Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB delivers a playable experience in Minimum, but the data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions. The performance curve shows a clear narrative: at 1080p the combination is capable of very high frame rates, but scaling to 4K results in a significant drop that points directly to the GPU as the limiting factor. The measured results place this combo in the 38.6th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating a mid-pack standing for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is the most telling aspect of this configuration's performance. At the "High" preset, the average frame rate falls from 150 FPS at 1920x1080 to 97 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 52 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 35.3% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46.4% drop from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative loss from 1080p to 4K is 65.3%, which is a steep decline that strongly suggests the GPU's rendering pipeline is saturated at higher pixel counts.

The "Low" preset shows a similar trend, albeit at higher absolute numbers. The average frame rate goes from 234 FPS at 1080p, down to 151 FPS at 1440p, and then to 81 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 35.5% and 46.4% respectively, which are nearly identical to the "High" preset scaling. This consistency across presets indicates that the resolution scaling penalty is largely independent of the graphical workload, a hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario where the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become the primary bottlenecks.

Conversely, the CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. The Intel Core i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is clearly not the limiting factor in this game. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 234 FPS, which is a frame rate that would tax even the most powerful processors. The fact that the frame rate scales down so predictably with resolution suggests that the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU at all tested settings. The benchmark data indicates that the CPU is capable of far more work than the GPU can deliver at higher resolutions, making the RTX 4060 Ti the definitive bottleneck in this pairing.

The specific frame time data from the "Medium" preset further illustrates this point. At 1080p, the average frame time is 5.6 ms (179 FPS), with a minimum of 4.9 ms (152 FPS) and a maximum of 6.6 ms (206 FPS). At 4K, the average frame time jumps to 16.1 ms (62 FPS), with a minimum of 18.9 ms (53 FPS) and a maximum of 13.9 ms (72 FPS). The widening gap between minimum and maximum frame times at higher resolutions indicates increasing inconsistency, which is typical of a GPU that is struggling to maintain a stable output under heavy load.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame data places this specific configuration at rank 1432 out of 3712 tested combinations. This puts it in the 38.6th percentile, meaning that roughly 61% of all tested combos perform better in Minimum on average. This is a mid-pack result, which is somewhat surprising given the hardware's specifications, but it reflects the game's age and its relatively low demands on modern hardware.

This ranking is influenced by the GPU's standing in the broader benchmark landscape. The RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB has a percentile ranking of 19 against all GPUs, which is quite low. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, it scores 2913 points. Its nearest rivals in that specific test are the NVIDIA RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF (scoring 2910, a 0.1% difference), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB (scoring 2907, a 0.2% difference), and the NVIDIA Quadro P600 (scoring 2923, a -0.3% difference). This indicates that the 8 GB variant is essentially performance-equivalent to its 16 GB sibling in this synthetic test, but the overall percentile is dragged down by the fact that many other GPUs in the database score higher.

The CPU's ranking is significantly better. The i5-12600KF has a percentile rank of 79 against all CPUs, and its average benchmark score is 27799. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K (scoring 27872, a -0.3% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (scoring 27712, a 0.3% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (scoring 27896, a -0.3% delta). This places the CPU in a strong position, performing on par with or slightly better than these competitors. The contrast between the CPU's high percentile (79th) and the GPU's low percentile (19th) within this combo confirms that the graphics card is the primary drag on the overall game ranking.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12600KF bottlenecking the RTX 4060 Ti in Minimum?*

A: No. The CPU's benchmark results, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302, are far above the requirements suggested by the game's frame rates. The consistent frame rate scaling patterns across resolutions indicate that the GPU is the limiting component, not the processor.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB compare to its 16 GB counterpart?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the 8 GB model scores 2913, while the 16 GB model scores 2907. The delta is 0.2%, which means they are functionally identical in synthetic performance. For Minimum, the 8 GB memory capacity is sufficient, as the game does not appear to exceed it based on the measured frame rates.

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Minimum with this hardware?*

A: Based on the data, 2560x1440 is the sweet spot for a high-refresh-rate experience. At the "High" preset, the average frame rate is 97 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are very high (150 FPS on High), but the visual fidelity gain from 1440p is substantial. 4K is playable but only at 52 FPS on High, which may not be smooth enough for a fast-paced third-person shooter.

Q: Does the game favor NVIDIA or AMD hardware?

A: The data does not provide a direct comparison against AMD GPUs in Minimum. However, the GPU's performance relative to its own rivals (like the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF) shows it is a mid-to-low tier card. The game's performance is more dependent on raw GPU compute and memory bandwidth than on any specific architectural advantage.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM a problem for this game?

A: No. The measured frame rates at 4K Ultra (40 FPS) and 4K High (52 FPS) show that the card is struggling with compute load, not memory capacity. If VRAM were the issue, the frame rates would likely be more erratic or show severe stuttering. The consistent, albeit low, average frame rates suggest the GPU is simply running out of processing power.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the configuration delivers its highest performance. The "Low" preset achieves an average of 234 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play. The "Medium" preset averages 179 FPS, with a minimum of 152 FPS and a maximum of 206 FPS. The "High" preset drops to an average of 150 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset further reduces performance to an average of 115 FPS. All settings at 1080p are above the 100 FPS threshold, indicating a very responsive experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still strong but shows a clear step down. The "Low" preset averages 151 FPS, which remains excellent. The "Medium" preset averages 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS, providing a solid 60+ FPS experience with headroom. The "High" preset averages 97 FPS, which is just under the 100 FPS mark but still very playable. The "Ultra" preset falls to an average of 74 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The "Low" preset averages 81 FPS, which is playable but a significant drop from lower resolutions. The "Medium" preset averages 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS, placing it right at the edge of playability. The "High" preset averages 52 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience. The "Ultra" preset averages only 40 FPS, which is below the generally accepted standard for fluid gameplay in a shooter.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB is the dominant factor in this configuration's performance in Minimum. The GPU features a base clock of 2310 MHz and a boost clock of 2535 MHz, with 4352 shading units and 136 texture mapping units. The memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. These specifications, while capable for 1080p gaming, are clearly stressed by the demands of 4K rendering in this title.

The GPU's memory clock is listed as 2250 MHz, which translates to 18 Gbps effective. The 128-bit memory bus is a limiting factor for high-resolution performance, as it restricts the total memory bandwidth available to the GPU. This is evident in the frame rate scaling, where the drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than from 1080p to 1440p. The GPU is likely hitting a wall in terms of memory bandwidth and fill rate at 4K.

The GPU's percentile rank of 19 against all GPUs is a stark indicator of its position in the market. Despite being a 40-series card with Ada Lovelace architecture, it is outperformed by a vast number of other graphics cards in the database. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2913 is a modest result, and its nearest rival in that test is the workstation-class RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF, which shows the RTX 4060 Ti is not a high-end gaming part. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Minimum's textures, but the GPU's compute throughput is what limits the frame rates at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the "High" preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended configuration. This setting delivers an average frame rate of 97 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and provides a significant visual upgrade over the "Medium" preset. The data shows that the "Medium" preset at 1440p averages 115 FPS, but the 18 FPS gain from dropping to "Medium" may not be worth the visual fidelity loss.

At 1920x1080, the "High" preset is the clear choice for a premium experience, averaging 150 FPS. This provides a very responsive feel and leaves ample headroom for any temporary frame rate dips. The "Ultra" preset at 1080p, averaging 115 FPS, is also viable for those who prioritize maximum visual detail, but the "High" preset offers a better balance. The "Low" preset at 1080p, with 234 FPS, is only recommended for competitive scenarios where frame rate is the absolute priority.

For 4K gaming, the "Low" preset is the only option that provides a consistently playable frame rate, averaging 81 FPS. The "Medium" preset at 4K, averaging 62 FPS, is borderline and may result in noticeable stutters during intense action. The "High" preset at 52 FPS and the "Ultra" preset at 40 FPS are not recommended for this genre, as the low frame rates will likely harm the gameplay experience. If 4K is a requirement, users should consider lowering the resolution or accepting a significant reduction in visual settings.