 4K provides 105 FPS average with a min of 89 and max of 120, offering the best balance of visual quality and performance. Ultra drops to 67 FPS, which is playable but leaves less headroom.

Q: Can this combo hit 240 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at Low settings the combo averages 372 FPS, and at Medium it averages 301 FPS. Even High settings at 253 FPS exceed 240 Hz, while Ultra at 193 FPS falls short.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Low settings, FPS drops from 372 at 1080p to 137 at 4K, a 63% reduction. At Ultra, it drops from 193 to 67, a 65% reduction, indicating consistent scaling across presets.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the 372 FPS result suggests the CPU is approaching its limit, as the GPU has ample headroom. The i5-12400F's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, likely cap frame rates in less demanding scenes.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium preset shows a min FPS of 165 and max of 223, resulting in a 58 FPS range. This indicates stable frame delivery suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is an Alder Lake-S processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosting to 4.40 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Its 65 W TDP reflects a power-efficient design, and the 10 nm process node from Intel keeps thermals manageable.

In benchmark tests, the i5-12400F achieves a single-thread score of 909 in 3DMark, 244 in Cinebench R15, 985 in R20, and 1680 in R23. Multi-threaded results include 5,895 in 3DMark 16-thread, 5,912 in max-thread, 1,759 in Cinebench R15, 6,980 in R20, and 12,380 in R23. Geekbench scores are 1,964 single-core and 9,472 multi-core. These numbers place the CPU in the 73rd percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 19,039.

In Minimum's context, the CPU's role is to feed the RTX 4090 with enough frames to sustain high FPS. At 1080p Low, the 372 FPS result is likely CPU-limited, as the GPU would theoretically produce more. The 4.40 GHz boost clock and 12 threads handle the game's single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads effectively, but the data suggests that in low-settings scenarios, the CPU becomes the bottleneck. At higher resolutions and settings, the GPU takes over as the primary constraint, as evidenced by the 88 FPS at 4K High versus 163 FPS at 1440p High.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a consistent pattern across all settings presets. At Low, average FPS drops from 372 at 1080p to 254 at 1440p (a 32% reduction) and then to 137 at 4K (a further 46% reduction, or 63% from 1080p). At Medium, the progression is 301 → 194 → 105, representing drops of 36% and 46% respectively. High settings show 253 → 163 → 88, with reductions of 36% and 46%. Ultra follows the same trend: 193 → 124 → 67, with drops of 36% and 46%.

The consistent scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 4090's memory bandwidth and compute throughput scale predictably with resolution. The 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provides sufficient data flow for 4K textures, while the 24 GB VRAM ensures no capacity limits are hit. The percentage drops are nearly identical across presets, suggesting that the GPU is the limiting component at all resolutions above 1080p Low. At 1080p Low, the CPU's performance ceiling becomes apparent, as the 372 FPS result is likely below what the GPU could theoretically deliver.

The scaling data also shows that the combo is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, as the 124–254 FPS range across presets covers both high-refresh and ultra-fidelity preferences. At 4K, the 67–137 FPS range confirms that the RTX 4090 can handle this title at maximum resolution, though Ultra settings push frame rates close to the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K Medium preset's min FPS of 89 provides the best safety margin for consistent gameplay, while 4K Low at 137 FPS offers the highest headroom for those prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity.