Minimum

Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 pairing. The data shows a configuration that scales from exceptionally high frame rates at 1080p to solidly playable performance at 4K, with the balance of load shifting between the CPU and GPU as resolution increases. This analysis breaks down the measured results, focusing on how each component's characteristics influence the final output.

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

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 operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates a clear scaling pattern from single-thread to multi-thread workloads. Its single-thread score in 3dmark is 909, while the 2-thread score jumps to 1699, and the 4-thread score reaches 3067. This scaling continues to 4779 for 8 threads and peaks at 5912 for max threads, indicating that the processor efficiently utilizes its available cores. The Cinebench R23 results reinforce this, with a single-core score of 2332 and a multi-core score of 16518.

For a game like Minimum, which launched in 2014, the CPU's role is often more pronounced at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames quickly. The benchmark data supports this interpretation. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination produces 374.2 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain a very high output. The i5-12400F's strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its PassMark multithread score of 19433, likely prevents it from becoming a bottleneck in these scenarios. The processor's percentile rank of 77 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19221, places it in a competitive position. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-8700K with a deltaPct of 0.1, show that its performance is tightly clustered with other capable desktop processors.

As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the demand on the CPU typically decreases relative to the GPU. The data shows that while frame rates do drop, the drop is not catastrophic, suggesting the CPU maintains adequate performance. At 4K High settings, the average FPS is 85.6, which is a substantial drop from the 1080p High result of 239.9 FPS. This indicates that while the CPU is no longer the primary limiting factor, its performance is still sufficient to avoid creating a severe bottleneck that would result in stuttering or inconsistent frame delivery. The processor's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory help ensure data is readily available for processing.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. The GPU's clocks are set with a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2617 MHz, with memory operating at 1875 MHz or 30 Gbps effective. This hardware configuration is designed for high-resolution gaming and demanding graphical workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5080 scores 36565 in PassMark G3D and 8637 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 89th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 59188.

In Minimum, the GPU's impact is most visible when examining the scaling of frame rates with settings and resolution. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully stressed, allowing for very high frame rates. For example, at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 374.2, which confirms the GPU's raw processing power. However, the more telling data comes from the 4K results. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 66.2, indicating that the game's most demanding settings are starting to tax the GPU. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is likely sufficient for this 2014 title, even at 4K, but the computational load of rendering at that resolution with Ultra settings is what limits performance.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Arc A570M, which has a deltaPct of 1.6, and the Intel Arc A580 with a deltaPct of 2.5. These comparisons show the RTX 5080's position in the performance hierarchy, but in this specific game, its capabilities are clear. The transition from 1080p to 4K shows a significant performance cost, highlighting that while the GPU is powerful, the demands of 4K resolution are substantial. The data shows a clear pattern: the RTX 5080's performance scales down gracefully as resolution increases, but the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is significant, especially at higher settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales across resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings. The Low setting yields 374.2 FPS, Medium drops to 289.2 FPS, High is at 239.9 FPS, and Ultra is at 183.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the frame rates decrease but remain very high: Low is 245.2 FPS, Medium is 184.5 FPS, High is 155.9 FPS, and Ultra is 118.9 FPS. At 4K, the frame rates see the most significant drop. Low is 129.6 FPS, Medium is 101.2 FPS, High is 85.6 FPS, and Ultra is 66.2 FPS.

The scaling pattern reveals the limiting component. At 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound in some scenarios, as the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can process game logic. The high frame rates at 1080p, particularly the 374.2 FPS at Low settings, suggest that the CPU is the primary driver of performance here. As resolution increases to 1440p, the gap between settings narrows proportionally, indicating a more balanced load. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The drop from 1080p High (239.9 FPS) to 4K High (85.6 FPS) is a 64.3% reduction, which is a substantial performance cost directly attributable to the increased pixel count.

This data indicates that for a game like Minimum, the RTX 5080 is the limiting factor at 4K, while the i5-12400F is sufficient to keep up at lower resolutions. The difference between 1440p and 4K at the same settings is also telling. For example, at High settings, the FPS drops from 155.9 at 1440p to 85.6 at 4K, a 45.1% reduction. This suggests that the GPU's rendering capabilities are being stretched at 4K. The system's performance is well-balanced, but the 4K Ultra setting, with its 66.2 FPS average, shows the limits of this combination for very demanding configurations.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination ranks 81st out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum. This is a strong ranking, placing the configuration in the top 4.7% of all tested systems. This high rank is a result of the GPU's exceptional performance and the CPU's ability to avoid being a significant bottleneck at most settings. The rank of 81 out of 1733 indicates that this pairing is more capable than the vast majority of other combinations in the database for this specific game.

The ranking suggests that only 80 other combinations of CPUs and GPUs achieve higher average frame rates in Minimum. Given the game's age, this is likely due to the RTX 5080's raw power. The CPU's role in this ranking is to provide enough throughput to allow the GPU to operate near its full potential. The data shows that at 1080p, the system achieves frame rates that are likely near the upper limit of what the game engine can produce. The 4K results, while lower, are still very playable, which reflects the overall balance of this combination. The high rank is not surprising given the GPU's 89th percentile standing, but it also confirms that the CPU does not significantly hold the system back.

The ranking also implies that the combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p, where it achieves an average of 155.9 FPS at High settings. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that they exceed the refresh rates of most displays. The combo's position in the top 100 out of 1733 puts it ahead of many other configurations, making it a high-performance choice for this title. The data shows that for users prioritizing high frame rates, this combo delivers, and for those wanting 4K, it remains playable.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data is organized by resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 374.2 FPS, Medium settings produce 289.2 FPS, High settings produce 239.9 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 183.2 FPS. This shows a clear progression, with the difference between Low and Ultra being 190.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 22.7% reduction, from Medium to High is a 17.0% reduction, and from High to Ultra is a 23.6% reduction.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low settings produce 245.2 FPS, Medium settings produce 184.5 FPS, High settings produce 155.9 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 118.9 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 126.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 24.8% reduction, from Medium to High is a 15.5% reduction, and from High to Ultra is a 23.7% reduction. This shows a similar pattern to 1080p, but with lower absolute frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are: Low settings produce 129.6 FPS, Medium settings produce 101.2 FPS, High settings produce 85.6 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 66.2 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 63.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 21.9% reduction, from Medium to High is a 15.4% reduction, and from High to Ultra is a 22.7% reduction. The frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K are significant, with the Low setting dropping from 374.2 to 129.6 FPS, a 65.4% reduction. The Ultra setting drops from 183.2 to 66.2 FPS, a 63.9% reduction. This data shows that the system is capable of maintaining high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the performance is more moderate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 239.9 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination ranks 81st out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 245.2 on Low settings and 118.9 on Ultra settings, a difference of 126.3 FPS.

Q: Is the frame rate playable at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 66.2, which is a playable frame rate for most users.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F scores 16518 in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 has a memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s.