Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a striking performance profile in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data reveals a configuration capable of extremely high frame rates, yet the scaling patterns indicate a nuanced balance between the CPU and GPU depending on the resolution and settings selected. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to determine the limiting components and the practical implications for gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline reveals the underlying performance ceiling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 372 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 277 FPS, a 25.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 149 FPS, which is a further 46.2% reduction from the 1440p result. This pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, the system is heavily CPU-bound, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly, leaving the processor to dictate the maximum output.

The scaling behavior changes dramatically when examining higher settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 210. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 136 FPS, a 35.2% reduction. At 4K Ultra, the average is 73 FPS, a 46.3% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steeper decline at higher settings suggests the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as the workload per frame increases with both resolution and graphical complexity. The shift in the bottleneck is evident in the fact that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens significantly at higher resolutions.

At 1080p, the difference between Low (372 FPS) and Ultra (210 FPS) is 162 FPS, a 43.5% performance loss for the higher preset. At 4K, this difference grows to 76 FPS (149 vs. 73), representing a 51% loss. This expanding delta with resolution confirms that the RTX 5090 D's rendering load scales substantially with settings, while the CPU's influence on the final frame rate diminishes as the GPU becomes the constraining element. The data suggests that for maximum frame rates in this title, lower resolutions and settings will allow the CPU to flex its capabilities, while 4K Ultra represents the most demanding scenario where the GPU is fully saturated.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Core i5-12400F and the RTX 5090 D holds a measurable position in the benchmark database for Minimum. The data indicates this combo ranks 36th out of 2,939 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1.2% of all configurations evaluated for this game. This high rank is impressive given the CPU's mid-range positioning, suggesting that the GPU's immense power compensates for the processor's more modest standing.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU alone sits at the 73rd percentile when compared to all processors, with an average benchmark score of 19,039. Its nearest rivals in CPU performance include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (average score 19,047, delta 0%), the Intel Core 3 201E (19,056, -0.1%), the Intel Core i5-1335U (18,982, +0.3%), and the AMD EPYC 7773X (18,979, +0.3%). These deltas are negligible, showing the i5-12400F is squarely in a competitive performance tier for general processing.

The GPU, by contrast, is a powerhouse, ranking in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904, +1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940, -1.6%), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396, -2.1%), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605, -2.4%). The RTX 5090 D's score is slightly below some of these competitors, but the differences are within a few percentage points, indicating it belongs to a high-performance class.

The discrepancy between the CPU's 73rd percentile and the GPU's 92nd percentile explains the combo's strong overall rank. The GPU carries the load in a graphics-intensive title like Minimum, and its high standing in the database allows the pair to achieve a top-36 finish. This ranking implies that while the CPU is not a top-tier part, it is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU's work is more demanding.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly influence the measured frame rates. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This vast memory capacity and bandwidth are far beyond the requirements of a 2014 title, meaning memory constraints are unlikely to be a factor in any of the measured results. The sheer headroom ensures that texture loading and data transfer do not impede performance.

Clock speeds for the GPU are listed at a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz. These clocks, combined with the GPU's architecture, contribute to its raw compute power. The RTX 5090 D has 21,760 shading units and a peak FP32 throughput of 104.8 TFLOPS. This massive compute capability is what allows the card to achieve high frame rates even at 4K resolution. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the card still manages an average of 73 FPS, a respectable figure for a demanding preset on a high-resolution display.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck at higher settings is clear from the frame rate data. When comparing the 1080p Low result (372 FPS) to the 4K Ultra result (73 FPS), the performance drops by 80.4%. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario where the rendering resolution and quality settings are pushing the graphics card to its limits. The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking in the database supports this interpretation, as it is a top-tier part that will be the limiting factor in most modern games when paired with a less powerful CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. For each resolution, the Low, Medium, High, and Ultra settings were tested, with average FPS recorded for all, and minimum and maximum FPS recorded for the Medium preset.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 372 FPS, Medium settings yield 329 FPS (with a minimum of 280 and a maximum of 379), High settings yield 276 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 210 FPS. The frame rates at this resolution are exceptionally high, indicating that the system is likely CPU-limited, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at these lower resolutions.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. Low settings produce 277 FPS, Medium produces 212 FPS (minimum 180, maximum 244), High produces 178 FPS, and Ultra produces 136 FPS. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with an average drop of approximately 25-35% depending on the preset. This suggests a more balanced load between CPU and GPU.

At 3840x2160, the performance is significantly lower, reflecting the increased GPU load. Low settings average 149 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS (minimum 97, maximum 131), High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The 4K results show a clear GPU bottleneck, as the frame rates are now more typical of a high-end graphics card being pushed hard. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 97 at 4K is notably higher than the Ultra average of 73, highlighting the performance cost of the highest settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming with this combo?

A: For the highest frame rates, 1920x1080 is the best choice. The data shows an average of 372 FPS at Low settings and 210 FPS at Ultra, both of which exceed the refresh rates of most high-end monitors.

Q: Where does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This combination of Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 36th out of 2,939 tested combos in the database for this game, placing it in the top 1.2% of all configurations.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, scores 76,904, which is 1.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78,940, which is 1.6% higher.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the GPU is the clear limiting factor. The average FPS drops to 73, which is a significant reduction from the 1080p Low result of 372 FPS, indicating the graphics card is being fully utilized.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 180 and the maximum is 244, with an average of 212 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance rank among all processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F sits in the 73rd percentile when compared to all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,039.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for different priorities. For players targeting the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear winner, delivering an average of 372 FPS. This is ideal for competitive play where response time is paramount. The Low preset at 1440p also remains viable for high refresh rate monitors, with an average of 277 FPS.

For a balance between visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is the most sensible choice across all resolutions. At 1080p, it delivers 329 FPS, which is only 43 FPS lower than Low but offers improved visuals. At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 212 FPS, which is still high enough for most high-refresh displays. The Medium preset also has the benefit of recorded minimum FPS data, showing a floor of 280 FPS at 1080p and 180 FPS at 1440p, indicating good frame time consistency.

The High preset is a reasonable middle ground for those who want better graphics without the full performance hit of Ultra. At 1440p, it delivers 178 FPS, which is still very smooth. However, at 4K, the High preset drops to 96 FPS, which may be below the target for some high-refresh 4K monitors. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and the data suggests it is only suitable for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers 210 FPS and 136 FPS respectively. At 4K, the Ultra preset's 73 FPS average is playable but may not fully utilize a 120Hz or higher refresh rate display.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F plays a critical, yet secondary, role in this configuration. This processor features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has an 18 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In terms of synthetic benchmarks, it scores 12,380 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,680 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 9,472 and a single-core score of 1,964.

The CPU's influence on the game's frame rates is most evident at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 372 FPS, a figure that is likely near the CPU's maximum frame output for this game. The fact that increasing the resolution to 1440p Low only drops the average to 277 FPS suggests that the CPU is still a significant contributor at this level. However, the shift to a GPU bottleneck at higher settings and resolutions is clear.

The 3DMark scores for the CPU show a scaling pattern from 1,699 in the 2-thread test to 5,912 in the max-thread test. This indicates that while the CPU can handle multi-threaded workloads, its performance in a game like Minimum is likely more dependent on its single-thread and low-thread performance. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking is respectable, but it is the GPU that boosts this combo to the 36th overall rank. The data suggests that the i5-12400F provides enough processing power to avoid severely limiting the RTX 5090 D in most scenarios, but it does place a cap on the absolute maximum frame rates achievable at low settings and resolutions.