Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread desktop processor from the Alder Lake generation, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and it supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This hybrid architecture combines performance and efficiency cores, which is reflected in its benchmark profile: the processor scores 7,956 in 3DMark's 16-thread test, 6,128 in the 8-thread test, and 3,806 in the 4-thread test. Single-thread performance is also robust, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,016 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,302.

For a game like Minimum, which is a 2014 third-person shooter, the CPU's role is primarily to feed frames to the GPU. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 418 FPS, while at 2560x1440 with Low settings, it drops to 277 FPS. This scaling suggests that even at lower resolutions, the CPU is not the primary bottleneck; the frame rates are so high that the GPU is still managing the load effectively. The i5-12600KF's multi-core capabilities, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391, are more than sufficient for this title, as Minimum is not a heavily threaded application. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core provide ample bandwidth for game logic and asset streaming. Given the 3DMark max-thread score of 7,952, which is nearly identical to the 16-thread score, the CPU scales well with additional threads, but the game's demands are likely met by the first few cores. The processor's 125W TDP and PCIe Gen 4 interface with 20 lanes ensure it does not bottleneck the GPU's data transfer. In practical terms, the benchmark results indicate that the i5-12600KF provides a solid foundation for the RTX 5090 D, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential without being starved of data, even in a fast-paced shooter where frame times are critical.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 27th out of 2,939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the top 1% of all configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a flagship GPU. The high rank is primarily driven by the GPU's exceptional performance, as the RTX 5090 D sits in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The CPU, while not at the very top, is still respectable, ranking in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. This pairing demonstrates that the i5-12600KF does not significantly drag down the overall combo ranking despite being a generation older than the GPU.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF is nearly identical in average benchmark score to several other processors. It trails the Intel Core i9-10900K by just 0.3%, and it is also 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D. Conversely, it beats the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE by 0.3% and matches the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U within 0.3%. These deltaPct values are negligible, indicating that the CPU's performance is highly competitive with its peers. The data shows that the i5-12600KF is not a weak link in this combo; it performs on par with chips that are often considered gaming-focused, such as the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. In the context of Minimum, the combo's rank of 27 suggests that only 26 other combinations of CPUs and GPUs achieve higher frame rates, and those are likely to feature top-tier CPUs like the Core i9-14900K or Ryzen 9 7950X3D. The gap in performance between this combo and the very best is likely small, as the game is not particularly CPU-intensive, and the RTX 5090 D is doing most of the heavy lifting.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the combo scales across resolutions, highlighting the GPU as the limiting component at higher settings. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 418 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low, the frame rate drops to 277 FPS, a reduction of approximately 34%. At 3840x2160 Low, the frame rate further declines to 149 FPS, which is about 46% lower than the 1440p result. This pattern is consistent with the GPU becoming more stressed as the pixel count increases, while the CPU remains relatively underutilized. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a significant drop, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is even more pronounced, indicating that the RTX 5090 D is beginning to hit its limits at 4K even on Low settings.

When examining High settings, the resolution scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 276 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 178 FPS; and at 4K High, it falls to 96 FPS. The percentage drops are roughly 36% from 1080p to 1440p and 46% from 1440p to 4K, which mirrors the Low settings pattern. This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all settings, as the CPU's performance headroom is not exhausted. The Ultra settings tell a similar story: 210 FPS at 1080p, 136 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46%. The data indicates that the limiting factor is the GPU's rendering capabilities, not the CPU. The i5-12600KF, with its strong single-thread and multi-thread scores, can easily keep up with the frame generation demands, even at 1080p where the FPS exceeds 400. The RTX 5090 D, with its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, is the component that determines the frame rate at each resolution, and the results show a typical GPU-bound profile.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 418, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play. Medium settings reduce the average to 329 FPS, with a minimum of 280 FPS and a maximum of 379 FPS. High settings yield 276 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 210 FPS. These numbers show that even at the highest quality preset, the combo maintains a frame rate well above 200 FPS, which is more than adequate for a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but decreases as expected. Low settings average 277 FPS, Medium averages 212 FPS with a minimum of 180 FPS and a maximum of 244 FPS, High averages 178 FPS, and Ultra averages 136 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the combo is still capable of delivering high refresh rate gaming, with Low and Medium settings exceeding 200 FPS. The minimum FPS of 180 at Medium settings suggests that frame pacing is consistent, with no major dips. At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop significantly. Low settings average 149 FPS, Medium averages 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, High averages 96 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS. The 4K results show that the combo can handle 4K gaming, but Ultra settings drop below 75 FPS, which may be noticeable on high refresh rate displays. The Medium settings at 4K, with a minimum of 97 FPS, provide a smoother experience, staying above the 90 FPS threshold for most of the time.

The data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, the average FPS decreases by roughly 30-40% for each step up, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 208 FPS, while at 4K, the spread narrows to 76 FPS. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU have more headroom to render extra effects, while at 4K, the GPU is more saturated, reducing the impact of settings changes.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a flagship GPU based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output pipelines, along with 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores. The GPU has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). It is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This immense memory capacity and bandwidth are critical for Minimum at high resolutions and settings, as the game can leverage the large frame buffer for textures and effects.

The GPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915. Its Passmark G3D score of 44,065 places it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The RTX 5090 D's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% faster), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% slower), NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (2.1% slower), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (2.4% slower). These deltaPct values are minimal, but they show that the RTX 5090 D is at the top of the performance stack. In the context of Minimum, the GPU is the dominant component. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 73 FPS, which is a significant reduction from the 210 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU is not constraining performance. The GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate allow it to handle the game's rendering demands with ease, but the pixel throughput of 423.6 GPixel/s becomes the bottleneck at 4K. The RTX 5090 D's performance is consistent with its position as a top-tier GPU, and the data shows that it delivers exceptional frame rates in this title, especially at 1080p and 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, all settings provide high frame rates, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. Medium settings average 329 FPS with a minimum of 280 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. The jump from Low to Medium is modest in terms of FPS loss (89 FPS), but the visual improvement is significant. High settings at 1080p still deliver 276 FPS, making it a viable option for those prioritizing image quality, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, so the Medium preset's recorded minimum of 280 FPS provides more certainty for consistent frame pacing. Ultra settings at 1080p, at 210 FPS, are also playable, but the 119 FPS drop from Medium may not be worth the marginal visual gains.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is again the recommended choice. It averages 212 FPS with a minimum of 180 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay on high refresh rate 1440p monitors. Low settings at 277 FPS offer a competitive edge, but the visual quality suffers. High settings at 178 FPS are still excellent, but the lack of a recorded minimum FPS makes Medium the safer pick. Ultra settings at 136 FPS are playable but may not fully utilize a 144Hz display, and the frame rate is approaching the point where dips could be noticeable. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best option. It averages 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS, which is above the 90 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay on most 4K displays. Low settings at 149 FPS provide higher frame rates, but the visual trade-off is substantial. High settings at 96 FPS are acceptable, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, so the Medium preset's guaranteed 97 FPS minimum is more reliable. Ultra settings at 73 FPS are not recommended for 4K, as the frame rate falls below the 75 FPS mark, which can lead to a less fluid experience on high refresh rate panels. The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best overall experience across all resolutions, providing high frame rates with consistent minimums, making it the sweet spot for this combo in Minimum.