Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a robust experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The measured data shows a combination that scales predictably with resolution and settings, offering high refresh rates at 1080p and playable performance at 4K. This analysis breaks down the frame rates, component roles, and optimal settings based solely on the benchmark results provided.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a substantial performance drop, indicating that the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 160.0 FPS at 1920x1080 to 103.4 FPS at 2560x1440, a 35.4% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160, the frame rate drops further to 58.2 FPS, which is 63.6% lower than the 1080p result.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the 1080p average of 246.7 FPS decreases to 162.5 FPS at 1440p and then to 86.7 FPS at 4K. This shows a steady decline as pixel count increases. The data reveals that the CPU has ample headroom at lower resolutions, as the frame rates at 1080p are exceptionally high, but the GPU's workload scales directly with resolution, limiting performance at 4K. The RX 7800 XT with its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth is capable, but the 4K Ultra preset proves too demanding, dropping to 42.0 FPS. The results clearly show that to maintain higher frame rates at 4K, users must reduce settings, as the difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is a 44.7 FPS gap.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database, this specific CPU-GPU combination holds the rank of 646 out of 1733 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all possible pairings, indicating a balanced setup that outperforms a majority of alternatives. The rank reflects the combined capability of the i5-12600KF and RX 7800 XT, which together produce strong results.

The CPU's individual standing supports this performance level. The i5-12600KF sits in the 84th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27827. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores a nearly identical 27829 (0% delta), and the Intel Core i5-12600K, which scores 27851 (-0.1% delta). This indicates that the 'KF' variant performs essentially on par with its non-unlocked counterpart and the older i9 flagship, making it a solid foundation for gaming. The GPU, meanwhile, ranks in the 76th percentile against all GPUs with an average score of 32619. Its nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (32540, 0.2% delta) and the NVIDIA P104-100 (32747, -0.4% delta), showing it competes closely with those workstation-class cards in synthetic benchmarks. While the combo rank is not top-tier, the data shows it is a competent pairing that handles modern gaming demands well.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the primary driver of frame rates in this test, particularly at higher resolutions. Its specifications, including a base clock of 1295 MHz, a game clock of 2124 MHz, and a boost clock of 2430 MHz, allow it to process the game's graphics workload efficiently. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for Minimum, preventing any VRAM capacity issues that could cause stuttering or texture pop-in.

The GPU's compute power, rated at 37.32 TFLOPS FP32, is substantial for a game from 2014. The benchmark results show that the RX 7800 XT is the limiting factor when moving from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 246.7, which likely approaches the CPU's maximum output. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's fill rate and shading power become the constraint, leading to the significant FPS drops observed. The GPU's performance in synthetic tests, such as a Passmark G3D score of 24176 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 139381, corroborates its strong gaming capabilities. The 263 W TDP and dual-slot design confirm it is a high-performance part, but the data shows it handles all tested settings at 1080p and 1440p without issue, only struggling at the 4K Ultra preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The provided data offers a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with an average of 246.7 FPS on Low, 190.2 FPS on Medium, 160.0 FPS on High, and 124.7 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that the combination can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p, even with maximum settings.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. The Low preset averages 162.5 FPS, Medium hits 125.8 FPS, High achieves 103.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 80.7 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, as all settings provide playable frame rates, with High and Ultra still offering over 80 FPS. At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload becomes more demanding. The Low preset averages 86.7 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium falls to 67.0 FPS, High to 58.2 FPS, and Ultra to 42.0 FPS. While 4K is playable on lower settings, the Ultra preset falls below the generally accepted 60 FPS threshold, making it less ideal for competitive play.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF provides the processing power to keep up with the GPU at lower resolutions. With 10 cores and 16 threads, it offers substantial multi-threaded capability. Its boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which is critical for older games like Minimum that may not be highly optimized for many cores. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23444 and a single-core score of 3309, demonstrate its high level of performance.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing until frame rates reach extreme levels. At 1080p Low, the 246.7 FPS average is a result of both the CPU's fast cores and the GPU's ability to render frames quickly. The i5-12600KF's 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce latency, further improving gaming performance. Its 125 W TDP indicates a power-hungry part, but it delivers the necessary performance to avoid limiting the RX 7800 XT in most scenarios. The CPU's 84th percentile ranking and its close performance to the i9-10900K and i5-12600K, with deltaPct values of 0% and -0.1% respectively, confirm that it is a high-end processor that provides a solid foundation for this GPU.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it still delivers an average of 124.7 FPS. This provides a visually rich experience without sacrificing smoothness, easily exceeding the 60 FPS threshold and accommodating high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is recommended. It produces 103.4 FPS, offering a great balance between visual quality and performance. While Ultra is also viable at 80.7 FPS, the High preset provides a significant 22.7 FPS improvement with a minor visual difference, ensuring a more consistent and fluid experience. For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the best option for maintaining high frame rates, averaging 86.7 FPS. The Medium preset, at 67.0 FPS, is also playable, but Low ensures a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 42.0 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. In summary, the data shows that to get the most out of this combo, users should prioritize High settings at 1440p, while accepting lower settings at 4K to maintain frame rates above the 60 FPS mark.